Combined Leinster & Scarlets Champions Cup XV

Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac brings his team to Dublin on Saturday to face the three-time Champions Cup winners, Leinster, in a mouth-watering European semi-final.

Leinster will begin the contest as 11-point favourites to advance to this year's showpiece in Bilbao, however, the Welsh region managed to defeat Leinster in last year's Pro 12 semi-final at the RDS and will be confident of staging another memorable upset in Dublin.

Scarlets opened up their Pool 5 challenge with two straight defeats to Bath and Toulon, before surging an incredible late rally to eventually top their pool. The Welsh region produced one of the stand-out performances in this year's Champions Cup group-stages when they ran out comfortable victors away to Bath and backed up that momentous performance with a win over Toulon to secure a home quarter-final at Parc y Scarlets.

Leinster, on the other hand, racked up 6 successive wins in the pool stages - the only club to achieve the 100% record this season. Faced with the unenviable task of travelling to Sandy Park, Scotstoun & Altrad Stadium, Leo Cullen came through each test with flying colours. Leinster scored a competition high 22 tries during the pool stages and also finished with the highest points differential.

As the two Guinness Pro 14 pace-setters prepare to face off on Saturday, Ultimate Rugby have placed themselves in the hypothetical shoes of Leo Cullen & Wayne Pivac, who have been tasked with selecting a combined Leinster and Scarlets XV to line out on Saturday.

Pivac has urged his side to 'create history' by reaching a first European final for the Welsh region, it is the club's fourth European semi-final while Leinster will be eager to secure their fourth star.

Leinster & Scarlets Combined XV (Based on players available this weekend)

1. Cian Healy - Back to his destructive best, Healy remains one of the best all-round props in world rugby.

2. Ken Owens - Starter in this combined selection due to his deadly accuracy with a ball at the line-out.

3. Tadhg Furlong - Human wrecking-ball, cornerstone of the Leinster scrum due to his ferocious scrummaging and offers plenty in the loose as well as workrate in defence.

4. Tadhg Beirne - The Leinster Academy product has been a revelation since leaving the Irish capital for Llanelli, a Pro12 medal already in the bag, can Beirne guide Scarlets to European success?

5. James Ryan - Yet to lose a professional game for the province, Ryan has started in all seven victories in this year's tournament and claimed a Grand Slam in his first year in the paid ranks.

6. Aaron Shingler - Playing some of the best rugby of his life, Shingler scored on his last appearance at the Aviva Stadium & impressed throughout the Six Nations.

7. Dan Leavy - Has been unplayable for the last few months, turnovers, tries and black eyes almost guaranteed. 

8. John Barclay - The Scarlets No.8 is coming into his final few weeks with the Welsh region and will be hoping to return to Edinburgh via a pitstop in Bilbao.

9. Gareth Davies - With Luke McGrath destined to miss out, Davies walks into the No. 9 shirt, four tries under his belt in Europe this season, will keep Leinster on their toes in defence.

10. Johnny Sexton - Leinster's top try-scorer & points-scorer in this year's competition. Sexton will be eager to notch a fourth star for Leinster and exact revenge for Pro 12 semi-final defeat last season.

11. Steff Evans - Vital cog in the Scarlets back-three, Evans has produced 9 clean breaks in 5 games - dangerous counter-attacking winger with the ability to score a try from anywhere.

12. Robbie Henshaw - Plagued with injuries in recent times, but his defensive nous could prove vital in shutting down the Scarlets attacking machine.

13. Garry Ringrose - First try-scorer in his last two starts, Ringrose will look to hit the ground running once again, the return of Henshaw will provide him with increased freedom to create havoc in the outside channels.

14. James Lowe - The Antipodean rule could see the New-Zealander miss out. Nine tries in 10 games for the province since his arrival. Bound to play a leading role if selected.

15. Leigh Halfpenny - Has displayed more in attack in recent times, accurate place-kicker and his reliability in defence allow the Scarlets to defend with greater intensity.