Leo Cullen throws a curveball with Ross Byrne's positional switch

Leo Cullen throws a curveball with Ross Byrne's positional switch

Having slipped to their first defeat of the PRO14 campaign against Connacht last week, Leinster have made an intriguing change ahead of their clash against Ulster this weekend with flyhalf Ross Byrne selected at outside centre. 

A late try from Ed Byrne rescued a bonus point for Leinster as they went down 24-35 to Connacht and with Cullen's side looking to bounce back from the victory the head coach has made a number of changes.

A failed HIA ended Jonathan Sexton's game early against Connacht but he has recovered to captain the side at flyhalf with Jamison Gibson-Park partnering him at scrumhalf. Robbie Henshaw starts in the inside centre jersey with Ross Byrne starting outside him in the number 13 jersey for the first time in his Leinster senior career.

Jordan Larmour is set to make his return from injury after shoulder injury kept him sidelined. He starts on the right wing with Dave Kearney on the left and Hugo Keenan at fullback.

Cian Healy starts at loosehead prop with Andrew Porter at tighthead, while Seán Cronin makes his first start of the season at hooker after recovering from a thumb injury. Former Wallaby Scott Fardy is joined by James Ryan in the second row while, in the back row, fit-again Rhys Ruddock starts with Josh van der Flier at openside and Caelan Doris at number eight.


On the bench, Harry Byrne returns from a back injury picked up in the warm-up before the Northampton Saints game.


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