Furlong set for Leinster return after almost a year on the sidelines

January 29, 2021
1788
Ultimate Rugby

Tadhg Furlong is set to make his long-awaited return from injury in his first Leinster game since Last January and his first game since February in the 2020 Six Nations

Peter Dooley and the fit-again Tadhg Furlong are the starting props, with James Tracy selected at hooker. Ross Molony and Ryan Baird are selected in the second row together, with Josh Murphy, Dan Leavy and Jack Conan completing the pack for Cullen. Leavy has recovered from a minor calf injury.

Luke McGrath will captain the side for the trip to Wales, while there is a potential debut off the bench for 19-year-old Jamie Osborne. 19-year-old Jamie Osborne is in line to make his Leinster Rugby Senior debut should he be introduced. The former Naas CBS pupil, who has come through the Leinster Rugby club system with Naas Rugby Club, played with the North Midlands side in the Shane Horgan Cup. Osborne is normally based down in the Ken Wall Centre of Excellence in Energia Park but has been training with the Senior team in UCD over the last few months and is involved in a Senior matchday 23 for the first time tomorrow.

Max O’Reilly makes his second appearance for the Senior team at full-back, with Cian Kelleher on the right wing and Dave Kearney on the left wing having recovered from a minor hamstring injury that ruled him out of selection for the Munster game.

Ciarán Frawley and Liam Turner are selected in the centre for Cullen’s team with captain McGrath and Harry Byrne the half-backs.

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Max O’Reilly (1)
14. Cian Kelleher (20)
13. Liam Turner (5)
12. Ciarán Frawley (32)
11. Dave Kearney (158)
10. Harry Byrne (17)
9. Luke McGrath (139) CAPTAIN
1. Peter Dooley (84)
2. James Tracy (120)
3. Tadhg Furlong (108)
4. Ross Molony (106)
5. Ryan Baird (17)
6. Josh Murphy (39)
7. Dan Leavy (71)
8. Jack Conan (98)

16. Seán Cronin (190)
17. Ed Byrne (62)
18. Tom Clarkson (4)
19. Jack Dunne (10)
20. Scott Fardy (69)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (25)
22. David Hawkshaw (4)
23. Jamie Osborne (0)

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)