Leinster have announced their team to play Toulon tomorrow in the Champions Cup semi final in Marseille. The game kicks off at 4.15 pm on Sky Sports.
O'Connor has elected to make 12 changes with only Mike McCarthy, Jimmy Gopperth, and Ben Te'o the only players retaining their places from Leinster's costly loss to the Dragons last week. All 12 players rested for that must-win game come back into the team. Ben Marshall replaces Tom Denton on the bench from the Bath quarter final in the only change to the 23 from that game. Marshall was one of the few Leinster players who came out of last week with his reputation enhanced, as he continues to fight for a contract beyond this season.
Gopperth continues to be preferred to Ian Madigan at outhalf, with the Blackrock back continuing in the inside centre spot. Jordi Murphy is preferred to Dominic Ryan in the back row, while Isaac Boss' good form has given him the nod over Eoin Reddan. It's a move that former Leinster coach Joe Schmidt used several times in away games in Europe.
Ben Te'o's impressive game against the Dragons and his upturn in form means that Luke Fitzgerald is kept on the wing, while Fergus McFadden has recovered from a concussion sustained in that game.
The Leinster Team To Play Toulon:
1. Cian Healy
2. Sean Cronin
3. Mike Ross
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Jordi Murphy
7. Sean O'Brien
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Isaac Boss
10. Jimmy Gopperth
11. Luke Fitzgerald
12. Ian Madigan
13. Ben Te'o
14. Fergus McFadden
15. Rob Kearney
Replacements:
16. Richardt Strauss
17. Jack McGrath
18. Marty Moore
19. Ben Marshall
20. Dominic Ryan
21. Eoin Reddan
22. Gordon D'Arcy
23. Zane Kirchner
The Toulon Team To Player Leinster:
1. Xavier Chiocci
2. Guilhem Guirado
3. Carl Hayman
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Ali Williams
6. Juan Smith
7. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
8. Chris Masoe
9. Sebastian Tillous Borde
10 Freddie Michalak
11. Bryan Habana
12. Matt Giteau
13. Mathieu Bastareaud
14. Delon Armitage
15. Leigh Halfpenny
Replacements:
16. Alexandre Menini
17. Jean-Charles Orioli
18. Levan Chilachava
19. Jocelino Suta
20. Steffon Armitage
21. Michael Claassens
22. Rudi Wulf
23. Drew Mitchell