Leinster v Bulls Aviva Stadium 5.15 Sat 25th Sept TG4

[mildlyinterested]

Thornley has porter starting at loosehead tomorrow.

[backrower8]

Thornley has porter starting at loosehead tomorrow.

Saw that. And he has reference to Healy trying out at TH pre-season as well as reference to both Leinster and Ireland aiming for a Porter-Kelleher-Furlong front row.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Look like I may have to eat my hat after all

[Oldschoolsocks]

Has team been named yet?

[riocard911]

Any second now....

[mildlyinterested]

[LeinsterLeader]

Not sure what to make of that!

Lot's to like though. The biggest surprise for me is ROL on the wing

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Didn’t expect to see that centre partnership, delighted with that. Same with ROL on the wing, thought it was a pity that he hadn’t been playing there in recent times.

Porter better not let me down now

I’d have had Dooley on the bench though, really want him more involved so he reaches his full potential. Baird should have a big impact, think that’s his best role right now. Hopefully Deegan does too.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I also hope that we get a very fired up James Ryan who gets back his best ASAP and stays fit. Same for Ringrose.

[curates_egg]

Not sure what to make of that!

Lot's to like though. The biggest surprise for me is ROL on the wing

That's only the biggest surprise because you already knew about the two bigger surprises!

[LeinsterLeader]

Not sure what to make of that!

Lot's to like though. The biggest surprise for me is ROL on the wing

That's only the biggest surprise because you already knew about the two bigger surprises!

Actually, you're bang on there!

[backrower8]

Healy in the 18 shirt is the most notable one for me, just shading Ports at LH which has been signalled for a year now, followed up with Alaalatoa signing and then the serious change in body shape,which was as good a sign that the swap was serious as we were going to get prior to a team announcement.

Fair play to both of them doing it against the Currie Cup Champs in match #1

[LeinsterLeader]

Wouldn't know a huge amount about SA teams, But plenty of names in there to recognize. Could be tough

[Dave Cahill]

If it weren't for the selection of Porter it would be a fairly standard selection - but the selection of Porter at loosehead adds interest. He's up against the fairly callow Mornay Smith - but his one full season (the just finished Currie Cup) was a trophy winining one

[Blueberry]

Love it - not sure why but it's all very exciting, very exciting !!

[joooooe]

Images not showing on PC, so:

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets)

15. Hugo Keenan (30)
14. Rory O’Loughlin (87)
13. Garry Ringrose (86)
12. Ciarán Frawley (35)
11. James Lowe (52)
10. Johnny Sexton (173) CAPTAIN
9. Luke McGrath (151)
1. Andrew Porter (77)
2. Dan Sheehan (13)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (0)
4. Ross Molony (116)
5. James Ryan (50)
6. Rhys Ruddock (188)
7. Josh van der Flier (98)
8. Caelan Doris (40)

Replacements:

16. James Tracy (129)
17. Ed Byrne (70)
18. Cian Healy (231)
19. Ryan Baird (27)
20. Max Deegan (65)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (101)
22. Ross Byrne (104)
23. Jamie Osborne (6)

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

[backrower8]

Love it - not sure why but it's all very exciting, very exciting !!

Excitement is in the eye of the beholder.

For me it is exciting coz:

- match#1
- that front row
- the Ports and Healy switcheroo
- 22 yo 191cm Dan Sheehan up against 37 yo 189cm hooking legend Bismarck Du Plessis
- Frawley & Ringer combo
- Baird being Baird
- Deegan's comeback continues
- Osborne's journey continues

Each to their own.

Sharing is caring.

[wixfjord]

Powerful front row that. Would've preferred to see Baird start to give him a chance against a big SA side personally. Delighted to see Sheehan in there though.

I don't get the Healy thing. Why not just put Vakh on the bench?

[ronk]

And so it is. Porter switches for what's probably the toughest fixture of the URC season to make a switch.

They must be real confident about how he went in training. Hope it works out.

We could end up with Ed Byrne and Healy closing the game. Healy as tighthead is the big move.

[backrower8]

Very experienced Leinster 23, with just Sheehan and Osborne as greenhorns and Ala'alatoa as the experienced virgin.