Jordie Barrett starts as Leinster name 9 Lions for Zebre Parma

Jordie Barrett is named in the starting XV as James Ryan returns from injury to take his place on the bench as Leinster ring the changes for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash with Zebre in Parma.

Given the nature of the fixture and the opposition, head coach Leo Cullen has named a surprisingly heavyweight 23 for the task at hand.

The inclusion of Barrett, who was a second-half substitute in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-final defeat to Northampton, is likely to raise eyebrows. Cullen was on the receiving end of heavy criticism this week for not starting the All Blacks star against the Gallagher Premiership champions; and now Leinster are choosing instead to start him against 15th-place URC outfit Zebre Parma.

The New Zealand international starts at inside centre alongside Garry Ringrose, one of six British and Irish Lions tourists included in the starting side.

Newly-minted Lion Ryan will make his first Leinster appearance since January if introduced, having been selected among a strong group of replacements.

Fixture

United Rugby Championship

Leinster

76 - 5

Full-time

Zebre

All Stats and Data

The lock is joined on the bench by fellow Lions tourists Andrew Porter and Jamison Gibson-Park, with Robbie Henshaw and Ciarán Frawley also named.

Frawley will win his 100th Leinster cap if he takes the field.

Jack Conan leads the side from No.8, flanked by Josh van der Flier and Ryan Baird. Academy second row Diarmuid Mangan partners Joe McCarthy in the engine room, while Rónan Kelleher packs down between Jack Boyle and Thomas Clarkson in a new-look front row.

Luke McGrath returns at scrum-half to partner Sam Prendergast at ten, with Barrett and Ringrose combining in midfield. James Lowe and Jimmy O’Brien are named on the wings, with Jamie Osborne at full-back.

In total, nine Lions players are included in the matchday 23 for Leinster’s penultimate regular-season fixture.

Leinster Rugby:
15. Jamie Osborne
14. Jimmy O’Brien
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Jordie Barrett
11. James Lowe
10. Sam Prendergast
9. Luke McGrath
1. Jack Boyle
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Joe McCarthy
5. Diarmuid Mangan
6. Ryan Baird
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan CAPTAIN

Replacements:
16. John McKee
17. Andrew Porter
18. Rabah Slimani
19. James Ryan
20. James Culhane
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Ciarán Frawley
23. Robbie Henshaw