THE PRO14 BOOTROOM

LEINSTER v CONNACHT

TEAM NEWS: Leinster rest their main men ahead of the trip to Munster but still have loads of quality with the likes of Scott Fardy (right) and captain Rhys Ruddock in the back row and a classy half-back combination of Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park. Andy Friend brings back internationals Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane into the pack and Bundee Aki onto the bench.

LAST THREE MEETINGS

SEP 2018 - Connacht 3 Leinster 20 APR 2018 - Connacht 47 Leinster 10 JAN 2018 - Leinster 21 Connacht 18

VERDICT: Connacht WHY: Leinster’s strength in depth is phenomenal but Connacht are buzzing and will never have a better chance to break their RDS duck. LEINSTER: H Keenan; A Byrne, R O’Loughlin, C O’Brien, D Kearney; R Byrne, J GibsonPark; P Dooley, B Byrne, M Bent; M Kearney, S Fardy; R Ruddock (capt), D Leavy, C Doris. Reps: S Cronin, E Byrne, A Porter, R Molony, M Deegan, H O’Sullivan, C Frawley, N Reid. CONNACHT: T O’Halloran; C Kelleher, K Godwin, T Farrell, D Leader; J Carty, C Blade; D Buckley, T McCartney, F Bealham; U Dillane, G Thornbury; J Butler (capt), C Fainga’a, P Boyle. Reps: S Delahunt, P McCabe, D Robertson-McCoy, J Cannon, E Masterson, J Mitchell, D Horwitz, B Aki. Referee: G Clancy (Ireland). TV: LIVE EirSport2 from 7.45pm; Delayed coverage TG4 from 10pm.

KEY STAT Connacht have never beaten Leinster at the RDS in 13 years visiting the stadium.