BYRNE IS BACK AT No10 FOR LEINSTER
LEINSTER have been handed a major boost with the return of Ross Byrne at out-half ahead of this afternoon’s URC clash with Treviso at the RDS. The Ireland out-half has been out with an injured bicep since a league win against Munster at Aviva Stadium in late November. The 28-year-old won the last of his 22 Test caps in the World Cup pool win against Tonga and a strong performance against the Italians today may boost Byrne’s chances of a Six Nations call-up. Byrne starts in a youthful backline which features a debut for exciting academy full-back Henry McErlean and also the fit-again Jamie Osborne. Meanwhile, Dave Heffernan, Jack Aungier, Conor Oliver and the fit-again Cathal Forde have all been recalled to Connacht’s starting line-up ahead of the visit to Cardiff this evening. Forde starts alongside David Hawkshaw in a potent midfield. Caolin Blade captains the side from scrum, while Ireland international Cian Prendergast packs down at No8. Tomorrow, Ulster go in search of some much-needed league points away at the Ospreys. And the visitors have Jacob Stockdale, Iain Henderson, Tom Stewart and Nick Timoney back in their ranks after the quartet were released from Ireland camp earlier this week. Will Addison, linked with a move back to Sale, starts at full-back.
LEINSTER (v Treviso): H McErlean; T O’Brien, L Turner, J Osborne, R Russell; R Byrne, L McGrath; J Boyle, L Barron, T Clarkson; R Molony, J Jenkins; W Connors, S Penny (capt), M Deegan. Reps: J McKee, E Byrne, M Ala’alatoa, B Deeny, R Ruddock, B Murphy, S Prendergast, B Brownlee. Referee: H Davidson (Scotland). TV: Kick-off at 3pm, RDS Arena. LIVE on RTÉ 2 from 2.30pm. CONNACHT (v Cardiff): T O’Halloran; S Bolton, D Hawkshaw, C Forde, A Smith; JJ Hanrahan, C Blade (capt); D Buckley, D Heffernan, J Aungier; N Murray, J Joyce; S HurleyLangton, C Oliver, C Prendergast. Reps: T McElroy, P Dooley, S Illo, O Dowling, J Butler, M McDonald, J Carty, T Farrell. Referee: A Piardi (Italy). TV: Kick-off at 5.15pm, Cardiff Arms Park. LIVE on RTÉ 2 from 5pm. ULSTER (v Ospreys): W Addison; M Lowry, J Hume, J Postlethwaite, J Stockdale; J Flannery, N Doak; A Warwick, J Andrew, M Moore; H Sheridan, I Henderson (capt); D McCann, M Rea, N Timoney. Reps: T Stewart, S Kitshoff, S Wilson, C Izuchuckwu, M Rea, D Shanahan, L Marshall, E McIlroy. Referee: F Vedovelli (Italy). TV: Kick-off at 3pm, swansea.com Stadium. LIVE on Premier Sports from 2.30pm.