United Rugby Championship: Leinster v Dragons (Sat)
- Published
Ross Moriarty suffered a head injury just minutes into his 50th appearance for the region against Lions in January
United Rugby Championship: Leinster v Dragons |
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Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin Date: Saturday, 18 February Kick-off: 19:35 GMT |
Coverage: Live on S4C and BBC iPlayer. Highlights on Scrum V, BBC Two Wales, Sunday, 19 February from 18:00 GMT and later on demand. Report and highlights on BBC Sport website and app. |
Wales international Ross Moriarty returns after a head injury for Dragons against United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.
Number eight Moriarty is one of five personnel changes and two positional switches from the side which lost 28-42 at home to Glasgow last month.
Also returning are Angus O'Brien, Steff Hughes, Will Reed and Ben Fry.
Leinster have Jimmy O'Brien, Jordan Larmour and Jamie Osborne back from Ireland duty.
O'Brien starts the game at full-back, with Larmour on the wing and Osborne at centre.
Leinster name an unchanged pack from their 38-14 victory over Cardiff.
Moriarty missed Dragons' defeat to Glasgow after suffering a suspected concussion earlier in the month and comes in at the base of the scrum with Taine Basham switching to openside flanker in a revamped back row along with Fry.
Stand-off Reed returns to partner captain Rhodri Williams at half-back with JJ Hanrahan dropping to the bench. Jordan Williams also moves to the replacements with O'Brien taking over the 15 jersey.
Hughes' return at inside centre sees Sio Tomkinson move to 13.
Leinster top the table with a 100% record. Dragons are just one place off bottom, having won only three of their 13 games.
Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien, Jordan Larmour, Liam Turner, Jamie Osborne, Dave Kearney, Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath, Michael Milne, John McKee, Michael Ala'alatoa, Ross Molony, Brian Deeny, Rhys Ruddock (capt), Scott Penny, Max Deegan.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Jason Jenkins, Will Connors, Nick McCarthy, Charlie Tector, Rob Russell.
Dragons: Angus O'Brien; Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt; Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (capt); Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty
Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Lewis Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Jordan Williams
Match officials
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)
Assistant: Oisin Quinn & Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Dave Sutherland (SRU)