United Rugby Championship: Leinster v Munster - Robbie Henshaw back for semi-final

Robbie Henshaw and Jack Conan start for Leinster but Leo Cullen is resting the majority of his Ireland stars in advance of next weekend's Champions Cup final against La Rochelle

Robbie Henshaw is back in the Leinster team for Saturday's United Rugby Championship semi-final against Munster but Leo Cullen has opted to rest most of his frontline players for the game.

That is not a surprise, with Leinster facing La Rochelle in the Heineken Champion Cup final next weekend.

Centre Henshaw returns after missing Leinster's last two games because of a quad muscle injury.

Peter O'Mahony and Keith Earls have been passed fit to start for Munster.

Skipper O'Mahony will start at the Aviva Stadium after recovering from an elbow injury, with wing Earls back after not featuring for three weeks because of a groin issue.

Munster are without Conor Murray, Malakai Fekitoa, RG Snyman and Calvin Nash who all were forced off during last week's quarter-final win over over Glasgow because of head injury assessments.

Leinster's seven changes from Sharks game

Leinster's team shows seven changes from last weekend's 35-5 win over the Sharks.

Jimmy O'Brien, Tommy O'Brien and Henshaw replace Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour and Ciaran Frawley in the backs.

In the forwards, hooker Ronan Kelleher comes in for his Ireland colleague Dan Sheehan with Michael Ala'alatoa, Will Connors and Jack Conan taking over from Tadhg Furlong, Scott Penny and Caelan Doris.

Flanker Penny had to undergo graduated return-to-play protocols this week after starting against the Sharks.

World player of the year Josh van der Flier is named on the Leinster bench but other Ireland regulars Keenan, Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park, Sheehan, Furlong, James Ryan and Caelan Doris are left out of the matchday squad with the Champions Cup final looming.

With Joey Carbery again omitted from the Munster 23, Jack Crowley is named at centre with Edinburgh-bound fly-half Ben Healy partnering Ireland player Craig Casey in the half-backs.

Tadhg Beirne joins his fellow Ireland star O'Mahony in the Munster pack which also includes Jean Kleyn and Gavin Coombes.

Jack Carty, Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki will be back in action for Connacht after they surprised Ulster in Belfast last weekend

After their surprise victory over Ulster in Belfast last weekend, Connacht have named an unchanged squad for their semi-final in Cape Town on Saturday against holders the Stormers.

Jack Carty's five penalties proved enough as Connacht deservedly held off Dan McFarland's side and the fly-half will again partner Caolin Blade at half-back.

Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki remain in the backs with the forwards including another player who helped Ireland land this year's Grand Slam, prop Finlay Bealham.

The defending champions are without injury South Africa forwards Deon Fourie and Marvin Orie.

On home turf, the Stormers will go in as favourites but Connacht are unlikely to lack confidence after winning at Kingspan Stadium a week ago.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Henshaw, Ngatai, Kearney; H Byrne, McGrath (capt); Milne, Kelleher, Ala'alatoa; Baird, Jenkins; Deegan, Connors, Conan.

Replacements: McKee, Healy, Clarkson, McCarthy, Van der Flier, McCarthy, Frawley, Turner.

Munster: Haley; Earls, Frisch, Crowley, Daly; Healy, Casey; Loughman, Barron, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne; O'Mahony (capt), Hodnett, Coombes.

Replacements: N Scannell, J Wycherley, Salanoa, F Wycherley, O'Donoghue, Cronin, R Scannell, Kendellen.

Stormers: Willemse; Davids, Nel, D du Plessis, Zas; Libbok, Jantjies; Kitshoff (capt), Dweba, Malherbe; Dixon, Van Heerden; Engelbrecht, Dayimani, Roos.

Replacements: Kotze, Vermaak, Fouche, Evans, Theunissen, De Wet, JL du Plessis, Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

Connacht: O'Halloran; Porch, Farrell, Aki, Hansen; Carty (capt), Blade; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham; Murphy, Murray; Hurley-Langton, Oliver, Prendergast.

Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Duggan, Aungier, Dowling, Butler, Marmion, Daly, Ralston.