Leinster

Image source, Inpho

Gus McCarthy will make his first start for Leinster in their opening United Rugby Championship game against Edinburgh at the Hive Stadium on Friday night.

The former Ireland Under-20 captain is named in the front row with Michael Milne and Thomas Clarkson.

Leo Cullen has opted for a mix of youth and experience with fellow academy graduates Charlie Tector and Conor O’Tighearnaigh also starting.

Tector partners Garry Ringrose at centre, as Jamison Gibson-Park returns from a hamstring injury, which ruled him out of Ireland's Test games against South Africa.

Jack Conan captains the side at number eight, with Max Deegan and Scott Penny also starting in an unchanged back row from the 54-26 pre-season win over Northampton Saints two weeks ago.

New signing Rabah Slimani, who arrived from Clermont is on the bench, while double World Cup winner RG Snyman is not in the squad.

Cian Healy will equal Devin Toner's club appearance record if he comes off the bench to play his 280th Leinster game.

Irish internationals Caelan Doris and James Lowe are missing, while Dan Sheehan is out with a knee injury.

Leinster: Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien. Garry Ringrose, Charlie Tector, Jordan Larmour, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Michael Milne, Gus McCarthy, Thomas Clarkson, Conor O’Tighearnaigh, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Jack Conan [captain].

Replacements: John McKee, Cian Healy, Rabah Slimani, Brian Deeny, James Culhane, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Rob Russell.

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland back rower Caelan Doris says it is a "massive privilege" to be named Leinster captain for the coming season.

The 26-year-old, who has won 43 caps for his country, also captained Ireland in South Africa last summer when Peter O'Mahony was not in the starting XV.

"It's a massive privilege for me to be leading this group," he said.

"I'm fortunate to have so many quality players and staff around me whose advice and input will be crucial. It was special to get the opportunity to captain Leinster several times last season and I'm excited to do the same again this year."

Doris succeeds Garry Ringrose and James Ryan in the role after the pair acted as co-captains for the province last season.

"Caelan has come off an exceptional 12 months, beginning at last year's Rugby World Cup and culminating with him captaining Ireland to victory over world champions South Africa in Durban this summer," said the side's head coach Leo Cullen.

"Caelan will be well supported by James Ryan and Garry Ringrose, who both did an excellent job for us as co-captains last season. There is also a wealth of top-level experience in the wider group that will help and support Caelan in the months ahead."

Leinster's URC season begins on Friday, 20 September away to Edinburgh.

Image source, Inpho

Leinster have confirmed that they will play their home pool games in the Investec Champions Cup at the Aviva Stadium in the forthcoming season.

The Irish province were drawn in a pool with La Rochelle, Clermont Auvergne, Bath and Bristol Bears, with home games against Clermont on 14 December and Bath on 18 January making up two of their four group fixtures.

Italian side Benetton are also part of Pool Two but, as with last year, clubs from the same domestic league do not play each other in the Champions Cup pool phase.

The RDS Arena is unavailable for 2024-25 because of redevelopment work so the Aviva Stadium will be home for the majority of Leinster's home matches this season, with Croke Park also available.

Leinster have been runners-up in each of the past three Champions Cups, losing narrowly to La Rochelle in the 2022 and 2023 finals, then going down to Toulouse in extra time in the 2024 decider.

Image source, Getty Images

Leinster have confirmed Croke Park will host their United Rugby Championship encounter with inter-provincial rivals Munster on 12 October (17:45 BST).

With their RDS Arena home being redeveloped, Leinster will play their 2024-25 home matches at Croke, which is the home of the GAA, and the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster hosted Northampton at a sold-out Croke Park in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final in May.

Leinster also faced Munster at Croke Park in the Champions Cup semi-final in 2009, which the former won 25-6.

Image source, Getty Images

Former France international front row Rabah Slimani has signed for Irish province Leinster.

The 34-year-old prop won the last of 57 caps for France in 2019, having made his debut for Les Bleus off the bench against New Zealand in 2013.

Slimani has played almost 300 games in the Top 14 with Stade Francais and most recently Clermont Auvergne.

"I'd like to thank Leo and Leinster Rugby for the opportunity to come and join a club with a massive history and a proven record of competing at the very top end of URC and European rugby," Slimani told the Leinster Rugby website.

“I am very excited to also experience a new country and a new city to live and to play my rugby and it is one that my family and I are looking forward to."

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said the signing of Slimani represented "a great addition to the group, not only providing competition for the first team but also helping some of our young front row players learn and develop".

"He is a player we have long admired with vast experience at the highest level of Top 14, European and international rugby," added Cullen of the two-time Challenge Cup winner with Stade.

Slimani joins RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett as new Leinster recruits ahead of next season.

Image source, Inpho

Fit-again Ireland centre Garry Ringrose will make his Leinster return in Saturday's United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Bulls (15:00 BST).

Ringrose, who has played once since January (for Ireland in the Six Nations) because of a shoulder problem, replaces Jamie Osborne in Leinster's only change from last week's quarter-final win over Ulster.

British and Irish Lions number eight Jack Conan has also recovered from injury and is named on the bench for the game in Pretoria.

If Leinster win and Glasgow beat Munster in the other semi-final, Leinster will face Glasgow at Croke Park in the final on 22 June. If Leinster and Munster both win, the final will be at Thomond Park.

Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan (capt); Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris

Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Osborne.