Leinster team to face the Ospreys

Nathan Hines and Eoin Reddan will make their first starts for the province in Friday's game in Swansea. Scotland international Hines partners Malcolm O'Kelly at second row, while in the front row Stan Wright lines up alongside Cian Healy and John Fogarty.

Ireland scrum-half Reddan partners Jonathan Sexton in a backline which also sees Gordon D'Arcy come in for his first start of the season. The back three of David Kearney, Shane Horgan and Isa Nacewa remains the same from the one that started last weekend's 23-14 victory over the Dragons.

The replacements bench will be confirmed closer to kick off.

LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Gordon D'Arcy
12: Shaun Berne
11: David Kearney
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy
2: John Fogarty
3: Stan Wright
4: Nathan Hines
5: Malcolm O'Kelly
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
8: Sean O'Brien

REPLACEMENTS FROM: Bernard Jackman, Mike Ross, Leo Cullen, Devin Toner, Stephen Keogh, Chris Keane, Fergus McFadden, Simon Keogh

REFEREE: Peter Allan (SRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Tim Hayes (WRU), Alan Jenkins (WRU), TMO: Tony Rowlands (WRU)
Speaking ahead of Friday night's game in Swansea, ISA NACEWA said that that the squad are expecting a fiercely competitive test against the Ospreys:

"The Ospreys will prove to be a stiff test for us coming, as it does, after having lost their last game at home to Ulster. Like us they have a proud record at home and I'm sure that they'll be determined to get back to winning ways so we'll need to be focused and wary of them.

"I'm definitely pleased with Leinster's form after the first two games. As a squad we felt that had we been a bit more clinical against the Scarlets in week one then we could have won that game and though the Dragons were tough opponents, we showed definite improvements last weekend in the RDS.

"We've seen a fair bit of the Ospreys in recent weeks and they're an extremely talented side. Friday's game will have a Super 14 feel to it with Jerry Collins, Filo Tiatia and Marty Holah. They're three top class performers and I've played against them back in New Zealand. It will be a real battle up front to match them, but we know that the Ospreys have a lot of other threats.

"Since joining Leinster I've been impressed with the Academy structures. The likes of Niall Morris and David Kearney have come into the first team this year and have done well. I've been at teams before when young players have stayed at clubs for three or four years but never kick on. I feel that we have the balance right, supplemented by experienced players like Nathan (Hines) and Berney (Shaun Berne) who have come into the set-up this year.

"It's healthy to have competition and there are three or four top class players who can play full-back so that means that there's no room to slip up. Everybody wants to have that starting number on their back.

"There was a bit of talk about the challenges facing us with three of the first four games being away from home, but we know the confidence that breeds from winning on the road. It helps morale, sets you up for the challenges ahead and, most importantly, it gets you up the Magners League table.

"Friday night will be a tough task for us, but it's one that we are going to have to meet head on."