Leinster team to face Dragons

Clint Newland will make his debut for the province and the New Zealand Maori prop will line up in a front row which includes Heinke van der Merwe and Bank of Ireland Leinster Player of the Month Richardt Strauss. In all there are four Ireland internationals in the pack including Leo Cullen who leads the side.

Isaac Boss partners Shaun Berne at half-back, with Eoin O'Malley continuing his centre partnership with Fergus McFadden. Isa Nacewa is named in the back three alongside Shane Horgan and David Kearney. Ed O'Donoghue takes his place amongst the replacements after missing the last five games through injury.

Ticket sales for Friday's match are approaching the 15,000 mark and tickets are still available online from Spar (Donnybrook), the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), online from www.leinsterrugby.ie and from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

Meanwhile, the Leinster 'A' team to face the Ulster Ravens in Donnybrook on Saturday (KO: 1pm) has also been named.

There is free entry for Leinster Season Ticket Holders into Saturday's interprovincial upon presentation of this year's membership card.

LEINSTER (team to face Dragons):

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Fergus McFadden
11: David Kearney
10: Shaun Berne
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Clint Newland
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Trevor Hogan
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Shane Jennings
8: Stephen Keogh

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Jack McGrath
18: Mike Ross
19: Ed O'Donoghue
20: Dominic Ryan
21: Paul O'Donohoe
22: Ian Madigan
23: Andrew Conway

REFEREE: Stefano Penne (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: David Wilkinson, Leo Colgan (both IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Ken Henley-Willis (Leinster Rugby Referees), 5th OFFICIAL: David Bolger (Leinster Rugby Referees), TMO: Dermot Moloney (IRFU)