Leinster team named for trip to Zebre

The Leinster Rugby team, proudly sponsored by Bank of Ireland, to take on Zebre Parma in Round 12 of the BKT United Rugby Championship tomorrow evening in Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi has been named by Head Coach Leo Cullen (KO: 7.35pm Irish time, live on RTÉ2 and Premier Sports 2).

Ed Byrne is set to make his 100th Leinster appearance, while Academy duo Andrew Osborne and Diarmuid Mangan are set to make their debuts.

Byrne made his Leinster debut in February 2014, coming on as a sub in Parma against Zebre. To date he has scored 13 tries for the province, and was part of the teams that won the Guinness PRO14 in 2019, 2020 and 2021.

The Carlow native took up the game with Co. Carlow FC, before representing Clongowes Wood College, and then UCD in the Energia All-Ireland League.

Osborne featured in the recent friendlies against Saracens and Bath, and the Naas RFC graduate was part of Ireland U20s Grand Slam-winning team last year. He is also the younger brother of Leinster back Jamie.

The duo will become the third set of brothers to play together for Leinster this season, following in the footsteps of Ross and Harry Byrne, and Joe and Paddy McCarthy.

Mangan is a product of Newbridge College, and the Kildare native played with Osborne in last year’s Ireland U-20 Six Nations team that won a Grand Slam, and also reached the U-20 Rugby World Cup Final.

Ciarán Frawley returns to the Leinster lineup for the first time since featuring for Ireland in the Guinness Six Nations. He is joined in the back three by Rob Russell and the debutant Osborne.

In the centre, Liam Turner and Jamie Osborne partner together, while Ross Byne and Luke McGrath partner once more at half-back.

Centurion Byrne is joined in the front row of the pack by hooker Lee Barron and Thomas Clarkson.

In the second row, Ross Molony and Jason Jenkins join forces, while Will Connors, captain Scott Penny and Max Deegan complete the pack.

Among the replacements, Mangan is joined by fellow Academy players Fintan Gunne and Henry McErlean.

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets)

15. Ciarán Frawley (79)
14. Rob Russell (26)
13. Liam Turner (25)
12. Jamie Osborne (38)
11. Andrew Osborne (0)
10. Ross Byrne (153)
9. Luke McGrath (203)

1. Ed Byrne (99)
2. Lee Barron (15)
3. Thomas Clarkson (35)
4. Ross Molony (173)
5. Jason Jenkins (31)
6. Will Connors (45)
7. Scott Penny (66) CAPTAIN
8. Max Deegan (107)

Replacements:

16. John McKee (23)
17. Michael Milne (33)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (60)
19. Brian Deeny (16)
20. Diarmuid Mangan (0)
21. Fintan Gunne (1)
22. Sam Prendergast (12)
23. Henry McErlean (1)

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU)