Scott Penny to make Leinster debut
The Leinster Rugby team has been announced by Head Coach Leo Cullen this afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO14 game against Ospreys in the RDS Arena (Kick Off: 7.35pm – live on eir Sport & TG4).
With a number of players still on Ireland duty there are opportunities for other players to state their case and indeed there could be as many as three senior debuts over the course of the 80 minutes with seven players from the Leinster Academy in the match day 23.
In the backs, Cullen has named UCD and Leinster Academy player Hugo Keenan at full back for his first start with Irish international Adam Byrne on the right wing and James Lowe on the left.
In the centre Conor O’Brien and Noel Reid will line up at 12 and 13, with Nick McCarthy and Ciarán Frawley the half backs.
In the pack Peter Dooley and Michael Bent start at loose and tighthead prop respectively with James Tracy at hooker.
Ross Molony is joined in the second row by captain Scott Fardy.
At openside flanker 19 year old former St. Michael’s College pupil Scott Penny makes his senior debut having impressed in the victorious Celtic Cup campaign scoring eight tries across the seven games.
Penny is in his first year in the Academy and is joined in the back row by Josh Murphy at six and Caelan Doris at eight who makes his first start at the RDS.
There is also the possibility for two further senior debuts with Jimmy O’Brien and Jack Kelly named amongst the replacements. Like Penny, both players were key components of the Leinster ‘A’ Celtic Cup win with Kelly captaining the side in the Final against Scarlets ‘A’.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (2)
14. Adam Byrne (41)
13. Conor O’Brien (5)
12. Noel Reid (105)
11. James Lowe (19)
10. Ciarán Frawley (4)
9. Nick McCarthy (31)
1. Peter Dooley (52)
2. James Tracy (75)
3. Michael Bent (110)
4. Ross Molony (69)
5. Scott Fardy (29) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (12)
7. Scott Penny (0)
8. Caelan Doris (4)
16. Bryan Byrne (30)
17. Ed Byrne (28)
18. Vakh Abdaladze (3)
19. Mick Kearney (40)
20. Max Deegan (27)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (3)
22. Jimmy O’Brien (0)
23. Jack Kelly (0)
Referee: Marius Mitrea (FIR)
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