Ospreys v Leinster - RaboDirect Pro12 match preview

Shane Jennings: forms Leinster back row alongside Leo Auva'a and Rhys Ruddock

Jonathan Thomas: captains much-changed Ospreys line-up

Hooker Matthew Dwyer will make his first start for Ospreys in Sunday's PRO12 clash against Leinster at Liberty Stadium.

The Welsh side are without nine players who are away on international duty for the rematch of last season's Rabo Direct Pro 12 final.

Lloyd Peers makes his first league start while Arthur Ellis, Marc Thomas and Daniel Suter will all make their Ospreys debuts if they come off the bench

Andrew Goodman will make his debut for Leinster at inside centre in a team showing wholesale changes from the side which defeated the Cardiff Blues last weekend.

David Kearney is one of only two player who remain in the backline and he moves to full-back with Andrew Conway and Fionn Carr named on the wings.

Ireland scrum-half Isaac Boss partners Ian Madigan at in the half backs, with the latter shifting from full-back where he has featured in recent weeks.

Shane Jennings leads the team and he is named in the back-row alongside number eight Leo Auva'a and Rhys Ruddock, who made his first senior appearance this season last weekend.

The replacements bench comprises completely of Leinster academy products.

Ospreys: 15 Richard Fussell, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Tom Isaacs, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Matthew Morgan, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Joe Bearman, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 George Stowers, 5 Jonathan Thomas (capt), 4 Lloyd Peers, 3 Joe Rees, 2 Matthew Dwyer, 1 Duncan Jones.

Replacements:16 Arthur Ellis, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Daniel Suter, 19 James King, 20 Morgan Allen, 21 Kahn Fotuali'i, 22 Jonathan Spratt, 23 Ross Jones

Leinster: 15 David Kearney, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Andrew Goodman, 11 Fionn Carr, 10 Ian Madigan, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Leo Auva'a, 7 Shane Jennings (capt), 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Damian Browne, 3 Jamie Hagan, 2 Thomas Sexton, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.

Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Ben Marshall, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 John Cooney, 22 Noel Reid, 23 Sam Coghlan-Murray

What they said...

Ospreys backs coach Gruff Rees

"It's a great opportunity for guys coming in and show that they are good enough to be Ospreys.

"It's at times like this that players such as Justin Tipuric, Ryan Bevington and Ashley Beck have excelled in recent seasons and they've used it to kick on and establish themselves with both their region and their country.

"We'll be expecting some of the players involved this month to have a similar impact so it's exciting as coaches and players, and I'd expect our supporters to feel the same.

"We know that Leinster may have an unfamiliar look to their team this weekend but we also know that as European champions they have real strength in depth and whatever players wear their shirt we will be in for a real test."

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