Treviso v Leinster: Teams

At Stadio di Monigo, Saturday September 15, kick-off (6.05pm BST)

Last updated: 14th September 2012  

Treviso v Leinster: Teams

Franco Smith: Has named a side featuring 12 internationals

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Treviso could leapfrog Leinster in the PRO12 clash table with success at Stadio di Monigo on Saturday.

Leinster welcome back a number of internationals. Jamie Heaslip makes his first appearance of the season and captains the team in an all-Ireland international back-row alongside Shane Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin.

Devin Toner becomes the 20th Leinster player to reach the 100 cap milestone and he is named at second row alongside Damian Browne.

Heinke van der Merwe, a second half replacement at the RDS victory last weekend, is joined in the front row by hooker Richardt Strauss and Ireland tight-head prop Mike Ross.

In the backline Fergus McFadden, who is set to make his 75th Leinster appearance, partners Brian O'Driscoll at centre.

Eoin Reddan links up at half-back alongside Jonathan Sexton, with Ian Madigan shifting to full-back and both Fionn Carr and Andrew Conway continue on the wings after starting Leinster's 45-25 victory last weekend.

Leo Cullen is one of three Ireland internationals named on the bench alongside Isa Nacewa.

Meanwhile, Treviso coach Franco Smith has named a side featuring 12 internationals and only one player classified as foreigner, Kiwi Dean Budd, who is on the bench.

In total, the starting XV boasts 52 international caps.

Three players play their first games this season. Tommaso Benvenuti comes in at outside centre, Tobias Botes is at scrum-half while Leonardo Ghiraldini features in the front row.

Luke McLean returns to the run-on side at full-back.

Treviso: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Edoardo Gori, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia, 10 Alberto Di Bernardo, 9 Tobias Botes, 8 Robert Barbieri, 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Corniel Van Zyl (c), 4 Francesco Minto, 3 Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Franco Sbaraglini, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Valerio Bernaḅ, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Marco Filippucci, 22 Fabio Semenzato, 23 Kristopher Burton.

Leinster: 15 Ian Madigan, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Fionn Carr, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip (c), 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Damian Browne, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Leo Cullen, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 John Cooney, 22 Noel Reid, 23 Isa Nacewa.

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