Leinster v Ospreys: Teams
Jamie Nutbrown will miss Friday's vital Magners League trip to Dublin, as the Ospreys look to make it four wins in a row against Leinster on Friday.
Last Updated: 18/09/08 3:19pm
Jamie Nutbrown will miss Friday's vital Magners League trip to Dublin, as the Ospreys look to make it four wins in a row against Leinster on Friday.
Signed to cover for the injured Mike Phillips, and the departed Justin Marshall, Nutbrown faces at least eight weeks out with a foot injury. So Rhys Webb will wear the No.9 jersey, with Rhodri Wells providing cover from the bench.
Once again Sean Holley makes a raft of changes having seen his side win their opening three games inside nine days.
The only survivor in the pack is Alun Wyn-Jones, whilst in the backs Andrew Bishop and Nikki Walker get another run with five new faces coming in.
Holley, who is enjoying a fine run as stand-in coach at the Liberty Stadium, faces his biggest test yet on Friday.
"Friday looks likely to be a cracking occasion, two in form sides locking horns in front of a near sell-out crowd," he said.
"We're all really excited about it, it's matches like this that we are all involved in rugby for.
Changes
"The matches between the two of us have generally tended to be close affairs over the years and I wouldn't expect it to be any different this time around."
For Leinster Leo Cullen will make his first appearance of the season in a side that shows five changes to that which destroyed Edinburgh 52-6 last time out.
Cullen takes over as captain and is joined in the boiler room by Devin Toner, who impressed as a replacement last week.
The third change in the pack sees Sean O'Brien come into the openside flanker slot to join Cameron Jowitt and Jamie Heaslip in the back-row.
In the backs Shane Horgan starts on the right wing while the final change sees Isa Nacewa partner Chris Whitaker at half-back. Luke Fitzgerald lines up on the left with Girvan Dempsey continuing at full-back.
Leinster: 15 Girvan Dempsey, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Isa Nacewa, 9 Chris Whitaker, 1 Ronan McCormack, 2 Bernard Jackman, 3 Stan Wright, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 5 Devin Toner, 6 Cameron Jowitt, 7 Sean O'Brien, 8 Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: 16 Cian Healy, 17 John Fogarty, 18 Malcolm O'Kelly, 19 Stephen Keogh, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Chris Keane, 22 Rob Kearney.
Ospreys: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Sonny Parker, 12 Andrew Bishop, 11 Nikki Walker, 10 James Hook, 9 Rhys Webb, 1 Duncan Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 3 Adam Jones, 4 Alun-wyn Jones, 5 Ian Evans, 6 Jonathan Thomas, 7 Steve Tandy, 8 Ryan Jones (c).
Replacements: 16 Ed Shervington, 17 Paul James, 18 Ian Gough, 19 Filo Tiatia, 20 Rhodri Wells, 21 Daniel Biggar, 22 Johnny Vaughton.