In a bitter sweet selection meeting for Matt O'Connor fullback Rob Kearney and tighthead prop Mike Ross have lost their race to be fit for Leinster's Champions Cup Pool 2 match against Castres on Sunday (Kick Off: 1.00pm Irish Time)
However Luke Fitzgerald, will start in his first game for Leinster in seven months. Fitzgerald, who comes into the left wing, has not played a competitive match since the province hosted Munster in the Aviva Stadium in the Pro12 in March of this year.
Neither Kearney or Ross were able to shake off their respective back and groin injuries suffered late last week.
There are three changes to the team that played against Wasps last Sunday with one in the pack and two in the backs in addition to a number of positional changes to accomodate the returning Fitzgerald.
In the second row Kane Douglas starts as a partner with Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy making way for the Australian.
Isaac Boss also comes into scrumhalf to start ahead of Eoin Reddan with Jimmy Gopperth at ten. Outside of them, Ian Madigan moves from fullback to inside centre with Gordon D'Arcy again selected in the 13 jersey. Noel Reid, who started at inside centre last week, reverts to the bench.
In a re-jigged backline Fitzgerald comes in on the left wing with Darragh Fanning, who touched down twice in the RDS last Sunday, moving across to the right. South African Zane Kirchner vacates the right wing and moves to fullback.
Otherwise Leinster remain as they were against Wasps with three Irish internationals - Jack McGrath, Seán Cronin and Michael Bent in the frontrow - and the same backrow with Rhys Ruddock selected at blindside, try-scoring Dominic Ryan at openside and captain Jamie Heaslip at number 8.
LEINSTER: Z Kirchner; D Fanning, G D'Arcy, I Madigan, L Fitzgerald; J Gopperth, I Boss; J McGrath, S Cronin, M Bent; D Toner, K Douglas; R Ruddock, D Ryan, J Heaslip (capt). Replacements: R Strauss, E Byrne, T Furlong, McCarthy, J Conan, E Reddan, N Reid, M McGrath.
CASTRES: G Palis; M Evans, C Tuatara, R Cabannes, R Grosso; R Tales (capt), C Garcia; S Taumoepeau, B Mach, R Herrera; R Gray, R Capo Ortega; P Faasalele, Y Caballero, J Bornman. Replacements: M Bonello, M Lazar, Y Montes, C Samson, M Babillot, R Martial, J Dumora, A Dupont.
