Flanker Morgan returns for Ospreys
Wales flanker Jac Morgan will return from a five-month absence after being named as an Ospreys replacement at Leinster in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Morgan, 24, has not played since December because of a knee injury and missed the 2024 Six Nations tournament.
Hooker Dewi Lake, who was Wales' co-captain with Morgan at the 2023 World Cup, starts for the first time since January, after coming on as a replacement in the 61-24 defeat against Bulls.
Leinster make five changes to the team that defeated Northampton last weekend to reach the European Champions Cup final against Toulouse.
Jimmy O’Brien, Luke McGrath, Rónan Kelleher, Jason Jenkins and Will Connors return to the starting side with Ireland internationals Dan Sheehan, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park dropping to the replacements bench.
Number eight Caelan Doris will captain the side.
Leinster are second in the URC table but have lost their last two league games, both in South Africa against Lions and Stormers, and have not lost three in a row since 2008.
Ospreys coach Toby Booth is under no illusions about the challenge Leinster will present at the RDS.
“They are the juggernaut, aren’t they?” he said.
“They have got 60 odd players of the same calibre. So it doesn’t matter who wears the shirt.
"You know Leinster is effectively a super power of the URC and you know how difficult it is to match that.
“It’s very difficult to compete, but we have competed there before and we will compete there again and see where it takes us.”
Booth’s team go into the weekend in 10th place in the table, but are just four points off the play-offs, with Welsh derbies against the Dragons and Cardiff to follow their trip to Dublin.
“I know we have probably got to win two,” he said, looking at their three remaining fixtures.
“I think people are going to take points off each other. I am sure the sponsors are loving it because there is a lot on a lot of games.”
Leinster: Ciaran Frawley; Jordan Larmour, Jamie Osborne, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O’Brien; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Will Connors, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Michael Milne, Thomas Clarkson, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Charlie Ngatai, Tommy O’Brien.
Ospreys: Max Nagy; Luke Morgan, Owen Watkin, Keiran Williams, Keelan Giles; Dan Edwards, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Rhys Henry, James Ratti, Huw Sutton, Harri Deaves, Justin Tipuric (capt), Morgan Morris.
Replacements: Sam Parry, Gareth Thomas, Tom Botha, Victor Sekekete, Jac Morgan, Luke Davies, Jack Walsh, Evardi Boshoff.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Assistant referees: Keane Davison & Oisin Quinn (IRFU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (IRFU).
