There’s no Ed Byrne in the Leinster team for their final game of the season tonight.
The Carlow man is not in the matchday squad for the game against the Dragons in the RDS at 8.15pm.
The game will see 1,200 supporters return to the stands as one of the test events for sports games.
Scott Fardy and Michael Bent will play their last games for the side before they retire from the game.
The majority of the supporters in the stands tonight will be Official Members, granted tickets by way of a lottery system, but there will also be 100 frontline staff from St. Vincent’s University Hospital in attendance as guests of Leinster Rugby.
Garry Ringrose will captain the side, with James Ryan in line to win his 50th cap from the second row.
In the back three, Hugo Keenan will start at 15, with Jordan Larmour on the right-wing and Jimmy O’Brien on the left.
Rory O’Loughlin will start beside Ringrose in the centre with Jamison Gibson-Park, back from injury and playing for the first time since the Guinness PRO14 Final win against Munster, partnering Ross Byrne in the half-backs.
In the pack, Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, and Michael Bent start in the front row with this being Bent’s final game in blue before retiring.
The aforementioned Ryan starts in the second row alongside Ryan Baird.
In the back row, Scott Fardy will play his final game in blue from blindside winning his 80th cap for Leinster since arriving in 2017, with Scott Penny at openside and finally Caelan Doris at No 8.
On the bench, there is a welcome return from injury for Vakh Abdaladze who will make his first appearance of the season if introduced and in doing so will become the 60th player used by Leo Cullen this season.
Harry Byrne is also back from injury to take his place amongst the replacements.
None of Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan, Robbie Henshaw, or Johnny Sexton were considered for selection this week but all four trained and were available if required.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (29)
14. Jordan Larmour (61)
13. Garry Ringrose (85) CAPTAIN
12. Rory O’Loughlin (86)
11. Jimmy O’Brien (34)
10. Ross Byrne (103)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (100)
1. Cian Healy (230)
2. Rónan Kelleher (24)
3. Michael Bent (158)
4. Ryan Baird (26)
5. James Ryan (49)
6. Scott Fardy (79)
7. Scott Penny (28)
8. Caelan Doris (39)
16. James Tracy (128)
17. Michael Milne (15)
18. Vakh Abdaladze (11)
19. Devin Toner (265)
20. Josh van der Flier (97)
21. Luke McGrath (150)
22. Harry Byrne (23)
23. Cian Kelleher (27)
Listen to the Knock On rugby podcast with Leinster and Ireland player Ed Byrne below.
