Sean Cronin set to hit 200 milestone for Leinster
Limerick native Seán Cronin is set to make his 200th Leinster appearance at the RDS tomorrow evening as Leo Cullen’s side take on Ospreys in the United Rugby Championship (kick-off 5pm).
Since joining from Connacht in 2011, Cronin has enjoyed remarkable success with the eastern province, winning no fewer than eight major trophies. He is named on the bench for the visit of the Welsh outfit to Ballsbridge – James Tracy retains his starting place at hooker – but the former Ardscoil Rís student is expected to see action at some point.
Alongside Tracy in the front-row, Cian Healy is named at loosehead prop after being released from Ireland camp and will be joined on the opposite side of the scrum by Michael Ala’alatoa.
Having been left out of the Irish match day squad for last Saturday’s Six Nations defeat to France in Saint-Denis, Ryan Baird and Jordan Larmour are also included in the starting line-up. Baird partners Ross Molony in the second-row, while Larmour is named in a back-three that also features the fit-again Jimmy O’Brien and Dave Kearney.
Instead of keeping one of them in reserve, Cullen has opted to select the Byrne brothers – Ross and Harry – in the same side this weekend. Having replaced the injured Ciaran Frawley on the first-quarter mark against Edinburgh, Harry will strike up a centre partnership with Jamie Osborne whereas Ross finds himself at half-back alongside Luke McGrath – the team captain for the night.
After being thrown into the starting team at the 11th hour last week, Martin Moloney remains in the back-row with Scott Penny and Max Deegan.
In addition to Cronin, there is ample experience on the replacements bench with Rhys Ruddock and James Lowe both set to see game-time – the latter having recovered from a muscle injury that has kept him out of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign to date.
J O’Brien; J Larmour, J Osborne, H Byrne, D Kearney; R Byrne, L McGrath; C Healy, J Tracy, M Ala;alatoa; R Molony, R Baird; M Moloney, S Penny, M Deegan.
S Cronin, P Dooley, T Clarkson, J Dunne, R Ruddock, N McCarthy, R O’Loughlin, J Lowe.