Leinster are missing several big guns for Saturday’s Vodacom URC match against the Lions in Dublin.
The two teams are level on 53 points heading into the encounter, with the third-placed Lions above the Irish giants on points difference.
There are only six survivors from the Leinster starting XV that beat Toulon last week to advance to the final of the Investec Champions Cup.
They are without regular captain Caelan Doris and his back-row partner, Josh van der Flier, who was under an injury cloud all week.
There is also no Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose or Robbie Henshaw in the backline.
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In further changes from the Toulon clash, halfback pairing Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne have given way to Luke McGrath and Sam Prendergast.
Prop Tadhg Furlong did not recover from injury to make the match 23. However, hooker Dan Sheehan and prop Andrew Porter, who was named Man of the Match in the Champions Cup semi-final, are on the bench.
TEAM: Venter back to flank as Lions aim to breach Aviva
LEINSTER – 15 Ciarán Frawley, 14 Joshua Kenny, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jamie Osborne, 11 Jimmy O’Brien, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 James Culhane, 7 Will Connors, 6 Max Deegan, 5 James Ryan (c), 4 Brian Deeny, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 John McKee, 1 Ed Byrne.
Bench: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Diarmuid Mangan, 20 Scott Penny, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Hugh Cooney, 23 Hugo Keenan.
Missing from starting XV vs Toulon (9): Joe McCarthy, Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose, Tommy O’Brien.
Match 23 survivors from starting XV vs Toulon (6): Thomas Clarkson, James Ryan, Rieko Ioane, Hugo Keenan, Dan Sheehan, Andrew Porter.
Match 23 survivors from bench vs Toulon (5): Rabah Slimani, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne.
Photo: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
