Leinster Rugby head coach Joe Schmidt has given the majority of his Heineken Cup stars a day off as they prepare for three potential massive weekends of rugby to round off their season.
Having already clinched top spot in the RaboDirect PRO12, and home advantage in the, Leinster's final game against the Dragons at Rodney Parade on Saturday night won't impact on who or where they play in next weekend's semi-final.
That game, against Glasgow Warriors, Munster, the Scarlets or possible even Ulster Rugby, will be played on Saturday at the RDS - a week before they meet Ulster in the Heineken Cup final at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 19 May.
Last season Leo Cullen's men won the Heineken Cup, but a week later lost to Munster at Thomond Park in their bid to do the double. If they win their semi-final next weekend then they will enjoy home advantage again against the winners of the other game being hosted by the Ospreys.
None of Schmidt's starting line-up in Bordeaux will be travelling to Newport, but seven of his eight replacements are travelling. Three of the five players who were introduced in the win over ASM Clermont Auvergne, Eoin Reddan, Sean Cronin and Kevin McLaughlin will start and another, Heinke van der Merwe is on the bench
Ian Madigan, an unused replacement in Bordeaux, starts at half-back with Reddan, while Nathan White and Devin Toner also step up into the side.
LEINSTER
15: David Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan
1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Nathan White
4: Devin Toner
5: Damian Browne
6: Kevin McLaughlin
CAPTAIN
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Leo Auva'a
REPLACEMENTS
16: Aaron Dundon
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Jordi Murphy
21: Luke McGrath
22: Isa Nacewa
23: Darren Hudson
