Leinster pair Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier passed fit for URC final
However, the game comes too soon for fellow British and Irish Lions duo Tadhg Furlong and Hugo Keenan, who miss out on the Croke Park showdown (Saturday 5pm) with calf issues.
Ireland flanker Van der Flier suffered a hamstring injury in the quarter-final against Scarlets, while centre Ringrose has recovered from a calf injury.
They are the only changes to the side that beat Glasgow in the semi-final.
Joe McCarthy and James Ryan continue their partnership in the second row with Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson scrumming down either side of hooker Dan Sheehan.
Ringrose partners Jordie Barrett in the centre, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast the half-backs.
Tommy O'Brien and James Lowe continue on the wings with Jimmy O'Brien named at full-back once more.
Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle and Rabah Slimani provide the front row reinforcements with RG Snyman and Max Deegan providing cover from the bench.
Jamie Osborne moves to the replacements alongside Luke McGrath and the departing Ross Byrne, who is set to make his 186th and final appearance for Leinster.
Meanwhile, Bulls coach Jake White has made one change to the team that beat the Sharks last weekend.
Marco van Staden comes into replace injured back row Cameron Hanekom, with Marcell Coetzee moving to number 8.
Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie Osborne.
Bulls: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk; Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier; Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw; Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden; Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (capt), Marcell Coetzee.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
36 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Liverpool's Alexander Isak dream is still alive – but here's why Hugo Ekitike would be the better transfer
HUGO Ekitike is the poor man's Alexander Isak. But Eintracht Frankfurt's Ekitike is not only available for at least £50m less than Newcastle star Isak - he may also end up being an even better player. 8 Liverpool and Arsenal are still dreaming of a move for Alexander Isak Credit: PA 8 Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike could be a terrific backup plan Credit: Getty That's why both Liverpool and And if Newcastle stand firm on their stance that Isak is not for sale at any price, not even a British-record-obliterating £150m or more, then splashing out 'just' £86m on Ekitike would make perfect sense. After all, Newcastle almost signed him before they bought Isak. Make no mistake - Isak remains THE dream summer signing for both the Reds and the Gunners. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL First and foremost, because the On the one hand, Isak's goals and all-round contribution were a big factor in Newcastle qualifying for the lucrative Champions League. So, in theory, they have no need to sell and can quote fees that no suitor is willing to pay. Yet Isak's success also feeds his own personal ambition. What if, at the age of 25, this is his best chance to sign for a club that can compete for the biggest prizes in club football? Most read in Football 8 Alexander Isak was the Premier League's second-top goalscorer last season 8 Hugo Ekitike was sixth top scorer in the Bundesliga CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Newcastle are willing to give Isak, whose current contract still has three years to run, a decent pay rise from his current £120,000 per week if he will sign a new deal. Arsenal and especially Liverpool could give him much more, though. Fans convinced they know what Virgil van Dijk said to Newcastle hero Alexander Isak after Carabao Cup final And if Isak refuses to commit himself or cuts up rough about an alleged promise from Newcastle that they would sell him for a certain fee this summer, cashing in on him would become more attractive. So Arsenal and Liverpool will not give up on Isak just yet, not with nearly two months of the transfer window to go. But they would be negligent if they WEREN'T considering Ekitike as a strong alternative and arguably the better buy. Because in his height and physique, his ability to dribble and link play, and his all-round capacity to link play and create openings for others, as well as to score goals, he has plenty in common with Isak. Newcastle almost signed Ekitike months before they spent an initial £60m on Isak in 2022. Ekitike, then at Reims, turned down a deadline day move to St James' Park in the winter window. Newcastle were interested again in the summer, but the forward chose to join PSG on an initial loan in July, with Isak arriving in the north east of 8 Isak has established himself as one of the Premier League's top players Credit: Getty 8 Ekitike was previously on the books at PSG Credit: AFP Eintracht have a vested interest in talking up the comparison between Isak and Ekitike, of course. And Ekitike's stats are generally not as impressive as Isak's. Yet there are admirers who believe that Ekitike has a higher ceiling and could end up becoming one of the best strikers in the world. Ekitike is tall, at almost 6ft 3in, yet has excellent feet and speed, like the Swede. His debut season in Germany, after his loan move from Paris Saint-Germain was made permanent, was impressive - 15 goals and eight assists in 33 Bundesliga appearances. Which compares favourably to Arsenal target Ekitike and But it wasn't a case of Marmoush making his sidekick look good. Ekitike scored nearly half his league goals (seven) and more than half his assists (five) AFTER main man Marmoush played his last game for the club. He also caught the eye in the Europa League, even before his excellent long-range goal against Tottenham in the quarter-final first leg. Although Isak's goalscoring record is superior to Ekitike's, the Frenchman creates more for others and could be considered a more complete player. 8 It is no secret Eintracht are a selling club. They sold In January this year, Eintracht accepted a deal worth up to £64m for Marmoush. Every player at the big club in Frankfurt, Germany's banking capital, has his price. But Eintracht have not yet spent all the Marmoush money. So they are more than happy to hold out for the 100m Euros (£86m) they believe Ekitike is worth in the current market. There are reasons for Liverpool, Arsenal and others to think hard, of course. Ekitike has had just one good season in a big five European league - a bit like Premier League flops While his 15 goals - level with Marmoush, who played just over half the season, and 11 behind leader Harry Kane - are another slight cause for concern. Isak, with 23 PL strikes, was second only to Mohamed Salah. Even Ekitike's cheerleaders at The Transfer Flow podcast and bulletin point out that, for a big lad, Ekitike is not great at heading. Nor is Isak, but Sesko definitely is. They also note that Ekitike gets knocked off the ball easily and his off-the-ball work against teams with better defences is not elite. Yet they still identified him as the striker who should be Liverpool's top target - even at £85m. If Arsenal decide to go for an out-and-out goalscorer, maybe Viktor Gyokeres would be a better option. But if the Gunners and the Reds want an all-round centre forward like Isak - and they do - then Ekititke would be a great back-up candidate. And at a much lower price, could even turn out to be the better long-term option. 8
The Irish Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Rebel Fred Perry became UK exile and served in US Air Force in WWII after he was ostracised by Wimbledon snobs
ANDY MURRAY will soon become only the second person to be honoured with a statue at the All England Club. And having ended a 77-year wait for a British men's singles champion at Wimbledon, few would argue against Advertisement 11 Fred Perry was the last British man before Andy Murray to win Wimbledon Credit: AFP 11 He secured three Wimbledon crowns but was exiled from the UK Credit: Getty - Contributor 11 He had a string of relationships, including a romance with Jean Harlow Credit: PA:Press Association Yet even Murray's inspiring life and career - including three Major titles, two Olympic golds and a Davis Cup - pale in comparison with the only previous player to be handed this accolade, Fred Perry. As the first man to complete a career Grand Slam, a Especially as he had been a world champion at table tennis, as well as the undisputed king of the lawns. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Advertisement READ MORE ON WIMBLEDON Not only was Perry a working-class man from Stockport and the son of a Labour MP, he was also a fashionista, a lothario, a heart-throb, a rebel and, ultimately, an exile. He dated Hollywood sirens, including Marlene Dietrich and Jean Harlow, he married four times and, after emigrating and taking American citizenship, Perry served in the US Air Force during World War Two. In an age of intense class-based snobbery and of strict amateurism in tennis, the elitist plum-suckers in the Wimbledon boardroom decided that Perry was a lad from the wrong side of the chalk lines. When he turned professional in 1937, Perry was stripped of his All England Club membership, went on lengthy world tours and settled in the States - where he felt far more accepted than in stuffy pre-war Britain. Advertisement Most read in Sport CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The first of Murray's two Wimbledon triumphs in 2013 ended a wait for a British men's singles champion which had stretched back to Perry's hat-trick of successes between 1934 and 1936. And while the Scot was something of an outsider and an anti-establishment figure - especially in his early days - he competed in far more enlightened times than Perry, who was the victim of overt discrimination from the authorities. Sue Barker returns to Wimbledon in new role a year after legendary BBC presenter's emotional Andy Murray interview As well as his working-class northern roots, Perry was also frowned upon because he was simply too competitive, occasionally even showing dissent towards umpires - which was unheard of in the 30s. Advertisement He was extremely fast across the court and, unlike many of his competitors, was supremely fit - often training with the dominant Arsenal team of the 1930s to develop his sharpness. But after a comprehensive victory over Australian Jack Crawford to win his first Wimbledon title - celebrated with a Centre Court cartwheel and a leap over the net - Perry suffered one of his most memorable instances of All England Club snobbery. While soaking in a bath after coming off court, Perry claims he heard upper-crust committee member Brame Hillyard tell runner-up Crawford that "this was one day when the best man didn't win". Hillyard then draped Perry's Wimbledon tie - symbolising his membership of the All England Club - over a seat rather than presenting it to the champion in person. Advertisement Perry later wrote in his autobiography: 'I don't think I've ever been so angry in my life. Instead of Fred J Perry the champ, I felt like Fred J Muggs the chimp. 'Some elements in the All England Club and the Lawn Tennis Association looked down on me as a hot-headed, outspoken tearaway rebel, not quite the class of chap they really wanted to see winning Wimbledon, even if he was English.' 11 Perry was a fashion star as well as a sporting hero Credit: Alamy 11 He went out with Marlene Dietrich Credit: Rex Advertisement 11 Perry's first marriage, with American film star Helen Vinson, lasted five years Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 11 Andy Murray will follow in Perry's footsteps with a statue at the All England Club Credit: Getty Images - Getty And Perry certainly wasn't the only British sporting great of his era to become ostracised by snobbish attitudes. Harold Larwood, the great England fast bowler and hero of the Bodyline triumph over Don Bradman's Aussies in 1932-33, became a scapegoat for the diplomatic crisis sparked by the ruthless tactics of his upper-class captain Douglas Jardine. Advertisement Larwood, a former Nottinghamshire coal miner, would never play for England again and ended up emigrating to, of all places, Australia. Perry, who inspired Great Britain to four consecutive Davis Cup triumphs, was far more popular with the public than his sport's top brass - and not least with women, who loved his fashion sense, including his on-court penchant for tailored white flannels and blazers. He would, of course, go on to make millions from his As for the ladies, Perry would marry four of them - including the Hollywood actress Helen Vinson and the model Sandra Breaux - before he settled down with Barbara Riese, the couple having two children and enjoying a 40-year marriage until Perry's death in 1995, aged 85. Advertisement He was finally accepted back into the fold at Wimbledon during the last 25 years of his life, broadcasting for the BBC before his statue was unveiled in 1982 - to Perry's intense pride. 'I never thought I'd live to see the day when a statue was put up to the son of a Labour MP inside the manicured grounds of Wimbledon,' he wrote in his memoirs. 'There will be a few former members of the All England Club and the LTA revolving in their graves at the thought of such a tribute paid to the man they regarded as a rebel from the wrong side of the tennis tramlines.' Murray, who often felt his Scottishness was held against him during his early days at Wimbledon, never really knew the half of it. Advertisement 11 His name lives on as the clothing brand Credit: Getty 11 He was briefly married to Sandra Breaux Credit: AP:Associated Press 11 The Stockport native was also a world champion at table tennis Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd 11 Perry died aged 85 in 1995 Credit: Times Newspapers Ltd Advertisement
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
World No281 Jack Pinnington Jones helps set amazing Wimbledon record as Jack Draper predicts GOLDEN AGE of Brit tennis
JACK DRAPER predicted a golden age for British tennis after SEVEN home-grown men reached a Grand Slam second round for the first time since 1997. Fourth-seed Draper 4 Jack Draper has predicted a golden age of British tennis Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 4 Jack Pinnington Jones was one of 10 British players to advance to the second round Credit: Reuters Draper's close pal and rookie Jack Pinnington Jones and veteran The ten singles players into round two at the All England Club is a record. And Draper, 23, said: 'We have so much talent in British tennis, it's really exciting what we are going to have in the next ten years - and I'm excited to be a part of it. 'We all grew up watching Andy Murray's successes on TV and he has had a huge effect on all of us.' READ MORE IN TENNIS 4 Wimbledon 2025 LIVE - Draper claimed the pressure of being Britain's biggest hope had no effect on him as he cruised past Baez to book a second-round date with former Wimbledon finalist He said: 'I play each match as if my life depends on it anyway so I don't pay a lot of attention to anything I can't control. 'But I love Wimbledon and if there is any tournament I want to win, then it is this one.' Most read in Sport Wildcard entry 4 Pinnington Jones shocked Tomas Martin Etcheverry with a straight sets win Credit: PA CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS The Texas Christian University student fired down 11 aces as he knocked out the Argentine world No53 - ranked as high as No27 just last year - on Court 17. An hour before sunset fell over Wimbledon, 22-year-old JPJ served out a 7-6 6-3 7-5 victory in two-and-a-half hours. Coco Gauff, 21, OUT in first-round in biggest shock at this year's Wimbledon against Ukraine sensation Dayana Yastremska Italian No 3 Flavio Cobolli now stands in his way on Thursday, but Jones has secured £99,000 for his troubles - more than can be said for fellow Brit On Pinnginton Jones, Draper said: 'Jack is a very good friend of mine, we have spent a lot of time chilling together and I've given him a lot of lifts, where we have talked rubbish together and had great fun. "So it's brilliant to see him win at Wimbledon - he will be a top 100 player for sure.' British hopes at Wimbledon BRITAIN has 23 entrants in this year's Wimbledon - the most since 1984. Here is a list of all those competing at the All England Club and their world rankings. Men's singles Jack Draper, No. 4 Jacob Fearnley, No. 51 Cameron Norrie, No. 61 Billy Harris, No. 103 Jay Clarke, No. 199 Oliver Crawford, No. 252 Dan Evans, No. 170 Arthur Fery, No. 465 George Loffhagen, No. 302 Johannus Monday, No. 236 Jack Pinnington Jones, No. 282 Henry Searle, No. 409 Oliver Tarvet, No. 719 Women's singles Emma Raducanu, No. 38 Katie Boulter, No. 41 Sonay Kartal, No. 49 Jodie Burrage, No. 164 Harriet Dart, No. 124 Fran Jones, No. 125 Hannah Klugman, No. 577 Mika Stojsavljevic, No. 802 Heather Watson, No. 148 Mimi Xu, No. 318
