Thornton handed first start of season at Leinster

BBC News

28-02-2025

United Rugby Championship: Leinster v Cardiff Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday 1 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMTCoverage: Watch live on S4C.
Cardiff have made four changes as they aim to shock United Rugby Championship (URC) leaders Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.Prop Danny Southworth and back-row pair Ben Donnell and Thomas Young return while lock Rory Thornton makes his first start of the season.Cardiff, who narrowly lost at Connacht last time out, have not won in Ireland since 2017 and aim to become the first Welsh region to beat Leinster in three years.Scrum-half Ellis Bevan is named on the bench after being released by Wales, while Tinus de Beer and Regan Grace also return among the replacements.Leinster include new Ireland cap Jack Boyle just a week after making his Test debut against Wales.Head coach Leo Cullen makes five personnel changes from the win over Ospreys with fly-half Ross Byrne, wing Andrew Osbourne, prop John McKee and back-rows Will Connors and Alex Soroka all starting.Saroka's older brother Ivan and Oliver Coffey are set to make their provincial debuts off the bench.
Leinster are 10 points clear at the top of the URC and are unbeaten at home since defeat to Ulster in January 2024.Cardiff's victory in January 2022 was their only win in the last 19 games between these sides.Cardiff are led by defence coach Gethin Jenkins while Matt Sherratt serves as interim head coach with Wales. "Leinster have played 15 games [in all competitions] and have 15 wins so the challenge is creating belief in our squad that we can go there and perform," said Jenkins."They're missing all their Ireland players but they're still a strong team."
Cardiff are sixth in the table despite not winning in their last three games but have not win in Ireland since beating Connacht in 2017.Jenkins added: "We're lucky to have what we have on the board but we're aware that we've got a very tough second half of the season and it's coming thick and fast."
Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Hugh Cooney, Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, John McKee, Rabah Slimani, Diarmuid Mangan, Brian Deeny, Alex Soroka, Will Connors, Max Deegan.Replacements: Stephen Smyth, Ivan Soroka, Rory McGuire, RG Snyman, Scott Penny, Oliver Coffey, Liam Turner, Rob Russell.Cardiff: Cameron Winnett; Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Rey Lee-Lo, Rory Jennings, Harri Millard; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Dany Southworth, Liam Belcher, Rhys Litterick, Josh McNally, Rory Thornton, Ben Donnell, Thomas Young, Alun Lawrence.Replacements: Efan Daniel, Rhys Barratt, Will Davies-King, Seb Davies, Alex Mann, Ellis Bevan, Tinus de Beer, Regan Grace.Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR)Assistant referees: Chris Busby (IRFU), Dan Carson (IRFU)TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)