Leo Cullen has named an unchanged starting XV for tomorrow’s Investec Champions Cup final against Bordeaux Bègles at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, backing the same fifteen that secured a 29-25 semi-final victory over Toulon. While the starting line-up remains untouched, there are five changes to the replacements, with Ireland loosehead Paddy McCarthy available for the first time since January following foot surgery.

Key team news:

• Tommy O’Brien has been passed fit to start on the right wing after withdrawing from last week’s URC win over the Ospreys
• Paddy McCarthy returns to the bench for his first appearance since injuring his foot against La Rochelle in January
• Tadhg Furlong is named among the replacements, with Thomas Clarkson retaining the starting tighthead spot
• Ciarán Frawley replaces Sam Prendergast on the bench, with James Lowe missing out on the matchday 23 entirely
• Diarmuid Mangan and Max Deegan come in for Alex Soroka and Scott Penny among the forward replacements
• Unchanged starting XV from the semi-final win over Toulon

The fitness of O’Brien had been a concern this week after the Ireland wing was forced to withdraw from the Ospreys match before kick-off, but he has come through the captain’s run at San Mamés and takes his place on the right wing. All Black Rieko Ioane continues on the left, with Hugo Keenan at full-back. The selection means James Lowe, who returned from injury last week, Jordan Larmour and Jimmy O’Brien all miss the matchday 23, with Jamie Osborne the only outside-back cover on the bench.

Cullen has placed his trust in Clarkson at tighthead after the 22-year-old’s impressive form throughout the season. The Leinster prop has played more minutes than any other tighthead at the province this campaign and was nominated for the supporters’ player of the season award. Furlong, who has dealt with injury issues throughout the year, provides considerable experience from the bench alongside Rónan Kelleher and the returning McCarthy, giving Leinster a formidable front-row reload for the second half.

The back row of Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier and captain Caelan Doris is unchanged, as is the second-row partnership of Joe McCarthy and James Ryan. Jamison Gibson-Park and Harry Byrne continue at half-back, with Sam Prendergast the notable omission. Frawley’s greater versatility across the backline has earned him the nod as the bench playmaker, with Luke McGrath providing scrum-half cover.

The centre partnership of Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose carries a sense of occasion. The pair started together in the 2018 Champions Cup final at this very stadium, when Leinster beat Racing 92 15-12 to claim their fourth European title. Cullen will be hoping for a similarly successful outcome as his side chase a fifth star, having lost their previous three finals to La Rochelle (twice) and Toulouse.

This will be Leinster’s fourth final in five years and their ninth overall. Both sides have won all their matches in this season’s competition, with Leinster seeing off Edinburgh, Sale Sharks and Toulon in the knockout rounds, all at home. They will now face a very different challenge in Bilbao, where temperatures are expected to reach 30°C for the 2.45pm Irish time kick-off. EPCR are monitoring the Heat Stress Index and may introduce three-minute water breaks during the match.

Bordeaux enter as defending champions and tournament favourites, having scored the most tries, most points and made the most clean breaks in this season’s competition. The final promises to be an intriguing tactical battle between Leinster’s renowned blitz defence and the free-scoring backline of the French champions.

Leinster starting XV:
15. Hugo Keenan (82 caps)
14. Tommy O’Brien (60 caps)
13. Garry Ringrose (148 caps)
12. Robbie Henshaw (120 caps)
11. Rieko Ioane (14 caps)
10. Harry Byrne (90 caps)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (170 caps)
1. Andrew Porter (147 caps)
2. Dan Sheehan (86 caps)
3. Thomas Clarkson (76 caps)
4. Joe McCarthy (62 caps)
5. James Ryan (108 caps)
6. Jack Conan (177 caps)
7. Josh van der Flier (172 caps)
8. Caelan Doris (105 caps) – captain

Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (92 caps)
17. Paddy McCarthy (15 caps)
18. Tadhg Furlong (165 caps)
19. Diarmuid Mangan (27 caps)
20. Max Deegan (157 caps)
21. Luke McGrath (253 caps)
22. Ciarán Frawley (122 caps)
23. Jamie Osborne (73 caps)

Match details: Leinster v Union Bordeaux Bègles, San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao. Saturday 23 May, 2.45pm (Irish time) / 3.45pm (local time). Live on Premier Sports 1 and ITV4. Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).

Yannick Bru has made just one change to his Bordeaux Bègles starting XV from the semi-final demolition of Bath as the defending champions aim to retain the Investec Champions Cup against Leinster at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao tomorrow. Veteran loosehead Jefferson Poirot returns from suspension to replace Matis Perchaud, who misses out on the matchday 23 entirely after picking up an injury in last weekend’s Top 14 win over Perpignan.

Key team news:

• Jefferson Poirot returns at loosehead after missing the semi-final through suspension
• Louis Bielle-Biarrey starts on the left wing despite concerns over an ankle injury
• Lachlan Swinton replaces Cyril Cazeaux on the bench as the only other change from the semi-final
• Bordeaux opt for a 6-2 forwards-backs split on the bench, as they have done in every major knockout match this season
• Jean-Luc Du Preez, Rohan Janse Van Rensburg and Nicolas Depoortere are all unavailable through injury
• Matis Perchaud misses the matchday 23 after suffering an injury against Perpignan

The biggest boost for Bordeaux is the inclusion of Bielle-Biarrey, who was seen training with strapping on his left leg earlier this week after limping out of last Saturday’s 37-32 win over Perpignan. The France wing, who is one of five players nominated for the tournament’s Player of the Year award, has been the competition’s most devastating attacking force this season with seven tries in the knockout rounds. He came off the bench against Perpignan to score twice and produce a try assist, before making a match-saving interception on his own try line in the 82nd minute.

Bielle-Biarrey forms part of a back three alongside full-back Salesi Rayasi, who scored a hat-trick in the round of 16 win over Leicester Tigers, and the reliable Pablo Uberti on the right wing. The centre partnership of Damian Penaud and Yoram Moefana has been one of the most potent midfield combinations in European rugby this season, with Penaud’s transition from wing to centre under Bru proving a masterstroke.

At half-back, captain Maxime Lucu and fly-half Matthieu Jalibert will orchestrate the Bordeaux attack. Jalibert, who is also nominated for Player of the Tournament, has topped the competition charts for clean breaks, metres made, defenders beaten, carries and offloads. The pair were rested for the first half against Perpignan before being introduced from the bench, a clear indication of where Bru’s priorities lay ahead of the final.

Poirot’s return at loosehead is significant. The 31-year-old, who has more than 200 appearances for the club, was suspended for the semi-final against Bath but returned in the Top 14 last weekend and slots straight back into the starting front row alongside hooker Maxime Lamothe and tighthead Carlü Sadie. Ben Tameifuna, who has been used as a devastating impact replacement throughout the knockout stages, once again takes his place on the bench. The 136kg tighthead has been Bru’s not-so-secret weapon all tournament, and his introduction in the second half will provide a stern test of the Leinster scrum.

The back row of Pierre Bochaton, Cameron Woki and Marko Gazzotti is unchanged from the semi-final, with Temo Matiu available again on the bench after recovering from concussion in time to score a try against Bath. Boris Palu and Adam Coleman continue in the second row.

Bordeaux’s tournament statistics make for imposing reading. They have scored the most points (305), the most tries (45), beaten the most defenders (240), made the most metres (3,762) and registered the most clean breaks (118) in this season’s competition. They topped their pool with maximum points before accounting for Leicester Tigers, Toulouse and Bath in the knockout rounds, winning every match along the way.

The only change on the bench from the semi-final sees Australian Swinton replace Cazeaux as lock cover, with Bru maintaining his preference for a six-two split among the replacements. Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer provides additional back-row cover, while Arthur Retière and Hugo Reus are the only two backs on the bench.

Bordeaux are bidding to become the first French club to win back-to-back Champions Cup titles since Toulouse achieved the feat in 2004-05. They will face a Leinster side that knows San Mamés well, having won their fourth European title at this stadium in 2018. The final kicks off at 3.45pm local time in what is expected to be searing heat, with temperatures forecast to reach 30°C.

Union Bordeaux Bègles starting XV:
15. Salesi Rayasi
14. Pablo Uberti
13. Damian Penaud
12. Yoram Moefana
11. Louis Bielle-Biarrey
10. Matthieu Jalibert
9. Maxime Lucu – captain
1. Jefferson Poirot
2. Maxime Lamothe
3. Carlü Sadie
4. Boris Palu
5. Adam Coleman
6. Pierre Bochaton
7. Cameron Woki
8. Marko Gazzotti

Replacements:
16. Gaétan Barlot
17. Ugo Boniface
18. Ben Tameifuna
19. Lachlan Swinton
20. Temo Matiu
21. Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer
22. Arthur Retière
23. Hugo Reus

Match details: Leinster v Union Bordeaux Bègles, San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao. Saturday 23 May, 2.45pm (Irish time) / 3.45pm (local time). Live on Premier Sports 1 and ITV4. Referee: Karl Dickson (RFU).

Leinster have added Ireland internationals Paddy McCarthy and Jordan Larmour to their Investec Champions Cup squad ahead of Saturday’s final against Bordeaux-Bègles at San Mamés in Bilbao.

The registrations, confirmed by EPCR on Wednesday, are reversals of changes made earlier in the season when both players were sidelined through injury. Loosehead prop McCarthy replaces Alex Usanov in the squad, while Larmour comes in for Joshua Kenny.

McCarthy’s inclusion is particularly significant given the loosehead prop crisis that has plagued Leinster’s European campaign. The 22-year-old has not played since injuring his foot in the pool stage victory over La Rochelle in January, an injury which required surgery and was initially feared to have ended his season. However, he returned to training last week and took a full part in the warm-up before Saturday’s URC win over the Ospreys, raising hopes that he could feature from the bench in Bilbao as back-up to Andrew Porter.

Leinster’s loosehead resources were stretched to breaking point during the knockout stages. With Porter, McCarthy and Jack Boyle all unavailable for the quarter-final win over Sale Sharks, Alex Usanov was handed a start but lasted just four minutes before twisting his ankle. That left Jerry Cahir, who was working in sales for Vodafone before being signed as short-term cover earlier in the season, as the province’s only fit loosehead. The situation prompted Leo Cullen to bring in former Leinster prop Ed Byrne on a short-term loan from Cardiff to provide emergency cover.

Usanov has since recovered but has been deregistered to accommodate McCarthy, whose return gives Cullen a more experienced option in what promises to be a physical contest against the reigning champions.

Larmour’s return is equally timely. The winger had been out for five months with a hamstring injury sustained during a two-try player-of-the-match performance against Harlequins in the Champions Cup back in December. He made an impressive comeback against the Ospreys last Saturday, scoring two tries in the 68-14 victory, including one where he chased down a kick in behind the defence and another run from inside his own half.

His re-registration at the expense of Kenny adds to the concern surrounding first-choice right winger Tommy O’Brien, who has not featured since the semi-final win over Toulon. O’Brien had been named in the starting XV for the Ospreys match but was forced to withdraw before kick-off after picking up a knock in training. An injury update from Leinster earlier this week stated that a decision on his availability would be made later in the week, and he faces a late fitness test to determine whether he can make the final.

O’Brien has been one of Leinster’s standout performers this season, scoring nine tries and carrying for 626 metres, and was nominated for Leinster’s Fans’ Player of the Year award. His absence would be a significant blow, though Larmour’s availability provides Cullen with a capable replacement should O’Brien fail to recover in time.

Leo Cullen is due to name his team at noon on Friday. Saturday’s final kicks off at 2.45pm Irish time at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium, with Leinster looking to end an eight-year wait for their fifth European title against a Bordeaux-Bègles side who are the defending champions and heavy favourites heading into the showpiece.