Leinster Squad For Semi Final Named

The Leinster squad to face Munster in Saturday’s Magners League semi final in the RDS (KO: 8pm) has been named.

Leinster second row Malcolm O’Kelly has announced that he will retire from competitive action at the end of the season. O’Kelly, 35, made his Leinster debut in February 1995 and is Leinster’s most capped player with 186 (including 10 tries). The Templeogue man made 92 Ireland appearances and is included in the extended panel for Saturday’s interprovincial derby.

Malcolm O'Kelly To Retire After A Career In Which He Has Grandslam, Heineken Cup and Magners League Winning Medals

Fresh from a 17 point haul in Sunday night’s bonus point victory over Edinburgh, Isa Nacewa is also included in the squad alongside try-scorers Cian Healy, Shane Horgan, Stephen Keogh and Rob Kearney. Boyne winger Horgan’s 41st minute try in the 37-28 victory was his 31st in league action for Leinster, moving him into second place in the all-time league career list.

The match is expected to be a sell out and it is unlikely that there will be any tickets on general sale. The team is expected to be announced on Friday lunchtime.

Leinster squad to face Munster…

FORWARDS: John Fogarty, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Nathan Hines, Trevor Hogan, Shane Jennings, Stephen Keogh, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Malcolm O’Kelly, Mike Ross, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Richardt Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Stan Wright

BACKS: Shaun Berne, Gordon D’Arcy, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney, Simon Keogh, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa, Paul O’Donohoe, Brian O’Driscoll, Eoin O’Malley, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton

REFEREE: Nigel Owens (WRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: James Jones (WRU), Nigel Whitehouse (WRU), 4th OFFICIAL: John Carvill (ARLB), 5th OFFICIAL: Alan Rogan (ARLB), TMO: Hugh Watkins (WRU)

Daniel "Pitchside" Pitcher Twitter: @DanFM104Sport About: Dan "Pitchside" Pitcher provides insight and commentary as the chief soccer and rugby correspondent for Sportspeak.