Osborne and Prendergast on the bench for Champions Cup semi-final
Jamie Osborne will provide cover for the Leinster backline on Saturday as he starts from the bench against Toulon. Photo: INPHO/Grace Halton
Kildare men Jamie Osborne and Sam Prendergast have been named among the replacements for tomorrow's Champions Cup semi-final.
Osborne is seriously unlucky to miss out on a starting jersey. Despite being one of Ireland and Leinster's most consistent performers over the past three months, the versatile Naas man has been overlooked, with Robbie Henshaw and Gary Ringrose preferred at centre and Hugo Keenan preferred at full back.
Prendergast, meanwhile, has not been able to force his way in front of Harry Byrne, but will be pleased to have gotten the nod on the bench ahead of the more versatile Ciaran Frawley.
Leinster are the second-most successful team in the competition's history, but they won the last of their four titles as far back as 2018.
Since then, Leo Cullen's side have lost four of the last seven finals, including three defeats in a row between 2022 and 2024.
If they are to reach another decider, Leinster will have to get through a Toulon side who themselves are steeped in Champions Cup history. Pierre Mignon's side are the only club in history to win the competition three times in a row in 2013, '14 and '15.
Hugo Keenan; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Rónan Kelleher, Jerry Cahir, Rabah Slimani, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne.
