Seven Kildare players set for URC action this weekend
Sam Prendergast is one of three Kildare men to be named in Leinster's much-changed side for their first home game of the season. Photo: INPHO/Tom Maher
Coming off the back of their bonus-point win at home to Benetton, Stuart Lancaster's Connacht travel to Scotland tonight (Friday) for a challenging fixture against Glasgow Warriors.
Kildare's Cian Prendergast continues to captain the side from the back row, while loosehead prop, Billy Bohan, who came on off the bench in last week's victory, will make his first start of the season
Munster head to Belfast on the back of an impressive win over the Bulls, while Ulster are still looking for their first win of the season after they managed a draw away to Glasgow last week.
Ulster's new signing, Martin Moloney, has missed out on a place in Richie Murphy's 23 for the second week in a row, but his fellow Athy man, Jeremy Loughman, will make his first start of the season for Munster.
Clayton McMillan has also chosen this game as Tadhg Beirne's first game of the new season, with the Eadestown man captaining Munster from the second row.
Leinster will play their first home game of the season on Saturday night when the URC returns to the newly named Laya Arena (RDS) for the first time in over two years.
Having lost both their opening games, Leinster go into their clash with Cardiff in desperate need of a win. The Welsh side will be staunch opposition, however, having already beaten the Scarlets and Zebre.
Leo Cullen has changed his entire starting XV from last week's game in South Africa, with three Kildare men coming in to the team. Sam Prendergast will start for the first time this season, while there will be a first appearance of the new season for Jimmy O'Brien (left wing) and Jamie Osborne (inside centre).
