O’Driscoll and Heaslip to start for Leinster

Irish internationals  Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Heaslip have been passed fit to start in Leinster’s Heineken Cup clash with Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

O’Driscoll hasn’t featured since fracturing his jaw in Ireland’s clash with Argentina at the end of November, while Heaslip was a doubt after picking up an ankle injury against the French side last Sunday.

O’Driscoll replaces Eoin O’Malley at outside centre, while Heaslip will start at number eight providing he passes a late fitness test following the warm up. If he doesn’t come through it, he will be replaced by Dominic Ryan in the back row.

Elsewhere, Eoin Reddan comes in for Isaac Boss at scrum half and Cian Healy replaces Heinke van der Merwe in the front row.

Leinster’s clash with Clermont Auvergne kicks off at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday at 5.45pm.

Leinster: Isa Nacewa; Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Fergus McFadden; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (Captain), Nathan Hines; Sean O’Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip/Dominic Ryan.

Replacements: Jason Harris-Wright, Heinke van der Merwe, Clint Newland, Devin Toner, Dominic Ryan/Rhys Ruddock, Isaac Boss, Shaun Berne, David Kearney