TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#STOvCON

• Marvin Orie and Deon Fourie ruled out with injury for the DHL Stormers as Connor Evans, Marcel Theunissen and Jean-Luc du Plessis come onto the bench
• Connacht have named an unchanged match-day 23 with Jack Aungier set to earn his 50th cap for the province if called upon from the bench

  
  

#LEIvMUN

• Hooker Rónan Kelleher returns as he is named in Leinster starting XV
• Keith Earls, Craig Casey, Ben Healy and John Hodnett all come into the Munster starting XV with Tadhg Beirne moving into the second row and Jack Crowley starting at inside centre

SATURDAY, MAY 13

DHL Stormers v Connacht

DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA & SA

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 72nd league game)

AR 1: Sam Grove-White (SRU) AR 2: Hollie Davidson (SRU)

TMO: Ben Blain (SRU)

Live on: SuperSport, TG4, Viaplay, Premier Sports, Discovery +, FloRugby.com & URC.tv

DHL Stormers: Damian Willemse, Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas, Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies, Steven Kitshoff (CAPT), Joseph Dweba, Frans Malherbe, Ben-Jason Dixon, Ruben van Heerden, Willie Engelbrecht, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ali Vermaak, Neethling Fouche, Connor Evans, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Wet, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, John Porch, Tom Farrell, Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (CAPT), Caolin Blade, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Josh Murphy, Niall Murray, Shamus Hurley-Langton, Conor Oliver, Cian Prendergast

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Kieran Marmion, Tom Daly, Byron Ralston

DHL Stormers Head Coach John Dobson said: "We are thrilled to be hosting another Semi-Final and with another big crowd coming out, we want to repay the incredible support we enjoy with a fitting performance. While it is disappointing not to have Deon and Marvin in the team, we have every confidence in the players who have come in, who have all proven their worth for us already this season. It will be another great occasion at DHL Stadium and we will be doing everything we can to make our supporters proud."

Connacht Director of Rugby Andy Friend said: “Last Friday night, to anyone outside the squad, we were the clear underdogs, and tomorrow will be no different. Yet for us on the inside, there is enormous belief in our ability, and that is all that matters. We enter the semi-final with the same 23 who started last week, which is great testament to our players’ toughness and resilience, and also to the work of our Athletic Performance & Medical Teams. All bodies are fit & healthy and have fully recovered from the travel down here to Cape Town. 

"Tomorrow will be a huge game as we take on the defending champions in their own backyard, but these are the days you want to be involved in. Pete Wilkins and the other coaches have presented a very clever game plan, and with the confidence that's in the squad at present, there's genuine excitement about the challenge and opportunity that tomorrow brings."

Leinster v Munster

Aviva Stadium, Dublin – KO 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 75th league game)

AR 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) AR 2: Chris Busby (IRFU)

TMO: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Live on: RTÉ, Viaplay, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Discovery +, FloRugby.com & URC.tv

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien, Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Charlie Ngatai, Dave Kearney, Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (CAPT), Michael Milne, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ryan Baird, Jason Jenkins, Max Deegan, Will Connors, Jack Conan

Replacements: John McKee, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, Josh van der Flier, Nick McCarthy, Ciarán Frawley, Liam Turner

Munster: Mike Haley, Keith Earls, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Ben Healy, Craig Casey, Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer, Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony (CAPT), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.                   

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O'Donoghue, Neil Cronin, Rory Scannell, Alex Kendellen