Sheehan ruled out as Cullen makes three Lions changes for Leinster's URC semi-final

Dan Sheehan has been ruled out of Leinster’s United Rugby Championship semi-final against the Stormers at the Aviva Stadium after picking up knee and shoulder injuries during the quarter-final victory over the Lions. The Ireland hooker’s absence is one of three changes made by head coach Leo Cullen, with all three replacements being British & Irish Lions tourists in 2025.

Ronan Kelleher, who did not feature against the Lions, comes in to start at hooker in place of Sheehan. Jamison Gibson-Park takes over at scrum-half from Luke McGrath, while Josh van der Flier is preferred to Scott Penny at openside flanker.

McGrath drops to the replacements bench, but Penny has been omitted from the matchday squad entirely. Jack Conan returns to the replacements after being rested last week, and Garry Ringrose is also recalled to the bench in place of Robbie Henshaw.

Notably absent from the squad is Connacht-bound fly-half Ciarán Frawley, despite an impressive second-half showing in Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup final defeat to Bordeaux-Bègles. With no place in the matchday 23, Frawley may have already played his last game for the province.