Aviva Opens Its Doors To Rugby

The new Aviva Stadium opens its doors today with the O2 Challenge game between Under 18/20 composite sides from Connacht/Munster and Leinster/Ulster.

And if the new Stadium will be unrecognisable from the old so too will be most of those taking part in the game that has a 2.30pm kick off.

Munster provide the midfield combination with former Schools international Daniel Horgan partnering Ben Sargent in the centre with Jonathan Holland at out-half.

Up front the Pres 2010 Munster Schools Cup winning pair, Rob O'Herlihy and David O'Mahony lock the scrum with Kieran Stokes at hooker, Paul Mullen at tight-head and Shane Buckley in the back-row.

Gareth Quinn-McDonagh is the only Munster Academy player in the 22, on the Munster dominated bench along with James Rael, Ian Mullarkey, Ronan Barry, Jack Costigan and Cathal Quinn. 

Connacht/Munster: C Boland (Connacht); T Leader (Connacht), D Horgan (Munster), B Sargent (Munster), S Leydon (Connacht); J Holland (Munster), M Dolan (Connacht, capt); A Spring (Connacht), K Stokes (Munster), P Mullen (Munster), R O'Herlihy (Munster), D O'Mahony (Munster), S Buckley (Munster), A Conneely (Connacht), D Qualter (Connacht). Replacements: J Rael (Munster), S Wooton (Connacht), I Mullarkey (Munster), D Heffernan (Connacht), R Barry (Munster), G Quinn-McDonogh (Munster), J Costigan (Munster), C Quinn (Munster).

Leinster/Ulster: S Coghlan Murray (Leinster); C Gilroy (Ulster), A Kelly (Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster, capt), A Boyle (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), P du Toit (Leinster); J Tracy (Leinster), J Murphy (Ulster), M Moore (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster), R Hynes (Leinster), S Lecky (Ulster), M McGroarty (Leinster), D McGuigan (Ulster). Replacements: P Carroll (Leinster), A Warrick (Ulster), M Fallon (Leinster), P Marks (Ulster), C Spence (Ulster), C Marsh (Leinster), M McAuley (Ulster).