Leinster have been dealt a hammer blow ahead of the United Rugby Championship Grand Final against the Bulls at Croke Park in Dublin.

That is the news that influential scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park has been ruled out of the showpiece event and drops out of the matchday 23 entirely.

Gibson-Park ruled out

The Irish province did not disclose the nature of his withdrawal at the time of writing, simply stating that he ‘has been ruled out’.

Fellow Ireland international and double Leinster centurion Luke McGrath has been drafted into the starting XV to fill the British and Irish Lions’ void.

Academy scrum-half Fintan Gunne has been named on the bench.

The rest of the Leinster team remains unchanged, with British and Irish Lions Garry Ringrose and Josh van der Flier returning for the final, starting at outside centre and openside flanker, respectively.

Jordie Barrett starts alongside Ringrose with Tommy O’Brien and James Lowe on the wings and Jimmy O’Brien at full-back.

Sam Prendergast will partner McGrath in the halfbacks while Van der Flier is joined by Jack Conan and Ryan Baird in the loose trio. Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Thomas Clarkson, Dan Sheehan, and Andrew Porter feature in the tight-five.

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The teams

Leinster (revised): 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Fintan Gunne, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Jamie Osborne

Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canon Moodie, 13 David Kriel, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Sebastian de Klerk, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Ruan Nortje (c), 6 Marco van Staden, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Keagan Johannes, 23 Devon Williams

Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Kick-off: 17:00 UK / 18:00 SAST
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 55th league game)
Assistants: Mike Adamson (SRU) and Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

READ MORE: Ex-Springboks captain insists ‘year-round schedule’ is hurting South African success and why ‘pile-up’ could derail World Cup defence hopes

Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/hammer-leinster-blow-as-jamison-gibson-park-withdraws-from-urc-final