Sean O’Brien will captain Leinster in Friday evening’s Magners League opener against Glasgow.
Last year’s beaten finalists travel to Firhill for the season curtain-raiser, with new boys Heinke van der Merwe, Ed O’Donoghue and Isaac Boss all in the starting XV.
Josef Schmidt’s side sees O’Brien in the back row with Dominic Ryan and star number eight Jamie Heaslip, while O’Donoghue joins Nathan Hines in the lock positions. Van der Merwe, Richardt Strauss and Ballymena’s Simon Shawe make up the front row.
Luke Fitzgerald is named at full back, with Shane Horgan and Niall Morris on the wings, Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley in the centre and Boss and Isa Nacewa in the out-half roles.
New man Ben Prescott and Ireland hooker John Fogarty are among Schmidt’s replacements.
Ryan Wilson, Chris Fusaro and Richie Vernon will play in a new look back row for the hosts, while Ruaridh Jackson starts at number ten and will look to make the shirt his own after Dan Parks’ departure to the Cardiff Blues.
Alongside him, Henry Pyrgos deputises for the injured Cusiter.
Leinster's Hines expects an interesting opener, saying:“Glasgow will be strong.
“In saying that they do have a few absentees such as Alistair Kellock, Chris Cusiter and (Johnnie) Beattie, while Kelly Brown has gone to Saracens. With that, it presents another opportunity for the younger guys to come through and try to claim a scalp.
“Us, we finished top of the table last year and it’s their first home game so there’s pretty much everything to play for even though they haven’t got their strongest team.
“It’s going to be a tough season for them when you have guys away with Scotland, and (having) some of the other guys injured. I think it’s good that they have some young guys coming through and getting experience in the Magners League, but it’s hard to say how good they are until they’re tried and tested.
“The two pre-season games (that we had) were good preparation for the start of the League proper and obviously they count, but you’re not playing for points in pre-season. Historically we haven’t done very well in Glasgow so it’s an opportunity for everyone to get a scalp early on.”
Glasgow: Bernardo Stortoni (capt); DTH van der Merwe, Max Evans, Graeme Morrison, Federico Aramburu; Ruaridh Jackson, Henry Pyrgos; Jon Welsh, Fergus Thomson, Moray Low; Tom Ryder, Richie Gray; Ryan Wilson, Chris Fusaro, Richie Vernon.
Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Ed Kalman, Ryan Grant, Aly Muldowney, Rob Harley, Duncan Weir, Hefin O'Hare, Peter Murchi.
Leinster: Luke Fitzgerald; Shane Horgan, Eoin O’Malley, Fergus McFadden, Niall Morris; Isa Nacewa, Isaac Boss; Heinke van der Merwe, Richardt Strauss, Simon Shawe; Nathan Hines, Ed O’Donoghue; Dominic Ryan. Sean O’Brien (capt), Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: John Fogarty, Jack McGrath, Ben Prescott, Mariano Galarza, Stephen Keogh, Paul O’Donohoe, Ian Madigan, Eamonn Sheridan.