Leinster head coach Matt O’Connor admits side have lacked preparation time in training ahead of their GUINNESS PRO12 clash with bottom club Zebre.

Zane Kirchner returns from injury and starts at full-back with Luke Fitzgerald coming in on the left wing and Gordon D'Arcy restored at inside centre.

Ireland scrum-half Eoin Reddan, who hasn’t played since injuring knee ligaments against Wasps in January, also starts after returning from the national squad.

Alongside him in the half-backs, Jimmy Gopperth will win his 50th cap in the blue of Leinster and will be looking to break the 300-point barrier for the province.

In the front row Marty Moore comes in at tighthead and Aaron Dundon starts at hooker, with Mike McCarthy replacing Tom Denton in the second row.

Denton joins Noel Reid and Richardt Strauss on the sidelines as they continue the return-to-play protocols after showing signs of concussion last time out.

Cian Healy will be hoping to play his way back into international contention and could make his first appearance since September if he comes off the bench.

And O’Connor, who’s side sit fifth in the GUINNESS PRO12, is pleased to welcome a number of Ireland players back into the fold after losing to Newport Gwent Dragons last time out.

“We haven’t got a lot of time this week, it’s a short week and we’ve had a couple of lads back from the Irish camp which is positive,” he said.

“We haven’t had the ability to do much training so it’s now trying to get the guys in the right mind-set to deliver a performance.

“Regardless of who you’re playing in the league, home or away, if you don’t deliver a performance that is close to your best you’re not going to win.

“Cian is a special athlete, he’s a little short of the gallop obviously but it’s great to have him back on the field and that he remains fit and has a very big back-end to the season for us.”

The Australian’s charges face a Zebre side that have lost 11 of their 13 GUINNESS PRO 12 fixtures, but do welcome back three Italy internationals.

Winger Michele Visentin, No.8 Samuela Vunisa and flanker Mauro Bergamasco, who will captain the side for only the eighth time, all return to the starting XV.

Treviso-born lock Michele Sutto will also make his first overall appearance in the competition, as Zebre go in search of their first points against Leinster.

The Italian side are yet to win on Irish soil and the defending champions have taken a bonus-point win in four of their last five encounters.

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At RDS Arena, 7.35pm. Live on TG4/Nuvolari
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 118th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Kieran Barry, Stuart Douglas (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Denis Templeton (IRFU)
TMO: Dermot Moloney (IRFU)