Sam Prendergast included in youthful Leinster squad for South Africa trip

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has confirmed a youthful Leinster squad to travel to South Africa for their upcoming BKT United Rugby Championship games against the Lions (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player) and the Bulls, with out-half Sam Prendergast included in the group.

The league leaders head into their final two games of the regular season knowing they can't be caught at the top, with their top-seed secured after 15 wins and one draw through the opening 16 matches.

As expected, Cullen has left all of his frontline players back in Dublin where they will train with Stuart Lancaster ahead of their Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse on Saturday, 29 April.

Of the 30-man squad who will travel to Johannesburg, only Jason Jenkins featured in Friday's win against the Leicester Tigers in the quarter-final, with Jenkins set to go up against his hometown club in the second game of the tour, when Leinster face the Bulls in Pretoria.

Thirteen of the travelling squad come from the Leinster academy, while a further three - Liam Molony, Fintan Gunne and Conor O'Tighearnaigh - have been involved with the sub-academy.

That trio could win their first Leinster caps if selected on tour, while Sam Prendergast is also in line for a senior debut, having been included alongside Charlie Tector as the out-halves.

Prendergast, Gunne and O'Tighearnaigh starred for Ireland's U20s in their recent Six Nations Grand Slam, with Gunne scoring three tries, while Prendergast finished as the championship's top scorer, kicking 69 points off the tee.

Leinster take on the Lions at Emirates Airline Park this Saturday, before travelling to Pretoria to face the Bulls on Saturday, 22 April at Loftus Versfeld.

Leinster squad

Forwards: Jack Boyle, Ed Byrne,