Leinster’s Tadhg Furlong and James Lowe fit for Champions Cup final against La Rochelle

‘s Tadhg Furlong and James Lowe have been passed fit to start Saturday’s Heineken against in Marseille.

The pair’s fitness means that Leinster name an unchanged side from their semi-final win over .

Prop Furlong limped off after 17 minutes against Toulouse with an ankle injury, but has recovered to join team-mates Ronan Kelleher and Andrew Porter in the Leinster front row.

Tadhg Furlong played 17 minutes of Leinster’s semi-final with Toulouse (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Lowe, recently nominated for European player of the year having scored a competition-leading 10 tries in six Champions Cup appearances this season, was a doubt with a shin injury. He scored twice in a 40-17 rout of defending champions Toulouse.

Garry Ringrose will make his 100th appearance for Leinster as they seek a record-equalling fifth Champions Cup.

Last year’s beaten finalists La Rochelle will be without flanker Victor Vito and -half Tawera Kerr-Barlow, who both miss out through injury.

Will Skelton starts in the second row alongside Thomas Lavault.

Australian lock Skelton, who was been struggling with a calf injury, made his return off the bench in the win over .

He was a major thorn in Leinster’s side when the teams met in the semi-final of last year’s competition, with the French outfit running out comfortable winners.

The influential Kerr-Barlow broke his hand in the semi-final win over , while fellow New Zealander Vito misses out on what would have been his final appearance for the club with an ankle injury.

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