Sam Prendergast will start at out-half for Leinster, as Leo Cullen’s side get the defence of their BKT United Rugby Championship title under way on Friday against the Stormers in Cape Town.

While the province can’t avail of their British and Irish Lions contingent, Prendergast is one of nine players in the matchday squad who featured for Ireland in their summer games against Georgia and Portugal.

The out-half is joined in the half-backs by Luke McGrath, who captains the team for the season opener.

Robbie Henshaw also starts, having missed Ireland’s summer tour due to injury, playing at outside centre, with Ciarán Frawley in the 12 shirt.

Jimmy O’Brien is named at full-back, and could make the shirt his own in the next few months with Hugo Keenan injured, while Jordan Larmour and Tommy O’Brien are named on the wings.

Cullen has been able to lean on experience in the front row where Rabah Slimani is named at tighthead, while Ireland internationals Gus McCarthy and Jack Boyle pack down alongside him.

Diarmuid Mangan and Brian Deeny team up in the second row, while James Culhane will start the season at number 8, with Ryan Baird and Scott Penny on the flanks.

On the bench, there is a debut for academy tighthead prop Andrew Sparrow, while Harry Byrne is also included among the replacements having spent the second half of last season on loan at Bristol Bears.

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Ciarán Frawley, Jordan Larmour; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath (capt); Jack Boyle, Gus McCarthy, Rabah Slimani; Diarmuid Mangan, Brian Deeny; Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, James Culhane

Replacements: John McKee, Paddy McCarthy, Andrew Sparrow, Max Deegan, Will Connors, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne, Hugh Cooney

New signing Juarno Augustus (above) will make his debut for Ulster as the province begin their campaign against the Dragons in Belfast.

The South African, who joined from Northampton Saints in the summer, is named among the replacements, and is set to feature off the bench.

Head coach Richie Murphy has named a strong starting team, all of whom are Irish-qualified, with Iain Henderson captaining the team from the second row.

Jacob Stockdale, who suffered a shoulder injury on Ireland’s summer tour starts on the left wing, with nine Ireland internationals in the first XV.

Rob Herring starts at hooker, packing down between props Callum Reid and Tom O’Toole.

Henderson, who sat out Ireland’s summer games against Georgia and Portugal, is partnered by Harry Sheridan at lock.

Cormac Izuchukwu is named at blindside flanker, with Nick Timoney on the openside, while David McCann gets the start at number eight.

Nathan Doak starts as expected at scrum-half, with the 23-year-old the undisupted first choice following the departure of John Cooney. Jack Murphy partners him in the half-backs.

Stuart McCloskey is at inside centre, with James Hume alongside him. Hume will make his 100th appearance for the province.

Zac Ward, player of the match in their pre-season win against Edinburgh, is on the right wing with Stockdale on the left, and Mike Lowry completes the side at full-back.

Ulster: Michael Lowry; Zac Ward, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak; Callum Reid, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole; Iain Henderson (capt), Harry Sheridan; Cormac Izuchukwu, Nick Timoney, David McCann

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Sam Crean, Scott Wilson, Matthew Dalton, Juarno Augustus, Conor McKee, Jake Flannery, Ben Carson

Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch the Women’s Rugby World Cup final between England and Canada on Saturday from 3.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

Antony gave a glimpse against Nottingham Forest as to why Real Betis sporting director Manu Fajardo believes the player Manchester United didn’t want might be “the most important signing” in the club’s history.

The 25-year-old has been reborn in Andalusia after an underwhelming stint at Old Trafford, where he failed to get anywhere near justifying the lofty fee paid to Ajax three years ago.

Antony arrived for an eye-popping €95million, plus a potential €5m in add-ons, but failed to consistently impress and fell down the pecking order at United.

The Brazil international sparkled after joining Betis on loan in January and made the move permanent after protracted talks brought a deadline-day switch for up to €25m.

United included a 50% sell-on clause in the deal for Antony, who followed a smart assist with a late goal to secure a 2-2 draw in Wednesday’s Europa League opener against Forest.

Betis sporting director Fajardo said: “I am 100% sure that maybe Antony is the most important signing in Betis’ history.

“Everything (about the signing) because the talent, the level of the player, the level of the club as Manchester United – a big team, a big project, so I am 100% sure that Antony is the best signing in Betis’ history.”

Antony is treated like a king in the green and white half of Seville, where his goals and creativity helped Betis reach their first ever European final in May.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side lost 4-1 to Chelsea in the Conference League showpiece but that night in Poland highlighted the club’s continued growth.

“When players like Antony comes to Betis, it’s very, very important,” Fajardo said. “It helps Betis to continue growing in Europe. Last season since Antony arrived, we got to play in a European final.

“Antony, players like Gio (Lo Celso) and Isco, are very, very important because they are the example that Betis continues growing, that we are a serious club in Europe and players in the top level want to come to play in Betis.”

Betis are always striving to strike a balance between developing talent and signing quality within financial restrictions that would make Premier League clubs squirm.

But the LaLiga club, who broke the world transfer record to sign another Brazilian, Denilson, in 1998 – for the equivalent of €30m, and still the club record today – are fiercely ambitious, as seen with the start of the redevelopment of their Benito Villamarin home and attracting a player like Antony from United.

“We started to discuss with Manchester about Antony in May, June because we needed a lot of time for convincing Manchester,” Fajardo said. “But Antony, the agent, his family were convinced to come to Betis again.

“In the first moment we spoke with Manchester United for Antony to stay in Betis one year more on loan.

“But for Antony, for Manchester it was very, very important to recover the investment, so for Betis it was not easy. The move was so much for us.

“But Manchester United made a big effort, Betis made a big effort, Antony made a big, big effort to play here again. Maybe in that situation that was the secret.”

Betis may not be able to compete with Premier League clubs’ financial clout, but they boast talent that Fajardo hopes can see them to push for Europa League glory this season.

“For Betis it is not easy to sign players from Premier League, because the difference in respect to the salary between the Premier League and LaLiga is too big,” Fajardo added.

“But when a player like Antony, for example, wants to come to Betis it’s easier.

“Antony only thought to play in Betis again, so when you have a negotiation with a big club in Manchester United, a club that paid a big amount for Antony, it’s not easy. But the player wants to play in Betis.”