D'Arcy was a fitness doubt after being missing out on last weekend's 43-20 victory over Saracens with a calf-strain suffered during the buildup to the game.
He starts at inside centre alongside Brian O'Driscoll while in the only other change to the back-line, Ireland international Isaac Boss partners Jonathan Sexton at half-back.
Jamie Heaslip has not made the squad. The number eight's ankle injury was being monitored by Leinster's medical team this week and he is not considered fit enough to make the trip.
Openside Shane Jennings will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance. He will be the 14th Leinster player to have reached the landmark, which he has done by playing for Leinster (32 caps) and Leicester Tigers (17).
Jennings joins fellow 'Elite 50 Club' team-mates Shane Horgan (83), Gordon D'Arcy (73), Brian O'Driscoll (71), Leo Cullen (68) and Nathan Hines (57). Hines and captain Cullen will start in the second row this week.
Elsewhere in the pack Rhys Ruddock, fresh from his call up into the Ireland Six Nations squad, comes into the back-row alongside Sean O'Brien and Jennings. Dominic Ryan, who scored two tries against Saracens, is named on the bench with Mike Ross continuing in the front row alongside Richardt Strauss and Cian Healy.
A doubt remains on Eoin O'Malley due to illness and a decision on his availability will be made closer to kick off.
LEINSTER team to face Racing-Métro on Friday, 21 January at 8pm (Irish time):
15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss
1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Nathan Hines
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Shane Jennings
8: Sean O'Brien
REPLACEMENTS:16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Clint Newland
19: Devin Toner
20: Dominic Ryan
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Eoin O'Malley / Ian Madigan
23: Fergus McFadden
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