Depleted Leinster focus on tricky assignment

MAGNERS LEAGUE Leinster v Scarlets:THE ISSUE of familiarity won't induce any apathy, indeed quite the opposite in a contest guaranteed to carry an edge.

These two sides have already met three times this season, with Leinster prevailing in both Heineken Cup pool matches, while the Scarlets won a tight Magners League clash in the Principality last September.

The Scarlets pitch up to the RDS with a closer approximation to a first team than their hosts. Scrumhalf Martin Roberts, centre Jon Davies and hooker Ken Owens have been released by Wales coach Warren Gatland and are included in the visiting line-up.

Roberts partners Rhys Priestland at halfback, with the elegant Regan King providing the perfect foil for the more direct running of Davies in midfield. The New Zealander is playing only his second match in almost a year following a serious hamstring injury.

Scarlets coach Nigel Davies has handed young fullback Dan Newton his first opportunity to start for the region. The 20-year -old is promoted on the strength of a series of impressive displays with Llanelli RFC. Daniel Evans switches to the wing.

The Scarlets’ mindset and approach to this match is based on a desire not to avenge a brace of European defeats but to try and make progress from a position of second from bottom of the table; their goal is to qualify for European rugby next season.

Davies revealed: “If you look at our season so far considering where we have come from, we can been reasonably happy with what we achieved, as runners-up in our group in the Heineken Cup and joint top of the LV= Cup pool.

“We need to concentrate on results in the Magners League now, we’ve come close a number of times in our Magners games, demonstrated by the number of losing bonus points we’ve secured. We now have to turn those performances into results.”

The Scarlets are without wingers Morgan Stoddart (groin) and Lee Williams (fractured eye socket) as well as long-term casualties Simon Easterby, Dafydd Jones and captain Mark Jones.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika is without six frontline players, Cian Healy, Leo Cullen, Jamie Heaslip, Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Rob Kearney but is still in a position to announce a strong team.

Shane Horgan will be looking to maintain the high level of recent performances; Jonathan Sexton will appreciate the chance to confirm his fitness, while for Kevin McLaughlin and Seán O’Brien it’s an outlet to let off some steam.

South African-born hooker Richardt Strauss is named among the replacements as is 18-year-old prospect Andrew Conway. The Ireland Under-20 fullback is a player of huge ability and, given Kearney’s injury, it’ll be interesting to see if he gets a run.

Even without their internationals, there’s plenty of quality in this Leinster team. They should be strong in the set-piece of scrum and lineout (having a 6ft 8in and 6ft 10in secondrow pairing should help) and at the breakdown where McLaughlin, Shane Jennings and O’Brien – the latter played number eight at underage international level – should prove a real handful.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will note how the Leinster halfbacks perform and maybe cast an eye over “veteran” fullback Girvan Dempsey, who has displayed a fondness in the past for scoring tries at Twickenham.

This’ll be a serious test for the home side’s midfield partnership, particularly in defence. There should be too much at stake for Leinster to produce anything less than a wholehearted effort.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, F McFadden, S Berne, I Nacewa; J Sexton, E Reddan; S Wright, B Jackman, CJ van der Linde; M O'Kelly, D Toner; K McLaughlin, S Jennings (capt), S O'Brien. Replacements: R Strauss, M Ross, T Hogan, Stephen Keogh, P O'Donohue, E O'Malley, A Conway.

SCARLETS: D Newton; D Evans, R King, J Davies, A Fenby; R Priestland, M Roberts; I Thomas, K Owens, D Manu; D Day, D Welch; R McCusker, J Edwards, D Lyons (capt). Replacements: P John, E Phillips, R Thomas, V Cooper, J Turnbull, T Knoyle, G Maule.

Referee: A MacPherson(Scotland)

Last meeting: At Parc y Scarlets – Scarlets 18 Leinster 16. Leading points scorers: Leinster– Jonathan Sexton 71. Scarlets– Rhys Priestland 56. Leading try scorers: Leinster– Shane Horgan 2. Scarlets– Jon Davies 3.

Verdict: Leinster to win.