Spotlight on Madigan as Leinster look to stay on winning roll

There’s not much Leinster outhalf Ian Madigan can do except continue to play the way he has been playing. But there’s little doubt everyone watching Leinster’s visit to Rodney Parade will be locked into comparison mode, although with the games running simultaneously and the Leinster match not being televised that could be difficult.

Nonetheless Madigan’s performance will be held up to that of Paddy Jackson in Belfast and people, bearing in mind Ronan O’Gara is still around, will leap to conclusions about who should be lining out against France next Saturday.

Brave outhalf

Madigan’s instinct with the ball has been to draw contact. He can’t resist a gap and territorial kicking has been his second impulse. He’s a brave outhalf and he’s great at keeping a defence honest but Madigan is more fire (six tries and two yellow cards this season) than ice and that might be why, place-kicking aside, Declan Kidney has favoured Jackson this time and presumably for the long haul.

Wedged between Six Nations matches against Scotland and France makes the game more immediate than usual and Leinster have a number of other players who would like to showcase themselves. Luke Fitzgerald, Eoin Reddan and Fergus McFadden are three more in the back line. Hooker Seán Cronin too after Rory Best’s off day with the darts, is one of the five international players back on duty.

Pacey back three

McFadden partners the fit-again Brendan Macken at centre, with fullback Fitzgerald included in a pacey looking back three alongside Fionn Carr and Dave Kearney. Shane Jennings leads the team and starts in a rejigged backrow which includes Dominic Ryan and Rhys Ruddock at number eight.

Newport’s only loss in their last five fixtures in all competitions was 60-3 at home to Glasgow but they have won just three of their last 11 home games in the Pro12.

Leinster have won their last seven matches in all competitions since their defeat in Ulster before Christmas. More importantly Joe Schmidt’s side has won their last five fixtures against Newport Gwent Dragons and that stretches back to December 2009.