Leinster look in good shape

Leinster v Ulster: THE RUGBY professional at Christmas, by Gordon D'Arcy: "Twelve years doing it, if I haven't got used to it by now you never will. And the younger guys are hungry because we're winning and they want to keep winning. This is all relatively new to them. If we were getting hammered out the gate, it might be more 'I'm not so sure', but winning is a very addictive feeling.

“We train Christmas Eve. I have to come back to Dublin so I’ll go down to my folks on Christmas Eve, hang out there, have a nice Christmas morning, over to the cousin’s house and have a big family Christmas dinner. Then I’ll say the goodbyes and nip off back to Dublin. It’s the business end of the season. But there are plenty of people working Christmas Day, a lot of my mates work in restaurants, guards, nurses. I only have to work for an hour and a half!”

Leinster can go full tilt at this fixture after coach Michael Cheika’s gamble of exposing his pups to the trauma of Rodney Parade ultimately paid off with a 10-point return in Europe.

CJ van der Linde’s recurring injuries are beginning to mirror the problem Munster experienced with Christian Cullen, while Luke Fitzgerald is a long-term absentee but otherwise Leinster are in good health with Jonathan Sexton expected back for the Connacht game on January 2nd or Glasgow on January 8th.

Ulster, like Munster, have been forced by the IRFU to rest their internationals so they remain in peak condition ahead of the World Cup in 2011. It’s a shame Andrew Trimble’s return to form cannot be tested against international rivals nor can Paddy Wallace and D’Arcy battle it out at the inside centre berth. Tom Court and Stephen Ferris are also held back due to the ruling from upon high.

“Leinster at the RDS, the European champions, it’s a smashing opportunity for us to learn from the things we didn’t do well at the weekend and to try and improve on them,” said Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin. “They will test us, but we have to go there with a positive mind frame and know that if we turn up on the day, we are also a strong, competent side.

“We played some good rugby in Paris, but until we get that consistency away from home, we’ve just got to keep plugging away until we get it going.”

LEINSTER – Forwards: L Cullen, J Fogarty, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, S Keogh, R McCormack, K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, M O’Kelly, M Ross, D Toner, S Wright. Backs: S Berne, G D’Arcy, G Dempsey, S Horgan, C Keane, D Kearney, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, P O’Donohoe, B O’Driscoll, E Reddan.

ULSTER – Forwards: D Fitzpatrick, B Young, BJ Botha, N Brady, A Kyriacou, E O’Donoghue, D Tuohy, R Caldwell, C Henry, D Pollock, W Faloon, TJ Anderson. Backs: J Smith, C Schifcofske, S Danielli, D Cave, I Whitten, T Nagusa, I Humphreys, N O’Connor, I Boss, P Marshall, C Willis, J Shiels.

Referee: G Clancy (IRFU).

Top try scorer – Leinster: Shane Horgan two. Ulster: Simon Danielli two.

Top point scorer – Leinster: Jonathan Sexton 71. Ian Humphreys 78.

Most recent meetings – October, Ulster 16-14 Leinster. March, Leinster 32-6 Ulster.

Verdict: Leinster to win.