RABODIRECT PRO12 Leinster v DragonsTonight, kick-off 7.35pm RDS, Dublin Live on RTÉ 2
COACH Joe Schmidt may still be feeling the tremors from last week’s demolition by Ospreys, the biggest defeat of Leinster under his watch.
Ideally positioned now to immediately reclaim lost ground, there is expected to be a push tonight to preserve the RDS home record.
Once more Schmidt has laced an inexperienced side with some weathered faces in all positions. Isa Nacewa continues in the back three along side Fionn Carr and David Kearney with Cillian Willis partnering Ian Madigan at half back, New Zealand signing Mat Berquist starting on the bench.
Brendan Macken and Eoin O’Malley are in the centre, Luke Fitzgerald still nursing a knee injury from last week, not the knee that kept him out for some months. Rhys Ruddock captains the side from a good-looking back row unit alongside Dominic Ryan and Kevin McLoughlin. Locks Devin Toner and Damian Browne pack down with a front row of Heinke van der Merwe, Richard Strauss and Jamie Hagan, who has recovered from last week’s punch in the eye.
Dragons also have a young side and are hoping to bounce back after losing to Munster last week. Back row Andrew Coombs has said that they have put a lot of planning into how to break Leinster down and thinks his side can do well.
“I don’t think Leinster would have been too happy with their performance against the Ospreys and they’ll probably want to put things right this weekend, so it’ll be a good game,” observed Coombs.
The breakdown area was where Leinster’s Kevin McLaughlin and Schmidt identified as being problematic last week and a lot of work in that region has been done this week. But even the shortest of memories will recall that Leinster lost three out of their first four league matches last season and certainly don’t want a repeat performance of that despite the season ending very well indeed.
Verdict: Leinster win.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; F Carr, B Macken, E O'Malley, D Learney; I Madigan, C Willis; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, J Hagan, D Browne, D Toner, K McLaughlin, D Ryan, R Ruddock. Replacements: A Dundon, J McGrath, J O'Connell/N White, M Flanagan, L Auva'a, J Cooney, M Berquist, D Hudson.
DRAGONS: M Thomas; A Hughes, T Riley, P Leach, M Poole; J Tovey, J Bedford; P Price, T Willis, B Castle, A Jones, R Sidoli, A Coombs, G Thomas, H Ellis. Replacements: R Buckley, N Williams, D Way, L Evans, J Groves, W Evans, S Jones, J Smith.
Referee: D MacPherson(SRU).
