Leinster still have cutting edge

RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE SEMI-FINAL Leinster v Ulster:THESE SIDES mean business. An all-Ireland semi-final derby demands as much.

Despite the bigger prize at stake in eight days, Leinster, especially, have made a statement of intent by choosing virtually a full-strength selection. And Ulster, drinking at the last chance saloon, have done likewise with those who are still standing at the end of a long, arduous season.

Prior to their European final showdown with Northampton, only Shane Horgan (who is still nursing “a couple of little niggles” from the Toulouse match) is effectively rested by Joe Schmidt, with Fergus McFadden an in-form and highly able replacement after kicking 18 points in the win over Glasgow last week.

The other two changes from the starting XV for their Heineken Cup quarter- and semi-final epics against Leicester and Toulouse see Isaac Boss and Shane Jennings come in for Eoin Reddan and Kevin McLaughlin, who are both on the bench.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has made just one enforced change to the starting XV which accounted for the Dragons away last week and thereby earned this tilt at Leinster, with Tim Barker replacing the hamstrung Dan Tuohy. Neil McComb is promoted to the bench.

Admittedly, Willie Faloon joins a casualty list which also includes a quartet of internationals in their Munster-bound Springboks tighthead BJ Botha and a trio of Ireland Test players, Stephen Ferris, Paddy Wallace and Andrew Trimble.

Although denied Wallace’s playmaking skills, arguably the Nevin Spence-Darren Cave midfield combination – who will revel taking on the Gordon D’Arcy-Brian O’Driscoll axis – gives Ulster more clout and ballast in the collisions. The young pretenders are both in good, try-scoring form as well.

Furthermore, Conor Gilroy’s prolific return of eight tries in a dozen starts (the best strike-rate in the league) compensates for the loss of Trimble’s footwork, strength and broken-field running. And while Trimble suffered in the air on Ulster’s losing visit to the RDS three weeks ago, it’s worth recalling the absent Horgan was a prime Leinster weapon in that regard.

That remains Ulster’s only defeat in nine matches, and along with their earlier defeat at Ravenhill to Leinster and the memory of six successive league defeats to them, they will surely start this game with a good deal more intensity than three weeks ago.

Then they were three tries down in 13 minutes and conceded the League’s fastest bonus point of the season inside 37 minutes. While Ulster benefited from their bench after going to the well with pretty much the same team which had lost to Northampton the week before, Schmidt also began emptying his bench from the 48th minute – shortly after Leinster had taken a 34-12 lead.

There are a couple of notable landmarks for Leinster tonight, with O’Driscoll making his 150th appearance for the province and Cian Healy playing his 50th Magners League game.

Hosting a second successive home semi-final, win or lose this could be Leinster’s last home game of the season if Munster prevail against the Ospreys tomorrow, and they will not be of a mind to bid adieu to their home following in a similar, anti-climactic manner as last season when losing last year’s Grand Final to the Ospreys. Unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, that remains their only defeat at the RDS since September 2008 when losing 18-0 to Munster.

What’s more, Ulster haven’t beaten Leinster in Dublin since August 1999.

Granted, Leinster’s players wouldn’t be human if they weren’t at least subconsciously mindful of next week’s minor little game in Cardiff, and having completed a convincing double over Ulster this season will have to guard against complacency.

By contrast, Ulster will have the motivation of a team wanting to atone for those previous meetings and know that if they lose there will be no tomorrow.

Given Leinster’s penchant for playing with width, Ulster will not defend as narrowly this time either.

Even so, it’s hard not to believe Ulster won’t miss the ballast of Stephen Ferris, especially, and that Leinster won’t have more firepower, both in their high quotient of ball-carriers up front and their cutting edge out wide.

Last three seasons: (2010-11) Leinster 34 Ulster 26; Ulster 13 Leinster 30; (09-10) Leinster 15 Ulster 3; Ulster 14 Leinster 16; (08-09) Leinster 32 Ulster 6; Ulster 13 Leinster 21.

Leading ML points scorers this season: Leinster: Isa Nacewa 142, Jonny Sexton 84. Ulster: Ruan Pienaar 159, Ian Humphreys 87.

Leading try scorers: Leinster: Shane Horgan 8. Ulster: Craig Gilroy 8.

Betting: 1/5 Leinster, 20/1 draw, 4/1 Ulster. Handicap odds (Ulster + 10pts) 10/11 Leinster, 22/1 Draw, 10/11 Ulster.

Forecast: Leinster to win.

SCRUMHALF WILLIS CALLS TIME EARLY

CONNACHT SCRUMHALF Cillian Willis says he has no regrets about deciding to retire from the game aged just 26. Willis made 19 appearances for Connacht this season, but with 14 of those coming off the bench he said his enjoyment of the game was waning in the last few months.

“There are all sorts of reasons for making the decision to retire. I love the game of rugby but I got so bloody frustrated not playing every week,” admitted Willis.

“It is just the way I am; it does my head in when I am not getting a game. I play rugby for the fun of it and the fun was going out of the game for me.”

Willis spent the last two seasons with Ulster, where he made 15 appearances, and had two years with his native Leinster, when he played a dozen games.

With a degree in commerce under his belt from UCD, Willis plans to move home to Wicklow and work in the family nursing home business.

“We have one nursing home in Bray and have another opening in August, so it is going to be pretty busy.

“It will be a massive change for me. I suppose it really sunk in after the Munster game last week, but it is the right decision for me.

“I will be going back to playing with Greystones and will train their Under-20s as well as doing some training in a local school. This should bring me back to the type of rugby that I enjoy. It was time to be honest with myself and take the plunge. It would have been easy to roll in and pick up a paycheque but that is not me.”

But as well as losing the love of the game, Willis is well aware of the pitfalls of professional sport, with many of his former team-mates having to retire form the game early in recent years.

“Sometime you need some luck and maybe I didn’t have that with injuries. I have broken around 15 bones, have had double vision in one eye after an operation and my back has been giving me problems.

“And when you look at all the retirements from the pro game lately it makes you think. What will it be like in 10 or 15 years’ time? The game is played at a phenomenal intensity, with massive men bashing off each other. It is a massively rewarding game to play, but is unbelievably attritional.

“I have absolutely no regrets. When I do something I give it my all, and give it a right crack and I did that with pro rugby. But no, it is time for me to give another side of life a shot,” he said.