IN A slightly surprising and bold move, the Leinster coach Michael Cheika is set to name Isa Nacewa at full-back, thereby restoring Shane Horgan to the right-wing, in an otherwise unchanged side from the one which beat Harlequins in the quarter-finals, when he submits his starting XV and replacements to the ERC at mid-day today for tomorrow’s semi-final against Munster.
Despite the absence of Rob Kearney, this would mean Girvan Dempsey remains on the bench.
His counterpart, Tony McGahan, is also expected to make only one, enforced change to the Munster side which beat the Ospreys, with Peter Stringer starting in place of the injured Tomas O’Leary.
Rumours circulating in the west that Connacht might yet qualify for next season’s Heineken Cup were Munster or Leinster to win this season’s competition are incorrect. However, an additional place for the country of the winning team is one of the options being considered for next season in a bid to do away with the largely inconvenient 24th place.
This is currently on offer to the winners of the play-off between the third-ranked Italian side and the fourth-ranked Welsh or third-ranked Irish side. As things stand, this is a tight three-way tussle between the Scarlets, Cardiff Blues and the Dragons. Interestingly, even if they won the Heineken Cup, Cardiff would not avoid that play-off were they to finish below their fellow Welsh regions, and it takes place on Friday, May 29th (six days after the Lions’ squad – with six of their players – departs to South Africa).
With the winners of the European Challenge Cup guaranteed a place in next season’s Heineken Cup, this weekend’s semi-finals between Northampton and Saracens (tonight) and Bourgoin at home to Worcester tomorrow are being watched closely by other clubs whose qualification hinges on their outcome.
For example, with the English Premiership assured of a seventh spot in next season’s Heineken Cup, Wasps find themselves in the unusual position of hoping Bourgoin, rather than one of the English teams, repeat their 1997 success in the Challenge Cup as this would ensure the London club qualify for next season’s Heineken Cup by dint of finishing seventh in the Premiership.
Tuilagi appeal dismissed
LEICESTER WING Alesana Tuilagi has seen his appeal against a four-week ban dismissed. It means he remains suspended until May 22nd, ruling him out of the Tigers’ Heineken Cup semi-final clash against Cardiff Blues on Sunday. He must also sit out the Guinness Premiership play-off with Bath six days later, plus the May 16th Premiership final at Twickenham if Leicester progress that far. Tuilagi would, though, be available for the Heineken Cup final should the Tigers beat Cardiff.
