Champions Cup Round of 16: Leinster v Edinburgh, Aviva Stadium, Sunday, 5.30pm – Live on Premier Sports 1
The whole tenor of the season suddenly shifts into knockout mode this Easter weekend when the Champions Cup will be whittled down from 16 to eight teams. And with the quarter-finals to come a week hence this is invariably the cue for Leinster to shift into gear.
To put this into context, Leinster have a minimum of five more games left this season, but if they were to go all the way in both competitions this would be the first of 11 more matches.
Accordingly, there will have been a different mood this week in their HPC in seeking a raised level of performance as well as earning a home quarter-final against Harlequins or Sale Sharks tie here, most likely next Saturday at teatime.
“There’s always a different feel isn’t there?” said Leo Cullen of this change in tempo. “Last week the intent was generally pretty good, but it just still had a feel of they needed to get through that Scarlets game and there was something bigger waiting. I don’t get that sense this week as nobody is waiting for anything next week.
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“It’s just the challenge that’s in front of us and that’s the only thing that matters right now, which is good because there’s a different level of focus there within the group.
“We need to make sure we get all our things in order and deliver a big performance for lots of different reasons. But mainly from an internal point of view as to what we want to deliver for each other. I think that’s probably the biggest thing that I’m getting from this week.”
In making just three changes, Cullen’s selection reinforces all of this. In the absence of James Ryan (who should be back next weekend if Leinster advance) and with RG Snyman out for the remainder of the season, Ryan Baird is pitched straight into the secondrow for his first game since he suffered a fractured fibula in Ireland’s loss to South Africa last November.
Were the athletic 26-year-old to reproduce his end-of-season form in Leinster’s URC triumph that would be timely. “It’s big to step in straight back into a knockout game, but he’s a big player for the team over the last number of years and hopefully hits the ground running this weekend.”
Reiko Ioane replaces Garry Ringrose, who suffered a back injury last week, while Jack Conan returns in the backrow. Jimmy O’Brien moves to the leftwing in place of Joshua Kenny, despite his two tries last week. Harry Byrne is retained at outhalf, and with Ciaran Frawley’s versatility included on the bench, ala the last three rounds of the Six Nations, Sam Prendergast misses out altogether.
Brian Deeny and Max Deegan move to the bench where, in addition to Thomas Clarkson and Frawley returning, Luke McGrath is recalled to earn his 250th Leinster cap, while the 20-year-old loosehead Alex Usanov is in line for his Champions Cup debut.
Leinster are 24-point favourites but Cullen is understandably wary of an experienced Edinburgh side for whom this is a free hit. Recalling how his side trailed at half-time before beating Edinburgh here by 28-20 last February, Cullen also noted the quality, vast international experience and knowledge of Leinster which the Scots possess.
“Where they sit in the league (RC) it’s going to be a challenge for them to make the top eight, so this is their season. We’ve talked about it all week so our guys should be well ready for that. But it’s going to be a serious challenge.”
Indeed, Edinburgh make just two changes from the starting XV in last week’s 33-14 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town, when they led past the hour mark before the home side scored three tries in the last quarter.
D’Arcy Rae returns from a calf injury at tighthead and Ben Muncaster comes in at number eight after completing return to play protocols to replace influential club captain Magnus Bradbury (ankle).
The other four members of the Scotland side who threw the kitchen sink at Ireland in losing the Triple Crown shoot out 43-21 at the Aviva, all start, namely winger Darcy Graham, hooker Ewan Ashman, who wins his 50th cap, Pierre Schoeman and double centurion Grant Gilchrist, who captains the side.
The former Bristol and Connacht player Piers O’Conor continues at fullback after an eye-catching display at 15 in Cape Town and if ever there was a team free to swing from the hip it is this one, as head coach Sean Everitt has vowed after picking his strongest available side.
“We go to the Aviva Stadium with nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is a group of players who believe in what they’re doing, and we’re going out there to have a real go at one of the best sides in Europe.
“We represent the Scottish capital – our supporters who have made the trip to Dublin and those watching back home – and that means a great deal to all of us. We’re going to treat this for exactly what it is: a great opportunity to make history for this great club.”
Ultimately though, this is a stacked Leinster side with 14 Irish internationals in their starting XV, plus an All Black. In particular, it’s the starting Irish pack against Scotland, save for Andrew Porter and Baird in place of Tom O’Toole and Tadhg Beirne, as well as three of the backline.
That should be sufficient firepower to reflect the season’s turn toward the home straight.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, Jimmy O’Brien; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, Ryan Baird; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Alex Usanov, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Robbie Henshaw.
EDINBURGH: Piers O’Conor; Darcy Graham, Matt Currie, James Lang, Malelili Satala; Ross Thompson, Charlie Shiel; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’Arcy Rae; Marshall Sykes, Grant Gilchrist (capt); Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Ben Muncaster.
Replacements: Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, Boan Venter, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Vellacott, Mosese Tuipulotu, Jack Brown.
Referee: Luke Pearce (RFU).
