RUGBY:WITH EAMONN Sheridan making his first senior start for Leinster in Cardiff, coach Joe Schmidt continues his policy of bringing on younger players. It is, though, the inside centre's second senior appearance and provides a tidy counterpoint to secondrow Leo Cullen coming in for the 150th time for the province, only the fifth player to do so and obviously unencumbered after coming on for six seconds of normal time against France last weekend.
Cullen, despite several seasons in Welford Road with Leicester, becomes a member of the club alongside Shane Horgan (198), Malcolm O’Kelly (188), Gordon D’Arcy (183) and Girvan Dempsey (175), who have all passed the mark.
Sheridan, from St Patrick’s Classical School in Navan, partners Eoin O’Malley in a fresh back line that includes Andrew Conway and Niall Morris, try scorer against Aironi in the RDS, on the wings and Ian McKinley at outhalf. But it is a changing combination that has served Leinster well in the periods where much of the heavy armour of the international guard is not available.
An experienced frontrow and a mix of thrusting players with Cullen behind them will face the return of Cardiff’s Xavier Rush, Deiniol Jones and Gareth Williams as well as prop John Yapp, who comes in from the Welsh squad.
It will also be a challenge for the increasingly impressive Rhys Ruddock, Kevin McLaughlin and Dominic Ryan, who make up an exciting backrow in what is a meeting between the second-placed Leinster and third-placed home side.
Conway, who played against Aironi last time out, wasn’t impressed with how the backs used good ball against the Italians. “To be honest we weren’t too happy with the performance against Aironi,” said Conway. “We felt the forwards gave us a good amount of ball and we didn’t do too much about it, so I think we really have to pick things up a gear for this weekend.”
Leinster will not want to slip down the table over the next month as they are aware that there are only four points separating them from the three teams below them, Cardiff, Scarlets and Ospreys on 39 points.
Tonight, though, could be a struggle and Cardiff represent bigger clout than Aironi and have being playing well and dominating without perhaps getting some of the wins they deserve.
Coach David Young has addressed that matter and Leinster can expect to face a Cardiff side with a little more bite.
CARDIFF BLUES: D Fish; R Mustoe, G Evans, D Hewitt, T James; C Sweeny, T Slater; J Yapp, G Williams, F Filise, D Jones (capt), P Tito, A Pretorius, M Williams, X Rush. Replacements: R Williams, S Hobbs, S Andrews, B White, M Molitika, R Downes, D Parks, J Loxton.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Conway, E O’Malley, E Sheridan, N Morris; I McKinley, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, C Newland, L Cullen (capt), D Toner, K McLaughlin, D Ryan, R Ruddock. Replacements: J Harris-Wright, J McGrath, S Wright, N Hines, S Keogh, E Reddan, I Madigan, M Keating Referee: C Damasco (FIR).
Verdict: Cardiff to win.
