MAGNERS LEAGUE:There is an immediate head-to-head for consideration this evening: Johnny O'Connor versus Keith Gleeson. Better make that a three-way tussle as Shane Jennings is named on the blindside flank.
On announcing his Six Nations training squad, Eddie O'Sullivan excluded the Leinster flankers in favour of O'Connor. When queried about the selection he inferred the reporters don't watch Connacht so they wouldn't know how well O'Connor had been playing. O'Sullivan subsequently discarded him from the match-day 22. We'll know more after tonight.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika has yet to reveal his thinking on the wing positions but Shane Horgan and Gary Brown are likely to retain their places. Fionn Carr and Felix Jones remain in contention.
The Australian centre pairing of Mick Berne and Christian Warner remain in the absence of Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll. They are both Ireland qualified but considering their contracts are up for renewal it makes little sense to stall the promotion of Irish under-20s centre Eoin O'Malley.
For the second game running the former Belvedere schoolboy makes the bench. Along with Carr and Jones, and in the absence of the internationals, an opportunity is being missed here to give academy players a taste of the physicality required at this level.
A more comprehensive A schedule is promised next season but this may come too late for those seeking regular professional rugby. Negotiations are ongoing for a 10-team league against Welsh and English reserves. The IRFU are also looking at possible entry into the Anglo-Welsh Cup, which would be used in a developmental capacity.
Cheika selects what he believes to be the best and most experienced team at the expense of youth. Considering Leinster are six points clear with seven games to play failure to finally win the Magners League may impinge on his contract negotiations. Having said that, Cheika looks likely to stay on next season.
Connacht have fewer options but coach Michael Bradley has no problem blooding home-grown talent like Aidan Wynne and the currently injured Daniel Riordan.
When these sides last met in November, the 29-9 scoreline hardly reflected the Connacht forwards' performance. Leinster quality prevailed with two tries from Gordon D'Arcy. Despite his injury, tonight should be no different with the Chris Whitaker-Felipe Contepomi halfback axis sure to put Luke Fitzgerald, and presumably Horgan and Brown, into space. Warner is also a decent distributor and should pop up regularly at first receiver.
The pack - full-strength besides Bernard Jackman, Jamie Heaslip and Leo Cullen - are expected to dominate. Malcolm O'Kelly wins his 138th cap, just one behind the record held by Reggie Corrigan.
"Leinster's visits to Galway have always produced close, exciting rugby," said Bradley. "We've run them very close over the last couple of years including last year at home so there'll be no surprises in store for either side. They'll be missing a number of players but we still expect it to be very tight. We'll be looking to press our home advantage."
Considering it's a derby, the top versus bottom scenario and 22-point difference can be shelved but Leinster showed impressive resilience at the RDS a fortnight ago and should continue on that vein here.
CONNACHT:G Duffy; K Matthews, M Mostyn, M Deane, A Wynne; A Dunne, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley (capt); J Muldoon, J O'Connor, C Rigney. Replacements: J Merrigan, R Loughney, D Gannon, R Ofisa, C McPhillips, T Donnelly, L Bibo.
LEINSTER:(probable): L Fitzgerald; S Horgan, M Berne, C Warner, G Brown; F Contepomi, C Whitaker (capt); O le Roux, B Blaney, S Wright; T Hogan, M O'Kelly; S Jennings, K Gleeson, S Keogh. Replacements: C Healy, S Knoop, C Jowitt, K McLaughlin, C Keane, E O'Malley, F Jones/F Carr.
Referee:G Clancy (IRFU).
Verdict:Leinster win.
