PRO12 LEAGUE PREVIEW Dragons v Leinster:JOE SCHMIDT'S second wave are on show here but they still look strong enough to confirm their utter dominance of the RaboDirect Pro 12 regular season tonight.
Of the starting XV, only Eoin Reddan and Kevin McLaughlin have realistic chances of running out at Twickenham in the Heineken Cup final on May 19th, with Dave Kearney, Seán Cronin and perhaps Dominic Ryan, Nathan White or Devin Toner seeing some game time in next week’s play-off semi-final at the RDS.
That game will be against either Munster or Glasgow depending on today’s other results. This fixture is a dead rubber, first versus 10th, so it is natural for Schmidt to rest his European starters as he continues to foster a dynamically competitive squad ethic never witnessed before in Irish rugby.
About 13 or 14 of his selections are always predictable but it’s the subtle switches he springs, and he is liable to do them in any position, that makes the New Zealander a special coach. Today it is the sight of Reddan and Noel Reid at 12 that intrigues.
Reddan’s arrival in the second half against Clermont gave the Leinster three-quarter line immediate width and renewed pace to their attacks. It was a timely reminder of his core strengths.
The midfield combination of Ian Madigan, probably goal-kicking, with Reid (an outhalf by trade) and Brendan Macken will be targeted defensively, while Dave Kearney is rewarded with a run at 15 after what has been a remarkably productive campaign from the 22-year-old. That allows two natural flyers in Andrew Conway and Fionn Carr to make up a promising Leinster back three.
The Dragons have endured a miserable campaign though victory could leave them eighth in the final standings.
It is, however, the last game for departing captain Luke Charteris (Perpignan) and powerful winger Aled Brew (Biarrtiz), who are both off to sample the Top 14 culture. This is merely the prelude; but Leinster are capable of ending the season with a stunning 18-1-3 return.
DRAGONS: H Amos; W Harries, A Hughes, A Smith, A Brew; L Robling, W Evans; N Williams, S Parry, N Buck; L Charteris (capt), R Sidoli; D Lydiate, L Evans, T Faletau. Replacements: S Jones, P Price, D Way, Jevon Groves, T Brown, J Evans, P Leach, J Dixon.
LEINSTER: D Kearney; A Conway, B Macken, N Reid, F Carr; I Madigan, E Reddan; J McGrath, S Cronin, N White; D Toner, D Browne; K McLaughlin (capt), D Ryan, L Auva'a. Replacements: A Dundon, H van der Merwe, J Hagan, M Flanagan, J Murphy, L McGrath, I Nacewa, D Hudson.
Referee: M Mitrea(Italy).
Verdict: Leinster win.
