Champions Cup quarter-final: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors, Aviva Stadium, Friday, 8.0pm – Live on RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports 1
Players crave opportunity, a proclamation that runs on a loop ahead in topping every prematch wishlist. Few would have anticipated swingeing changes following Leinster’s 62-0 rout of Harlequins last weekend at Croke Park, but head coach Leo Cullen has sought a stimulus to energise a squad, one that covers a multitude, from injury niggles to form with a nod to development and increased frontline depth.
Starting Jordie Barrett, Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong against Glasgow Warriors on Friday night at the Aviva Stadium can’t be construed as taking a punt but the decision to name Tommy O’Brien on the right wing and Max Deegan at blindside flanker is an affirmation of excellent form.
Jamie Osborne had a fine game in the win over Harlequins but O’Brien, when not cursed by injury, is a player with a lavish skill set to match a tungsten temperament. Cullen admitted: “I suppose when you’ve got a guy who has serious speed and power, you’re probably more susceptible to picking up soft tissue injuries.
“He has real intensity to what he delivers on a week-to-week basis. His attention to detail is great, he works very hard on all aspects of his game. We’re excited to see him go now. Everyone sees it, he has massive moments in games whether in attack or defence.
“He’s got genuine speed, got a good bit of edge as well. You see a lot of Glasgow games, there is a good bit of niggle and edge. I think he’s well suited for the game and I hope he goes well; he deserves this opportunity. It will be a good battle, him against Kyle Steyn, who again is a physical winger. We think Tommy will do a good job there.”
The 68-times capped All Black Barrett forms a midfield axis with Garry Ringrose, with Robbie Henshaw set to make his 100th appearance off the bench.
A new frontrow, encompassing the return from a neck injury of hooker Kelleher, is three of the four alterations in pack personnel. Deegan replaces Caelan Doris, with Jack Conan switching to number eight and taking over the captaincy. The bench is festooned with frontline reinforcements, while there is also a place for one of the best prospects in Irish rugby Diarmuid Mangan.
An injury niggle has ruled out Ryan Baird so Mangan gets his chance. Cullen said: “His [Mangan’s] physicality in the collision is probably the big thing. I don’t know where he’ll end up playing, in terms of he’s a six [or] lock. He played a lot of games for UCD at eight this year.
“Coaches like him, he’s very coachable and he’s made steady improvements through the season. It’s great. He’s a player that has progressed into the senior group, that’s what you want to see, lads progressing and doing things that they are told to do. He’s a great skill set as well.”
Already without their frontline centre pairing of Scotland internationals Huw Jones and Sione Tuipolotu, secondrow Scott Cummings and backrow Jack Dempsey, Glasgow have been hit by further injuries and a suspension.
Head coach Franco Smith made three changes to the side that beat the Leicester Tigers 43-19 at Scotstoun. Australian international Sam Talakai replaces Zander Fagerson at tight head prop after the latter experienced concussion-like symptoms following the game last weekend.
Secondrow Alex Samuel is preferred to JP du Preez, while Rory Darge is restored to the starting team after Henco Venter was suspended for six weeks following an incident in last weekend’s game. Sione Vailanu switches to number eight.
Patrick Schickerling and Max Williamson are parachuted into the match day 23, the latter having not played since the November Test series. Smith has elected for a six-two split on the bench with Ben Afshar and Sebastian Cancelliere covering the backline positions.
The URC champions play a cracking brand of rugby facilitated by Smith and Galway man Nigel Carolan and despite the injury privations they won’t be cowed by the challenge. Cullen smiled and admitted that Leinster had robbed one or two plays from Benetton when Smith was their coach because “they have very clever starter plays”.
“They [Glasgow] like to play fast, they’ll be willing to play from everywhere, that has probably been their DNA with different coaches. They’ve always had a niggle about them, you’ve seen different encounters with different teams where you’ve seen that come to the fore. A physical team, they’ve forwards that are skilful and comfortable on the ball. They are always a dangerous team.”
All of which is fair comment but the genesis for a Leinster victory begins and ends with the home side in the singular focus, the physical application and precision that will enable them to bring the collective and individual quality to bear in deciding the outcome.
LEINSTER: H Keenan; T O’Brien, G Ringrose, J Barrett, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; C Healy, R Kelleher, T Furlong; J McCarthy, RG Snyman; M Deegan, J van der Flier, J Conan (capt). Replacements: D Sheehan, A Porter, R Slimani, D Mangan, C Doris, L McGrath, R Byrne, R Henshaw.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: K Rowe; J Dobie, S McDowall, T Jordan, K Steyn (capt); A Hastings, G Horne; N McBeth, J Matthews, S Talakai; G Brown, A Samuel; M Fagerson, R Darge, S Vailanu. Replacements: G Stewart, J Bhatti, P Schickerling, JP du Preez, M Williamson, E Ferrie, B Afshar, S Cancelliere.
Referee: Luke Pearce (Eng).
