Connacht v Leinster 04/01/14

Was really looking forward to this game but then just read that Clancy is reffing!

www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/66040/l...o-return-from-injury

Lam looking to engage in some mind games before Saturday "We have George Clancy [referee] this week and I am confident with his experience that it will be a good game".

In better news Andrew Browne to join the 100 cap club at the weekend and with a bit of luck Heenan will have recovered sufficiently for a place on the bench at least fingers crossed.

Henry, Duffy and Hennan all described as touch and go by Linley.

Sorry, I don't understand, what's wrong with Clancey?

I'd like
1 Bucley
2 JHW
3 White
4 Kearney
5 Clarke
6 Browne
7 Muldoon
8 McKeon
9 Marm
10 Parks
11 Healy
12 Murphy
13 Griff
14 Carr
15 Henshaw
16 Henry
17 Wilko
18 Ah You
19 Swift
20 Heenan
21 POD
22 Carty
23 TOH

Rabo Direct Pro 12 Round 12
Connacht v Leinster Saturday 4th January 2014 19.15
On TV: RTE Two

After a disappointing performance in defeat away to a patched up Munster side, Connacht will hope to start 2014 on the right note when they host Leinster at the Sportsground. Connacht shocked Leinster with a bonus point win in the corresponding fixture last season but Leinster will be looking to maintain their push for a 2nd consecutive Pro 12 crown with victory in Galway.

Leinster Stats
Founded: 1879
Ground: RDS
Capacity: 18,500
Captain: Leo Cullen
Coach: Matt O'Connor

Rabo Direct Pro12 League Position 2013/14: Position: 2nd P:11 Pts:36
2012/13: Winners (Beat Ulster 24-18 in the Pro 12 Final) Regular Season Position 2nd Points:78
Heineken Cup: 2nd in Pool 5 Points: 20
Amlin Challenge Cup: Winners (Beat Stade Francais in the final 34-13)

Recent Results
Leinster 19-6 Ulster (Pro 12)
Edinburgh 11-6 Leinster (Pro 12)
Leinster 9-18 Northampton (Heineken Cup)

Next League Fixture:
Sunday 9th February 2014 17.30 (local time) Zebre v Leinster @ Stadio XXV Aprile

Heineken Cup (Pool 1) (Current Standings)
Leinster 13
Northampton 9
Castres 8
Ospreys 5

Achievements
Heineken Cup Winners: 3 (2009, 2011, 2012)

Amlin European Challenge Cup Winners: 1 (2013)

PRO12 (Formerly known as Celtic League / Magners League) Winners: 3 (2002, 2008, 2013)

British & Irish Cup Winners: 1 (2013)

Irish Inter-Provincial Championships Winners: 20


Previous Meetings

Saturday 26th October 2013 Rabo Direct Pro 12: Leinster 16-13 Connacht

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/13204.php

Saturday 29th December 2012 Rabo Direct Pro 12: Leinster 17-0 Connacht

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/2229.php

Friday 28th September 2012 Rabo Direct Pro 12: Connacht 34-6 Leinster

www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/2412.php

Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam has handed 21-year-old outhalf Jack Carty his first start for tomorrow night’s derby clash with PRO12 champions Leinster.

Carty is one of three changes in an all-Irish qualified backline with an average age of 22 years old. The Athlone-native, who is in his third year of the Connacht Academy, has captained the Connacht Eagles in the British & Irish Cup this season and has featured from the bench in PRO12 games against Benetton Treviso and Munster. Carty’s first of three senior caps came against Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun in September 2012.

Tomorrow night sees 21-year-old scrum half and this season’s top try scorer Kieran Marmion play his 44th consecutive game since his debut in 2012.

Darragh Leader has also been brought up from the Academy and starts at fullback tomorrow night in place of the injured Gavin Duffy. The 20-year-old Galway-man has played in three games this season, starting two on the wing at home against Glasgow Warriors and Scarlets.

The forward pack remains unchanged from last week with local flanker Andrew Browne earning his 100th cap for the province. John Muldoon is once again named at Openside while Jake Heenan remains on the injured list. Craig Clarke will captain the side.

There are two changes to the replacements bench with veteran second row Michael Swift returning from injury. Dublin-born Scrum half Paul O’Donohoe is in line to earn his 50th Connacht cap should he be called upon against his former club.

Speaking about the team selection and the upcoming game, Head Coach Pat Lam said:

“With our second and third choice outhalf out injured, we have decided to bring in young Jack Carty to start. Jack has been involved with us in training all year and has had some good performances with the Eagles. It is a great boost to his development as a young Irish qualified 10 to play against such quality opposition and I know he is very much looking forward to the test.

“Young Darragh (Leader) will start at fullback, a position in which he has proven himself with the Ireland U20s in the Rugby World Championship last summer.

“We have an extremely young back line going up against the best team in Europe and the league champions. But we have a belief in our young squad and if every player does their job and commits to the game plan we’ve put in place, then we have every chance of getting the desired result.”

Connacht lineup v Leinster

15. Darragh Leader
14. Fionn Carr
13. Robbie Henshaw
12. Eoin Griffin
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion

1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Jason Harris-Wright
3. Nathan White
4. Mick Kearney
5. Craig Clarke (captain)
6. Andrew Browne
7. John Muldoon
8. Eoin McKeon



Replacements:

16. Dave Heffernan
17. Denis Buckley
18. Rodney Ah You
19. Michael Swift
20. George Naoupu
21. Paul O’Donohoe
22. Dan Parks
23. Tiernan O’Halloran

Unavailable/Injured: Aly Muldowney, Dave Nolan, Sean Henry, Jake Heenan, Willie Faloon, Gavin Duffy, Dave McSharry, Craig Ronaldson, Danie Poolman, Frank Murphy, Miah Nikora, and Kyle Tonetti.

Big ask for Carty, hope he goes well. Good to see 7 Connachtmen starting (and as good as another, Marmion, in thee too) and 3 more on the bench.

Coach Matt O'Connor has made ten changes in total from the team that took to the field last weekend in the RDS with only two backs and three forwards retained from the 15 that accounted for Ulster.
With Zane Kirchner moving to the right wing from full back, Dave Kearney moves to the bench with brother Rob taking the number 15 jersey from the South African.
Luke Fitzgerald, who is due to win his 120th cap on Saturday, continues his fine run of form on the left wing.
With 402 Leinster caps between them, back in to the centre come the experienced duo of Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll. Eoin Reddan starts at scrumhalf against his former club, with Ian Madigan beside him at outhalf.
The pack also sees a number of fresh faces from last weekend plus a positional switch in the back row. Man of the Match from the Ulster game, Jordi Murphy is selected at flanker, with captain Jamie Heaslip returning at 8. Rhys Ruddock is once again selected at 6.
Former Connacht hooker Sean Cronin, who spent three years at the Sportsground before joining Leinster, is also selected to start against his former club. Joining him in the front row will be Martin Moore and Jack McGrath, who earned his 50th cap off the bench against Ulster.
Finally in the second row Devin Toner and Tom Denton start in place of Leo Cullen and Mike McCarthy. McCarthy is however named amongst the replacements.
The Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC) can confirm the following international coverage of the game this weekend.
UK & Ireland - Live on TG4 from 7.15pm Saturday
USA - Live on Fox Soccer Plus from 2.15pm ET Saturday
Asia - Live on Setanta Sports from 3.15am HKT Sunday
Australia - Live on Setanta Sports from 6.15am AEDT Sunday
New Zealand - Live on The Rugby Channel from 8.15am Sunday
Canada - Delayed on Sportsnet World from 5.00pm Saturday
Radio - Galwaybayfm
Twitter- www.twitter.com/leinsterrugby
Our bases in London (Philomena's of Covent Garden), New York (Madhatter Saloon), Dubai (McGettigans), Sydney (PJ Gallagher's @ The Criterion) will all be showing the game LIVE.
See our Blue Planet guide for rugby friendly venues who play games in over 50 cities around the world (we recommend calling ahead to check) here ( bit.ly/16SRPMT )
LEINSTER:
15: Rob Kearney
14: Zane Kirchner
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan
1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Martin Moore
4: Devin Toner
5: Tom Denton
6: Rhys Ruddock
7: Jordi Murphy
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack O'Connell
18: Mike Ross
19: Mike McCarthy
20: Dominic Ryan
21: Isaac Boss
22: Jimmy Gopperth
23: Dave Kearney
REFEREE: George Clancy (IRFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Leo Colgan, Ollie Hodges (both IRFU) CITING COMMISSIONER: Denis Templeton (IRFU) TMO: Jude Quinn (IRFU)

Really think it will be hard, international back-line vs junior back-line...And who will stand for centre if Henshaw/Griff injured? Parks Healy and Carr are far too light, remains TOH or in the worst case Mc Keon..

With Munster travelling north this evening, Leinster are looking at this as a chance to narrow the gap and give some gametime to key players ahead of the Heineken Cup resuming. They aren't taking any chances. Even the bench is strong. At least the presence of BOD, Kearney, Heaslip etc. should add to the gate I suppose. We always seem to lift it against the stronger sides anyway.

I'm happy to see Carty get a go. We will probably have to go with Dan for the two HC games so this was the only chance to make a change at 10. Darragh Leader ahead of TOH at full back tells its own story as to where TOH stands. Hope it goes well for Darragh Leader. I'd share Connachta's concerns regarding the cover at centre, really there isn't anyone you could put in there in an emergency.

Lets hope there is a few more fit for the HC games.

Leinster's squad really is scarily strong. Massive game for Carty, last time I saw him play was for the Eagles last year and he looked out of his depth to be honest. I hear good things about him this year though. Great chance for our backline to stake their claims against internationals they could potentially replace in the not too distant future. I'm sure they'll be well up for this. We've done well in this fixture in the last few years so I'm cautiously optimistic.

connachta wrote: Really think it will be hard, international back-line vs junior back-line...And who will stand for centre if Henshaw/Griff injured? Parks Healy and Carr are far too light, remains TOH or in the worst case Mc Keon..

Leader would probably move into centre.

Excited for this game now, some players will be shocked into stepping up a notch and maybe some will go into their shell. I expect Griffin, Henshaw and Marmion will have good games, as long as Griffin stops trying to be a crash ball centre. Marmion is capable of babysitting Carty if needs be and I feel like the extra responsibility would suit him.

Kearney, Clarke, Muldoon, McKeon, these players should relish the physical challenge. Browne in a post-Munster youtube video was mad keen for the bit of niggle the derbies bring. The whole pack should be (and needs to be) up for a fight, minus the cards this time.

Realistically speaking it could be a bloodbath, a win would be close to the level of beating Toulouse, but that's the challenge you want to face. MOC obviously values the derbies highly, he was annoyed at losing in Munster imo and Madigan took some of the flak for that.
Outside of Denton that's the best team Leinster could have named (wtf happened Roux and Marshall? Is Denton really the 3rd/4th best second row option at Leinster? No silverware this year if so).
Maybe after 10 minutes I'll be watching from behind the couch but for now I'm really excited about this one.

Andrew Browne earning his 100th cap for the province.

Seriously hope he has a better 100th cap than Frank Murphy did! As for Denton he's being doing very well this season and while I think he'll always be a squad player he's a useful one. Happy that Carty is being given a chance at 10 it's our strongest pack and best SH in front of him so it won't get much better. Glad to see Lam mixing it up too. Parks didn't do well last week and while you could say its rotation a part of me thinks Lam is now looking for new options at 10. Hopefully Carty can grab his chance.

Don't know about it not getting much better!

That's a very strong Leinster team and I worry for Connacht and carty in this one. There will be a huge amount of defending to be done IMO and his kicking game will have to be spot on( and mar ions). I saw him a few times for the As last season and while he is a good player and decent goal kicker I worry about his mental stamina. Every time I saw him he did well for 30-35 min in first half and even less in 2nd but made bad errors towards ends of each half. Hopefully that aspect has improved. If it hasn't he will be found out against these guys and a lot earlier IMO.

Its great to see so many young lads on the field together. Against Leinster though?
Perhaps needs must.