Leinster obviously have one eye on next weekend. 11 changes.

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets)

15. Zane Kirchner (84)
14. Adam Byrne (20)
13. Rory O’Loughlin (18)
12. Noel Reid (79)
11. Dave Kearney (110)
10. Ross Byrne (20)
9. Luke McGrath (71)
1. Cian Healy (169)
2. James Tracy (38)
3. Mike Ross (150)
4. Ross Molony (40)
5. Hayden Triggs (27)
6. Dominic Ryan (111)
7. Josh van der Flier (41)
8. Rhys Ruddock (127) Captain

Replacements

16. Sean Cronin (126)
17. Peter Dooley (35)
18. Michael Bent (83)
19. Ian Nagle (9)
20. Peadar Timmins (6)
21. Nick McCarthy (5)
22. Tom Daly (7)
23. Barry Daly (9)

www.leinsterrugby.ie/preview/leinster-ru...-connacht-announced/

Connacht captain John Muldoon will play his 300th game for the province when he lines out against Leinster at a sold-out Sportsground tomorrow night.

The 34-year-old, who has started 23 games already this season, leads the team featuring four personnel changes from last weekend.

Jack Carty is handed the reins at outhalf for the visit of the Guinness PRO12 table toppers while Craig Ronaldson is recalled to start in the centre with Bundee Aki.

Dave Heffernan and Ireland international Finlay Bealham are named in the front row in an otherwise unchanged forward pack.

Commenting on the upcoming game, head coach Pat Lam said:

“It’s great to be back at the Sportsground in front of our home support after a number of weeks on the road. Leinster are flying high at the top of the PRO12 table as well as in Europe and we know we are coming up against a tough side stacked with quality players. But that just adds to the excitement for us as a team. We are really looking forward to this game and the chance to put in a huge performance for ourselves, for our supporters and for John Muldoon on a special day for him.”

Connacht team to face Leinster

Saturday, April 15th, kick off 7.35pm, the Sportsground

(Connacht caps in brackets)

15 Tiernan O’Halloran (124)
14 Niyi Adeolokun (55)
13 Bundee Aki (58)
12 Craig Ronaldson (64)
11 Danie Poolman (82)
10 Jack Carty (78)
9 Kieran Marmion (118)

1 Denis Buckley (115)
2 Dave Heffernan (81)
3 Finlay Bealham (79)
4 Quinn Roux (54)
5 Andrew Browne (152)
6 Eoin McKeon (104)
7 Jake Heenan (51)
8 John Muldoon (299) (captain)

Replacements:

16 Shane Delahunt (25)
17 JP Cooney (47
18 Dominic Robertson-McCoy (
19 Sean O’Brien (36)
20 Naulia Dawai (10)
21 Caolin Blade (42)
22 Steve Crosbie (2)
23 Eoin Griffin (76)

Playoffs are of course the main thing, but given that Connacht have two rest weekends before then, you'd imagine there shouldn't be any real imperative to rest players over the three remaining games.

overstrander wrote:

connemara man wrote:

dobby wrote: Was informed that Tiernan unavailable due to scope last Monday. Assume he feels the NEED to be available for the Leinster game. That said these last games are irrelevant. So I do stick with my viewpoint that we should use the games as an opportunity to blood players. Maybe we will win, maybe we will lose. But there does come a stage when players need not be played and this weekend is one of those.

anyway the only player in connacht playing ruby is Tiernan these days. Everybody else is playing mulch

These games are incredibly important if you think that European qualification is important. If we don't have a good showing against three of the teams in the top 4 and hopefully win them how can Connacht look ahead to the playoffs with any confidence.

And as you talk about blooding players, who should play that 1 isn't injured of 2 definitely going to be here next season.

Apparently it's massively important that they finish ahead of Cardiff. So no, not irrelevant.

Tbh finishing behind Cardiff sends us to England for the playoff which gets is a home final if we win. Which I'd prefer. But i wanna see Connacht playing well enough to the extent that i can see us winning there. The only way to do that is with full strength teams

connemara man wrote:

dobby wrote: Was informed that Tiernan unavailable due to scope last Monday. Assume he feels the NEED to be available for the Leinster game. That said these last games are irrelevant. So I do stick with my viewpoint that we should use the games as an opportunity to blood players. Maybe we will win, maybe we will lose. But there does come a stage when players need not be played and this weekend is one of those.

anyway the only player in connacht playing ruby is Tiernan these days. Everybody else is playing mulch

These games are incredibly important if you think that European qualification is important. If we don't have a good showing against three of the teams in the top 4 and hopefully win them how can Connacht look ahead to the playoffs with any confidence.

And as you talk about blooding players, who should play that 1 isn't injured of 2 definitely going to be here next season.

Apparently it's massively important that they finish ahead of Cardiff. So no, not irrelevant.

dobby wrote: Was informed that Tiernan unavailable due to scope last Monday. Assume he feels the NEED to be available for the Leinster game. That said these last games are irrelevant. So I do stick with my viewpoint that we should use the games as an opportunity to blood players. Maybe we will win, maybe we will lose. But there does come a stage when players need not be played and this weekend is one of those.

anyway the only player in connacht playing ruby is Tiernan these days. Everybody else is playing mulch

These games are incredibly important if you think that European qualification is important. If we don't have a good showing against three of the teams in the top 4 and hopefully win them how can Connacht look ahead to the playoffs with any confidence.

And as you talk about blooding players, who should play that 1 isn't injured of 2 definitely going to be here next season.

Was informed that Tiernan unavailable due to scope last Monday. Assume he feels the NEED to be available for the Leinster game. That said these last games are irrelevant. So I do stick with my viewpoint that we should use the games as an opportunity to blood players. Maybe we will win, maybe we will lose. But there does come a stage when players need not be played and this weekend is one of those.

anyway the only player in connacht playing ruby is Tiernan these days. Everybody else is playing mulch

salmson wrote: Boshoff's back in training in today's Inpho pictures.

If he is available, I can't see leaving him out of the squad for Leinster. Connacht will need him ready for the playoffs. I'll let Pat decide whether he starts or is on the bench.

Boshoff's back in training in today's Inpho pictures.

Glad I'm not the only one optimistic about our chances on Saturday. Paddy Power have us at only +3 in the handicap. That is nothing! With Mul's big night , and what we think of that lot, let's roar the place down and let them know they are playing against the Champions!

I wouldn't leave SOB out of the 23...

Minimal changes from last weekend except for injuries.

Pat may opt for Farrell on the wing, given how poor Danie has been.He has played there before.
So on that basis Ronaldson to start alongside Bundee, with Griff providing cover on the bench (he's better cover at both W/C than Danie)..
Crosbie is playing for a contract and playing well, so he starts with Jack again on bench.
Caolin and Cooney is a tossup...
Delahunt to start at Hooker, with Heff to come on at 40-50mins both to empty the tanks...
Quinn and Browner starting, Browner is the muldowney fulcrum and he also is lineout leader in pack. Quinn will get other nod, as it's Leinster...
Backrow as last week, with Masterson on Bench...

Mark Mostyn wrote: So I guess the selection calls are:

- Delahunt or Heffernan?
- Who of Browne, Roux, and Cannon is on the bench?
- Does McKeon come in at 6 or 7?
- Crosbie or Carty?
- Farrell or Ronaldson?
- Poolman or Rowland on the wing?
- Who covers back row from the bench?
- Blade or Cooney at 21?

I see it like this
Heff to start
Cannon on the bench
McKeown on the bench
Carty to start and Boschoff on the bench if he's available
Ronaldson to start
Blade at 21 could be a game for him

pinky wrote:

salmson wrote:
Stacey Ili (ankle) will undergo surgery this week on the ankle he injured v Zebre and will return to training in the pre-season.

I suppose it would be presumptuous to jump to the conclusion that if he's training in the pre-season, he'll still be here for the actual season?

Using that logic then I wonder if Loughney is not returning since they only went as far as to say he is done for the season unlike McCartney and Ili who they say will return to training in the pre-season?

Mark Mostyn wrote: So I guess the selection calls are:

- Delahunt or Heffernan?
- Who of Browne, Roux, and Cannon is on the bench?
- Does McKeon come in at 6 or 7?
- Crosbie or Carty?
- Farrell or Ronaldson?
- Poolman or Rowland on the wing?
- Who covers back row from the bench?
- Blade or Cooney at 21?

SOB has to play, so Heenan or McKeon at 7 and the other on the bench. I'd go for Crosbie & Farrell and Blade over Cooney. No preference otherwise.

So I guess the selection calls are:

- Delahunt or Heffernan?
- Who of Browne, Roux, and Cannon is on the bench?
- Does McKeon come in at 6 or 7?
- Crosbie or Carty?
- Farrell or Ronaldson?
- Poolman or Rowland on the wing?
- Who covers back row from the bench?
- Blade or Cooney at 21?