LAST UPDATE | 16 Dec 2021
LEINSTER ARE FIRING ahead with their plans to travel to France tomorrow for their Champions Cup match against Montpellier.
With Covid striking both clubs, doubts about the fixture’s viability were high and even now, they have not completely disappeared. But as things stand, the game is scheduled to take place as planned, with Leo Cullen naming a much changed team for tomorrow’s game (kick off 8pm, BT Sport).
Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Rhys Ruddock, Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Ross Molony and Tadhg Furlong all drop out of the side who defeated Bath so comfortably last week.
🔵 | Here's your #LeinsterRugby 2️⃣3️⃣ for tomorrow's clash with Montpellier. 💪
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 16, 2021
5️⃣ players in for European debuts
© @JamesRyan126 #MONvLEI #HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/J24XE81USB
They join Johnny Sexton and Robbie Henshaw on the absentee list. However their replacements in the pack, Cian Healy – Andrew Porter switches back to tighthead to replace Furlong – James Ryan, Dan Leavy, Max Deegan and Jack Conan are experienced operators.
In the backs, only two players, Jamison Gibson-Park and James Lowe, can be considered first-choice players. However, full-back Jimmy O’Brien, wing Adam Byrne, centres Ciaran Frawley and Jamie Osborne aren’t shy of first-team experience. Out-half, Ross Byrne, plays more regularly for Leinster than Sexton in any case.
Leinster postponed their scheduled training session on Tuesday after a number of positive Covid-19 cases had been confirmed in their camp. However, after a full round of antigen and PCR testing at its UCD base, as well as advice from the IRFU and ECPR, they were cleared to travel.
It is not clear whether the changes were injury-related, as a result of illness or made for tactical reasons.
🗃 @MHR_officiel
— Montpellier Rugby (@MHR_officiel) December 16, 2021
⎣📂 Saison 21-22
⎣📂 Compositions @ChampionsCup_FR
⎣📁 #J2
#TeamMHR 🔵⚪️ #MHRLEI pic.twitter.com/tdHmqiJVtD
Vakh Abdaladze, Jack Dunne, Academy scrum-half Cormac Foley and Scott Penny, are all in line to play their first games in the Heineken Champions Cup should they be introduced at GGL Stadium. Osborne, the starting centre, is guaranteed his debut.
The Leinster Rugby squad and staff will leave Dublin airport tomorrow morning.
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Jimmy O’Brien (38)
14. Adam Byrne (60)
13. Jamie Osborne (9)
12. Ciarán Frawley (42)
11. James Lowe (57)
10. Ross Byrne (111)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (106)
1. Cian Healy (238)
2. Rónan Kelleher (30)
3. Andrew Porter (82)
4. Ryan Baird (34)
5. James Ryan (53) CAPTAIN
6. Max Deegan (71)
7. Dan Leavy (76)
8. Jack Conan (107)
Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan (19)
17. Ed Byrne (75)
18. Vakh Abdaladze (14)
19. Devin Toner (271)
20. Jack Dunne (15)
21. Cormac Foley (1)
22. Tommy O’Brien (13)
23. Scott Penny (31)
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Good stuff. The team announcement will be interesting.
@Ro Molloy: Nick McCarthy, luke McGrath, Harry Byrne,
Mike Alalatoa, Josh Murphy, Will Conners, Ross Maloney, are they all injured or Covid related absentees too?
That’s a pretty savage amount of unavailable quality players!
@GrassHopper: Covid I’d say. Bar maybe Josh Murphy who simply can’t get his place in the team.
@Ro Molloy: our front give may be in fir a tough time tomorrow. Hope we can match their physicality. If we do we have a decent chance. The Montpellier defence was terrible last weekend against Exeter.
@Harry O’Callaghan: true, he’s still a cracking player tho
@GrassHopper: quality pack there. Good to see Adam Byrne back in the starting lineup. Wouldn’t be surprised if Leo has one eye on next weeks interpro game too and is holding back some senior players in case of a similar situation to Munster last weekend…
@Harry O’Callaghan: josh is injured again.
Savsge pack, backs a little all over the gaff. Still a very good side
@Chris Mc: Jimmy O’Brien is s good operator and close to Keenan in terms of ability. I think this is a reasonably decent side considering those left out.
@Con Cussed: yeah not saying anyones bad just not very cohesive. Apart from lowe and JGP none would even be consider in the first 15, fralwey ross adam b all close to the 23 maybe. Its a good side no question but again the backs are not a real unit. Ross and adam will work well with the cross field kicks but jgp and the centres will want to attack the line, ross will be set up behind jimmy o’b.
@Chris Mc: shades of the Munster Wasps match. Two under-strength teams. Could be a cracker of a match.
@Trevor Johnston: infairness that leinster side is not as bad as what munster had to go through. All the 23 are full contracted players and if they are not able to step up when called upon should not be at the club. Its different digfing into the academy and finding upcapped players. I hope its a great game all the same
That back row depth is seriously weak at Leinster, once the 3 from last weekend are off the sheet it’s seriously weakened bringing in a 3 Test Lion and two other internationals!
@This time its personable!: I don’t think so. Conan, Leavy and Deegan are all good. Deegan on form is perhaps the weakest. With Scott Penny we have a strong back row.
@Con Cussed: Did that concussion affect your ability to detect sarcasm as well? :P
@The Gypsy Warrior: Guess it did! LOL thanks!
Looks like Montpellier have had to dip into their academy too. I spy former Leinster U18 centre Karl Martin among their replacements.
Good team named by Leinster, all things considered. As long as they don’t pick up any injuries early on they should have enough to take four points at least.
Wow James Ryan only has 53 leinster appearances I would not have thought that. He has nearly 40 for Ireland. Maybe my learned rugby friends might explain.
@Seagoat returns: Played for Munster first.
@Seagoat returns: think he made his Ireland debut before his senior Leinster so that put him a few games ahead. That plus I think he was sidelined with Leinster through injury. But yes, it’s unusual to see them so close
@Xanadu Marmalade: did he actually? Is wiki lying to me again!
@Seagoat returns: yep. Just checked there. 10th June 2017 senior debut for Ireland, 2nd September 2017 senior debut for Leinster. Mad stuff!
@Seagoat returns: he did not.
@Xanadu Marmalade: And before that Connacht…. lol
@Conor Church: there was alignment between a grand slam and a Leinster double that he went unbeaten as a professional for nearly a year of memory serves me right!?
@Xanadu Marmalade: a Munster legend
@mike ryan: yep, I think it was his first 18 games unbeaten or something to that effect but open to correction
Makes sense having 6/2 split on the bench against a massive Montpellier pack. I’m guessing Baird will go into the back row and Dunne will come in alongside Toner & Penny will take the 7 shirt. Delighted to see Deegan back. He was ahead of Doris prior to his injury. It’ll be interesting to see how that centre partnership will go. Montpellier are missing most of their back line Reinach, Pollard, Garbisi, Serfontain, Doumayrou, Vincent, Rattez, Tisseron all out.
Sexton, Ringrose, Henshaw, Larmour, Keenan, Byrne, McGrath out for Leinster. Starting Leinster backline is still better nonetheless.
Good starting 15 despite everything. The pack is strong and should give the less experienced players plenty of ball on the front foot.
Hope they are wearing FFP3 masks
@JohnBeeRyan BRCB 489: They must be well on top of their PPE game at this stage, you’d hope! Couldn’t be using over the counter masks. You never know, I guess, but with the amount of resources that go into testing the players and managing their potential exposure to covid, you’d nearly want them in full hazmat suits when their travelling etc!
@JohnBeeRyan BRCB 489: as long as they are wearing leinster jerseys that’ll do for me.