LEINSTER HAVE MADE five changes to the team that defeated Northampton Saints as they face Ospreys in the URC tomorrow evening at the RDS (KO: 7:35pm, live on TG4 and Premier Sport).
Head coach Leo Cullen has named Jimmy O’Brien, Luke McGrath, Rónan Kelleher, Jason Jenkins and Will Connors in the starting lineup.
📥 | 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞!
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) May 10, 2024
Here is the #LeinsterRugby team that will face @ospreys tomorrow evening in The RDS#LEIvOSP #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/EOfRth3wJB
Ciarán Frawley starts at full-back with Jordan Larmour and O’Brien on the wings.
Jamie Osborne and Robbie Henshaw maintain their partnership in the centre, with McGrath joining Ross Byrne in the half-backs, for the first time since the March win over Zebre.
Kelleher joins Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong in the front row. Jenkins partners Ross Molony in the second row for the seventh time this season.
Our team to face @leinsterrugby at the RDS tomorrow night.
— Ospreys (@ospreys) May 10, 2024
🏆 @URCOfficial
🏟️ RDS Arena, Dublin
📅 11th May
🕐 19:35 KO
📺 @S4C/@PremSportsTV
🎽 https://t.co/wouRcEQoGv
We're on the road to the knockouts and there's vital points on the line 💪#TogetherAsOne #BackInBlack pic.twitter.com/899kjDbtUf
Caelan Doris captains the team once more. He’s joined in the back row by Ryan Baird and Connors.
There is a 5:3 split on the bench, with Tommy O’Brien set to feature for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in February.
Meanwhile, Cian Healy has signed a new contract with Leinster ahead of next season. The prop, who has made 275 appearances for his province, will remain part of the playing panel for at least one more year.
Leinster:
- 15. Ciarán Frawley
- 14. Jordan Larmour
- 13. Jamie Osborne
- 12. Robbie Henshaw
- 11. Jimmy O’Brien
- 10. Ross Byrne
- 9. Luke McGrath
- 1. Andrew Porter
- 2. Rónan Kelleher
- 3. Tadhg Furlong
- 4. Ross Molony
- 5. Jason Jenkins
- 6. Ryan Baird
- 7. Will Connors
- 8. Caelan Doris (Capt)
Replacements:
- 16. Dan Sheehan
- 17. Michael Milne
- 18. Thomas Clarkson
- 19. Jack Conan
- 20. Josh van der Flier
- 21. Jamison Gibson-Park
- 22. Charlie Ngatai
- 23. Tommy O’Brien
Ref: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
Cian Healy for one more year is amazing and well deserved, but I hope we are not still asking questions about Milne & Boyle at the end of next season. Those boys need game time.
@Paul Ennis: As far as I am aware Leinster have been blocked by the IRFU for signing a NIQ Th signing they also blocked(rightfully so imo) Leinster’s advancements of Tom O’Toole. Again as far as I’ve heard Healy will largely switch to the Th side next season to supplement the loss of Ala and battle it out with Clarkson and Maguire for the 18 jersey when Furlong is involved.
@Ian1989: Ah very interesting… does make sense I suppose
@Andrew Slazenger: now this source has been spot on in the past but have also being very wrong at times. They informed me that the irfu had strongly encouraged one of Milne or Boyle to sign for Munster(they had shown their interest) the source informed me that Leinster would accept an offer but neither moved(could’ve come down to the player simply not wanting to go which is obviously the key reasoning for any move, no player should ever be forced to move in any sport etc.) or the source could’ve been talking out of their hole.
@Ian1989: poor decision by the IRFU if true. Tighthead depth is not an issue and having an experienced pro around all year (ideally one who knows how to scrummage unlike Ala’alatoa) for the likes of Maguire to learn from would be very valuable if only for a season.
@Ian1989: Why “rightly so”? Leinster can’t outbid Ulster. If an Irish player’s contract is up then the other provinces should have the ability to bid. The choice of where he plays should rest solely with the player.
@Andrew Martin Farrell: from my point of view Ulster need him a lot more than Leinster do.
@Andrew Martin Farrell: I agree 100% that the decision depends on the player. Tot at least from a fans POV(which I know is minute) seems v happy where he is.
@Ian1989: That makes alot of sense
@teuO6nLS: TH depth is a massive issue, leinster don’t have any after furlong. They honestly need at least one but maybe 2.
@chris mcdonnell: agreed, but for Ireland it isn’t. Bealham, Jager and O’Toole all behind Furlong
Need Ringrose and Keenan back asap. Hopefully they can both get some game time in next week. Good to see Leo playing a strong squad though, seems to have learn from last year. Leinster should win this by 25-30 points
@Dave Moran: “a week too soon” for Ringrose for about the 5th straight week. But he is hitting all his markers…
@Andrew Martin Farrell: it’s even further back than that. He was supposedly only a week away for France in the Six Nations. Rushing him back to the bench against Scotland was stupid, and playing injured players is becoming a Farrell hallmark after Lowe and Hansen in the world cup
@Dave Moran: You survived the trip to D3 then, Dave?
@Daniel Murphy: Just about Daniel. Made sure to get in and out as quickly as possible though
Strong team. Big opportunity for Kelleher, there never really has been a big gap between him and Sheehan, I think Kelleher is actually much better in the tight and scrum, but Sheehan better thrower and wide runner. Kelleher also has discipline issues. Justice for Will Connors also, bit of a choke he wasn’t even on bench vs Saints and think Leinster know they messed up there
@Eoin H: If Connors is in the team, he starts. His talents are not needed quite as much when the game breaks up a little towards the end. The big guys that he will target v Toulouse / La Rochelle, will all start and come off before 60 mins. Josh carries a bit more and will target the one off runners for a turnover at the end of a game from a 6:2 bench. Not a joke. The coaching team know what they are at.
@Eoin H: I was in lower Cusack last week and watched RK in the warmups – he missed jumper with EVERY practice throw in front of Leo. Not a good look. Leinster do not trust his darts. Needs to prove me wrong tmw .
@Eoin H: kelleher had serious lineout issues. Both for Ireland and leinster he has missed far too many throws. He needs to fix this and quick.
This shows a lot of learning from past years and the benefit of the revised scheduling. Strong team, similar again next week and we’ll be in a good position to hit the ground running in the final.
@PJ Smith: hopefully, but don’t speak too soon. It was a similar enough strength team that played against the Sharks in the quarter final last year. It was only in the Munster game that there was huge rotation.
Players we cannot lose for the final: Porter, Furlong and JGP, hence playing them this week and then resting next week. This selection tells me RK may start the final (left wing call!), he along with JMc and Jenkins are our strongest scrumming and mauling pack, negate Toulouse there early + you then spring Sheehan, Molony, VDF and Conan from the bench at 45/50 mins which is pretty devastating and very Nienaber.
@Andrew Slazenger: Nope, Sheehan and Molony will start. Line out was a mess without Molony last week and when has Kelleher ever started over Sheehan in a big game? Kelleher’s throwing had also not been good enough lately.
@Dave Moran: Why I said it was a left field call, it’s unlikely. My logic is JN trying something unexpected. Lineout wasn’t a mess actually, we only lost one when RM went off and the scrum was way stronger without him. Plus Jenkins and McC started Vs LaR and the lineout was perfect
@Andrew Slazenger: You didn’t say it was a left field call, it was your prediction. Come on now, we’re not only talking about one game here, it’s both players overall game and form. No way Kelleher starts on form. Jenkins slightly more likely but prone to go missing in games
@Dave Moran: my prediction, but said it was a left field predication I.e I wouldn’t bet on it but maybe give it a 30% chance!
@Andrew Slazenger: so give away any lineout ball in the first half?
@Andrew Slazenger: are you talking about the one that Northampton scored from?
@Andrew Slazenger: RK is better in the scrum yes and marginally in the tight.
Henshaw and Osborne swamping positions is interesting… If Ringrose is back maybe they want Henshaw to play 12 before the final
@Andrew Slazenger: correctly
Still no sign of Ringrose, Keenan or Ryan and the bench (no lock cover at all) suggests McCarthy could well be on that list as well. Not a good sign with Toulouse on the horizon
@teuO6nLS: Ryan Baird is your lock cover… seems strange not to give Deeney another run though
@Paul Ennis: Deeny still not ready for this level of game and more worryingly, probably not good enough overall. Serious depth issue there next season.
@Carmine Lorenzo: “This level” as in Ospreys? If he can’t be given a run in the team alongside 9 of the CC team, when can he be given a run?
@Paul Ennis: That’s kind of my point. This is a must win try BP game with a lot of jeopardy and he’ll be way off selection as things stand. Hasn’t shown on the pitch that he can impact this type of game. Still, it’s clear Cullen et al see something in him so let’s hope we start seeing that on the field soon. Not sure if we’ll be getting another second row so he’s going to see lots of game time next season.
the top 8 after this weekend. All the SA sides are going full strength and expect them all to win this weekend.
1. Leinster
2. Glasgow
3. Munster
4. Bulls
5. Stormers
6. Ulster
7. Edinburgh
8. Connacht
The battle for starting outhalf begins , we’ll see 50 mins from Ross before Frawley finishes out the game. Harry will start next week I reckon too
Probably Leos biggest call for final – Ross needs a good performance here
@Owen ODonoghue: last years champions Cup final Ross was awful and Leo left him on foe thr full 80, last week Ross was having a Ross and Leo again didn’t replace him. There’s no chance he’s only playing 50 minutes
@chris mcdonnell: we’ll see, its Leos future on the line i think, will he trust Ross with it?