Updated 12.42
HAVING SUFFERED A 12-6 defeat in Glasgow last weekend, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has named a strong team for tonight’s visit of the Cardiff Blues in the RaboDirect Pro12.
Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Heaslip are included in the side for the first time this season, having completed a pre-season schedule that was delayed by their involvement with the Lions during the summer.
Both players are in the starting XV, with Heaslip named as captain. Fellow Lions Rob Kearney and Cian Healy are also in the team.
Ian Madigan returns to outhalf having started the loss to Glasgow at fullback. Ireland coach Joe Schmidt will be hoping that the 24-year-old can impress, especially amidst suggestions that Matt O’Connor would be happy to continue with Jimmy Gopperth at 10.
Fergus McFadden and Quinn Roux have recovered from injury to be included on the wing and at lock respectively. In the back row, Heaslip is joined by Rhys Ruddock at blindside, in for Kevin McLauglin, and Dominic Ryan at openside, who replaces the injured Shane Jennings.
Noel Reid comes in for Gordon D’Arcy in the centre, while Martin Moore starts at tight head prop in place of Mike Ross. The only players to retain their places in the starting team from last weekend are Isaac Boss and Dave Kearney. An exciting bench includes Jack McGrath, Jordi Murphy and Jimmy Gopperth.
Meanwhile, Ulster welcome back two Lions of their own for this evening’s clash against Treviso at Ravenhill. Tommy Bowe and Rory Best come straight into the starting team, with the latter captaining the side.
Craig Gilroy starts at fullback, with Jared Payne making a positional switch to outside centre. Paul Marshall comes into the team at scrumhalf, replacing Ian Porter.
Up front, Iain Henderson continues in the second row, while Robbie Diack is in at blindside flanker. That means a move to No. 8 for Roger Wilson.
Bowe returns for Mark Anscombe’s men. ©INPHO/Presseye/Brian Little
Ireland international Bowe said he’s delighted to be back in the team: “It is great to be back. It has been a tough old pre-season with my wrist injury but I am delighted to be playing, delighted to be back fit again and looking forward to my first game at Ravenhill with the two new stands up.”
Munster welcome Paul O’Connell back into the fold for Saturday’s tie against the Dragons in Musgrave Park. The Ireland and Lions second row starts on the bench and is expected to feature prominently in the second half.
Felix Jones is also back in the mix and is named amongst the replacements alongside O’Connell. Loose head prop James Cronin gets another chance to impress from the start in a front row that also includes Damien Varley and John Ryan.
JJ Hanrahan is at outhalf, with Rob Penney continuing his policy of rotating out-halves. Keith Earls moves into the centre despite impressing on the wing in last weekend’s loss to Treviso, with Ivan Dineen partnering the Limerick man in midfield.
Connacht coach Pat Lam has made four changes to his team after the disappointing home loss to Ulster last weekend. Sligo native Sean Henry replaces the injured Jason Harris-Wright at hooker, while Andrew Browne starts at blindside flanker having featured twice in the second row already this season.
At outhalf, Craig Ronaldson makes his first professional start after appearing off the bench in all three of Connacht’s Pro12 fixtures so far. The 23-year-old joined from AIL side Lansdowne during the summer. South African Danie Poolman starts on the right wing, with Fionn Carr dropping to the bench.
Connacht play the Ospreys at the Sportsground tomorrow.
Leinster (v Cardiff Blues): Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Brian O’Driscoll, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney, Ian Madigan, Isaac Boss; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Martin Moore; Devin Toner, Quinn Roux, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Jamie Heaslip (Capt.)Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Jack McGrath, Mike Ross, Tom Denton, Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Jimmy Gopperth, Brendan Macken.
Ulster (v Treviso): Craig Gilroy; Tommy Bowe, Jared Payne, Luke Marshall, Michael Allen, Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Tom Court, Rory Best (Capt.), Ricky Lutton; Iain Henderson, Dan Tuohy, Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Roger Wilson.Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Bronson Ross, Lewis Stevenson, Nick Williams, Michael Heaney, James McKinney, Darren Cave.
Munster (v Dragons): Johne Murphy; Andrew Conway, Keith Earls, Ivan Dineen, Simon Zebo; JJ Hanrahan, Cathal Sheridan; James Cronin, Damien Varley, John Ryan; Donncha O’Callaghan, Dave Foley; Peter O’Mahony (Capt.), Sean Dougall, Paddy Butler.Replacements: Mike Sherry, David Kilcoyne, Stephen Archer, Paul O’Connell, CJ Stander, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Felix Jones.
Connacht (v Ospreys): Gavin Duffy; Danie Poolman, Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin, Matt Healy, Craig Ronaldson, Kieran Marmion; Brett Wilkinson, Sean Henry, Nathan White; Michael Swift, Craig Clarke, Andrew Browne, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon.Replacements: James Rael, Rodney Ah You, Ronan Loughney, Aly Muldowney, Geroge Naoupu, Paul O’Donohoe, Dan Parks, Fionn Carr.
– Originally published 12.15 Thursday
Well done Iceland …
Ronaldo seems a lot better player than Messi, over the last 18 hours anyway.
I’m supporting Iceland anyway, sure we are pretty much the same: only a C between us.
@Alan Carmody: so let’s disregard the previous 13 years then…
@Alan Carmody: the last World Cup just didn’t happen then ok
@Ruairi Doyle: ah sure it’s early days lads. I thought this was gonna be a tough one for the argies anyway, not enough respect being given to teams who achieved at the euros. Be interesting to see if Brazil are over rated again: I wouldn’t be surprised.
@James Doyle: in fairness I do think Messi is probably the best of all time, that’s why I’ve been a little disappointed with him at world cups. I think most have
@Alan Carmody: he carried them to the final last time
@Ruairi Doyle: ditto Ronaldo in the euros.
@James Doyle: the last 13 years where Ronaldo has more champions leagues and international tournaments won and the same amount of ballon dors is it?
@Alan Carmody: Ronaldo did not carry them stop saying that
Ronaldo is no.1 no arguments
@Daire Cullinane: plenty. As in, he’s not. Not even close. Messi may have missed a penalty but he was far better in play than Ronaldo was.
@Daire Cullinane: Euro 2016 1st game: Iceland 1-1 Portugal. Ronaldo didn’t score…..
DIARMUID CONNOLLY
The best
@James Doyle: Ara shtop. That’s mad reasoning.
@COYBIG: Sour grapes if you want to compare 2 years ago Ronaldo lifted the European cup while Messi cried and quit the national team a long way to go in this Spain lost their first match on 2010 and still lifted the cup and Portugal drew with Iceland 1-1 and lifted the cup Ronaldo ahead now but we will see at the end
@Daire Cullinane: When did you start watching football? Yesterday?
@Jim: Btw it shows how far the world cup has fallen in prestige when so far this one is all about the egos of 2 men
@Shawn Rahoon: Ronaldo has been better the last few years won the last 2 balon dors and should make it 3 in a row
@Jim: hardly deserves the ballon dor this year you’re actually ridiculous
@Ruairi Doyle: Nonsense
@Fineen MacCarthy: The 42 BBC Rte should be included in your list of clowns as they have played up their rivilary big time
@James Doyle: Ronaldo was a lot sharper v Spain under a lot more pressure with not as good players and not even to mention the difference in opposition , you are delusional
Messi, trying to create and finish all game, the entire burden of Argentina on his shoulders.
He’s not great at penalties though. Seems to miss as many as he scores. He has one weakness compared to Ronaldo, and that’s that he knows the game isn’t about him. He feels the pressure. Ronaldo sees the opportunity to be a hero, Messi feels the pressure to be one.
@James Doyle: clean up your shite on the way out will ya
@James Doyle: it’s like a different psychological approach, Messi is a kind of mindful, meditative player while Ronaldo thrives on pressure. Ronaldo is much more effective as an international though where I think psychological pressure is higher on individual players, Ronaldo is undisputed king of Portugal whereas Messi is just Argentina’s minister for transport when he should be God. All could change though but at the moment Argentina are like a date with an Instagram model: great on paper but frequently dull and disappointing in actuality.
Great result for the Icelandics.
Up the Dubs
@Michael Latimer: Ciarraí Abú
That’s Gas !!!
@Michael Latimer: Had to give you a thumbs up for that one… and from a Mayo man as well!
Definitely should have had a second penalty. In saying Iceland were very organised and we’ll drilled as always
Messi is a great player no argument but if you consider the last few years, Ronaldo is the greatest. He gets the goals that have provided success for both club and country.
@Tony Boyle: tap-ins and penalties. Messi far better as a footballer
@Ruairi Doyle: some tap-in last night to draw the game
@Daniel O’Mahony: yeah his first free kick in about three years,let’s think about the first two goals shall we
Am I the only one that thought Messi was brilliant today? He was quality on the ball as usual. Penalty aside.
Messi and Ronaldo are two different players now. Ronaldo has been converted into a centre forward. His only job is to stay up and score goals. Messi is still the creator as well as the goal scorer for both club and country and is much more involved in the play than Ronaldo is.
@Ciaran Rice: he didn’t create or score a go today where ronaldo did both yday and on more than 1 occasion too and against Spain no less
@Jim: goal*
@Jim: what did Ronaldo create you little troll
@Ruairi Doyle: He won the penality he converted and won the free kick that he also converted
@Jim: you misspelled dive
@Jim: I never said Ronaldo doesn’t create anything. Ronaldo is the focal point of Portugal and Real Madrid’s attack’s. He sounds much of his time in the oppositions box as he is now an out and out striker like Lewandowski. Messi is the architect of his teams. Everything they do goes through him, he has two roles. Creator and goalscorer and tracks back as well as taking the ball from deep.
Im not saying one is better than the other. People on here are using the fact that Ronaldo scored a hat trick v Spain as a reason for Ronaldo being better than Messi which is daft.
Go on Iceland fair play to ye, just love it when the undetdog gets an unexpected result.
why does Messi take penalties? bbc said he has missed 24% of penalties for Barcelona. Aguero should have taken it.
Good result for Iceland but Argentina are dodgy looking at the back. Icelands set pieces wer’nt great and they should’ve troubled the Argies more
Waiting for a “football genius” to make the observation that Messi has never won the euros!
Messi has often been compared to Pele and Maradona. On the other hand Ronaldo…..
@Shawn Rahoon: Ronaldo’s basically Aumbameyang with a higher goal rate
LOL
Split Iceland in two!!!!
King Pog
@Crpytoalchol: give it a rest
MESSI = G.O.A.T.
@conex: if that display today qualifies as goat then fair enough, woeful display he tried to do everything himself and his teammates stood by and did fk all. Far from a contending team
delighted for Iceland – what a debut for them. Argentina were certainly disapointing sure but it should not take away from Argentina
The butthurt Messi fans running on to defend him are hilarious if you’d really think he is better than Ronaldo then yous shouldn’t need to defend him after just 1 poor performance looks like yous are trying to convince yourselfs he’s better than Ronaldo
@Jim: all the Ronaldo fans running on to convince people that Messi’s shite
@Ruairi Doyle: Don’t think anyone in their right mind would say Messi is shite but the fact is that he hasn’t performed on the top stage in many years now he derserves the same criticism as others but he seems to be immune from it if Ronaldo has performed in Europe the way Messi in the last few years the book would be thrown at him and there would be calls from him to retire
@Jim: for him*
Would it be too much to trouble to print the first nail score?
@owentighe: *final score. Excuse my fat fingers!!!!
The Argies didn’t like the argie bargie then it could argued!
how can the world get rid of noel king and eamonn dunphy..