Heaslip: First appearance of the season for Leinster
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Leinster and Munster welcome back a number of their international contingent for Friday's RaboDirect PRO12 derby match.
Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which includes 13 Ireland internationals for the visit of Munster.
Gordon D'Arcy who is one of five players in total - including the back-row trio of Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Sean O'Brien as well as prop Cian Healy - to make their seasonal debuts for the province after their involvement in the Rugby World Cup.
Isaac Boss again partners Jonathan Sexton at half-back, with D'Arcy linking up with Fergus McFadden at centre, with Isa Nacewa returning to the wing after being rested last week.
Up front, Healy joins Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross in the front row with skipper Cullen starting at second row alongside Devin Toner.
Brian O'Driscoll, after further testing, has been given an extra week to recover from the 'stinger' he suffered during the World Cup.
The likes of Sean Cronin, Kevin McLaughlin, Eoin Reddan and Rhys Ruddock are included on the Leinster replacements bench for the game which is already set to be played in front of over 46,000 supporters and counting, making it the third largest attendance in league history.
Meanwhile, Munster have made just a handful changes from the Aironi game - with Donncha O'Callaghan, Lifeimi Mafi, Niall Ronan and Denis Leamy all starting.
Keeping changes to a minimum, just one of three changes comes in the backs, where there's a straight swop - Mafi for Danny Barnes - experience probably the deciding factor in what had to be a close call.
In the pack, it's as you were in the front-row, Damien Varley propped by the South African pairing of Wian du Preez and BJ Botha.
In the second row not surprisingly, Paul O'Connell has his usual sidekick O'Callaghan back alongside with O'Connell's partner from last weekend, Donnacha Ryan, retained in the side but on the blindside flank.
Experience again probably decided the number seven and eight positions - Ronan brought in on the openside at the expense of Peter O'Mahony and Leamy ousting James Coughlan for the number eight jersey, both O'Mahony and Coughlan named on the bench.
"I don't think there are many greater challenges in European rugby than playing the Heineken champions, the number one ranked side in a sell out at the national stadium, a venue they've had wonderful success at," said Munster coach Tony McGahan.
"So what a perfect way to get back into the RaboDirect but also for the upcoming Heineken Cup, it's a perfect platform to certainly give us a great indication of where we are."
Form: Leinster's only defeat in their last six RaboDirect PRO12 matches was 19-23 at home to Glasgow Warriors on 17 September. Leinster have won their last nine matches in all competitions at Aviva Stadium/Lansdowne Road since Munster beat them there, in the 2006 European Cup semi-final. Munster's two game losing run ended with their 18-6 defeat of Aironi on Friday. The Munstermen's only previous win at this venue in this tournament was when they beat Ulster 15-9 in the semi-final on 8 December 2001. Munster have won their last six encounters with fellow Irish provinces. Munster won two of the three meetings with Leinster last season including the final at Thomond Park on 28 May. Munster's only win on Leinster soil since 2006 was at the RDS in September 2008.
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Fergus McFadden, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Sean O'Brien, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Kevin McLaughlin, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Eoin O'Malley
Munster: 15 Johne Murphy, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Will Chambers, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 Niall Ronan, 6 Donnnacha Ryan, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Denis Fogarty, 17 Marcus Horan, 18 John Hayes, 19 Peter O'Mahony, 20 James Coughlan, 21 Tomas O'Leary, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Danny Barnes.
Date: Friday, November 4
Venue: Aviva Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France)
Assistant referees: David Wilkinson (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)
Comments
youknowit says...
@spike19 - omahony YES. first person ive heard say it. probably more of a seven than dom ryan(although i love dom ryan aswell) and hes been playin well while the world cup was on.
Posted 15:25 04th November 2011
crunchfit says...
@Chogie
Pretty sure Munster and Leinster are clubs.
Posted 15:25 04th November 2011
youknowit says...
BOD on the bench is laughable. conor murray has gotten over his initial new kid glamour factor and will now have to produce the goods. TOL is doing well even though everyone hates him
Posted 15:21 04th November 2011
papachinzo says...
Never a dull game, Leinster by 10...
@Bitathisnow, Ireland's Future team will be: 1.Healy 2.Best 3.Ross 4.Tuohy 5.McLaughlin 6.Ferris 7.Heaslip(C) 8.O'Brien 9.Reddan 10.Sexton 11.Earls 12.McFadden 13.Spence 14.Bowe 15.Kearney
16.Harris-Wright 17.Hagan 18.McCarthy 19.Faloon 20.Murray 21.O'Connor 22.Fitzgerald.
Ross, Bowe and Reddan only have another season or two left in them as well...
at which point Fitzpatrick, Conway/D.Kearney and O'Donohoe will replace them.
Posted 15:00 04th November 2011
Bitathisnow says...
@Rugbyjarhead: toner seriously and j murphy at 13, and youd drop rory best even though hes in the form of his life?
My team would be
1. cian healy 2. Rory Best 3. Mike Ross 4. Ferris 5. O Connell 6. O brien 7. Dominic ryan 8. Heaslip. 9. Conor Murray. 10 J sexton 11.Trimble 12. Fergus Mcfadden 13. Nevin Spence. 14 Tommy Bowe 15. Rob Kearney
then on the bench:tom court, sean cronin/strauss(if he declares for ireland), Leo Cullen, David Wallace, Eoin reddan, Ronan O gara, BOD
Posted 12:39 04th November 2011
Sincero says...
Have to agree, Planet Rugby: your recent poll showed where your readership lies. Add the fact that this fixture is top of the world of club rugby for league and cup attendance figures, holding the world-record in both coupled with the fact that these two teams have won 4 of the last 6 European Cups between them, and a copy-pasta article tucked into the corner of the site does not cut the mustard. Please improve.
Isa being shifted out of position to accomodate Kearney is sacrilege. That's Isa's jersey until he hands it back or somebody does enough to take it off him. And with all he has done to earn it, that should have taken some doing. Was there pressure from the Union? Or is Schmidt trying to keep Kearney happy? Isa's the best in the world, and such a legend, grafting away in the pissing rain in Newport and the like... starting an endless run of games, and always delivering. Really think that's a poor choice, and shows little respect for a player who has been the bedrock of the team.
Posted 12:28 04th November 2011
demo19 says...
@ Bokke It was only put on top because of their comments . You obviously logged on after they had posted their comments as I as thinking the exact same thing as them . We all know it is a global rugby website but it wasn't even the top Rabodirect league story !
As regards Kearney and Nacewa . Nacewa is by a large amount a much better player including full back but he has the abitity to play almost anywhere so to accomodate both of them in the team Nacewa is the obvious choice to move position. Kearney doesn't have the standing start accelaration you need as a class winger or even a side step so attacking wise full-back is the only position that suits him so he can attack from depth and has time to aim his run while building up a head of steam . Luke , Conway , Carr , shaggy (now) , Hudson , even his little brother are all better wingers than him . He is still class in the air (trains with the louth GAA team) and has an absolute torpedo of boot !
Posted 11:31 04th November 2011
spike19 says...
Would like to see some more young guns starting and foreign players on the bench, otherwise the development of future Ireland stars will be stifled.
Selection issues for me are to begin with at 7 on both teams. Jennings should be out and Ryan in and O'mahony gets the nod ahead of Ronan.
In the front row I think Ross deserves a rest and give Hagen a run. Munster have 2 overseas players as their starting props and 2 pensioners on the bench as cover. How exactly does that benefit Irish rugby, especially when they have Sherry, Archer, Ryan and Hurley to develop.
At lock I'd like to see Donnacha Ryan starting with Nagle or Foley on the bench for Munster. I can't see Toner doing the business at top level, Nagle is a serious prospect and needs regular game time soon!
In the midfield its good to see Mcfadden in there but I'd prefer to see him at 12 his natural position, D'arcy is out of form and needs a rest. Then O'malley to start at 13. I think its the right call to put Mafi at 12 but I would have retained Barnes at 13.
Rugbyjarhead : Your 6n team has a few glaring mistakes, here's how it should look.
Healy, Best, Ross, O'Connell, Tuohy, O'Brien, O'Mahony, Ferris, Murray, Sexton, Trimble, McFadden, BOD, Bowe, Kearney.
Posted 10:20 04th November 2011
D4tress says...
@Bluelion - I agree 100%.
Leinster - Munster and Leinster are THE two top supported clubs in the world. The only other fixture that matches this in intensity, support and fun is when these two meet in the HC.
PlanetRugby: MUST DO BETTER.
Posted 09:07 04th November 2011
blametheref says...
Editor: Above you have "Leo Cullen leads a Leinster team which includes 13 Ireland internationals for the visit of Munster." should be "visit to Leinster."
More interested to see how Sexton faces up to O' Gara in this one and how Leinster do without BOD and how Mc Fadden goes at 13. I don't feel Mc Fadden's a 12 but interesting to see how he does at 13.
Posted 07:56 04th November 2011
Rugbyjarhead says...
PS my irish team for six nations
Healy,Cronin,Ross,O'connel, Toner, Ryan(Leinster),O'Brien, Ferris (c), Murray, Sexton, J.Murphy, Mcfadden,Bowe,Earls, Kearney.
Posted 05:30 04th November 2011
Rugbyjarhead says...
Heaslip should be dropped. His form is awful. He has forgotten that a big part of an 8s game is direct running. Leave the stepping to the backs. Bring young Ryan in. Might spark his desire because on his current form all other 6 nations 8 are better.
Posted 05:17 04th November 2011
lostprofit says...
@pogmahon there was never a debate between Murphy or Dempsey. Murphy was always the better fullback, just moronic management kept him out of the team.
I don't like Kearney at 15, either choice of wings, Jennings at 7 or Toner at lock.
Also don't like McFadden on bench even if Schmidt is trying to turn him into a lock.
I don't like much, do I?
I still think Leinster will win it though, watching Munster I have had the impression that they where there for the taking by a number of teams but the Munster legacy seems to put them off. Will be an interesting match at least.
Posted 20:50 03rd November 2011
crunchfit says...
Not sure what to think of Leinster's backline to be honest... excited to see how it plays though. To be honest, I think Nacewa is a better 15 than Kearney. Firstly, I don't think Kearney is at his aerial best and even if he was, Nacewa is almost as good (and he seems to be on form and has been for a while). They are pretty close in terms of being able to get the ball in the air. Secondly, Kearney has never been great at counter attacking, nowhere near as good as Nacewa anyway. It sort of worries me as Kearney is one of Leinster's big names and big money players, but there is someone better at 15 than him and that's the only real position for him with Leinster. I don't really want to see Nacewa at 14 just to accommodate Kearney.
@pogmahon
Where did you hear Nacewa might be leaving? I really hope he doesn't although it would sort out the problem I just described.
Posted 20:12 03rd November 2011
papachinzo says...
@bluelion. what less would you expect from an English based media site?
Posted 17:25 03rd November 2011
BackingLeinster says...
@BlueLion
I agree, lack of effort on the whole on this article. Cut and pasted from Leinster site and RTE by the looks of it.
@Leinster_Goy
Kearney's form is better than it was before he got injured, I think Nacewa's only being played on the wing so as not to upset him as he was rested for the last game. also its good to have two great players playing even if one is slight out of position and Kearney doesn't do too well on the wing. I'd say they'll be switching between the two of them for full back for the season, both will be given the chance to lay claim to the jersey for the big games.
@12Counties
Syskes got injured in his first game, he's only coming back from it now and played last week. Nathan White i think was just cover for the world cup. Dominic Ryan is a great prospect and will play seven alot this year. He's only in the first year of what i think is a 3 year professional contract, its his first year out of the academy. Conor O'Shea has highlight his potential as a 7 and i don't think they'll let him go that easy.
Overall it should be a great match. Leinster will want to get things going before the Heineken Cup and take second place off Munster in the league.
Posted 17:24 03rd November 2011
leinster_goy says...
this more or less looks like the full strength pack, remains to be seen if tones can fill nathan hines' boots. good to see mcfadders getting a run-out at 13 and seany back in his natural 6 position. its been a while since isa played on the wing, isn't it? personally, i thought he made the 15 shirt his own last season
in terms of result, leinster should win this comfortably if sexto kicks as well as he did last week
Posted 15:21 03rd November 2011
12Counties says...
Not sure what to make of Kearney being picked at 15 ahead of Nacewa. Its probably good from an Ireland point of view but is he a better full back than Nacewa? I don't think so. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out over the season. Not sure what kind of contract Dominic Ryan is on, but I'd be a bit concerned that he'll take the hump in the new year and sign with Leicester or someone like that if he doesn't get enough game time. What happened to our summer signings Nathan White and Steven Sykes? Came with big reputations, are they not up to it?
On paper, Leinster should win this one, but as usual it will be decided by who needs the win more. Munster winning the last 2 will probably take the edge of their hunger so i'm expecting Leinster to win by 6 or so.
Can't wait!
Posted 15:15 03rd November 2011