Preview: Leinster v Dragons
Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner is looking for a third straight Magners League win when his side travel to the RDS to take on Leinster on Saturday.
Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner is looking for a third straight Magners League win when his side travel to the RDS to take on Leinster on Saturday.
With back-to-back wins over Ulster and Edinburgh the Dragons are looking to get back into action, after the international break, with a bang.
“It has to be one of the most difficult tasks in the Magners League, to play last season's champions away from home but I'm confident that we travel following a good few weeks of training and an eagerness to build on our previous form in the Magners League,” Turner said.
“I'd like to welcome Jamie Corsi back to the squad after a long period of injury and am also pleased that Rory Sidey is fit again for this weekend. The players have a big challenge ahead of them on Saturday and I'm looking for a huge performance in Ireland.”
Australian Dragons centre Rory Sidey returns from a rib cartilage injury picked up in the Heineken Cup fixture against Bath away from home last month.
Meanwhile, Brian O'Driscoll has been named in the Leinster line-up and partners Fergus McFadden at centre, with Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey and Simon Keogh named in the back three.
Skipper Chris Whitaker partners Jonathan Sexton at halfback.
In the pack, Cian Healy starts in the front row alongside Bernard Jackman and Stan Wright, with Devin Toner partnering Malcolm O'Kelly in the second row.
Rocky Elsom starts alongside Sean O'Brien and Stephen Keogh in the back row.
David Holwell is named on a strong bench after re-joining the province as cover this week. The final place on the bench will be confirmed closer to kick-off.
Form: Leinster are in the midst of their worst run in the Magners League since March 2004, suffering three successive defeats to Munster, Connacht and Glasgow. Leinster have lost just one of their last 14 matches at the RDS in all competitions: 0-18 to Munster on 28 September. The Dragons have lost their last three games in all competitions but have won back to back matches in the Magners League against Ulster and Edinburgh. The Dragons have not won three successive league games since November 2004. Each side won its respective home game when the two teams met in the Magners League last season, and the Dragons have never beaten Leinster on their own soil.
The Teams:
Leinster: 15 Girvan Dempsey, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Simon Keogh, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Chris Whitaker (c), 8 Stephen Keogh, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Malcolm O'Kelly, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Stan Wright, 2 Bernard Jackman, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Brian Blaney, 17 CJ van der Linde/Jamie Hagan, 18 Trevor Hogan, 19 Cameron Jowitt, 20 Chris Keane, 21 David Holwell, 22 Gary Brown.
Dragons:15 Phillip Dollman, 14 Gareth Wyatt, 13 Rory Sidey, 12 Marc Stcherbina, 11 Richard Fussell, 10 James Arlidge, 9 Wayne Evans, 8 Grant Webb, 7 Lewis Evans, 6 Joe Bearman, 5 Andrew Hall, 4 Hoani Macdonald, 3 Gethin Robinson, 2 Tom Willis (c), 1 Adam Black.
Replacements: 16 Steve Jones, 17 Jamie Corsi, 18 Jamie Ringer, 19 Danny Lydiate, 20 Ashley Smith, 21 Shaun Connor, 22 Rob Lewis.
Date: Saturday, 29 November
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Venue: RDS, Dublin
Referee: Andy Macpherson (Scotland)
Touch judges: Michael Black (Ireland), Richard Kerr (Ireland)