Leinster Name 34-Man Squad

Leinster coach Michael Cheika at today’s training session

Ireland internationals Girvan Dempsey, Keith Gleeson, Reggie Corrigan, Bernard Jackman and Eric Miller have been added to the Leinster squad for their friendly with Northampton.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY: Friday, August 26

Leinster v Northampton Saints, Donnybrook, 7.30pm

Following last Saturday’s 64-14 trouncing of Parma at Naas RFC, coach Michael Cheika has bumped up his squad to 34 with the inclusion of the aforementioned Irish internationals.

At today’s press conference, Australian Cheika, who will be without his British & Irish Lions players for upwards of another month, was pleased with the showing of the Ireland squad members since their return from June’s tour to Japan.

“The players from the Japanese tour joined us two weeks into our preparation. We have been really happy with the progress of the international players who have joined us, considering they took on rather a long season and the tour to Japan,” said Cheika, a former coach at Randwick and Padova.

“They are so positive about playing and so keen to getting their game, and that aspect has really pleased me.”

Looking ahead to Friday’s friendly, Cheika is confident of another good showing as Leinster’s pre-season programme comes to a close.

“Northampton are world class opposition – they might have seven or eight players capped at international level in their team, and I think that is exactly what we need in order to get ourselves prepared for our first Celtic League match against the Ospreys. It’s a step-up for us from the Parma game,” he added.

Friday’s visitors include ex-Leinster centre David Quinlan in their line-up. Saints boss Budge Pountney has made five changes to his pack for the trip to Dublin, after Munster edged the Guinness Premiership side 20-18 last week.

Matt Lord, who comes in for neck fracture victim James Percival, Simon Emms, Dan Richmond, Selborne Boome and Alex Rae are all fresh inclusions up front. Auckland-born and Ireland-qualified back row Daniel Browne also starts for Saints at number 8, while former Connacht lock Damien Browne and ex-Dungannon and Ulster centre Seamus Mallon have made the bench.

LEINSTER Squad: Forwards: Emmett Byrne, Will Green, Reggie Corrigan, John Wickham, Ronnie McCormack, Keith Taite, David Blaney, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, Conor Geoghegan, Adam Byrnes, Ben Gissing, Niall Ronan, Jamie Heaslip, Eric Miller, Ciaran Potts, Keith Gleeson, Stephen Bradshaw, Rob Connolly, Simon Crawford.

Backs: Guy Easterby, Brian O’Meara, Brian O’Riordan, Christian Warner, David McAllister, Felipe Contepomi, Eoghan Hickey, James Norton, Gary Brown, Brendan Burke, Robert Kearney, Ross McCarron, Greg Stafford, Girvan Dempsey.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Bruce Reihana (Capt); Sean Lamont, Jon Clarke, David Quinlan, Ben Cohen; Carlos Spencer, Mark Robinson; Simon Emms, Dan Richmond, Brett Sturgess, Selborne Boome, Matt Lord, Alex Rae, Darren Fox, Daniel Browne.

Replacements (from): Tom Smith, Dylan Hartley, Damien Browne, Ben Lewitt, Mark Soden, Johnny Howard, Luke Myring, Seamus Mallon, Rhodri Davies, John Rudd.

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU)