The first leg of a fascinating Irish-Anglo duel sees Leinster visit Sandy Park for the first time in almost five years, as they look to lower the colours of reigning English champions Exeter and extend their lead at the top of Pool 3.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 3: Sunday, December 10
EXETER CHIEFS (2nd) v LEINSTER (1st), Sandy Park, 5.30pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/RTE Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is able to recall a number of players from international duty and from injury and there is also the possibility of a Champions Cup debut for Jordan Larmour off the bench. In all, there are 11 changes to the side that earned a 36-10 bonus point win over Benetton Rugby last Saturday.
Fresh from a successful GUINNESS Series with Ireland, Rob Kearney comes in at full-back with Fergus McFadden on the right wing and captain Isa Nacewa on the left. Robbie Henshaw has recovered from his hamstring injury to start alongside Garry Ringrose, reuniting their centre partnership for the first time this season.
Jonathan Sexton, who replaces the benched Ross Byrne at out-half, slots back in alongside Luke McGrath at half-back, while the four changes to the tight five see Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong team up in an experienced front row and Devin Toner links back up with Australian Scott Fardy in the second row.
The 138-times capped Rhys Ruddock, who captained Ireland against Fiji last month, and Sean O’Brien come in at blindside and openside flanker respectively, with Wicklow man Jack Conan, who is looking forward to his duel at number 8 with Thomas Waldrom, completing an all-international back row.
Exciting Leinster Academy back Larmour is involved in a European matchday squad for the first time in his career. The 20-year-old flyer has so far scored three tries in eight GUINNESS PRO14 appearances.
Meanwhile, Exeter Chiefs director of rugby Rob Baxter has made just two changes in personnel to the starting XV that beat Bath 42-29 in the Aviva Premiership last Saturday. The defending champions currently hold an eight-point lead at the top of the Premiership table.
England international Henry Slade comes into midfield in place of Sam Hill, while up front Jonny Hill gets the nod over Sam Skinner in the Exeter engine room. On the bench, Wales international Tomas Francis provides back-up at tighthead with Austalian Greg Holmes the man to miss out on this occasion.
Out-half and captain Gareth Steenson is one of five survivors from Exeter’s European Cup debut against Leinster back in October 2012 at the RDS. Fellow Irishman Ian Whitten also played that day, along with Phil Dollman, Ben Moon and Will Chudley.
EXETER CHIEFS: Phil Dollman; James Short, Henry Slade, Ian Whitten, Olly Woodburn; Gareth Steenson (capt), Nic White; Alec Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Harry Williams, Mitch Lees, Jonny Hill, Don Armand, Matt Kvesic, Thomas Waldrom.
Replacements: Jack Yeandle, Ben Moon, Tomas Francis, Sam Skinner, Sam Simmonds, Will Chudley, Sam Hill, Jack Nowell.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Michael Bent, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne, Jordan Larmour.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Exeter Chiefs to win: 8/11; Draw: 16/1; Leinster to win: 6/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Rob Kearney (Leinster) – “(Leinster’s previous European title wins) are more an inspiration, I think. If you have the taste of what success is, you get really greedy after you win trophies. You want more and we understand I suppose, a few of us in the group, and the coaches understand, exactly what it takes to win in Europe.
“So that’s a real benefit in the group, and then you’ve got the younger guys who are so hungry and keen to be a part of what’s on the crest and making their own contribution to getting another star on the jersey. So there’s a really good mix there and we just keep building towards that week by week.
“We knew a little bit about Exeter when we meet in 2012/13 but were shocked at the intensity of their breakdown in particular. They’re a team we have admired over the last few years. Winning the Premiership last year was very impressive, as was the manner in which they did it.
“We are very conscious too that teams have big goals and they are a very ambitious team. When you win the league the year before, a competitive and ambitious team will automatically look towards Europe. So we know that they are really eyeing up these two games in particular.”
Gareth Steenson (Exeter Chiefs) – “It’s been a good start for us really, we’ve talked about being ourselves really this season. Obviously it’s completely brand new being Premiership champions and new for the club so it was always going to be a different kind of challenge for us when we started the season. We’re in a really good place in the Premiership and we’ve put ourselves in a good position in Europe.
“We’ve never really started well in Europe before and it was a bit of a focus for us this year that we had to get off to a good start. To be in a position now going into the back-to-back fixtures against a team that have won their two games. It’s very exciting going into Sunday’s fixture.
“That year (back in 2012/13) was more of an exciting experience for us and about building as a club. The squad we had then to be fighting on two fronts was probably too much and we were very much trying to establish ourselves as a Premiership club at the time. It was a great experience to have the European champions (Leinster) coming to Sandy Park and then going across to Dublin. It was really exciting for the club.
“Over the last four or five years, we’ve very much just tried to keep on building the progress we have made. We’ve played now in the knockout stages and to play in a Premiership final and lose it and then go back and win one. That has shown how much the club has grown and we now feel we’re in a good position.”
Current Form – Exeter Chiefs – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 28-21 v Gloucester (away), Won 37-7 v London Irish (home), Won 41-10 v Worcester Warriors (away), Won 31-17 v Wasps (home), Lost 20-13 v Leicester Tigers (away), Won 34-24 v Newcastle Falcons (home); (Champions Cup): Won 24-15 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Won 27-24 v Montpellier (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 10-6 v Sale Sharks (away); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Won 43-28 v Northampton Saints (home), Won 40-0 v Scarlets (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 31-17 v Harlequins (home), Won 20-18 v Saracens (away), Won 42-29 v Bath (home)
Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 39-16 v Dragons (away), Won 37-9 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 31-10 v Southern Kings (away), Lost 38-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), Won 21-13 v Edinburgh (home), Won 23-17 v Munster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 24-17 v Montpellier (home), Won 34-18 v Glasgow Warriors (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 25-10 v Ulster (away), Lost 31-21 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 54-10 v Dragons (home), Won 36-10 v Benetton Rugby
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Exeter Chiefs – Points: Gareth Steenson 21; Tries: Don Armand 2; Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 17; Tries: Cian Healy 2
Previous European Meetings: 2
Saturday, January 19, 2013 – Pool 5 – Exeter Chiefs 20 Leinster 29, Sandy Park
Saturday, October 13, 2012 – Pool 5 – Leinster 9 Exeter Chiefs 6, the RDS
Match Facts –
– Reigning Aviva Premiership champions Exeter Chiefs are riding the crest of wave, unbeaten since September, including Champions Cup victories over Montpellier and Glasgow Warriors in the opening rounds, leaving them just two points adrift of leaders Leinster
– Leinster boast a two-point lead in Pool 3 courtesy of bonus point triumphs in the opening two rounds and are in fine form themselves, having lost just twice in all competitions this season, albeit both defeats came away from home
– This evening’s showdown will be a third meeting between the sides, with Leinster having won both previous encounters, although the two fixtures have featured just six tries between them
– Exeter and England centre Henry Slade has beaten nine defenders in Europe already this season, ranking him fourth in the statistics, although the English side come up against Leinster and Ireland out-half Jonathan Sexton, who scored 17 points in their last Champions Cup outing
European Cup Records:
Exeter Chiefs –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2015/16: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
Leinster –
2016/17: Reached the semi-finals
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Champions
2010/11: Champions
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Champions
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals
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