After an eventful Saturday across the Champions Cup pools, Leinster will look to hone in on a home quarter-final berth when they host the winless but ever-dangerous Glasgow Warriors at the RDS.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 3: Sunday, January 14
LEINSTER (1st) v GLASGOW WARRIORS (4th), the RDS, 1pm (live Sky Sports Action/beIN Sports/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: While making six personnel changes and two positional switches, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has handed a first Champions Cup start to Jordan Larmour. The Leinster Academy back came off the bench in both rounds 3 and 4 against Exeter Chiefs but this will be his first start at European level.
In another notable inclusion, there is a European debut for James Lowe. The New Zealander has scored two tries in three games for the province so far but all in the GUINNESS PRO14. He starts on the left wing this afternoon.
Fergus McFadden, who bagged a brace of tries against Ulster in last Saturday’s interprovincial derby, continues on the right wing. With Garry Ringrose injured, captain Isa Nacewa features in midfield alongside Robbie Henshaw who reverts to the outside centre berth. Jonathan Sexton and Luke McGrath slot back in as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Sean Cronin joins Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, Furlong having come through his return-to-play protocols and shaken off the elbow injury he picked up against Ulster. Devin Toner and Scott Fardy will start in the second row behind them.
Jordi Murphy moves from openside to blindside flanker, with Josh van der Flier back in to fill the number 7 jersey and fellow Ireland international Jack Conan is the final name in Cullen’s starting line-up. Hooker Bryan Byrne is poised to make his Champions Cup debut off the bench, while James Ryan has recovered from an ankle injury to make the replacements.
Meanwhile, hooker George Turner returns from suspension to start in a brand new all-international front row as Glasgow Warriors travel to Dublin in the penultimate round of the pool stages. Four defeats has them bottom of the pool standings.
Jamie Bhatti and Siua Halanukonuka start either side of Turner and behind them Rob Harley again captains the side, shifting into the second row alongside Greg Peterson.
It is the same back-three that started the Scots’ 40-20 GUINNESS PRO14 victory away to Zebre last week, with Lee Jones and Niko Matawalu linking up with Ruaridh Jackson, who was this week named the club’s McCrea Financial Services Warrior of the Month for December.
Nick Grigg and Huw Jones remain in midfield, while Peter Horne teams up with Ali Price at half-back. The 24-year-old Adam Ashe is the oldest member of an exciting back row. Matt Smith (21) and Matt Fagerson (19) complete the starting line-up.
On the bench, BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 player Grant Stewart is involved in a full Warriors squad for the first time and Brandon Thomson is in line to make his European debut. The Glasgow squad is stretched by injuries at present, with the likes of Fraser Brown (head), Scott Cummings (hand), Zander Fagerson (foot), Stuart Hogg (hip), Leonardo Sarto (shoulder), Tommy Seymour (foot), Tim Swinson (hand) and Ryan Wilson (ankle) all absent, while the rested Finn Russell and Jonny Gray are also rehabbing.
Glasgow’s Kiwi head coach Dave Rennie said: “We travel to Dublin to face the best side in our pool and one of the best sides in the whole competition. We’ve had a good week training and it’s an opportunity for us to show what we’ve learned.”
LEINSTER: Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt), James Lowe; Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Jordi Murphy, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Dan Leavy, Nick McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Rob Kearney.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Ruaridh Jackson; Lee Jones, Huw Jones, Nick Grigg, Niko Matawalu; Peter Horne, Ali Price; Jamie Bhatti, George Turner, Siua Halanukonuka, Rob Harley (capt), Greg Peterson, Matt Fagerson, Matt Smith, Adam Ashe.
Replacements: Grant Stewart, Alex Allan, D’arcy Rae, Kiran McDonald, Chris Fusaro, George Horne, Brandon Thomson, Henry Pyrgos.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/12; Draw: 40/1; Glasgow Warriors to win: 8/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Devin Toner (Leinster) – “Look at last year and the positivity that followed us into those last few months of the season but ultimately we came up short. Don’t get me wrong, we are all looking forward to the game on Sunday but it is a very dangerous game to get too carried away and for us the focus will always remain on the next game. It’s a cliche but it has to be the way you build your week.
“Every game has to have that same level of focus because if not you will get caught out. For us we have to keep that focus because we want to top our Conference in the GUINNESS PRO14 and we want to top Pool 3 in the Champions Cup.
“But that doesn’t come about by thinking about what might come in two weeks’ time or what might happen in May. Glasgow have caused us enough trouble down through the years and that’s it for us. They have quality throughout the park. They’ve a similar problem to us in many ways in that they are littered with internationals.
“That is brilliant on the one hand in that you want that level of quality at your club but come autumn internationals or the Six Nations, it can have a huge bearing on your season. But Glasgow seem to have the depth to cover that so regardless of when you play them, there is no good time. They will always be strong. They have also reacted really well to Gregor Townsend leaving to become Scotland head coach.
“Usually there is maybe a bedding-in period for a new coach but Dave Rennie has hit the ground running, the players have responded in kind and there has been no let-up. Their only loss in the league was over Christmas in the PRO14 away to Edinburgh and even at that they only lost by a point.
“Okay, Europe hasn’t gone as well as they’d have liked but all those qualities that I mentioned won’t just abandon them on Sunday. We have had two great games against them so far this season and I’ve no doubt Sunday will be the same.”
Current Form – 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; (Champions Cup): Won 18-8 v Exeter Chiefs (away), (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 34-24 v Munster (away), Won 21-18 v Connacht (home), Won 38-7 v Ulster (home)
Glasgow Warriors – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 18-12 v Connacht (away), Won 31-10 v Ospreys (home), Won 20-19 v Cardiff Blues (away), Won 37-10 v Munster (home), Won 37-21 v Benetton Rugby (home), Won 29-26 v Toyota Cheetahs (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 24-15 v Exeter Chiefs (away), Lost 34-18 v Leinster (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 43-13 v Southern Kings (home), Won 31-21 v Leinster (home), Won 47-6 v Ospreys (away), Won 40-16 v Cardiff Blues (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 29-22 v Montpellier (home), Lost 36-26 v Montpellier (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 18-17 v Edinburgh (away), Won 17-0 v Edinburgh (home), Won 40-20 v Zebre (away)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 25; Tries: Cian Healy, Jonathan Sexton 2 each; Glasgow Warriors – Points: Finn Russell 22; Tries: Tommy Seymour, Leonardo Sarto 2 each
Previous European Meetings: 7
Saturday, October 21, 2017 – Pool 3 – Glasgow Warriors 18 Leinster 34, Scotstoun Stadium
Sunday, January 15, 2012 – Pool 3 – Glasgow Warriors 16 Leinster 23, Firhill Stadium
Sunday, November 20 – Pool 3 – Leinster 38 Glasgow Warriors 13, the RDS
Saturday, January 14, 2006 – Pool 5 – Leinster 46 Glasgow Warriors 22, the RDS
Sunday, October 30, 2005 – Pool 5 – Glasgow Warriors 20 Leinster 33, Hughenden
Friday, January 7, 2000 – Pool 1 – Leinster 44 Glasgow Warriors 17, Donnybrook
Friday, November 26, 1999 – Pool 1 – Glasgow Warriors 29 Leinster 17, Hughenden
Match Facts –
– Leinster have won six of their seven European games against Glasgow, and have not lost to the Scottish side in the tournament since 1999
– Only once have Leinster allowed Glasgow within losing bonus point range in their last six European encounters, with five of their six victories against the Warriors coming by 13-plus points
– Glasgow have not lost their opening five matches of a Champions Cup campaign since 2012/13, while Leinster are aiming to win their opening five games for the first time since 2004/05
– Leinster have conceded the fewest penalties of any side this season (29), while Glasgow have conceded the joint most (49, also the Ospreys and Saracens)
– Glasgow have averaged 15 offloads per game this season, more than any other side in the Champions Cup, however, former Glasgow player Leone Nakarawa of Racing 92 has made the most individually (14)
European Cup Records:
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
Glasgow Warriors –
2016/17: Reached the quarter-finals
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool D
1997/98: Reached the quarter-final play-offs
This website uses cookies.
Read More