Leinster and Wasps, who met in the pool stages of last season’s Champions Cup, clash at the home of Irish Rugby in a heavyweight quarter-final which will see two attack-minded teams go head-to-head.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTER-FINAL: Saturday, April 1
LEINSTER (1st, Pool 4) v WASPS (1st, Pool 2), Aviva Stadium, 3.15pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/Sky Italia/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has announced the team to play Wasps in Saturday’s eagerly-awaited Champions Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium.
The former Leinster and Ireland lock has been able to recall a number of Ireland internationals unavailable to him for last weekend’s 22-21 win over Cardiff Blues. He is also able to welcome back a number of players who missed the game through injury.
However, there is continuity in the back-three with Joey Carbery, Adam Byrne and captain Isa Nacewa starting again, while Ireland’s centre pairing in the recent Six Nations, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, make their return in blue.
Half-backs Luke McGrath and Jonathan Sexton will pick up where they left off in the closing stages of Ireland’s rousing win over England at the Aviva Stadium two weeks ago.
Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong come into the front row with hooker Richardt Strauss completing an all-Ireland international front row. Devin Toner comes back into the second row to partner Hayden Triggs.
The fit-again Jack Conan will don the number 8 jersey in the injury-enforced absence of Jamie Heaslip, while Dan Leavy and Sean O’Brien, two other players who lined out against England, fill the blindside and openside flanker berths respectively.
There are less than 2,000 tickets left for sale ahead of the crunch last-eight showdown between current GUINNESS PRO12 leaders Leinster and the Aviva Premiership table toppers Wasps. Click here to buy your ticket(s).
Meanwhile, for their Dublin date with Leinster, Wasps welcome back England internationals Joe Launchbury, Elliot Daly and Nathan Hughes, alongside James Haskell who made his return to club action last Sunday against Worcester Warriors.
Daly will join an otherwise unchanged back-line when he lines up outside former Leinster player Jimmy Gopperth who is set to make his 50th Wasps appearance. Kurtley Beale, Christian Wade and Willie le Roux are the back-three, with Danny Cipriani and Dan Robson the half-backs.
Matt Mullan, Tommy Taylor and Jake Cooper-Woolley start in Wasps front row, with Simon McIntyre, Ashley Johnson and Martin Moore, who is set to face his former side, ready to provide reinforcement from the bench.
Skipper Joe Launchbury and Kearnan Myall form the second row partnership, with Haskell packing down as blindside flanker, Thomas Young on the openside and Nathan Hughes at number 8. Matt Symons and Alex Rieder are named among the replacements, with Joe Simpson, Alapati Leiua and Josh Bassett also looking forward to making an impact off the bench.
LEINSTER: Joey Carbery; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Hayden Triggs, Dan Leavy, Sean O’Brien, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Cian Healy, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson Park, Fergus McFadden, Zane Kirchner.
WASPS: Kurtley Beale; Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Jimmy Gopperth, Willie le Roux; Danny Cipriani, Dan Robson; Matt Mullan, Tommy Taylor, Jake Cooper-Woolley, Joe Launchbury (capt), Kearnan Myall, James Haskell, Thomas Young, Nathan Hughes.
Replacements: Ashley Johnson, Simon McIntyre, Martin Moore, Matt Symons, Alex Rieder, Joe Simpson, Alapati Leiua, Josh Bassett.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 8/15; Draw: 20/1; Wasps to win: 13/8
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “We’ve been building throughout the year. Joey (Carbery) and Adam Byrne have come a huge way since pre-season. They look to get better every week, that’s what we’ve been driving.
“It’s a big occasion, but these guys have stepped up in Europe already. Joey’s been exposed to international rugby over the last eight months. It’s about enjoying the moment at the end of the day and focusing on what we can control. Those guys have been looking forward to the occasion and it’s gonna be a good one.
“Josh (van der Flier) has been out for a period. He played his first game (last week). I thought Dan (Leavy) had some good form in the Six Nations, and Rhys Ruddock picked up a little but of tightness in his calf this week so he wasn’t in the frame for selection. I think we have good balance there (in the back row), all those guys have played and have been in good form.
“At the end of day, we can only control our performance and we’re driving that this week. These are special weeks. A lot of work goes in to getting here. You’ve got to enjoy the moment at the end of the day, enjoy the occasion, work hard – that started a long time ago – 50,000 tickets sold, you can’t help but enjoy the occasion.”
Dai Young (Wasps) – “As you can imagine, we are all really looking forward to the contest in Dublin this weekend. These are the games you want to be involved in and work hard all season to reach. Two quality teams going head-to-head in front of nigh on 50,000 people, so it will be a fantastic occasion for players, coaches and fans.
“We know the majority will be behind Leinster, but I’m sure we will also have fantastic travelling support, like we always do. It should be a great atmosphere and the type of occasion that players will be excited by and thrive on. It’s a challenge you run into, not away from.
“Leinster have half the Irish pack and half the Irish backs, so they’re pretty formidable that’s for sure. We’re also confident in our own abilities and competition for places has been so high that there have been a number of tight selection calls. In some cases, calls could have gone either way but that’s where we want to be as a squad, approaching our games as a 23-man squad.
“It will be important to get off to a good start in Dublin, but equally as important is having a strong bench who can come on and make a big impact, to help finish a game strongly and that’s what we’ve gone for this weekend. We know there are no second chances in knock-out rugby, so we will need to be at our absolute best and play the game we want to play if we’re to get a result.”
Current Form – Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 20-8 v Benetton Treviso (home), Lost 33-25 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 33-20 v Edinburgh (away), Won 31-19 v Ospreys (home), Won 16-13 v Cardiff Blues (away), Won 25-14 v Munster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 33-15 v Castres Olympique (home), Lost 22-16 v Montpellier (away); (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 24-13 v Connacht (home), Won 33-10 v Zebre (away), Lost 38-29 v Scarlets (away), Won 28-15 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home); (Champions Cup): Won 37-10 v Northampton Saints (away), Won 60-13 v Northampton Saints (home); (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 29-17 v Munster (away), Won 22-7 v Ulster (home), Won 70-6 v Zebre (home); (Champions Cup): Won 57-3 v Montpellier (home), Drew 24-24 v Castres Olympique (away); (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 40-14 v Benetton Treviso (away), Won 39-10 v Edinburgh (home), Won 54-22 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), Won 45-9 v Scarlets (home), Won 22-21 v Cardiff Blues (home)
Wasps – (Aviva Premiership): Won 25-20 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Won 34-22 v Leicester Tigers (away), Won 70-22 v Bristol (home), Won 20-15 v Northampton Saints (away), Won 47-18 v Harlequins (home), Lost 30-14 v Saracens (away); (Champions Cup): Won 82-14 v Zebre (home), Drew 20-20 v Toulouse (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 31-6 v Newcastle Falcons (home); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 17-13 v Sale Sharks (away), Won 62-10 v Worcester Warriors (home); (Aviva Premiership): Lost 36-18 v Gloucester (away), Won 34-24 v Sale Sharks (home), Won 26-12 v Worcester Warriors (away); (Champions Cup): Won 32-17 v Connacht (home), Lost 20-18 v Connacht (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 40-26 v Bath (home), Won 34-30 v Newcastle Falcons (away), Won 22-16 v Leicester Tigers (home); (Champions Cup): Won 17-14 v Toulouse (home), Won 41-27 v Zebre (away); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 52-5 v Exeter Chiefs (away), Lost 31-22 v Ospreys (home); (Aviva Premiership): Drew 35-35 v Exeter Chiefs (away), Lost 34-28 v Sale Sharks (away), Won 35-22 v Gloucester (home), Won 24-3 v Bath (away), Won 40-33 v Worcester Warriors (home)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 75; Tries: Isa Nacewa 6; Wasps – Points: Jimmy Gopperth 47; Tries: Josh Bassett 4
Previous European Meetings: 8
Saturday, January 23, 2016 – Pool 5 – Wasps 51 Leinster 10, Ricoh Arena
Sunday, November 15, 2015 – Pool 5 – Leinster 6 Wasps 33, the RDS
Saturday, January 24, 2015 – Pool 2 – Wasps 20 Leinster 20, Ricoh Arena
Sunday, October 19, 2014 – Pool 2 – Leinster 25 Wasps 20, the RDS
Friday, April 5, 2013 – Challenge Cup Quarter-final – Wasps 28 Leinster 48, Adams Park
Saturday, January 17, 2009 – Pool 2 – London Wasps 19 Leinster 12, Twickenham
Saturday, October 18, 2008 – Pool 2 – Leinster 41 London Wasps 11, the RDS
Saturday, March 31, 2007 – European Cup Quarter-final – London Wasps 35 Leinster 13, Adams Park
European Cup Records:
Leinster –
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
Wasps –
2015/16: Reached the semi-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2006/07: Champions
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2003/04: Champions
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
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