Leinster sent a statement of intent to their Pool 4 rivals with a thumping 37-10 triumph at Franklin’s Gardens last weekend. A repeat result would put Leo Cullen’s men in pole position to qualify for the Champions Cup quarter-finals.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Saturday, December 17
LEINSTER (1st) v NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (4th), Aviva Stadium, 7.45pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: With injury ruling out both Rob Kearney and Joey Carbery, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has drafted in South African international Zane Kirchner for his 75th provincial cap, while UCD out-half Ross Byrne will make his first start in Europe having impressed off the bench last week in Northampton.
Otherwise it is the same side that accounted for Saints at Franklin’s Gardens last Friday, with Adam Byrne and Isa Nacewa the other two players in the Leinster back-three along with Kirchner. Nacewa captains the side on the occasion of his 160th appearance in blue and will go past the 600-point mark for the province should he score four points or more this weekend.
Garry Ringrose, the scorer of Leinster’s opening try in Northampton, and Robbie Henshaw continue in the centre with UCD club-mates Luke McGrath and Ross Byrne pairing up together at half-back.
The experienced international trio of Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong – the man-of-the-match in round 3 – continue in the front row. Together, they have 103 Ireland caps between them.
Devin Toner, who made his 50th European Cup appearance last week, continues in the second row with former Maori All Black Hayden Triggs beside him in the number 5 jersey. Back rowers Sean O’Brien, Josh van der Flier and Jamie Heaslip complete the starting line-up.
On the bench, Noel Reid makes a welcome return from a foot injury sustained in the win over the Newport Gwent Dragons at the RDS a few weeks ago. Tickets for Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium are still available and can be purchased here.
Meanwhile, Northampton Saints will use the Aviva Stadium clash as an opportunity to freshen up the team with internationals Ahsee Tuala, George Pisi, Kieran Brookes, Api Ratuniyarawa, Calum Clark and Teimana Harrison all returning to the line-up.
Pisi has also been handed the captain’s armband, starting at outside centre alongside Kerryman JJ Hanrahan who has shrugged off the ankle injury he suffered during last Friday’s round 3 defeat.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Hayden Triggs, Sean O’Brien, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: James Tracy, Cian Healy, Michael Bent, Rhys Ruddock, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson Park, Noel Reid, Rory O’Loughlin.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Ahsee Tuala; Ken Pisi, George Pisi (capt), JJ Hanrahan, Tom Collins; Stephen Myler, Nic Groom; Ethan Waller, Charlie Clare, Kieran Brookes, Api Ratuniyarawa, James Craig, Jamie Gibson, Calum Clark, Teimana Harrison.
Replacements: James Fish, Alex Waller, Paul HIll, Michael Paterson, Ben Nutley, Tom Kessell, Rory Hutchinson, James Wilson.
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/16; Draw: 30/1; Northampton Saints to win: 8/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Josh van der Flier (Leinster) – “There were a lot of positives to take from the first game. Obviously very happy to get an away win. They’re pretty difficult to get in Europe, particularly in a tough place like Franklin’s Gardens. Overall we’re quite pleased, but there’s a good bit to work on.
“I’ve always been in teams before where you lose and then the next time you get to play the team you’re kind of fired up, ready to come at them and hopefully get a bit of revenge. We’re just going to focus on our performance. We know Northampton will come hard at us as they did last weekend. It’ll certainly be tough.”
Jim Mallinder (Northampton Saints) – “We’ve got to go out there and play some rugby. We’re not going to beat Leinster playing 10-man rugby. They’ve clearly got a good pack who put our forwards under pressure in the set piece, particularly the scrum, although we did well on our lineouts and they did well on their lineouts.
“We’ll be looking to be better there and we’ll be looking to play some rugby. I saw some improvements in our game, in our accuracy and getting the ball wide at certain times. We need to keep building on that. Discipline is of course a major area, and if we don’t improve there we’re going to suffer.”
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)
Northampton Saints – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 18-14 v Bath (home), Won 32-10 v Bristol (away), Lost 27-12 v Saracens (away), Lost 20-15 v Wasps (home), Won 20-19 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Lost 20-9 v Harlequins (away); (Champions Cup): Won 16-14 v Montpellier (home), Lost 41-7 v Castes Olympique (away); (Aviva Premiership): Won 23-20 v Gloucester (home); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Won 24-16 v Newcastle Falcons (away), Won 19-13 v Gloucester (home); (Aviva Premiership): Won 18-17 v Worcester Warriors (away), Lost 22-16 v Newcastle Falcons (home), Lost 19-11 v Leicester Tigers (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 37-10 v Leinster (home)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 46; Tries: Isa Nacewa 3; Northampton Saints – Points: Stephen Myler 18; Tries: Calum Clark, James Wilson, Ahsee Tuala 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 6
Friday, December 9, 2016 – Pool 4 – Northampton Saints 10 Leinster 37, Franklin’s Gardens
Saturday, December 14, 2013 – Pool 1 – Leinster 9 Northampton Saints 18, Aviva Stadium
Saturday, December 7, 2013 – Pool 1 – Northampton Saints 7 Leinster 40, Franklin’s Gardens
Saturday, May 21, 2011 – Final – Leinster 33 Northampton Saints 22, Millennium Stadium
Friday, October 27, 2000 – Pool 1 – Leinster 40 Northampton Saints 31, Donnybrook
Saturday, October 21, 2000 – Pool 1 – Northampton Saints 8 Leinster 14, Franklin’s Gardens
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
Northampton Saints –
2015/16: Reached the quarter-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2010/11: Runners-up
2009/10: Reached the quarter-finals
2006/07: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Champions
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