Pool 4 leaders Leinster will look to continue their winning start to the Champions Cup when they visit Jake White’s Montpellier side, who are smarting from a late two-point defeat to Northampton Saints.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Sunday, October 23
Team News: There are six changes to the Leinster team that accounted for Castres at the RDS last weekend, with some new additions also to the bench.
In the back-line it is largely as you were with only one change. The back-three again includes Rob Kearney at full-back, Zane Kirchner on the right wing and Isa Nacewa as captain on the left.
Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose will continue their midfield partnership for the third game in a row. Luke McGrath starts at scrum half with the fit-again Jonathan Sexton selected at number 10 for his 130th Leinster cap. Sexton missed out on selection in round 1 owing to a tight hamstring.
It is a completely new front row with a mixture of youth and experience in the starting trio of Cian Healy, James Tracy and Mike Ross. Healy and Ross have over 300 Leinster caps between them, but it will only be hooker Tracy’s second ever European start in what will be his 23rd game for Leinster.
Devin Toner continues in the second row but is partnered this weekend by Mike McCarthy who has recovered from a foot injury to take his place in the pack.
After playing for Leinster ‘A’ last Saturday in the British & Irish Cup, Sean O’Brien makes his long-awaited senior return having last played for Leinster over nine months ago – in the Champions Cup against Bath. The Tullow native will win his 103rd cap on Sunday.
Josh van der Flier, the province’s man-of-the-match against Castres, continues at openside flanker while Jamie Heaslip is again selected at number 8 having become the most-capped Leinster forward of all-time last weekend (222 caps).
Leo Cullen has selected six forwards and two backs on his bench, with Mick Kearney in line to make his European debut for Leinster. All of his previous 12 caps for the province have been won in the PRO12.
* It was announced on Saturday that Mike McCarthy did not travel with the Leinster squad this morning to France having become ill overnight and instead his place will be taken by Mick Kearney. Ian Nagle comes onto the bench.
Meanwhile, scrum half Tomas O’Leary, a short-term loan signing from Munster, has been selected on the bench by Montpellier’s South African head coach Jake White.
White’s charges are hungry to right the wrongs of their narrow defeat at Northampton Saints where an 80th minute penalty by Stephen Myler snatched a 16-14 win for the hosts.
Joffrey Michel and Vincent Martin come into the back-line with Alexandre Dumoulin moving to outside centre and Frans Steyn – one of 11 South African players in Montpellier’s extended squad – switching to out-half. Ben Botica drops to the bench.
The French side’s pack is a powerful mix of French, Georgian, South African and Fijian forwards. Once-capped French international loosehead Yvan Watremez and Springbok tighthead Jannie du Plessis join Georgian hooker Shalva Mamukashvili in the front row.
Jacques du Plessis moves to the second row to partner Paul Willemse, the pair both aged 23 and former South African Under-20 internationals, while Fulgence Ouedraogo and Akapusi Qera are promoted from the bench to form an abrasive back row with number 8 Pierre Spies.
MONTPELLIER: Joffrey Michel; Marvin O’Connor, Vincent Martin, Alexandre Dumoulin, Nemani Nadolo; Frans Steyn, Nic White; Yvan Watremez, Shalva Mamukashvili, Jannie du Plessis, Jacques du Plessis, Paul Willemse, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Akapusi Qera (capt), Pierre Spies.
Replacements: Romain Ruffenach, Mikheil Nariashvili, Davit Kubriashvili, Nicholaas Van Rensburg, Wiaan Liebenberg, Tomas O’Leary, Ben Botica, Jesse Mogg.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Zane Kirchner, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, James Tracy, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mick Kearney, Sean O’Brien, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Jack McGrath, Michael Bent, Ian Nagle, Jordi Murphy, Dan Leavy, Jamison Gibson Park, Joey Carbery.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest, Paul Burton (both England)
Television Match Official: Geoff Warren (England)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Montpellier to win: 8/15; Draw: 22/1; Leinster to win: 13/8
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “It’s definitely more important we take any chances we get because we are unlikely to have as many opportunities in Montpellier.
“They are a very pragmatic team with a pragmatic coach so we need to be nailed on when we are given opportunities. It’s about capitalising on what we are creating. We were pleased with the outcome against Castres, but we were frustrated with the feeling that we left a lot of chances go.
“There’s always a hundred things to fix and we have to brush up on defending lineouts because that’s an area where Montpellier are strong, but it’s nice to do that off the back of a positive result.”
Jake White (Montpellier) – “I hope the players learn from this experience (losing to Northampton) and bounce back against Leinster. We have to prepare properly for next week so this loss doesn’t hurt as much.
“That game just shows how fine the margins are in professional sport. We had two chances at the end to win it but we’ve ended up losing the game. It’s disappointing.”
Current Form – Montpellier – (Top 14 Championship): Lost 20-12 v Toulouse (away), Lost 26-22 v Clermont Auvergne (home), Won 32-15 v Bordeaux-Bègles (away), Won 41-13 v Pau (home), Won 21-9 v Bayonne (away), Won 42-13 v Brive (home), Lost 28-6 v Toulon (away), Won 28-19 v Castres Olympique (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 16-14 v Northampton Saints (away)
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)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Montpellier – Points: Frans Steyn 11; Tries: Frans Steyn 1; Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 13; Tries: Sean Cronin 2
Previous European Meetings: 2
Saturday, January 21, 2012 – Pool 3 – Leinster 25 Montpellier 3, the RDS
Saturday, November 12, 2011 – Pool 3 – Montpellier 16 Leinster 16, Stade de la Mosson
Match Facts –
– Montpellier have yet to defeat Leinster in the European Cup. They met in the 2011/12 pool stages with the teams drawing 16-16 at Stade de la Mosson and Leinster winning 25-3 at the RDS
– That game in Dublin marked the lowest points total Montpellier have recorded in the competition
– Leinster have failed to win in their last five pool games on the road (drawing once and losing four times)
– Leinster’s Joey Carbery beat 11 defenders last weekend, the most of any player in round 1
European Cup Records:
Montpellier –
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
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
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