Leinster head into two crunch clashes with Northampton Saints armed with a one-point lead at the top of Champions Cup Pool 4. Second row Devin Toner will make his 50th tournament appearance tonight as Leo Cullen’s men visit Franklin’s Gardens.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 4: Friday, December 9
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS (4th) v LEINSTER (1st), Franklin’s Gardens, 7.45pm (live BT Sport 2/beIN Sports/RTÉ 2fm/highlights TG4)
Team News: There are 10 personnel changes to the Leinster team that faced the Newport Gwent Dragons last weekend in the GUINNESS PRO12, with 10 Ireland internationals back in the mix.
Rob Kearney starts at full-back with Isa Nacewa captaining the province from the left wing and Adam Byrne on the right wing. The 22-year-old Kildare man will make his Champions Cup debut having scored five tries so far this season in the PRO12.
Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, back from Ireland’s successful November campaign, will start in the centre together for the first time since the round 2 game against Montpellier. Fellow internationals Joey Carbery and Luke McGrath continue together at half-back.
It is a new front row with Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong reuniting as the starting trio. In the second row, Meath native Devin Toner will make his 50th European Cup appearance when he runs out against Saints. Toner’s European debut was in October 2008 against Edinburgh. He will have Hayden Triggs for company in the engine room.
Finally, in a formidable looking back row, the fit-again Sean O’Brien starts at blindside flanker with Josh van der Flier selected at openside and Jamie Heaslip at number 8.
Leinster Academy backs Ross Byrne (aged 21) and Rory O’Loughlin (22) have been selected on the bench and will make their European debuts if introduced as replacements.
Meanwhile, England flanker Tom Wood returns from international duty to lead Northampton Saints for their 100th match in European club rugby’s top tier.
There are a further trio of changes made to the side that lost 19-11 away to Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership. In the backs, Ken Pisi and Nic Groom both start, while Courtney Lawes joins skipper Wood in the pack.
George North has not been considered for selection due to ongoing assessment, while Kerry native and former Munster player JJ Hanrahan is a familiar face in Northampton’s midfield.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Ben Foden; Ken Pisi, Luther Burrell, JJ Hanrahan, Jamie Elliott; Stephen Myler, Nic Groom; Alex Waller, Mikey Haywood, Paul Hill, Michael Paterson, Courtney Lawes, Jamie Gibson, Tom Wood (capt), Louis Picamoles.
Replacements: Dylan Hartley, Ethan Waller, Gareth Denman, Api Ratuniyarawa, Teimana Harrison, Tom Kessell, George Pisi, Ahsee Tuala.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Joey Carbery, 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, Ross Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin.
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Northampton Saints to win: 8/5; Draw: 20/1; Leinster to win: 4/7
Pre-Match Quotes: Sean O’Brien (Leinster) – “It was frustrating (to miss the Australia game with a hip flexor injury), but I got straight back in here (Leinster) and started rehabbing. I was looking forward to this week. I’m pleased to be back involved.
“I think we’ve improved an awful lot (compared to last season). I think we’ve a stronger squad. A lot of the young guys came on an awful lot. I think we’re in a better place this year. These two weeks are obviously massive. These two weeks define where we’re going for the rest of the year.
“I think there’s a lot of belief in the side now. We’ve been playing a nice brand of rugby. Hopefully we can show some of that on Friday night.”
Ben Foden (Northampton Saints) – “We’ve got a big week against Leinster coming up and we need to start thinking about making Franklin’s Gardens a fortress again. It’s been a place that teams have come to and got points too easily.
“We’ve got to look at ourselves and try to take the positives from it. I do think we took a step forward against Leicester, but there’s still plenty to build on. One area that we have been good at is defence. The area in which we’ve struggled is the attacking stuff, the green zone as we call it.
“Friday night is a new competition, a new chapter and a new challenge. We’re still in it – we’ve won one and lost one – and although we were disappointed with our last performance against Castres, we’re at home against Leinster and that will help.
“Leinster are a good outfit, a quality side, especially in the Champions Cup. We will need to bring our ‘A’ game and, if we can get the result we’re looking for, we can then hopefully get some momentum and confidence back in the boys.”
Current Form – 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)
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)
Top Scorers – 2016/17 European Champions Cup: Northampton Saints – Points: Stephen Myler 13; Tries: Calum Clark, James Wilson 1 each; Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 29; Tries: Sean Cronin, Isa Nacewa 2 each
Previous European Meetings: 5
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
Match Facts –
– Leinster have won four of the five previous meetings between the teams, although Northampton were victorious at the Aviva Stadium in the most recent clash in 2013/14
– Leinster have won both of their away games against Northampton in the Champions Cup, restricting Saints to fewer than 10 points each time
– Saints’ 40-7 loss to Leinster in round 3 in 2013 is their heaviest home defeat in the tournament
– Leinster have failed to win any of their last seven away matches in the Champions Cup – their worst run on the road in the competition
– Of all forwards this season, only Jamie Heaslip (33) has made more carries than Louis Picamoles (29 – level with Thomas Waldrom of Exeter Chiefs)
– This will be Northampton’s 100th game in Europe’s top flight. They have won 59 of their previous 99 (L39, D1) and lifted the trophy in 2000
– Both sides have conceded the most turnovers (36) in the competition this season
– Of teams to have played two games this season, Leinster are one of three to have a 100% scrum success on their own put-in (Saracens and Toulon are the others)
– No player has beaten more defenders than Leinster’s Joey Carbery this season (15 – level with Wesley Fofana of Clermont and Connacht’s Cian Kelleher)
– Northampton’s Mike Haywood has hit the target with all 19 of his lineout throws to date – only Ulster’s Rory Best has made more throws without missing (22/22)
European Cup Records:
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
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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