Leinster may be out of the Champions Cup but showed last week against Bath how dangerous they can be with a score to settle and pride at stake. The province are targeting their first away win over English opposition since December 2013.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 5: Saturday, January 23
WASPS (2nd) v LEINSTER (4th), Ricoh Arena, 3.15pm (live BT Sport 2/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made 11 changes to the team that beat Bath last time out, with only Zane Kirchner, Dave Kearney, Rhys Ruddock and Jordi Murphy retained in the starting line-up for the trip to Coventry.
With Rob Kearney coming in to full-back, Kirchner moves to the right wing from the number 15 slot last week, with Dave Kearney continuing on the left wing.
Noel Reid and Luke Fitzgerald pair up in the centre with Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton selected together at half-back. Having been announced as one of the vice-captains at the start of the season, Sexton will captain Leinster for the first time in what will be his 100th start in 121 provincial appearances.
All three front row players were named in the Ireland RBS 6 Nations squad announced on Wednesday, asJack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Martin Moore all start tomorrow against Wasps.
Devin Toner and Ruddock join forces in the second row as Ruddock starts for the eleventh time this season, playing the full 80 minutes in each game so far.
In the back row, Dominic Ryan, Murphy and Jamie Heaslip complete the pack as Leo Cullen’s men look to finish their European campaign on a high.
The bench includes three players who were named in the Ireland squad this week, including the 22-year-old uncapped back rower Josh van der Flier, while Cathal Marsh is in line to make his European debut if introduced as a replacement.
Meanwhile, former Leinster backs Brendan Macken and Jimmy Gopperth will start against the province as Wasps look to confirm their place in the Champions Cup’s last-eight.
Stung by Drew Mitchell’s last-gasp try in an agonising 15-11 loss in Toulon, Wasps boss Dai Young welcomes back the fit-again James Haskell and Joe Launchbury return to the starting line-up, while Nathan Hughes and Jake Cooper-Woolley are also back from injury and named on the bench.
Hughes is set to make his first appearance for Wasps since picking up a calf injury in the away win at Bath, and Young side’s are also boosted by the return of tighthead Cooper-Woolley who missed their last five games.
Sam Jones moves from blindside flanker to number 8, while last Sunday’s man-of-the-match, Guy Thompson, has been sidelined by the toe injury he picked up against Toulon.
In the back-line, there are starts for centre Macken and winger Josh Bassett. Sailosi Tagicakibau, Ben Jacobs and Simon McIntyre have all been ruled out of the round 6 fixture through injuries picked up against Toulon. Tom Bristow comes onto the bench, ready to make his third appearance for Wasps.
* The 2016 European Rugby Challenge Cup and Champions Cup finals featuring the cream of European professional club rugby will be staged in Lyon next May.
Both showpiece matches will be held at the brand new 59,000-capacity Grand Stade de Lyon with the Challenge Cup final going ahead on Friday, May 13 (9pm) and the Champions Cup scheduled for Saturday, May 14 (5.45pm).
Tickets for the finals are now on sale and with demand expected to be high for one of Europe’s most prestigious sporting weekends, fans are advised to purchase without delay. Purchase your ticket(s) online here.
WASPS: Charles Piutau; Josh Bassett, Elliot Daly, Brendan Macken, Frank Halai; Jimmy Gopperth, Joe Simpson; Matt Mullan, Edd Shervington, Lorenzo Cittadini, Joe Launchbury, Bradley Davies, James Haskell (capt), George Smith, Sam Jones.
Replacements: Ashley Johnson, Tom Bristow, Jake Cooper-Woolley, James Gaskell, Nathan Hughes, Dan Robson, Ruaridh Jackson, Rob Miller.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Zane Kirchner, Luke Fitzgerald, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton (capt), Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Martin Moore, Devin Toner, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Peter Dooley, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Josh van der Flier, Isaac Boss, Cathal Marsh, Ben Te’o.
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Sebastien Minery, Thomas Dejean (both France)
Television Match Official: Eric Gauzins (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Wasps to win: 8/15; Draw: 16/1; Leinster to win: 17/10
Pre-Match Quotes: Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) – “Our performance level has gone up massively in the last five or six games. We even showed that against Toulon away in the first half, obviously (we had) a terrible second half. And at home we did well in the first half, put them to the sword like few other teams have done in recent years, but we just couldn’t back it up in the second half.
“I feel we have turned the corner, we are on the right road. We have a long way to go before we fulfil our potential but I feel like we are on our way.
“I had to get over the disappointment of the World Cup, especially personally, missing out on most of the France game and the Argentina game were the biggest disappointments of my career. Particularly as I had done absolutely everything right in the build-up to it.
“I felt I was in a really good place physically and mentally, but then for it all to unravel was pretty hard to take. It was tough to get over but then I came back here and came into it straight away. There were a couple of poor performances but then I thought I did well in a couple of other games and found some form.
“I feel like I have turned a bit of a corner and am playing well. I’m looking forward to this weekend (against Wasps) first and foremost, because it is a big game, but it is hard not to look too far past that. It is a big few months for us and hopefully a big end to the season here (at Leinster) as well.”
Jimmy Gopperth (Wasps) – “It was an outstanding performance (to beat them 33-6 in Dublin) but this is a very different Leinster team now to the one we played at the RDS. They are the best defensive team in the PRO12 and sit second in the table with a good run of games behind them.
“Leo Cullen has got them playing really well with some of the youngsters coming through really impressing. We know it’s going to be a massive test for us; they’re going to come over here with nothing to lose, guys fighting for Ireland spots and guys fighting for Leinster spots. We know how hard it will be but we’re really looking forward to it.
“Bonus points in their nature are just bonuses. You have to win the game first. There will be other games going on at the same time, so we won’t know what exactly we need, so all we can think about is getting the win. If we win we know that we put ourselves in the best position of qualifying and we are under no illusions how tough it will be to get that, let alone to start thinking about four tries.
“Last weekend Leinster rested a lot of their internationals, the young guys came in and really stepped up. It added a bit of spark to them – they played really well last weekend and some of the younger guys are pushing the older guys, which will only make them play well too. Everything is going in the right direction for them at the moment, which means that this weekend is a big game for us.
“The last few weeks they’ve been playing well consistently. To beat Connacht without conceding a point and then to beat the Ospreys for the first time in a long time at the Liberty Stadium, they’ll be full of confidence, especially after the result against Bath last weekend.”
Current Form – Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO12): Lost 16-9 away to Edinburgh; Won 23-15 at home to Cardiff Blues; Won 37-13 at home to Newport Gwent Dragons; Lost 25-14 away to the Scarlets; Won 23-18 at home to Glasgow Warriors; Won 27-3 away to Benetton Treviso; Won 19-15 at home to the Scarlets; (European Champions Cup): Lost 33-6 away to Wasps; Lost 19-16 away to Bath; (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 8-3 at home to Ulster; (European Champions Cup): Lost 24-9 away to Toulon; Lost 20-16 at home to Toulon; (GUINNESS PRO12): Won 24-7 away to Munster; Won 13-0 at home to Connacht; Won 22-9 away to the Ospreys; (European Champions Cup): Won 25-11 at home to Bath
Wasps – (Aviva Premiership): Lost 26-21 away to Harlequins; Won 16-9 at home to Bath; Lost 24-16 away to Leicester Tigers; Won 23-3 at home to Gloucester; (European Champions Cup): Won 33-6 away to Leinster; Won 32-6 at home to Toulon; (Aviva Premiership): Won 33-15 away to London Irish; Lost 41-27 at home to Exeter Chiefs; (European Champions Cup): Lost 25-23 at home to Bath; Won 36-10 away to Bath; (Aviva Premiership): Lost 26-16 at home to Saracens; Lost 15-9 away to Sale Sharks; Won 32-22 at home to Worcester Warriors; (European Champions Cup): Lost 15-11 away to Toulon
Top Scorers – 2015/16 European Champions Cup: Wasps – Points: Ruaridh Jackson 39; Tries: Nathan Hughes 2; Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 37; Tries: Josh van der Flier, Sean Cronin 1 each
Previous European Meetings: 7
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
Match Facts –
– Wasps are undefeated when hosting Leinster in the European Cup (W2, D1)
– However, Wasps are in danger of consecutive home losses in the Champions Cup for the first time after a 25-23 loss to Bath in their last home fixture
– Leinster have not won a game away from home in the Champions Cup since October 2014, and have not won an away game to English opponents since December 2013
– Leinster have scored just 25 points away from home this campaign, the fewest of any team in Pool 5
– Charles Piutau has gained the most metres of any player in this season’s Champions Cup (455) and has also made the joint most clean breaks (10)
– Leinster have scored the fewest tries in the competition this season (3) and are yet to score in the 20 minutes either side of half-time. Wasps have conceded just one try in that same time
– The province also have the lowest lineout success in the Champions Cup this season (77%) and have won fewer lineouts per game than any other team (8.2)
– Wasps have gained more metres than any other side this season, averaging 494 metres per game
– Wasps’ Matt Mullan has made 53/53 tackles in the competition this season, the most of any player yet to miss a hit
– Only Clermont’s Fritz Lee (23) made more carries than Leinster’s Garry Ringrose (19) in the last round of fixtures
European Cup Records:
Wasps –
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
Leinster –
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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