It will be an all-Irish affair at the GUINNESS PRO12 final on Saturday as, after 22 rounds of tough competition, the two teams that finished top of the table after the regular season – Leinster and Connacht – will face each other at the iconic BT Murrayfield.
GUINNESS PRO12 FINAL: Saturday, May 28
CONNACHT (2nd) v LEINSTER (1st), BT Murrayfield, 5.30pm (live Sky Sports 3 HD/TG4)
GUINNESS PRO12 Final: Connacht v Leinster Tickets – Click Here to Buy.
Team News: For the first time all season, Connacht head coach Pat Lam has made no changes to the matchday 23 from the last fixture – last Saturday’s hard-fought semi-final win at home to Glasgow Warriors.
Galway man John Muldoon will captain the side in his 275th game for the province and is joined in the back row by flankers Eoin McKeon and Jake Heenan.
Finlay Bealham and Ultan Dillane, two of five Connacht players named this week in the Ireland squad for the summer tour to South Africa, start up front. Tighthead prop Bealham is the only player to have featured in all 31 games for the province this season.
Ireland internationals Kieran Marmion and Robbie Henshaw are named in the back-line with AJ MacGinty once again handed the reins at out-half. Niyi Adeolokun – Connacht’s try scorer against Glasgow – lines out on the right wing.
Meanwhile, there are two changes to the Leinster team that accounted for Ulster in the play-offs last weekend, with Isa Nacewa and Devin Toner missing out and a further change on the bench.
Captain Nacewa has been ruled out with an arm injury suffered in the game against Ulster. While that injury came back clear from the initial X-ray, a subsequent scan on Monday showed damage had been done to an older injury and in particular to one of the screws that he has in the plate in his arm which affected his ability to grip. As a result Jamie Heaslip, the province’s vice-captain, will lead the team in Edinburgh.
With Nacewa absent from the back-line, Rob Kearney returns from the ankle injury suffered in the round 22 win over Benetton Treviso. His brother Dave continues on the right wing, with Luke Fitzgerald on the left.
Ben Te’o will make his last appearance for Leinster in the centre with Academy centre Garry Ringrose outside him once again. Eoin Reddan will win his 140th cap in Leinster colours at scrum half with Jonathan Sexton at number 10.
In the pack Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross, who were all announced in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad to tour South Africa during the week, combine in the front row, and Ross Molony and Mick Kearney will pack down behind them in the second row.
In the back row, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy and skipper Heaslip complete the pack. With Molony starting, Hayden Triggs comes on to the bench in line to win his 15th cap with Luke McGrath set to win his 50th cap should he be introduced.
CONNACHT: Tiernan O’Halloran; Niyi Adeolokun, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Matt Healy; AJ MacGinty, Kieran Marmion; Ronan Loughney, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Ultan Dillane, Aly Muldowney, Eoin McKeon, Jake Heenan, John Muldoon (capt).
Replacements: Dave Heffernan, JP Cooney, Rodney Ah You, Andrew Browne, Sean O’Brien, John Cooney, Shane O’Leary, Peter Robb.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Dave Kearney, Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Mick Kearney, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip (capt).
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Peter Dooley, Tadhg Furlong, Hayden Triggs, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Ian Madigan, Zane Kirchner.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ian Davies, Ben Whitehouse (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Jon Mason (Wales)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Connacht to win: 15/8; Draw: 19/1; Leinster to win: 1/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Pat Lam (Connacht) – “It’s exciting that this is the first time in 31 games that we’ve been able to name the same matchday squad from one week to the next. These 23 players are the fortunate ones who have earned the opportunity to wear the jersey and represent their team-mates and the whole of Connacht in our first final.
“Preparation continues to be our big focus this week. We know how tough it will be against Leinster who have a huge amount of experience in finals rugby. But we know that if we stick to our structures and systems and channel all the emotion and physicality in to our performance, we have a real chance of making history.”
Girvan Dempsey (Leinster) – “Connacht have been consistently on the attack throughout the season, they score tries and challenge you in every facet of the game from a strong set piece to a wide attack. Defensively, you look at the last two games against Glasgow and they were very strong so they’ve obviously worked on that, so any game, especially a final, you don’t take anything for granted…it’s a final, it’s cup rugby, it’s on the day.
“It stems from their set piece and everyone knowing their role. It’s been very effective every year and it’s a challenge for every team to negate that attacking game. But we’re confident in our defensive systems.
“Hopefully (it’s) a dry day. I think if you look at our games during the PRO12 season it’s been frustrating that we seemed to get the bad weather all the time, a lot of wet and windy days. It’s been challenging to try and manage days like that so both teams will be hopeful that if the weather’s good, it’s a great pitch and will be a great atmosphere, so we’ll just be pleased to get a dry day.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Connacht – Points: Craig Ronaldson 89; Tries: Matt Healy 9; Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 96; Tries: Isa Nacewa 9
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, October 26, 2013 – Leinster 16 Connacht 13, the RDS
Saturday, January 4, 2014 – Connacht 8 Leinster 16, the Sportsground
Friday, September 19, 2014 – Connacht 10 Leinster 9, the Sportsground
Friday, December 19, 2014 – Leinster 21 Connacht 11, the RDS
Friday, January 1, 2016 – Leinster 13 Connacht 0, the RDS
Saturday, March 26, 2016 – Connacht 7 Leinster 6, the Sportsground
PREVIOUS PRO12 CHAMPIONS –
2001/02: Leinster
2002/03: Munster
2003/04: Llanelli Scarlets
2004/05: Ospreys
2005/06: Ulster
2006/07: Ospreys
2007/08: Leinster
2008/09: Munster
2009/10: Ospreys (final: 17-12 v Leinster, the RDS)
2010/11: Munster (final: 19-9 v Leinster, Thomond Park)
2011/12: Ospreys (final: 31-30 v Leinster, the RDS)
2012/13: Leinster (final: 24-18 v Ulster, the RDS)
2013/14: Leinster (final: 34-12 v Glasgow Warriors, the RDS)
2014/15: Glasgow Warriors (final: 31-13 v Munster, Kingspan Stadium)
MATCH FACTS:
– Connacht play in the first major final in their history and achieved their best ever finish in the GUINNESS PRO12 this season
– Connacht’s only defeat in their last four matches was 22-21 at Benettton Treviso in round 21. Connacht have won on three of their last four visits to BT Murrayfield
– Leinster are attempting to win the PRO12 title for the fifth time and the first since 2014. The Leinstermen have played in six previous PRO12 finals (2007/08 was a league) with a record of won three and lost three
– Leinster’s most recent defeat at this stage was 31-30 to the Ospreys at the RDS in 2012. Their only loss in their last five fixtures was 30-6 at Ulster in round 21
– Leinster have won on thee of their last four visits to BT Murrayfield and were also victorious at the venue when beating Leicester Tigers in the European Cup final in 2009
– The two sides have met on 27 previous occasions in the PRO12 with Leinster having the edge by 20 wins to seven. This is their first ever meeting outside of Ireland
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