With Leinster’s hopes of retaining their GUINNESS PRO12 crown now over, Matt O’Connor’s men still have some work to do in order to qualify for next season’s European Champions Cup. A five-point return against Benetton Treviso would be the ideal response.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, May 8
LEINSTER (5th) v BENETTON TREVISO (11th), the RDS, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Matt O’Connor has made five changes to the team that lost to Ulster two weeks ago, with three alterations in the backs and two in the forwards.
Dave Kearney has recovered from his hip flexor strain to take his place on the left wing, coming in for Luke Fitzgerald who had surgery last weekend on his left shoulder. Zane Kirchner is selected on the right wing, with Rob Kearney again at full-back.
Ian Madigan returns to his midfield berth with Ben Te’o starting once more at outside centre for his 13th game of the campaign. To date he has scored four tries. Eoin Reddan and Jimmy Gopperth complete the back-line, selected at scrum half and out-half respectively.
Barring a play-off for Champions Cup qualification, this round 21 fixture will mark Gopperth’s last home game in the blue of Leinster before he leaves for Wasps in the summer. To date the New Zealander has scored 347 points in 57 appearances for the province.
Jack McGrath starts in the front row, combining with fellow Ireland internationals Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross. Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy pair up again in the second row. The Treviso match will be McCarthy’s 50th cap since his move from Connacht two seasons ago.
The starting back row consists of Jordi Murphy at blindside flanker, Sean O’Brien at openside and Jamie Heaslip captains the side from the base of the scrum.
With Shane Jennings due to retire at the end of the season and Gordon D’Arcy hanging up his boots at the end of October, Leinster supporters are being asked to pay their respects to two stalwarts of the province at the RDS tonight.
Jennings (206 caps) will be introduced to the crowd just beforehand, while the 260-times capped D’Arcy will be introduced to the crowd after the game. A golden opportunity to thank and to wish well two great servants of the game in both blue and green.
In addition, the Official Leinster Supporters Club will be making a presentation to both players afterwards in Laighin Out bar.
Ticket sales for Leinster v Benetton Treviso have exceeded the 16,000 mark, but tickets are still available at www.leinsterrugby.ie/tickets.
Meanwhile, Benetton Treviso boss Umberto Casellato has largely kept faith with the team that he originally named to start against Munster last time out.
On that occasion Enrico Bacchin cried off on the eve of the game in Cork, but he is fit to take his place at inside centre for this return trip to Ireland. He partners Luca Morisi in the centre, with top scorer Jayden Hayward and wingers Andrea Pratichetti and Ludovico Nitoglia combining in the back-three.
One other change sees Nicola Cattina come in at openside flanker for Francesco Minto who drops back to the bench. Team captain Corniel van Zyl has Marco Fuser for company in the second row, with the latter set to make his 50th appearance for Treviso.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Zane Kirchner, Ben Te’o, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Jordi Murphy, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip (capt).
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Michael Bent, Tadhg Furlong, Tom Denton, Jack Conan, Isaac Boss, Gordon D’Arcy, Darragh Fanning.
BENETTON TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Andrea Pratichetti, Luca Morisi, Enrico Bacchin, Ludovico Nitoglia; Sam Christie, Edoardo Gori; Matteo Zanusso, Davide Giazzon, Rupert Harden, Marco Fuser, Corniel van Zyl (capt), Paul Derbyshire, Nicola Cattina, Mat Luamanu.
Replacements: Albert Anae, Romulo Acosta, Salesi Manu, Meyer Swanepoel, Francesco Minto, Marco Lazzaroni, Angelo Esposito, James Ambrosini.
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Ken Imbusch (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/200; Draw: 70/1; Benetton Treviso to win: 14/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Jordi Murphy (Leinster) – “It’s tough to take…a few losses on the bounce and then having to watch the European Cup final the other day when we were so close to being in it. We’ve still got a job to do. We’re in no way safe in the top six. We’ve Edinburgh close enough behind us, and the Scarlets as well. We’ve got to put our foot down. We’ve got Treviso this weekend – that’s a big game.
“We’ve been disappointed with our run recently. It’s up to the individuals; do we want to turn it around? And I really feel that we do. A good opportunity this Friday now with Treviso coming over to build momentum again, and then build on to the next week and a positive end to the season.
“It’s always nice to play at home, but Treviso are a formidable side. They aren’t on a great run of form but they weren’t the last time we played them and they nearly did a job on us, it was 24-all draw in the end. We’re not taking them lightly. We know the dangers that they pose.
“They’ve a good few internationals in their team and they definitely improved in the second half of the season. They’ve a good maul as they showed against Munster. They went over there and scored three tries and were in contention for a lot of the game.
“The likes of (Edoardo) Gori and (Paul) Derbyshire and top class internationals like that are definitely a threat and we’re going to have to combat them.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Ian Madigan 127; Tries: Ian Madigan, Dominic Ryan, Ben Te’o 4 each; Benetton Treviso – Points: Jayden Hayward 96; Tries: Francesco Minto, Simone Ragusi 4 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Thursday, February 9, 2012 – Leinster 42 Benetton Treviso 8, the RDS
Saturday, September 15, 2012 – Benetton Treviso 18 Leinster 19, Stadio di Monigo
Saturday, February 16, 2013 – Leinster 40 Benetton Treviso 5, the RDS
Sunday, November 24, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 20 Leinster 21, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, April 18, 2014 – Leinster 62 Benetton Treviso 7, the RDS
Sunday, November 23, 2014 – Benetton Treviso 24 Leinster 24, Stadio di Monigo
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster have gained only two victories from their last ten matches in all competitions since mid-January, at home to Zebre in round 15 of the GUINNESS PRO12 and against Bath in the quarter-final of the European Champions Cup in April
– The Leinstermen have lost just one of their last eleven home games in all competitions: 16-14 to the Newport Gwent Dragons at the RDS on February 15
– Leinster’s most recent defeat to Italian opposition came on a trip to Treviso in the PRO12 in September 2010
– Benetton Treviso have lost their last five PRO12 matches and conceded a try-scoring bonus point in each one
– The Italians’ only victory on the road in the PRO12 this season came when they visited Zebre on December 28
– The two sides played out a 24-all draw when they met at Stadio di Monigo in round 8, while Treviso’s five previous visits to Dublin in all competitions have all ended in heavy defeats, conceding a try-scoring bonus point on four of those occasions
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