With their European title dreams over for another year, Leinster now have their sights firmly set on a strong finish to the GUINNESS PRO12’s regular season as they build towards a home semi-final in three weeks’ time.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, April 28
LEINSTER (1st) v GLASGOW WARRIORS (6th), the RDS, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen had made 13 personnel changes, including the late inclusion of Dan Leavy, to the team that faced Clermont Auvergne in last Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final.
Zane Kirchner will start his last regular season game at the RDS before he joins the Newport Gwent Dragons in the summer, while Adam Byrne comes in on the right wing and Fergus McFadden switches to the left.
Carlow man Tom Daly will start his first ever game at the RDS. In his eight games to date (seven off the bench and one start away to Zebre in November), the strong-running centre has scored two tries. He will have Old Belvedere’s Rory O’Loughlin outside him in the number 13 jersey.
UCD clubman Nick McCarthy will make his first senior start for Leinster at scrum half with his former St. Michael’s College class-mate Ross Byrne outside him at number 10.
A completely new front row sees Peter Dooley at loosehead prop, James Tracy at hooker and Mike Ross, who announced his retirement on Tuesday, starts his last regular season game at the RDS at tighthead.
Ross Molony will captain the province for the first time in competitive action. He has previously captained Leinster in a pre-season friendly against Bath but this will be the first time he leads the team out in the PRO12. Beside him, fresh from helping Clontarf qualifying for another Ulster Bank League final, Mick Kearney slots into the second lock position.
Dan Leavy is the only back rower retained from Lyon, coming in at number 8 in a late switch with Jack Conan who was originally due to start but had to pull out with a tight calf. Dominic Ryan comes in at blindside flanker and Josh van der Flier is selected at openside.
Tickets for Leinster v Glasgow Warriors are still on sale online here with the ticket office at the Anglesea Road gate also open from 6pm on match night.
Meanwhile, Tommy Seymour will make his 100th Glasgow Warriors appearance, starting at full-back as the Warriors take on PRO12 leaders Leinster. It will be Seymour’s first game since being announced in the British & Irish Lions squad for this summer’s tour to New Zealand.
The Scotland international scored four tries in a man-of-the-match performance in the reverse fixture at Scotstoun Stadium earlier this season, inspiring Glasgow to a 33-25 bonus point victory. Wingers Leonardo Sato and Lee Jones will join Seymour in the back-three.
Nick Grigg and Sam Johnson continue their centre pairing, both having scored tries against Zebre at Scotstoun in Glasgow’s last outing. Peter Horne, who had a 100% kicking return against Zebre, retains his spot at number 10 and is again joined by co-captain Henry Pyrgos at half-back.
Alex Allan is another player to reach a personal milestone at the RDS, making his 50th appearance for the club. He is joined in the front row by Fraser Brown and Sila Puafisi.
Brian Alainu’uese celebrates his recent new contract with another start in the second row alongside co-captain Jonny Gray, while Tim Swinson features on the blindside flank on his return to the side with Chris Fusaro and Adam Ashe completing the back-row.
Scotland internationals Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Ali Price, Finn Russell and Alex Dunbar all return from a week’s rest and will look to bring plenty of impact off the bench for Gregor Townsend’s charges.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Tom Daly, Fergus McFadden; Ross Byrne, Nick McCarthy; Peter Dooley, James Tracy, Mike Ross, Ross Molony (capt), Mick Kearney, Dominic Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Dan Leavy.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Jack McGrath, Michael Bent, Ian Nagle, Peadar Timmins, Jamison Gibson Park, Joey Carbery, Noel Reid.
GLASGOW WARRIORS: Tommy Seymour; Leonardo Sarto, Nick Grigg, Sam Johnson, Lee Jones; Peter Horne, Henry Pyrgos (co-capt); Alex Allan, Fraser Brown, Sila Puafisi, Brian Alainu’uese, Jonny Gray (co-capt), Tim Swinson, Chris Fusaro, Adam Ashe.
Replacements: Pat MacArthur, Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Rob Harley, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, Finn Russell, Alex Dunbar.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
Television Match Official: Alan Falzone (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 4/9; Draw: 19/1; Glasgow Warriors to win: 15/8
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “Ross (Molony) is a young leader. In his role in the team, in terms of the direction he gives on the field, it’s quite a natural progression for him. He’s done it with a number of other teams.
“He’s young in years but I think in terms of the way he has led the group at various stages during the year, his relationship I suppose with the likes of Isa (Nacewa), Luke McGrath, and Johnny (Sexton), all those guys, it’s a pretty natural step for him. We’ve been impressed with the way he has led the team in the other windows. He might not necessarily be captain but when other players have gone off he quite often is the one who will take (over the captaincy).
“It’s going to be a tough challenge; Glasgow are a formidable team. A lot of experience in their squad as well, a well-coached team. It hasn’t necessarily gone for them this year at various stages, but I think they’ve shown glimpses in a lot of big games: away against Leicester, away against Racing.
“They’ve had glimpses, they just haven’t probably strung a run of games together. A very, very dangerous team, Glasgow. If you look at the line-up, they have a strong starting XV but they have a lot of quality on the bench to come on as well. It should be a fast, open game, two teams that like to play.
“The resilience that Mike (Ross) has shown – it’s one of, if not the toughest positions on the rugby field – 61 caps for Ireland, over 150 caps for Leinster and you think of the age he arrived here at Leinster. He’s been a mainstay in the team for six, seven, eight years.
“Obviously I’ve been aware of Mike for so long, played a lot of games with Mike. We’ve had some great times together. I hope we go out on a high, because he’s been a huge part of the success of this team. That’s the beauty of the game, we rely on so many different facets, so many different types of people, and Mike has been a huge contributor to that.”
Gregor Townsend (Glasgow Warriors) – “It has been a good couple of weeks for Tommy (Seymour), he’s always looking to develop and better himself and it’s great for him to reach the personal milestone of 100 caps.
“Having signed a new contract earlier in the season, I’m sure he’ll go on to shine for the club many more times in the future.
“Leinster are a team we always look forward to playing, they’re one of the best teams in Europe and play really positive rugby. We’ll have to go there and play really well to come away with a win.”
Top Scorers – 2016/17 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 85; Tries: Joey Carbery 8; Glasgow Warriors – Points: Finn Russell 67; Tries: Tommy Seymour 8
2016/17 TEAM FORM: Leinster – Played 20, Won 17, Lost 3, 79 Points; W 20-8 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 33-25 v Glasgow Warriors (away), W 33-20 v Edinburgh (away), W 31-19 v Ospreys (home), W 16-13 v Cardiff Blues (away), W 25-14 v Munster (home), W 24-13 v Connacht (home), W 33-10 v Zebre (away), L 38-29 v Scarlets (away), W 28-15 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), L 29-17 v Munster (away), W 22-7 v Ulster (home), W 70-6 v Zebre (home), W 40-14 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 39-10 v Edinburgh (home), W 54-22 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 45-9 v Scarlets (home), W 22-21 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 20-18 v Ospreys (away), W 37-24 v Connacht (away); Glasgow Warriors – Played 20, Won 11, Lost 9, 54 Points; W 41-5 v Connacht (away), W 33-25 v Leinster (home), L 23-19 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 22-17 v Ulster (home), W 26-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (away), W 33-28 v Zebre (away), W 31-14 v Benetton Treviso (home), L 27-3 v Scarlets (away), L 22-5 v Ospreys (home), L 16-15 v Munster (home), W 25-12 v Edinburgh (away), W 35-28 v Benetton Treviso (away), W 29-15 v Cardiff Blues (home), L 26-14 v Scarlets (home), L 37-17 v Ulster (away), L 26-15 v Ospreys (away), W 47-17 v Newport Gwent Dragons (home), W 35-24 v Connacht (home), L 10-7 v Munster (away), W 45-10 v Zebre (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, May 31, 2014 – Final – Leinster 34 Glasgow Warriors 12, the RDS
Saturday, September 6, 2014 – Glasgow Warriors 22 Leinster 20, Scotstoun Stadium
Friday, March 27, 2015 – Leinster 34 Glasgow Warriors 34, the RDS
Friday, October 23, 2015 – Leinster 23 Glasgow Warriors, 18, the RDS
Friday, March 18, 2016 – Glasgow Warriors 12 Leinster 6, Scotstoun Stadium
Saturday, September 10, 2016 – Glasgow Warriors 33 Leinster 25, Scotstoun Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster have won their last nine GUINNESS PRO12 matches since their 29-17 reversal to Munster in Limerick on December 26
– The Leinstermen have not been defeated at the RDS in the Championship since the Newport Gwent Dragons won there in February 2015
– Glasgow Warriors’ only defeat in the last four rounds of the PRO12 was 10-7 to Munster in Cork on April 8
– Glasgow have lost their last four away games in all competitions since beating Leicester Tigers 43-0 at Welford Road in the Champions Cup in January
– The Warriors have won just one of their last seven fixtures against Irish provinces in all tournaments: 35-24 at home to Connacht in March
– Glasgow’s only defeat in their last five matches against Leinster since the 2014 final was at the RDS in October 2015
– The Warriors’ only victory in 14 previous visits to RDS Arena was 23-19 in the PRO12 in September 2011
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