Leinster have a number of Ireland internationals back in their starting line-up for arguably the game of the round in the GUINNESS PRO12. The Ospreys provide the opposition at the RDS on Saturday.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, March 5
LEINSTER (2nd) v OSPREYS (8th), the RDS, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)
Team News: There are seven changes to the Leinster team that claimed a bonus point win away to Zebre last Sunday, with loosehead Cian Healy winning his 150th cap for the province and Dominic Ryan, who is selected on the bench, poised to hit the century mark.
Zane Kirchner will start at full-back for his 60th Leinster cap with Fergus McFadden coming in on the right wing, and captain Isa Nacewa continues on the left.
Ben Te’o and Garry Ringrose are once again chosen in the centre for the seventh time as a partnership. There is a new half-back pairing with Eoin Reddan and Ian Madigan donning the number 9 and 10 jerseys respectively.
There are four changes in the pack with a completely new front row of Healy, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross. Ross Molony and Mick Kearney continue in the second row, while in the back row Rhys Ruddock starts at blindside flanker with Dan Leavy and Jordi Murphy continuing at openside and number 8 respectively.
Should he be introduced, flanker Ryan will become Leinster’s latest centurion having made his debut against the Newport Gwent Dragons in December 2009. He has scored 17 tries, including his first of this season last weekend against Zebre. He made his Ireland debut against Georgia in the 2014 GUINNESS Series.
Tickets for the Leinster v Ospreys clash are still on sale from leinsterrugby.ie or can be purchased from the ticket office on match day inside the Anglesea Road gate. The ticket office will be open from 1.30pm.
Leinster Rugby have also confirmed that just over 30,000 tickets have now been sold for the Munster match in the Aviva Stadium on April 2.
Meanwhile, Ospreys boss Steve Tandy has made three personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that lost 30-22 to Connacht in frustrating fashion last week.
Wales Under-20 international Owen Watkin comes into midfield for ankle injury victim JJ Engelbrecht, with Josh Matavesi moving to outside centre in an otherwise unchanged back-line.
Nicky Smith takes over from Paul James at loosehead prop and Canadian international Tyler Ardron returns in the second row, prompting a move for James King to the back row with Joe Bearman the player to make way.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Isa Nacewa (capt); Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Mick Kearney, Rhys Ruddock, Dan Leavy, Jordi Murphy.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Peter Dooley, Tadhg Furlong, Hayden Triggs, Dominic Ryan, Luke McGrath, Cathal Marsh, Noel Reid.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Jeff Hassler, Josh Matavesi, Owen Watkin, Ben John; Sam Davies, Rhys Webb (capt); Nicky Smith, Sam Parry, Dmitri Arhip, Tyler Ardron, Rory Thornton, James King, Olly Cracknell, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Scott Otten, Gareth Thomas, Ma’afu Fia, Adam Beard, Joe Bearman, Tom Habberfield, Jonathan Spratt, Tom Grabham.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Mark Patton, Richard Kerr (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/3; Draw: 17/1; Ospreys to win: 13/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Ben Te’o (Leinster) – “I have three months left and I want to enjoy the times here with the group of guys I’m playing with, and obviously the aim is to leave with a trophy. That’s pretty much where all my focus is.
“We’ve been doing a fair bit of video on them (the Ospreys) this week. I have played against (Josh) Matavesi a couple of times and he’s a strong ball carrier and he’s very skilful too, he’s got an offload and a pre-line passing game.
“Me and Garry, we are going to have to sort out our stuff but we are pretty confident. We’ll try not to focus too much on them and worry about what we are doing and keep getting better. We’ll show them the respect and study the video.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “Clearly we were disappointed about the outcome last weekend in Connacht, we saw the good and bad of a young, developing team over the course of 80 minutes, but there was so much to be proud of as a coach.
“We started sluggishly, gave them a head start and found ourselves playing catch up, something that’s probably the story of our season, but you have to give credit for the attitude, endeavour, and bloody mindedness I suppose, in the way that once again they refused to throw in the towel and deserved to bring something home with them.
“We are going to need that attitude in buckets on Saturday as we are going to one of the toughest places in European rugby and we know that we have to be at our best from the very first whistle. Give a team like Leinster a head start and there’s no way back.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 72; Tries: Isa Nacewa 7; Ospreys – Points: Sam Davies 130; Tries: Eli Walker 5
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, May 3, 2013 – Leinster 37 Ospreys 19, the RDS
Saturday, September 14, 2013 – Leinster 29 Ospreys 29, the RDS
Friday, April 11, 2014 – Ospreys 29 Leinster 19, Liberty Stadium
Saturday, November 29, 2014 – Leinster 18 Ospreys 12, the RDS
Friday, February 27, 2015 – Ospreys 9 Leinster 9, Liberty Stadium
Friday, January 8, 2016 – Ospreys 9 Leinster 22, Liberty Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster are the only side remaining in the GUINNESS PRO12 with a 100% home winning record this season
– The Leinstermen’s lone defeat anywhere in the last ten rounds of PRO12 play was 23-13 at the Newport Gwent Dragons on January 29
– The Ospreys’ three-match unbeaten run the PRO12 ended in Galway last Saturday, their first away defeat in the competition since round 6
– The Ospreys have been victorious in Ireland this season, winning 21-17 at Munster last month
– Leinster’s only defeat in their last eight fixtures with the Ospreys in all competitions was 25-19 at Liberty Stadium in the PRO12 in April 2014, while the Welshmen’s most recent victory at the RDS came in the 2012 PRO12 final against Leinster
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