Leinster get a much-needed dose of home comfort tonight as they welcome Italian visitors Zebre to the RDS, looking to bounce back from their recent defeats to Wasps and the Newport Gwent Dragons.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, February 12
LEINSTER (4th) v ZEBRE (11th), the RDS, 7.30pm
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made five changes to the team that lost to the Newport Gwent Dragons last time out, with three switches in the pack and two in the backs.
In the pack, Ireland internationals Cian Healy and Mike Ross return from hamstring and knee injuries respectively to prop down alongside James Tracy, with Ross Molony and Hayden Triggs continuing in the second row.
The back row sees Josh van der Flier return from Ireland camp at openside flanker with Dominic Ryanand Jordi Murphy again selected at blindside flanker and number 8 respectively.
In the backs Isa Nacewa returns from a knee injury to captain the province from the left wing with Ireland Sevens international Adam Byrne again starting on the right and Zane Kirchner selected at full-back. Ben Te’o and Garry Ringrose continue in midfield with Isaac Boss partnering Cathal Marsh at half-back.
Ticket for the Leinster v Zebre game are still available at leinsterrugby.ie or from the ticket office on match day from 6pm. Students can sign up to the new Student Pass at leinsterrugbystudentpass.com for €;10 match day tickets.
Meanwhile, Zebre boss Gianluca Guidi is missing two players from their recent 16-12 loss to Munster, with winger Michele Visentin injured and out-half Kelly Haimona on international duty with Italy.
Into the back-line come Ulrich Beyers at full-back and young permit player Maicol Azzolini from Fiamme Oro Rugby, who won two PRO12 caps during the October Rugby World Cup window. Azzolini starts at half-back alongside Luke Burgess.
Guidi has also swapped his props as Bruno Postiglioni and Guillermo Roan take over from the benched Andrea de Marchi and Pietro Ceccarelli respectively. The pack is let by veteran international lock Marco Bortolami, while a second permit player, Rugby Viadana 1970 winger Abou Souare, is hoping to make his debut off the bench.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Isa Nacewa (capt); Cathal Marsh, Isaac Boss; Cian Healy, James Tracy, Mike Ross, Ross Molony, Hayden Triggs, Dominic Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Jordi Murphy.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Peter Dooley, Michael Bent, Tom Denton, Dan Leavy, Luke McGrath, Noel Reid, Cian Kelleher.
ZEBRE: Ulrich Beyers; Dion Berryman, Tommaso Boni, Matteo Pratichetti, Kayle van Zyl; Maicol Azzolini, Luke Burgess; Bruno Postiglioni, Oliviero Fabiani, Guillermo Roan, Gideon Koegelenberg, Marco Bortolami (capt), Emiliano Caffini, Johan Meyer, Jean Cook.
Replacements: Emiliano Coria, Andrea de Marchi, Pietro Ceccarelli, Federico Ruzza, Filippo Cristiano, Giulio Toniolatti, Mils Muliaina, Abou Souare.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan, Mark Connolly (both Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/40; Draw: 60/1; Zebre to win: 17/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster) – “It was disappointing against the Dragons. Conditions were very, very challenging. It was very tough to play in. I think we put ourselves under undue pressure. Some decision-making in the game was, at times, was what stood out.
“Zebre probably have a similar challenge to ourselves in terms of them having a number of players in the Italian national squad. You look at their results in the last while and they’re on a bit of a high and in a vein of form.
“They’ve got four wins already in the league which is more than last year. They’re ahead of Treviso so they’re chasing that Champions Cup spot.
“They’re playing with a bit of confidence. They’re a big side, they’ve got experience across the team in (Marco) Bortolami in the second row, (Matteo) Pratichetti in the centre, (Luke) Burgess at nine. So they’re got experience throughout.
“Even (Mils) Muliaina, who hasn’t really been involved but he was involved the last time off the bench against Munster and Treviso away. They’ve got a core of experienced players there and a lot of young guys. They’re playing with a bit of confidence at the moment which will be challenging.”
Andrea de Rossi (Zebre) – “We’ll face a strong Leinster team who are boosted by the return from injury of two Ireland props at the last World Cup in (Cian) Healy and (Mike) Ross.
“They are back on home soil after two straight defeats with the aim of putting in a big performance. We know this and we’re ready for this challenge.
“This group of players has already demonstrated against Munster that can keep up a high level during the international period. We have confidence in (Maicol) Azzolini at out-half and also (Abou) Souare who has shown good speed and athletic ability in training. We feel he can make an impact off the bench.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 49; Tries: Isa Nacewa 5; Zebre – Points: Carlo Canna 47; Tries: Dries van Schalkwyk 5
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, December 1, 2012 – Leinster 37 Zebre 7, the RDS
Sunday, April 21, 2013 – Zebre 22 Leinster 41, Stadio Citta del Tricolore
Sunday, February 9, 2014 – Zebre 8 Leinster 31, Stadio XXV Aprile
Friday, March 21, 2014 – Leinster 27 Zebre 0, the RDS
Saturday, October 11, 2014 – Zebre 3 Leinster 20, Stadio XXV Aprile
Friday, February 20, 2015 – Leinster 29 Zebre 8, the RDS
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster have slipped to back-to-back defeats at Wasps in the European Champions Cup and at the Newport Gwent Dragons in the GUINNESS PRO12
– The Leinstermen are unbeaten in their last nine PRO12 encounters at the RDS since the Dragons beat them there on February 15, 2015
– Zebre have won four PRO12 matches this season, against Edinburgh and Cardiff Blues in October and home and away to Benetton Treviso over Christmas and the New Year
– The Italians have also won their last two away games, against Treviso and at Worcester in the European Challenge Cup
– Leinster have won all six previous matches they have played against Zebre, achieving a try-scoring bonus point on five occasions with the ‘closest’ winning margin being 17 points in their 20-3 victory in Parma in October 2014
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