Leinster managed to beat Cardiff Blues on their most recent trip to Wales, however winning at the Liberty Stadium has proven difficult for the province – they have not won a GUINNESS PRO12 game at the Swansea ground since September 2009.
GUINNESS PRO12: Friday, February 27
OSPREYS (5th) v LEINSTER (4th), Liberty Stadium, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Wales)
Team News: There are seven changes to the Leinster team that beat Zebre with a try-scoring bonus point at the RDS last Friday, with a number of players being retained by the Irish management ahead of the England game.
Zane Kirchner continues at full-back with Fergus McFadden selected on the right wing for his 120th Leinster cap. Dave Kearney starts on the opposite wing having come off the bench last weekend.
Gordon D’Arcy and Ben Te’o are once again selected in the centre, while Isaac Boss captains the side from scrum half with Jimmy Gopperth, who scored a try and four successful kicks for a 14-point haul against Zebre, continuing in the number 10 jersey.
In the pack, Richardt Strauss features at hooker with Tadhg Furlong also coming in from the start at tighthead prop and Michael Bent lining out at loosehead. Tom Denton starts in the second row alongside Kane Douglas who makes his 19th appearance in blue since arriving from the Waratahs in the summer.
In the back row there are two changes with Rhys Ruddock returning from injury to start at blindside flanker, while Josh van der Flier makes his second start of the season at openside. It is Ruddock’s first start since injuring his arm in the European Champions Cup win over Harlequins in December. Jack Conan continues from the base of the scrum.
On the bench Clontarf clubman Royce Burke-Flynn is in line to make his Leinster senior debut having previously been a member of the Leinster Academy. Burke-Flynn has already played for Leinster ‘A’ team this season in the British & Irish Cup against Carmarthen Quins and Plymouth Albion.
The next Leinster home game is against Glasgow Warriors at the RDS on Friday, March 27. Tickets for the Glasgow clash and the Champions Cup quarter-final against Bath, a week later on April 4, are now on sale at www.leinsterrugby.ie/tickets.
Meanwhile, Ospreys head coach Steve Tandy has been able to include Wales-capped prop Ryan Bevington in his team after he completed the return-to-play protocols this week.
Bevington suffered a head injury during the 19-16 defeat to Glasgow Warriors but has been passed fit to line out against the defending PRO12 champions.
There are three changes up front with front rowers Scott Otten and Dimitri Arhip replacing Scott Baldwin and Aaron Jarvis respectively and Joe Bearman taking over from Justin Tipuric in the back row.
Baldwin, Jarvis and Tipuric are three of the 13 Ospreys players currently away on international duty with either the Welsh seniors or Under-20s. The Ospreys’ fourth and final alteration sees Hanno Dirksen come in for the injured Dafydd Howells (ankle) on the left wing.
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Tom Grabham, Jonathan Spratt, Josh Matavesi, Hanno Dirksen; Sam Davies, Martin Roberts; Ryan Bevington, Scott Otten, Dmitri Arhip, Tevita Cavubati, Tyler Ardron (capt), Joe Bearman, James King, Dan Baker.
Replacements: Matthew Dwyer, Marc Thomas, Daniel Suter, Rhodri Hughes, Olly Cracknell, Morgan Allen, Tom Habberfield, Richard Fussell.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Fergus McFadden, Ben Te’o, Gordon D’Arcy, Dave Kearney; Jimmy Gopperth, Isaac Boss (capt); Michael Bent, Richardt Strauss, Tadhg Furlong, Tom Denton, Kane Douglas, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Peter Dooley, Royce Burke-Flynn, Ben Marshall, Dominic Ryan, Luke McGrath, Noel Reid, Darragh Fanning.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans, Chris Williams (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Pre-Match Quotes: Marco Caputo (Leinster) – “We’ve got a good few lads away. But, on paper, we’ve got a good team, one we think is a good enough to get the job done for us. We’re confident with the depth that we’ve got we can go out there and get the result that we need.
“The Ospreys are only two points behind us in the league table and have two home games, us and then Munster. They are going to be determined to get their season back on track.
“We’re equally focused on setting up a decent home run but we need to play well and get the victory there first and foremost to make sure we’re in a good place.
“We had that hiccup against the Dragons two weeks ago and then made hard work of it last Friday against Zebre. Thankfully, we showed grit and were able to grind out the four tries and get the victory with the bonus point.
“This time last year, the boys did very well to pick up 19 out of 20 available points. We’re looking to go there (to Swansea) and get a victory. We’re planning and preparing that way. We’ll be looking to go over there well prepared and psychologically up for a big fight and to put our best foot forward.”
Steve Tandy (Ospreys) – “After the disappointment of the last two games up in Scotland we are all well aware of what’s at stake over these next few games. We know that we have to focus on performance and if we do that, if we are able to turn that into winning performances, then we will be in control of our own destiny given the teams that still have to come to the Liberty Stadium.
“This season has panned out as we said all along, with peaks and troughs along the way as you’d expect with a young and developing squad. Just as nobody was getting carried away when we were on a winning run in the first part of the season, there’s nobody getting too despondent at the moment either.
“It’s essential that we don’t lose our focus, don’t kneejerk and over react. Yes, of course we are disappointed with the last few results, but we know what we have to do as a group.
“We know that it’s going to be a tough few weeks, but it’s an exciting challenge. The PRO12 has stepped up another level in terms of competitiveness this season, the European qualification and the play-offs mean that every game counts. We’re at the business end of the season now, as they say, and know that we have to work hard to ensure performance levels are consistently where the need to be.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Ospreys – Points: Dan Biggar 115; Tries: Rhys Webb 7; Leinster – Points: Ian Madigan 113; Tries: Ian Madigan, Dominic Ryan 4 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Sunday, May 27, 2012 – Final – Leinster 30 Ospreys 31, the RDS
Sunday, November 4, 2012 – Ospreys 19 Leinster 10, Liberty Stadium
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
MATCH FACTS:
– The Ospreys have lost their last two GUINNESS PRO12 matches, both in Scotland in successive weeks, to Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors, dropping from top spot to fifth in the table in the process
– The Welshmen have not lost three successive PRO12 encounters since September 2012
– The Ospreys have won their last ten matches played at the Liberty Stadium in the PRO12 since Munster beat them there twelve months ago
– Leinster have won three of their last four fixtures in the PRO12 and were victorious at Cardiff in their most recent away game in the league, however, they have not won successive away games in the PRO12 over the last year
– The Ospreys’ only win in their last six encounters with Leinster in all competitions was 25-19 in this equivalent fixture at the Liberty Stadium last year, while Leinster have not been victorious at the Liberty Stadium in the PRO12 since a visit in September 2009
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