The final interprovincial match of the regular GUINNESS PRO12 season pits Ulster against Leinster, with Les Kiss’ men needing a win to stay on course for a semi-final berth.
GUINNESS PRO12: Saturday, April 30
ULSTER (4th) v LEINSTER (1st), Kingspan Stadium, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)
Team News: The Ulster team has been announced for Saturday’s sold-out GUINNESS PRO12 derby clash with Leinster at Kingspan Stadium.
Ireland internationals Andrew Trimble, Stuart McCloskey and Chris Henry are the only new faces compared to the team that defeated Zebre 47-17 in Italy two weeks ago.
The front row is unchanged for this crucial game with captain Rory Best packing down alongside Callum Black and Ricky Lutton, who will make his 50th appearance for the province. Franco van der Merwe and Peter Browne continue their hugely effective second row partnership.
Henry’s inclusion results in Sean Reidy moving to occupy the number 8 jersey, while Iain Henderson will retain his position at blindside flanker.
Ruan Pienaar and Paddy Jackson will start together at half-back for the sixth consecutive game. McCloskey will resume his partnership with Luke Marshall in midfield after missing the win over Zebre because of a shoulder injury.
Trimble, who also missed that trip to Parma, will take his place on the right wing and will be joined in the back-three by Craig Gilroy and Jared Payne.
Director of rugby Les Kiss has named a strong bench that includes six Ireland-capped players. Rob Herring, Kyle McCall and Andrew Warwick will provide cover in the front row department, with Robbie Diack and Roger Wilson covering the other forward positions.
The back-line trio of Paul Marshall, Stuart Olding and Darren Cave will give Kiss plenty of attacking options off the bench.
Meanwhile, Dave Kearney will make his 100th Leinster appearance over the May Bank Holiday weekend when they face provincial rivals Ulster in Belfast.
Kearney starts on the left wing in a back-three with his older brother, Rob, and Isa Nacewa, who captains the side. There are nine changes in total to the team that defeated Edinburgh 30-23 at the RDS two weeks ago
Ben Te’o switches to inside centre for the trip to Belfast, with Garry Ringrose back in the starting line-up at outside centre.
Jonathan Sexton also returns to start for the first time since his 16-point haul against Munster at the Aviva Stadium. Luke McGrath, who scored his fifth try of the season last time out against Edinburgh, starts at scrum half to complete the half-back pairing.
Jamie Heaslip returns to make his sixth PRO12 start of the season in the back row, alongside fellow Ireland internationals Rhys Ruddock and Josh van der Flier.
Devin Toner and Hayden Triggs are swapped into the second row in place of Ross Molony and Mick Kearney, with the latter named on the bench.
Richardt Strauss is retained in the front row, with Jack McGrath coming in to replace Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong starting in place of Mike Ross, who moves to the bench.
ULSTER: Jared Payne; Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Craig Gilroy; Paddy Jackson, Ruan Pienaar; Callum Black, Rory Best (capt), Ricky Lutton, Peter Browne, Franco van der Merwe, Iain Henderson, Chris Henry, Sean Reidy.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Kyle McCall, Andrew Warwick, Robbie Diack, Roger Wilson, Paul Marshall, Stuart Olding, Darren Cave.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Isa Nacewa (capt), Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Luke McGrath; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Hayden Triggs, Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Peter Dooley, Mike Ross, Mick Kearney, Jordi Murphy, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Luke Fitzgerald.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Sean Gallagher, Leo Colgan (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Seamus Flannery (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 4/7; Draw: 19/1; Leinster to win: 7/5
Pre-Match Quotes: Rory Best (Ulster) – “We might get a chance if Munster beat the Scarlets, but the best way to do it (qualifying for the play-offs) is to make sure we keep it in our own destiny so for me, that means it is effectively knockout rugby.
“We’ve chipped off two wins in our last couple of games (Connacht home and Zebre away) and teams around us have faltered a little bit, so now we find ourselves in the top four. When you get to this stage of the season, all you can ask for is to have control of your own destiny and we’ve managed to get ourselves back into that position.
“Leinster have so many players and a huge depth of international talent, but we have to concentrate on ourselves. We’ll have to stop them at the gain-line and be really physical around that, but ultimately when we get out chances we have to be clinical with them because Leinster generally don’t concede a lot of tries.
“To beat Leinster you’ve got the be accurate, you’ve got to be ruthless. When you get the chance to score you’ve got to take it and when you’ve got the chance to stop them scoring you’ve got to make sure you’re on the money with your tackles.
“Against Leinster if you can dominate the gain-line and be really accurate with the ball, keep it through phases, you can do well. If you turn it over easily or let them build momentum, they’re a quality side and they’re very hard to beat.”
Girvan Dempsey (Leinster) – “This weekend against Ulster is huge. We’re fighting for that home semi-final and Ulster are certainly in the mix (for the play-offs), and obviously looking over their shoulder at the Scarlets behind them.
“You look at the table overall and you look at that last game between Connacht and Glasgow in Galway, that could decide a lot. We’re in a position now for the last two games where we can control our own destiny and we can decide where we finish in the table. That starts this Saturday against Ulster.
“We’re looking at ourselves, our own performance. We look back to the last game against Edinburgh and some of the frustrations in the first half and not getting the scores we felt we created, and actually converting that pressure into points.
“The second half was very pleasing. We spoke about a number of things at half-time and the guys come out and implement and get four tries. We’re constantly looking at our own performance. Ulster know it’s a huge game for them in terms of their qualification for the top four. It’s going to be a big game.
“Ulster are like ourselves – they’re a very strong defensive outfit, they’re second in the stats for their defensive record, likewise in attack they’ve got exciting players across the board.
“It’s going to be a challenge to our defence, and in terms of attack it’s going to be tough to break them down. But we feel if we perform the way have been over the last few weeks then we can get the result.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Ulster – Points: Paddy Jackson 97; Tries: Craig Gilroy 8; Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 78; Tries: Isa Nacewa 7
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, December 28, 2013 – Leinster 19 Ulster 6, the RDS
Friday, May 2, 2014 – Ulster 20 Leinster 22, Ravenhill
Saturday, May 17, 2014 – Semi-final – Leinster 13 Ulster 9, the RDS
Saturday, January 3, 2015 – Leinster 24 Ulster 11, the RDS
Friday, April 24, 2015 – Ulster 26 Leinster 10, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, November 27, 2015 – Leinster 8 Ulster 3, the RDS
MATCH FACTS:
– This is a ‘must win’ game for Ulster if they wish to claim a home play-off spot
– The Ulstermen’s only defeat in the last four rounds of the GUINNESS PRO12 was to Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium in round 18, while their only defeat at Kingspan Stadium since early January was 21-20 to the Scarlets in round 15
– Leinster’s last five PRO12 fixtures have all gone in favour of the home side on the day, while they have won five of their last eight away games in the competition
– Leinster’s only defeat in their last seven PRO12 encounters with Ulster was 26-10 in this equivalent fixture in Belfast in round 20 last year
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