With the Scarlets opening up a six-point lead in Conference B, Leinster cannot afford to slip up against the Dragons and allow the reigning champions to pull further clear – particularly with Ulster also a point ahead of Leo Cullen’s in the race for the top three spots.
GUINNESS PRO14: Friday, November 24
LEINSTER (3rd, Con B) v DRAGONS (6th, Con B), the RDS, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is able to recall a number of players from injury, including captain Isa Nacewa, as well as handing a first senior start to Josh Murphy. He also welcomes back Jordi Murphy, Andrew Porter and Jack Conan who lined out for Ireland against Fiji last Saturday.
Jordan Larmour starts at full-back with Fergus McFadden selected on the right wing having recovered from a hamstring injury. The fit-again Nacewa leads the province from the left wing, on his first Leinster start since the loss to the the Toyota Cheetahs in September.
Noel Reid comes in to partner Rory O’Loughlin in the centre – the fourth time this season they have been paired together – while Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne are the selected half-backs again.
Up front, Ed Byrne, Sean Cronin and Michael Bent combine in the front row with Ross Molony and Scott Fardy, who reverts from the blindside flanker position, behind them in the second row.
There is a first start for the 22-year-old Josh Murphy who made his debut against Glasgow Warriors off the bench. The UCD clubman is joined in the back row by Jordi Murphy, who returns from international duty, and number 8 Max Deegan.
Westmeath youngster Conor O’Brien, who is part of a strong bench line-up, is also in line to make his first ever appearance at the RDS, with the province’s forward options including Porter and Conan, two of Ireland’s starters against the flying Fijians.
Should he be introduced off the bench, Richardt Strauss will win his 150th cap for Leinster, and there is also a first involvement of the season for Ian Nagle who has returned from a pectoral muscle injury.
Tickets for Leinster’s return to GUINNESS PRO14 action against Bernard Jackman’s Dragons tonight are available to buy here.
Meanwhile, Dragons boss Jackman has made eight changes to the young side that saw off the much-changed Scarlets 23-18 at home in the Anglo-Welsh Cup last Friday night.
The back-three sees the return of winger Ashton Hewitt as he links up with Jared Rosser and full-back Angus O’Brien. Jack Dixon rejoins Adam Warren in the centre, while Gavin Henson, the team’s top scorer in the PRO14 with 60 points, and South African scrum half Sarel Pretorius get the nod at half-back.
The front row sees 20-year-old hooker Ellis Shipp making his first start for the Welsh region, while prop Sam Hobbs returns from injury to also make his first start of the 2017/18 season. Tighthead Lloyd Fairbrother completes the trio.
Joe Davies and Matthew Screech, the man-of-the-match against the Scarlets, are retained in an unchanged second row, with youngster Aaron Wainwright (20) featuring in the back row alongside skipper Ollie Griffiths and number 8 James Benjamin. Dan Babos (19) and Connor Edwards (20) are in line for their PRO14 debuts off the bench.
LEINSTER: Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, Isa Nacewa (capt); Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ed Byrne, Sean Cronin, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, Max Deegan.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Peter Dooley, Andrew Porter, Ian Nagle, Jack Conan, Nick McCarthy, Cathal Marsh, Conor O’Brien.
DRAGONS: Angus O’Brien; Jared Rosser, Adam Warren, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt; Gavin Henson, Sarel Pretorius; Sam Hobbs, Ellis Shipp, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Matthew Screech, Aaron Wainwright, Ollie Griffiths (capt), James Benjamin.
Replacements: Gerard Ellis, Luke Garrett, Brok Harris, Rynard Landman, Ben Roach, Dan Babos, Arwel Robson, Connor Edwards.
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: Dunx McClement, Bob Nevins (both Scotland)
Television Match Official: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/18; Draw: 40/1; Dragons to win: 10/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “They’re always very dangerous these games. The first block was a big block when you think of the 10 games and now there’s some important games coming up.
“It feels like we’ve missed out on points along the way which we need to get back at some stage and this is our chance. We’re third in the Conference table so we have work to do and can’t fall further behind the Scarlets and even Ulster.
“Josh (Murphy) has worked really hard over the last couple of seasons and I thought he went really well in pre-season. He was unbelievably unlucky at the end in the Gloucester game, he got a crack in his jaw right at the end of the game which set him back.
“He’s worked really hard, he’s been in the Academt system the last number of years. Came off the bench against Glasgow so I think it was important to reward him with a first start in the RDS. There’s some good experience around him so (we’re) looking forward to seeing him play.
“Conor O’Brien started that game (in Glasgow) and he drops to the bench for tomorrow. We’re trying to keep those guys involved. They’ve trained well but this time of year is always a challenge with guys coming in and out of (Ireland) camp.
“We’ve had a couple of guys who have returned from injury which is always a boost. We’ve got a decent volume of work done, in particular with a number of Academy players, and those weeks are important to us as a province as you’re getting young players more and more comfortable with systems and structures. The more familiar they become training the easier it is when they step into the team. It’s an important period.”
Adam Warren (Dragons) – “It’s a big challenge and there will be patches when we have to ride the storm. Leinster always raise their intensity when at home. They have a big development programme and a ‘second team’ that can beat anyone on their day.
“They have proved that in the past and if you don’t make a good start over there then the intensity goes through the roof and they can blow you away. They don’t have weak links individually but we just have to take our tactical game-plan to them and be positive. There’s not much pressure on us as they are favourites.
“We’ve had a big patch of away games but have five home games in December when we really want to put a marker down and show everyone in the Championship that we are changing and improving. We want to build momentum.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Leinster – Points: Ross Byrne 53; Tries: Barry Daly, Rory O’Loughlin 4 each; Dragons – Points: Gavin Henson 60; Tries: Elliot Dee 5
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Leinster – Played 8, Won 6, Lost 2, 27 Points; W 39-16 v Dragons (away), W 37-9 v Cardiff Blues (home), W 31-10 v Southern Kings (away), L 38-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), W 21-13 v Edinburgh (home), W 23-17 v Munster (home), W 25-10 v Ulster (away), L 31-21 v Glasgow Warriors (away); Dragons – Played 8, Won 2, Lost 6, 10 Points; L 39-16 v Leinster (home), L 35-18 v Edinburgh (away), W 21-8 v Connacht (home), L 52-25 v Ulster (away), W 29-13 v Southern Kings (home), L 43-29 v Cardiff Blues (away), L 28-14 v Ospreys (away), L 49-6 v Munster (away)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Sunday, April 12, 2015 – Dragons 25 Leinster 22, Rodney Parade
Saturday, October 3, 2015 – Leinster 37 Dragons 13, the RDS
Friday, January 29, 2016 – Dragons 23 Leinster 13, Rodney Parade
Saturday, December 3, 2016 – Leinster 28 Dragons 15, the RDS
Friday, February 24, 2017 – Dragons 22 Leinster 54, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 2, 2017 – Dragons 16 Leinster 39, Rodney Parade
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster’s five-match winning run in all competitions ended when they were beaten in Glasgow in round 8 of the GUINNESS PRO14
– The Leinstermen have not lost a regular season Championship home match since the Dragons visited the RDS in February 2015
– Their only defeats to a Welsh region anywhere since then were both to the Scarlets in Llanelli in November 2016 and at the RDS in last season’s semi-final
– The Dragons have lost their last three PRO14 fixtures since beating the Southern Kings at Rodney Parade in round 5
– The Dragons have lost their last 28 away games, an unwanted Championship record, since beating Benetton Rugby in March 2015
– Honours have been almost even in the last seven encounters between the two sides, with Leinster prevailing by four wins to three. However, the province have won the last three in a row
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