Conference B rivals Leinster and Ulster kick off another mouth-watering day of interprovincial action, as the RDS plays host to the two victorious Irish sides from the last round of the GUINNESS PRO14.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, January 6
LEINSTER (2nd, Con B) v ULSTER (3rd, Con B), the RDS, 5.35pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Northern Ireland/Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Action)
Team News: St. Mary’s College clubman Jack McGrath will lead out a Leinster senior side at the RDS for the first time. There are 13 personnel changes for the province’s third derby clash in 11 days, as Fergus McFadden and Garry Ringrose are the only players retained in the starting XV.
Jordan Larmour, the scorer of that stunning solo try against Munster on St. Stephen’s Day, starts at full-back with McFadden on the right wing and Barry Daly on the left. Robbie Henshaw rejoins Ringrose at centre, while Ross Byrne, who has scored 86 points so far in this season’s PRO14, resumes at half-back alongside Jamison Gibson-Park.
In a completely refreshed starting pack, stand-in captain McGrath is joined in the front row by James Tracy and Tadhg Furlong, while fellow internationals Devin Toner and Scott Fardy come in as the starting locks.
In the back row, 22-year-old Academy player Josh Murphy starts for only the second time in Leinster colours, with Jordi Murphy, who will move to Ulster in the summer, at openside flanker and Jack Conan completing the selected forwards at number 8.
Leinster have announced that well over 17,000 tickets have now been sold for today’s interprovincial encounter, and only limited number of tickets are still available to buy here.
Meanwhile, Ireland captain Rory Best returns to lead Ulster in their round 13 showdown with Leinster. Best, who has recovered from an ankle skin infection, has not featured for Les Kiss’ men since the dramatic draw with the Dragons in Newport at the start of December.
Abbey Insurance Academy scrum half Jonny Stewart, who only turns 20 next month, has earned a first senior start for the province, having made his debut off the bench against the same opposition earlier in the season.
Best will start at hooker and will be joined in the front row by Callum Black and Rodney Ah You. Peter Browne will play for the first time since September after being named in the second row alongside Iain Henderson. Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy and Jean Deysel will combine in the back row.
Ireland Under-20 international Stewart will be partnered at half-back by Christian Lealiifano, while Stuart McCloskey and Darren Cave, who scored a try and made an assist in last Monday’s memorable comeback win over Munster, are retained in midfield.
Ireland international wingers Andrew Trimble and Jacob Stockdale are restored to the back-three, with New Zealander Charles Piutau continuing at full-back.
Rob Herring, Kyle McCall and Wiehahn Herbst are the front row replacements, with Alan O’Connor and Nick Timoney providing additional forward cover. John Cooney, Johnny McPhillips and Tommy Bowe are the back-line options on the bench.
Ulster still have a long list of absentees to deal with as Marcell Coetzee, Matthew Dalton, Robbie Diack, Craig Gilroy, Chris Henry, Brett Herron, Robert Lyttle, Luke Marshall, Paul Marshall, Adam McBurney, Jared Payne, Jonny Simpson and Kieran Treadwell are all either sidelined through injury or illness.
LEINSTER: Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Barry Daly; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack McGrath (capt), James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Josh Murphy, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Sean Cronin, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Mick Kearney, Max Deegan, Nick McCarthy, Jonathan Sexton, Noel Reid.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Christian Lealiifano, Jonny Stewart; Callum Black, Rory Best (capt), Rodney Ah You, Peter Browne, Iain Henderson, Matthew Rea, Sean Reidy, Jean Deysel.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Kyle McCall, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, John Cooney, Johnny McPhillips, Tommy Bowe.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Joy Neville, Shane Kierans (both Ireland)
Television Match Official: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/8; Draw: 25/1; Ulster to win: 8/1
Pre-Match Quotes: Garry Ringrose (Leinster) – “It was a physical game in midfield (against Connacht on New Year’s Day), with coming back from a shoulder injury or not, I think it is pretty difficult to deal with Bundee (Aki) on any given day.
“He proved his quality along with Tom Farrell in the centre. He certainly made it tough for myself, Noel (Reid) and Rory (O’Loughlin) when he came on. There were a couple of learings from the game but hopefully now it’s nice to be in for the next day, get the analysis done, go out to training and work on them again.
“Sure, myself and Jacob (Stockdale) would stay in touch over camps and stuff and I’d see him, but I won’t text him this week anyway. He was pretty special back then (when we played together with the Ireland Under-20s). The trajectory has only been up since – the second year with the 20s, getting to the (World Cup) final and he was one of the stand-out players, no doubt.
“He’s been in phenomenal form with Ulster and then for Ireland he proved his quality again, in November. He doesn’t seem to be stopping at all. He’s certainly one of Ulster’s threats we’ll have to look out for. He has been incredible – he certainly plays with a smile. He’s a big guy but he’s skilful as well and has a big left boot as well. He’s a talent.”
Aaron Dundon (Ulster) – “Leinster treat an interpro right up there with Europe, They want to win every interpro, they take extra pride in winning, home and away. Yes, it’s a competition outside the PRO14 competition but they want to win, and take pride in doing just that.
“It could have been a risk (in selecting Kyle McCall and Rodney Ah You to start against Munster after injury lay-offs), yes, but we needed to get these boys match fit for this weekend and with the two Champions Cup games coming up. These boys are too important to how we play, we need to give them game-time.
“Kyle and Rodney struggled a bit (in the scrums), but they will be better for it. It was the right change (to bring on Callum Black and Wiehahn Herbst). In the front row, in the scrum, we didn’t do what we planned to do.
“It was the same down in Connacht when we lost every aspect of the game. In the second half against Munster the boys changed, we did what was planned and stuck to it. Clearly with a bonus try win, we had a better outcome.
“We told the players we needed a response. What was pleasing was that we showed up in the second half (against Munster), but if we just play in the second half against Leinster it won’t be good enough. We’ve got to turn up at the RDS, we’ve got to want to play, get at them and bring the physicality that was missing for a game-and-a-half.
“There’s no bigger game than playing one of the best teams in Europe on their own patch. The players should have the right attitude for games like Leinster. You’re playing against fellow countrymen, your (Ireland) team-mates in many cases, these are the games you want to be at your best for.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Leinster – Points: Ross Byrne 86; Tries: Rory O’Loughlin 5; Ulster – Points: John Cooney 75; Tries: Andrew Trimble, Craig Gilroy 5 each
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Leinster – Played 12, Won 10, Lost 2, 46 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), W 54-10 v Dragons (home), W 36-10 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 34-24 v Munster (away), W 21-18 v Connacht (home); Ulster – Played 12, Won 8, Drawn 1, Lost 3, 40 Points; W 42-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (home), W 21-14 v Benetton Rugby (away), W 27-20 v Scarlets (home), W 52-25 v Dragons (home), L 27-23 v Zebre (away), W 16-8 v Connacht (home), L 25-10 v Leinster (home), W 43-36 v Southern Kings (away), W 23-22 v Benetton Rugby (home), D 32-32 v Dragons (away), L 44-16 v Connacht (away), W 24-17 v Munster (home)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, November 27, 2015 – Leinster 8 Ulster 3, the RDS
Saturday, April 30, 2016 – Ulster 30 Leinster 6, Kingspan Stadium
Friday, May 20, 2016 – Semi-final – Leinster 30 Ulster 18, the RDS
Saturday, January 31, 2016 – Leinster 22 Ulster 7, the RDS
Saturday, May 6, 2017 – Ulster 17 Leinster 13, Kingspan Stadium
Saturday, October 28, 2017 – Ulster 10 Leinster 25, Kingspan Stadium
MATCH FACTS:
– Leinster have lost only once in any competition since the end of September: 31-21 at Glasgow Warriors in round 8 of the GUINNESS PRO14
– The Leinstermen have lost just once at home in the PRO14 since February 2015: 27-15 at the RDS to the Scarlets in last season’s semi-final
– Ulster have lost just one of their last seven matches in all competitions: 44-16 to Connacht in Galway before Christmas, while their only victory away to a fellow Irish province since April 2015 was on a trip to Connacht in December 2015
– Leinster have lost only one of their last four fixtures with Ulster: 17-13 in Belfast last May
– The Ulstermen have won just once in 14 previous visits to the RDS: 22-18 in March 2013
– Overall, the two provinces have met on 153 previous occasions with Leinster having the edge by 78 wins to 60 with 15 draws
This website uses cookies.
Read More