The last eight meetings between Ulster and Leinster have been won by the home side, illustrating how tight this evening’s match is likely to be and, with bragging rights on the line, a fierce interprovincial derby is expected in Belfast.
GUINNESS PRO14: Saturday, October 28
ULSTER (2nd, Con B) v LEINSTER (3rd, Con B), Kingspan Stadium, 6.30pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/Sky Sports Action/highlights TG4)
Team News: Rory Best will become just the fourth Ulster player to reach 200 caps, having been named in the team for tonight’s GUINNESS PRO14 derby encounter with Leinster at Kingspan Stadium.
The game will mark Best’s first start of the season, following his return from injury as a replacement against La Rochelle last Sunday. Tickets for the interprovincial derby are sold out. To secure your tickets for Ulster’s upcoming home fixtures, visit www.ulsterrugby.com/buytickets.
Either side of Best, Rodney Ah You also comes into the province’s starting line-up at tighthead, with Callum Black completing the front row. Iain Henderson continues to captain the side as he shifts from flanker to the second row where he partners Alan O’Connor.
Strong-carrying South African Jean Deysel, who missed last week’s Champions Cup outing due to injury, returns at number 8, featuring alongside Ireland-capped flankers Sean Reidy and Chris Henry.
Aaron Cairns will make his first senior start for Ulster as the Ballynahinch clubman is named at scrum-half. He will be partnered at half-back by Australian international Christian Lealiifano.
The Ireland-capped duo of Stuart McCloskey and Luke Marshall are selected together in midfield, with Jacob Stockdale, Tommy Bowe and Charles Piutau making up a potent-looking back-three.
Abbey Insurance Ulster Academy scrum half Jonny Stewart is in line for his senior debut off the bench, while the fit-again Louis Ludik and Peter Nelson provide the additional back-line cover. Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell and Robbie Diack will offer the back-up forward options.
The players unavailable for selection this week are Peter Browne, Marcell Coetzee, John Cooney, Wiehahn Herbst, Paul Marshall, Kyle McCall, Caleb Montgomery, Jack Owens, Jared Payne, Dave Shanahan and Nick Timoney.
Meanwhile, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is able to recall a number of players back from injury, including British & Irish Lions Rob Kearney and Sean O’Brien, for the much-anticipated round 7 clash in Belfast.
The fit-again Kearney slots back in at full-back with Adam Byrne, one of four uncapped players named in Ireland’s GUINNESS Series squad, on the right wing and Dave Kearney on the left.
There is also a return from injury for Rory O’Loughlin who joins fellow St. Michael’s College past pupil Noel Reid in the centre. Jamison Gibson-Park and Ross Byrne start as the half-back pairing for the trip to the Kingspan.
Up front, Jack McGrath and Tadhg Furlong start at loosehead and tighthead prop respectively, while fellow international James Tracy wins his 50th Leinster cap at hooker. Devin Toner is joined in the second row by recent Champions Cup debutant James Ryan.
In the back row, Dan Leavy starts his first game back from injury after impressing off the bench last week in Glasgow, while Jordi Murphy also comes back into the starting XV at openside flanker. O’Brien, who has shaken off a calf injury, will captain Leinster from the base of the scrum.
On the bench, having played 40 minutes two weeks ago with the Leinster ‘A’ team, Richardt Strauss gets his first senior involvement of the season having recovered from a knee injury.
Cullen also gave an injury update on some players who are not involved this weekend. Both Barry Daly and Josh van der Flier had procedures this week after both suffered syndesmosis injuries against Glasgow Warriors in the Champions Cup.
Robbie Henshaw and Jonathan Sexton, who played big roles in Leinster’s strong start to their European campaign, were both not considered for selection due to knocks taken in training during the week. However, neither player is a long-term injury concern.
ULSTER: Charles Piutau; Tommy Bowe, Luke Marshall, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Christian Lealiifano, Aaron Cairns; Callum Black, Rory Best, Rodney Ah You, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (capt), Sean Reidy, Chris Henry, Jean Deysel.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andrew Warwick, Ross Kane, Kieran Treadwell, Robbie Diack, Jonny Stewart, Peter Nelson, Louis Ludik.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack McGrath, James Tracy, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Dan Leavy, Jordi Murphy, Sean O’Brien (capt).
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Luke McGrath, Cathal Marsh, Jordan Larmour.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (Wales), Leo Colgan (Ireland)
Television Match Official: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ulster to win: 13/10; Draw: 16/1; Leinster to win: 4/6
Pre-Match Quotes: Rodney Ah You (Ulster) – “We couldn’t ask for a better game to come home to and it’s an easy game to get motivated for. The crowd is definitely going to be loud here. I’m excited to be in involved and I just want to get the win against a big rival.
“I will try to make the most of any opportunities that I get and I’m always happy to be in the matchday 23. They (the Leinster props) are definitely good players and it will be good to test myself against them. They have shown how dangerous they can be already this season. They have 29 internationals in their squad, which says a lot about their quality.
“Jono (Gibbes) definitely brings a good positive difference to the squad this year and everyone is on edge, everyone respects what he says and takes on board what he brings to the squad. I have learned some new things off him and we are making good progress with our forward pack with Jono and Aaron (Dundon).
“It is awesome to have Bestie back in the squad, especially playing alongside him, and it helps my game to be better as well. He’ll pull you into line if you are not doing your job properly, he is a natural leader and someone that everybody in Ulster respects.”
Luke McGrath (Leinster) – “A huge amount of hard work and detail has gone into the past two European weeks by the whole squad. Not only the 23 playing but also the extended squad. Competition for places is at an all-time high. A mention too to the British & Irish Cup squad, who managed to beat Doncaster away and Cardiff Blues respectively, with bonus point wins.
“It’s been a positive couple of weeks for Leinster in both competitions but we all know that it is only the beginning. We have two games of PRO14 rugby left before the (international) break, and there’s no better way to return to the PRO14 than with an interpro against Ulster.
“The interpros are always memorable games as the intensity, pace and focus go up a level and it’ll be the same on Saturday. Ulster have been in great form in the PRO14, winning all of their home games and only losing narrowly away to Zebre. They are playing great attacking rugby so we must get our defence right if we want to win.
“The added importance is that they are in our conference, just ahead of us, so we have an extra incentive of moving ahead of them if we win. The Kingspan is a difficult place to get a result but we’ve trained hard all week and are looking forward to putting in a good performance.”
Top Scorers – 2017/18 GUINNESS PRO14: Ulster – Points: John Cooney 50; Tries: Jacob Stockdale 4; Leinster – Points: Ross Byrne 39; Tries: Barry Daly 4
2017/18 TEAM FORM: Ulster – Played 6, Won 5, Lost 1, 23 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); Leinster – Played 6, Won 5, Lost 1, 23 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)
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Friday, April 24, 2015 – Ulster 26 Leinster 10, Kingspan Stadium
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
MATCH FACTS:
– Ulster’s only defeat in their last eight GUINNESS PRO14 matches was 27-23 to Zebre in Parma in round 5
– The Ulstermen have not been defeated at Kingspan Stadium in the Championship since a 15-14 reversal to Munster exactly a year ago
– Leinster’s only defeat in any competition this season was 38-19 to the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in round 4 of the PRO14
– The Leinstermen have beaten just two fellow Irish provinces in their own back yards since 2014: at Munster in December 2015 and at Connacht last April
– The last eight meetings between the two provinces have all been won by the home side on the day, while Leinster’s most recent success in Belfast was 22-20 in May 2014
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