A repeat of the 2017 quarter-final kicks off this season’s Heineken Champions Cup as Leinster look to make a winning start to their title defence against Wasps at a packed-out RDS.
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 1: Friday, October 12
LEINSTER v WASPS, the RDS, 7.45pm (live BT Sport 2/Newstalk/highlights Virgin Media One)
Team News: For Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup opener at home to Wasps, head coach Leo Cullen has made nine personnel changes and one positional switch to the team that defeated Munster 30-22 in the GUINNESS PRO14 last weekend.
Jonathan Sexton will captain Leinster in the opening game of the province’s Champions Cup title defence, pairing up with Luke McGrath at half-back. Garry Ringrose comes in at outside centre while Robbie Henshaw is retained in the number 12 jersey for the RDS encounter.
Right winger Jordan Larmour is the only change to the back-three from last Saturday’s interprovincial derby, and a new front row of Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong is selected in tandem with the retained second row pairing of Devin Toner and James Ryan.
Dan Leavy shifts from openside flanker to blindside as Josh van der Flier, who has had a strong start to the new season, features in the number 7 shirt and Jack Conan completes the back row, with the fit-again Sean O’Brien earning a place on the bench.
Leinster’s replacement options also include Scott Fardy, an EPCR European Player of the Year nominee last season, and fellow Australian international Joe Tomane who is poised to make his European debut for the province if introduced.
Tickets for Leinster’s opening Pool 1 match against Wasps, who are currently third in the Gallagher Premiership table with four wins from six, are available to buy here.
Meanwhile, recent England debutant Brad Shields, All Black Lima Sopoaga and South Africa’s Willie le Roux are restored to the Wasps starting line-up for the Champions Cup curtain raiser in Dublin.
Shields has recovered from a cheekbone injury to start in the back row alongside Nizaam Carr and Thomas Young, the latter making his first start of the 2018/19 campaign after returning from injury against Gloucester last weekend. Nathan Hughes misses out through suspension.
Out-half Sopoaga is fit to play after a neck spasm while Springbok star le Roux returns from Rugby Championship duty despite going off with a head injury assessment last week. The experienced full-back has passed the return-to-play protocols to be fit for the clash with Leinster.
Joe Simpson is recalled to start at scrum half in place of Dan Robson, who is out for approximately three months with an ankle injury, while Michael le Bourgeois is added to the midfield where he partners Juan de Jongh. Skipper Elliot Daly moves to the left wing in place of Christian Wade (illness).
Georgian prop Zurabi Zhvania is handed a starting spot in the front row next to Tommy Taylor and Kieran Brookes, with Will Rowlands and James Gaskell getting the nod in the second row.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Jonathan Sexton (capt), Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Dan Leavy, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Scott Fardy, Sean O’Brien, Nick McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Joe Tomane.
WASPS: Willie le Roux; Josh Bassett, Juan de Jongh, Michael le Bourgeois, Elliot Daly (capt); Lima Sopoaga, Joe Simpson; Zurabi Zhvania, Tommy Taylor, Kieran Brookes, Will Rowlands, James Gaskell, Brad Shields, Thomas Young, Nizaam Carr.
Replacements: Tom Cruse, Ben Harris, Will Stuart, Kearnan Myall, Ashley Johnson, Craig Hampson, Billy Searle, Rob Miller.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Leinster to win: 1/12; Draw: 33/1; Wasps to win: 13/2
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “You start all over again from scratch. It is slightly different. The dynamic of the group is different. At the end of every year you lose a few players and a couple of guys come in or push through. Everyone is a year older. Some are wiser, others maybe not so! So the dynamic starts all over again.
“We try to build our way into the season. We always have the challenge of trying to manage guys in at different stages. We’ve come through that and we have a nice competitive bunch of players here who want to push on and do well.
“They know what is at stake off the back of these games with selections in November and all the different bits that go on after that. The group are in good form but guys know that they have to play because if they don’t play well then chances are that someone else will come in and take their spot.”
Dai Young (Wasps) – “We’ve had the kick in the backside going into this game (losing 35-21 at home to Gloucester in the Premiership). It’s up to us to respond. It adds some intensity when you think about who you are playing. We’ve played Leinster a few times over the past couple of seasons and we’ve got a huge respect for the way they play the game.
“You’ve only got to look at the fact they have an all-international 15 and a couple of others to back it up as well. They’ve certainly got a quality team. You don’t win the European Cup by accident.
“We’re under no illusions, we’re not going there as favourites but we’re looking forward to it. It’s a great game for us to be a part of in the first round of the Champions Cup.”
Current Form – Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 33-32 v Cardiff Blues (away), Lost 23-21 v Scarlets (away), Won 52-10 v Dragons (home), Won 31-7 v Edinburgh (home), Won 20-3 v Connacht (away), Won 30-22 v Munster (home)
Wasps – (Gallagher Premiership): Won 21-20 v Worcester Warriors (away), Lost 42-31 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Won 41-35 v Leicester Tigers (home), Won 31-13 v Sale Sharks (away), Won 23-22 v Newcastle Falcons (away), Lost 35-21 v Gloucester (home)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 79; Tries: Jonathan Sexton 4; Wasps – Points: Jimmy Gopperth 24; Tries: Elliot Daly 3
Previous European Meetings: 9
Saturday, April 1, 2017 – Quarter-final – Leinster 32 Wasps 17, Aviva Stadium
Saturday, January 23, 2016 – Pool 5 – Wasps 51 Leinster 10, Ricoh Arena
Sunday, November 15, 2015 – Pool 5 – Leinster 6 Wasps 33, the RDS
Saturday, January 24, 2015 – Pool 2 – Wasps 20 Leinster 20, Ricoh Arena
Sunday, October 19, 2014 – Pool 2 – Leinster 25 Wasps 20, the RDS
Friday, April 5, 2013 – Challenge Cup Quarter-final – Wasps 28 Leinster 48, Adams Park
Saturday, January 17, 2009 – Pool 2 – London Wasps 19 Leinster 12, Twickenham
Saturday, October 18, 2008 – Pool 2 – Leinster 41 London Wasps 11, the RDS
Saturday, March 31, 2007 – European Cup Quarter-final – London Wasps 35 Leinster 13, Adams Park
Match Facts –
– Reigning champions Leinster won all nine games on their way to lifting the Champions Cup trophy last season, and one more victory would equal their longest winning streak in the competition which they set across the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons
– This will be the fourth time in their last five European Cup campaigns that Wasps have begun with an away game in Ireland (W1, L2)
– Leinster have won each of their last six games against Gallagher Premiership opposition, this after having won just four of their preceding 10 such games (D1, L5)
– Last season Leinster were the only side to concede an average of less than 10 turnovers per game in the competition (9.7)
– Despite beating fewer defenders per game (14.5) than any other side, only Saracens (3.6) averaged more tries than Wasps (3.5) in 2017/18
– Christian Wade had an average gain of 8.8 metres per carry in the pool stages of last season’s tournament, the best rate of any of the 66 players to make as many carries as him (45)
– Leinster scrum half Luke McGrath provided six try assists last season, the most of any player in the competition
– Leinster lock James Ryan completed 74 of 74 tackles last season, no player attempted more without missing at least one
European Cup Records:
Leinster –
2017/18: Champions
2016/17: Reached the semi-finals
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Champions
2010/11: Champions
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Champions
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals
Wasps –
2017/18: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2016/17: Reached the quarter-finals
2015/16: Reached the semi-finals
2014/15: Reached the quarter-finals
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2006/07: Champions
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2003/04: Champions
2001/02: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 2
1999/00: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the quarter-finals
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool D
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