Cheika focused on beating Blues in Millennium showdown

LEINSTER head to the Millennium Stadium earlier than anticipated but still in the hunt for some silverware.

On Sunday, six days before Munster battle Biarritz in the Welsh capital for Heineken Cup honours, Michael Cheika’s Leinster Lions meet Cardiff Blues and bid to move a step closer to the Celtic League title.

The Blues’ hard-fought 26-17 defeat at Ravenhill last weekend leaves Ulster and top-of-the-table Leinster effectively the only contenders for the crown.

The game is being played at the Millennium Stadium because a marquee for corporate guests for Saturday’s FA Cup final is covering the Arms Park ground.

After the disappointment of their European Cup defeat to Munster, Cheika is glad to have this objective.

He admitted: “It’s come down to a semi-final and a final between ourselves and Ulster. It’s nice to be two weeks away from the end of the championship and still be in the race.

“People know our ambitions for the Celtic League this year and we’ve taken a lot of positives from our Heineken Cup campaign. We have another opportunity to gel together that bit more this weekend. It’s good that we’ve had the opportunities to build our character as a team.”

He describes the respect between Leinster and Ulster as a “healthy” one.

“Ulster haven’t been spoken about because they haven’t had that many games recently. They have been able to play mostly the same team and have only really missed Paul Steinmetz.”

But his primary concern remains Cardiff, a side feels have improved since Leinster’s defeat to them in the RDS earlier this season.

“They’re very physical and like to work around the fringes. We’re becoming more aggressive in our own right. I like that the game is in the Millennium Stadium because it gives us a bit more width.

“They’re good all over. I know Marc Stcherbina from playing in Australia and Mike Phillips is a very good scrum half who dominates games.”

Ireland Under-21 stars Devin Toner and Jonathan Sexton — as well as Jonathan Hepworth — have been added to the squad that defeated the Glasgow Warriors 21-18 in Firhill last weekend. Guy Easterby, Celtic League top points scorer Felipe Contepomi, Keith Gleeson and Rob Kearney are also involved.

And Leinster aren’t the only ones eagerly anticipating a run out in one of the world’s most famous stadia.

“I’ve only ever watched a game at the Millennium Stadium and that was Wales versus the All Blacks just before Christmas,” said Blues and ex-All Black number eight Xavier Rush.

“The atmosphere there was probably the best I’ve ever experienced at a rugby match. The way the guys have been playing and the way Leinster play I think it’ll be a cracking game.”

Centre Stcherbina, added: “It’s a fantastic venue and a big game for us and hopefully all the crowd and supporters will get behind us.”

LEINSTER Forwards (13): W Green, R Corrigan, R McCormack, E Byrne, B Jackman, B Blaney, M O’Kelly, A Byrnes, D Toner, N Ronan, K Gleeson, J Heaslip, E Miller.

Backs (12): G Easterby, B O’Riordan, F Contepomi, J Sexton, G Dempsey, B O’Driscoll, K Lewis, S Horgan, D Hickie, G D’Arcy, R Kearney, J Hepworth.