Leinster still formidable despite absentees

INJURIES and international duties will deprive Leinster of seven front-line players at the Sportsground this evening but Michael Cheika has still been able to name a hugely experienced first 15 for the Magners League tie against Connacht (kick-off 7.30).

Four full Irish internationals will fill out the pack, two more are likely to feature in the back three while Ollie le Roux, Felipe Contepomi and Chris Whitaker will again offer an international flavour to the side.

Whitaker will wear the captain’s armband in the absence of both Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen. The Australian was captain for two pre-season games against Biarritz and Bath but this is the first time he will call the shots in a competitive fixture for Leinster this season.

The role is nothing new to the scrum-half who performed the duties for three years at the New South Wales Waratahs. He skippered Australia on one occasion as well but he is playing down his leadership role tonight. “The thing about this team is that there are a lot of leaders. The way we’re trying to organise it, the captain tosses the coin and that’s about it. We have individual leaders within each group and they make the calls.”

Malcolm O’Kelly will become the second most capped Leinster player of all time out west tonight. His 138th appearance will leave him just one behind Reggie Corrigan’s record for the province.

Also in contention for places are academy wings/full-backs Fionn Carr and Felix Jones and Whitaker is upbeat about the trickle of new blood into the squad in recent weeks.

“Like last week we have a lot of young guys involved and it’s up to them to push their claim to be in the squad. It’s good. Guys are coming through, the Luke Fitzgeralds and Cian Healys got their chance last year and now they’re in the Irish set-up. Kevin McLoughlin came on last week and had a really good game too.”

Connacht have made three changes and one positional switch from the side which shipped a 30-point defeat against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium two weeks back.

Keith Matthews returns to the starting line up for the first time since November, having recovered from an angle injury sustained against Cetransa el Salvador. He takes his place on the right wing.

Conor O’Loughlin comes back in at scrum-half while, in the pack, John Muldoon moves to blindside flanker in place of the injured Michael McCarthy. Colm Rigney comes into the side at number eight.

Both sides are desperate for the win but for very different reasons. Leinster are six points clear at the top of the table and will hope to maintain that gap on the Scarlets who are in Ravenhill tonight. Connacht are bottom of the table but could overtake Ulster if both results fall their way this evening.

Leinster beat Michael Bradley’s side 29-9 at the RDS last November but the scoreline didn’t mirror the closeness of that game for long periods and Whitaker expects another hard day at the office today.

“Last week (against Cardiff) was a big win for us but this is another big game,” said Whitaker. “If we don’t win this week, last week won’t count for much.”

CONNACHT: G Duffy; K Matthews, M Mostyn, M Deane, A Wynne; A Dunne, C O’Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, R Morris; M Swift, A Farley (capt); J Muldoon, J O’Connor, C Rigney.

LEINSTER: L Fitzgerald; S Horgan/G Brown/F Carr/F Jones (3 to be omitted), M Berne, C Warner, S Horgan/G Brown/F Carr/F Jones (3 to be omitted); F Contepomi, C Whitaker; O le Roux, B Blaney, S Wright; T Hogan, M O’Kelly; S Jennings, K Gleeson, S Keogh.

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU).