Cheika gambles on youth but Munster roll out big guns again

MUNSTER and Leinster appear to have completely different priorities as they face into another round of Magners League action this weekend.

Michael Cheika clearly has taken a massive gamble by naming an understrength Leinster squad for the visit to Murrayfield tomorrow night (7.45pm), while Tony McGahan is as good as his word that Munster will go all out to succeed Leinster as champions of the Celtic competition. He has chosen all but one of his most experienced players in a 24-man squad for Saturday’s clash with Connacht at Thomond Park (7.30pm).

McGahan has given Donncha O’Callaghan a rare weekend off and added the names of Donncha Ryan, Michael Essex and Nick Williams to the mix. Clearly, McGahan is hoping to pick up a timely boost with wins over Connacht and then Llanelli in the build up to a Heineken Cup semi-final shoot-out with Leinster on May 2.

Several of Munster’s stars are likely to be confined to the bench. But having lost to Connacht in the first fixture in Galway, McGahan is in no mood to take major risks; accordingly he wants all senior hands available.

Cheika is taking a calculated risk, recognising that the lack of Heineken Cup success in the province needs to be addressed. Accordingly, he is taking a Magners League gamble by resting most his most experienced players.

Leo Cullen, Gordon D’Arcy, Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan bring the experience to a squad that bears scant resemblance to the one that triumphed in Sunday’s stunning Heineken Cup triumph over Harlequins.

Ollie le Roux is named amongst a group of 14 forwards as he battles to overcome a toe injury, but there is no sign of front-liners like Bernard Jackman, Stan Wright, Malcolm O’Kelly, Rocky Elsom or Shane Jennings.

The back division also lacks experience, with replacement names in for Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll, Luke Fitzgerald. Rob Kearney, Felipe Contepomi and Chris Whitaker, leaving this group of academy and fringe players to battle against an Edinburgh side notoriously difficult to beat at home.

Seven points adrift of Munster, defeat for the reigning champions would be disastrous, but clearly Cheika is willing to take that risk as his focus turns to the Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Munster on May 2.

The Leinster defence coach, Kurt McQuilkin, attached no significance to naming the weakened squad; merely outlining that it was an opportunity for some players to push for regular selection and saying the team would have to be as ruthless closing Edinburgh down as they were at the Stoop last Sunday.

“Last Sunday was an outstanding effort by the team. The performance embodied all that is good about Leinster — pride, passion and a real commitment to the cause. The manner in which the players have put their bodies on the line means that we are in a strong position to go up another level, which we need to do, starting Friday.

“Edinburgh are a side we rate highly. This will be the fourth time that we meet for the second successive season, so there’s a degree of familiarity between us. They are a side that likes to attack you up front as well as out wide. They have a number of top internationals and in Mike Blair they have an outstanding performer. Hugo Southwell, Chris Paterson and Nick de Luca are two more international class backs.

“They have quality forwards like Allister Hogg and Ross Ford. Their coach Andy Robinson has done a very good job, and Edinburgh are an effective team all over the park.

“We know how tough the task will be, but there has been a buzz around training. It’s a five-day turnaround, so management of players will be an important factor. We have a competitive squad and it’s good that competition for places is so high. We have to get our tackles in and be ruthless around the fringes. We have to be rigid in defence, clinical in attack and take any opportunities that come our way.”

Munster (from): D Hurley, P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, B Murphy, I Dowling; R O’Gara, P Stringer, T O’Leary; T Buckley, M Horan, J Hayes, M Essex, J Flannery, D Fogarty, M O’Driscoll, P O’Connell, D Ryan, A Quinlan, D Wallace, N Ronan, D Leamy. N Williams.

Leinster (from): Forwards: O le Roux, R McCormack, B Blaney, J Fogarty, J Harris-Wright, J Hagan, S Knoop, L Cullen, T Hogan, D Toner, C Jowitt, S O’Brien, S Keogh, K McLaughlin

Backs (13): C Keane, P O’Donohoe, I Nacewa, I McKinley, S Keogh, G D’Arcy, E Sheridan, K Tonetti, F McFadden, G Brown, S Horgan, G Dempsey, N Morris