Cheika eyes change as Leinster ‘evolution’ gets underway

LEINSTER may have ended a run of near-misses and underachievement in glorious fashion by winning the Heineken Cup, but that will not stop Michael Cheika from imposing a change of playing style this season.

It all begins tonight at Parc y Scarlets (6.30pm) when Leinster open their Magners League campaign against a Scarlets side that celebrate the life and times of Ray Gravell by unveiling a statue in his memory.

Eyebrows might be raised at Cheika’s assessment that change is required, but the Aussie coach points to the departures of Felipe Contepomi, Chris Whitaker and Rocky Elsom as the reasoning for a new approach.

And Cheika argues his options are potentially stronger this time around. Lions lock Nathan Hines is the highest-profile recruit but Irish internationals Eoin Reddan (scrum-half) and Mike Ross (prop) have also joined, along with South African hooker Richardt Strauss and Australian utility back Shaun Berne, while CJ van der Linde is fully fit.

“We feel that across the board we’ve got a stronger squad” said Cheika. “We’ve more depth. We’re rebuilding a little bit from last year; it’s a sort of evolution that’s been taking place.

“We can improve. Last season we hung in there, we showed a lot of mental resolve, we played at a consistent level which gave us the opportunity to get a bit of luck to win. But you don’t allow that to paper over the areas where you need to improve. There are certain inconsistencies in our game.

“We’re going to change some issues because we have different personnel and there are different rule sets.”

A lot of attention will centre on out-half Jonathan Sexton, who showed remarkable composure in last year’s Heineken Cup semi-final and final wins.

The 24-year-old has been earmarked for a place in the Irish squad and is expected to challenge Ronan O’Gara, but Cheika insists his first job will be to cement a place in the Leinster team.

“The player is more experienced now. Even though sometimes we would have been criticised in the past for not playing him, we would have felt there was a curve that the player had to take. Obviously by not re-signing Felipe the opportunity is there for him but he’s going to have other challenges within the team to meet as well as a responsibility to the team to perform.”

Berne is to make his competitive debut for the province tonight and will partner Fergus McFadden at centre; Chris Keane and Sexton form the half-back partnership.

The team is led once more by Leo Cullen, who makes his 118th Leinster appearance and he will partner Leinster’s most capped player Malcolm O’Kelly (167) in the second row.

For the hosts, there will be starts for international new recruits Sean Lamont, Richie Pugh and Rhys Thomas.

LLANELLI: D Evans, S Lamont, R Higgitt, J Davies, M Jones (captain), R Priestland, M Roberts, I Thomas, K Owens, R Thomas, L Reed, D Day, S Easterby, D Lyons, R Pugh.

Replacements: P John, E Phillips, D Manu, V Cooper, D Jones, L Williams, D Newton.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey, S Horgan, F McFadden, S Berne, I Nacewa, J Sexton, C Keane, C Healy, J Fogarty, S Wright, L Cullen (captain), M O’Kelly, K McLaughlin, S Keogh, S Jennings.

Replacements: B Jackman/J Harris-Wright, M Ross, D Toner, S O’Brien, P O’Donohue, S Keogh, N Morris.

Referee: Neil Paterson (SRU).