Lions trio return for Leinster’s Edinburgh trip
The Irish province have recorded two wins and a loss this season and are desperate for a good performance ahead of their glamour clash with Munster at the RDS on October 3.
Leinster consultant coach Alan Gaffney is satisfied with the side’s early form but admits “there’s room for improvement”.
He said: “We have won two out of our first three games this year and we are improving. We beat a Dragons side at home who are going well near the top of the league and followed that up with the win in Swansea last weekend, so we’re pretty happy with where we are, but we also know there’s room for improvement.
“For certain games against different teams we have had to adapt the way we have elected to play and we had a well-conceived game plan which the boys carried out which was satisfying because it’s not easy to get a result against a side as good as the Ospreys.
“Edinburgh have a hugely competitive pack. Their back row has been a real area of strength in recent years and in my time coaching on this side of the world you expect to face a powerful pack. Their have exciting backs who like to run and they are adept at spinning the ball out wide and playing with a lot of attacking flair. Phil Godman is playing well at 10 and Chris Paterson likes to attack from full-back. We know that we’re not in top form, but we are improving. Saturday’s game will be another massive challenge for us and one that we’re looking forward to.”
Gaffney also praised the effort and the enthusiasm of the province’s Lions contingent. He said: “The Lions players have been working very hard in training over the last few weeks and I know how desperately keen they all are to get back on the paddock and play. It has been a long pre-season for them, which was deserved after a long season, but they’re fit and raring to go and we’re happy to welcome them back to the panel. They will just add to the competition levels in the squad, which is good news for us.”
Girvan Dempsey, who missed last weekend’s 18-11 victory over the Ospreys, is in the squad along with Jonathan Sexton, Leo Cullen, Nathan Hines, Shane Jennings and 19-year-old Leinster Academy and Ireland Under-20 back-row forward Dominic Ryan.
LEINSTER (squad v Edinburgh):
Forwards: L Cullen, J Fogarty, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, S Jennings, R McCormack, K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, M Ross, D Ryan, D Toner, S Wright
Backs: S Berne, G D’Arcy, G Dempsey, L Fitzgerald, S Horgan, C Keane, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, E Reddan, J Sexton
Referee: Tim Hayes (WRU).
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