No French follies for Hines

LEINSTER will be breaking new ground with their first ever appearance in Brive this weekend, but not Nathan Hines. The Scottish international lock spent four years in the trenches of the Top 14 with Perpignan and can draw on some favourable memories of the Stade Municipal Pelouse Amedee-Domenech.

“The last time I played there, we won,” he said, referring to an 18-15 victory last January. “It was quite narrow, Dan Carter helped us out but Andy Goode had a kick to win and missed it.

“I played there the year before as well. I think we won that one and then the year before, we just lost. It’s always tough to go there. If you do win, it’s not by much.”