Cheika keeps faith with tried and tested

MICHEAL CHEIKA has kept faith with the Leinster side that started last weekend’s 32-7 victory in Parc y Scarlets which means that all four try scorers – Shane Horgan, Gordon D’Arcy, Shaun Berne and Sean O’Brien will start today’s return clash.

Horgan’s try was his 25th in European competitions and he became only the second Leinster player to achieve that milestone after Brian O’Driscoll, who continues his centre partnership with D’Arcy.

In the pack, Kevin McLaughlin makes his 11th appearance of the season and starts in the back-row alongside O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip, who is one of 13 full Ireland internationals in the 23-man squad.

Scarlets, despite being crushed last time out, are optimistic they can put themselves back in contention after slipping into third spot, two points behind the pacesetters.

Head coach Nigel Davies has opted to bring in Rhys Priestland at full back behind Lions and Wales fly half Stephen Jones while the centre partnership of Jonathan Davies and Sean Lamont remains unchanged.

Andy Fenby stays on the wing after showing his potential last weekend with Darren Daniel brought in at 14. Daniel, who scored a try in his first start for the region against Worcester in November, has recorded an impressive string of tries in his recent appearances in the Premiership for Carmarthen Quins with five tries in two games.

Flanker Jonathan Edwards gets his first start for the region in the European campaign.

“The disappointment from our last performance has now been replaced by a desire to go out to Dublin and show what this Scarlets team is capable of,” said Davies.

“We have got to bring an intensity and an accuracy that we didn’t have last weekend. If you are going to beat Leinster at their home, you have to be on top of your game.”

Today’s match is sold out with no tickets on sale outside the ground.