Irish provinces to have one eye on English action

MUNSTER and Leinster might have their own domestic duties to focus on today, but they will keeping one eye on the action across the water, as their respective Heineken Cup pool rivals meet in the Guinness Premiership.

Both Irish provinces look headed for final-weekend showdowns, with Northampton visiting Thomond Park while Leinster head to Reading to face London Irish.

The English duo clash today at Franklin’s Gardens (3pm), with both hoping to make up ground on leaders Saracens.

The Exiles broke Sarries’ 11-game winning run last Sunday to move into second in the table, and coach Toby Booth has urged his side to concoct a repeat performance.

“We produced a top-class performance against Saracens last Sunday, and showed what a quality side we can be.

“We need to maintain those standards as we head into the second half of the season,” said Booth.

“After watching Northampton in recent weeks, it is clear that they contest the breakdown very hard and push the laws to the limit. We will need to focus on that aspect of tomorrow’s match to ensure we have a good attacking platform.”

Booth makes two changes to the team that beat league leaders Saracens, with Kieran Roche starting at blind-side flanker while Paul Hodgson comes in at scrum-half for Alfredo Lalanne.

Third-placed Northampton stick with the side that beat Worcester on St Stephen’s Day. Prop Soane Tonga’uiha will become the latest Saint to reach a century of appearances, after Jon Clarke and Dylan Hartley reached the same total.

Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder said: “London Irish like to play a constructive style of rugby and score a lot of tries. They also have good kickers too, like Ryan Lamb, Chris Malone and Peter Hewat, and are able to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

“If we are to get a positive result we will have to play with control, impose our game plan and be as clinical as we were in the second half against Worcester.”

Elsewhere, Leeds Carnegie aim for lift-off when they take on fellow strugglers Bath at Headingley.

The bottom-of-the-table Yorkshiremen take on the six-time champions buoyed by a 16-15 win at Newcastle and back-to-back European Challenge Cup triumphs.

Bath’s 24-8 defeat of Gloucester last Sunday brought to an end a seven-game winless run in the Premiership, but they have not won away from home since a trip to Sale in September.

At the other end of the table, leaders Saracens hosting fourth-placed Leicester, who were the only away team to win at Vicarage Road in 2009 and have won their last three matches against Saracens.

In tomorrow’s other game, Worcester, the only side in the Premiership yet to record an away win this season, seek to break their duck at Gloucester, who are just two points above them in the table.

On Sunday, Newcastle look for their first win in nine visits to Adams Park when they take on a Wasps team led by John Hart in the absence of Serge Betsen – and with Danny Cipriani at full-back.