Sexton, Jennings back as Leinster set for Brive encounter
Leinster coach Michael Cheika resisted the temptation to introduce the international pair from the bench even though he admitted that both, particularly Jennings, could struggle for air in the opening minutes.
However, he is confident they will make their mark on this crucial fixture a week ahead of what is expected to be the pool decider against London Irish at Twickenham.
Tonight’s game should be less taxing for Sexton, who has been out of action (hand injury) for less than half the duration of Jennings’ break through suspension, the flanker coming in for his first game in 13 weeks.
Cheika said he seriously considered whether to name Jennings from the start or introduce him off the bench although he admitted; “he was always going to play.”
“We had difficult decisions to make in regard to selection. Shane is obviously a quality campaigner and he’s an important leader in our team. Sean O’Brien has done an unbelievably good job and we had a look at the options of playing them together, playing them separately, giving them game-time from the start or off the bench, so it was difficult.
“But it is a good complaint; it’s brilliant from a team perspective to have players of that quality from which to choose. In that sense it’s all part of the building process that we have in place to give us depth in different positions,” he said.
Unlike Brive, Cheika is taking no chances given that this game is a potential banana skin in advance of the headliner next week. Shane Horgan will become the first Leinster player to reach the 75 Heineken Cup appearance landmark in a backline which features six Ireland internationals. Brian O’Driscoll partners Gordon D’Arcy at centre with Eoin Reddan lining up at half-back alongside the returning Sexton who celebrates a 50th Leinster cap along with prop Cian Healy.
South African international CJ van der Linde has recovered from injury to take his place on a strong-looking bench, which includes Bernard Jackman, O’Brien, Malcolm O’Kelly and Mike Ross, Girvan Dempsey, Paul O’Donohue and Shaun Berne, the Australian who did so well in Sexton’s absence.
The French side travel to Dublin with a team that features just five of the players who started the corresponding fixture in Brive; the survivors are centres Jamie Noon and Lachlan Mackay, hooker Steve Thompson, second row Damian Browne and number eight Antoine Claasen.
Missing from the squad of 23 are captain Fabrice Estebanez and Riki Flutey, both of whom are reported to be back on the injured list; Andy Goode and the giant Georgian prop Davit Kinchagishvili are others whom Leinster will be happy not to see in the travelling party.
Although it appears to be a deal below a full strength Brive side – recent selections suggest it is somewhere between a first and second string team – the presence of Noon, Mackay, Horacio Agulla and Luciano Orguera in the backs, Pablo Henn, Thompson, Browne, Claasen and Alix Popham in the pack suggests the French will not be that easily overcome.
Cheika has reason to be worried beyond the Brive selection given Leinster’s lack of game-time in the last few weeks. He said: “Long term, missing those couple of games is probably going to put a different impetus on the squad because we’re probably going to have to catch up at least one of them during the Six Nations when we’ll be missing several players. At the same time, that’s what the game is about – dealing with these types of losses, of personnel, dealing with these types of obstacles, and making sure you come back from them in the best possible way.”
There is no margin for error today, emphasised Cheika, and there is nothing on his mind but the relentless pursuit of victory to ensure the round six clash remains a winner-take-all tie in this fascinating pool.
Having lost the opening pool game in Dublin to the Exiles, he admitted: Today is a very important step for us as far as progression is concerned and as far as our recovery in the tournament is concerned.”
Indeed Cheika is taking no chances in relation to the final outcome and won’t rely on any second hand information gleaned from the other game between Llanelli and London Irish at Parc Y Scarlets tomorrow.
He will be up early to fly to Wales intent on absorbing anything he can from the clash. “We will be there to have a look to try and get the bigger picture; to see what’s not shown on television is important and it’s a chance to refresh ourselves with all of the up to date facts,” he said.
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