Leinster: It’ll be no Paris pushover

LEINSTER’S ambition of a home Heineken Cup quarter-final spot has been facilitated by another weakened Racing Metro selection for tonight’s final Pool 2 clash at Stade Yves Du Manoir in Paris.

With Leinster bidding for their 25th Heineken Cup win on the road, boosted by the availability of Gordon D’Arcy, Racing have kept a number of front-liners in reserve or out of the squad altogether with one eye clearly on their crucial Top 14 clash with Clermont Auvergne next week.

Racing may plead otherwise on the basis of making just three changes from the team beaten by Clermont in last week’s Heineken Cup pool clash, but it’s manifestly evident they’re holding back as many front-liners as possible for a repeat tie with their French rivals; the Paris-based side will hope to get at least a losing bonus point to maintain their challenge for domestic honours — they’re a close second to Toulouse at the top.