Leinster machine to mangle French

IT was Leinster’s misfortune that they were chosen to share the stage with Montpellier when they made their bow in the Heineken Cup last November and they ultimately did well to fly home with a share of the spoils.

The flip side to that mirror presents itself today, however.

Fabien Galthie’s side will not continue their maiden season in this competition through to the knockout stages and, given the French penchant for lukewarm interest on the road at the best of times, they appear to be perfect opponents for the champions in round six.

Leinster have the luxury of knowing that there are no complications to be aware of. Do a clinical, professional job and move on. No more, no less.

Joe Schmidt has talked Montpellier up. His spies back in France told him that they would field a strongish XV so that they could stretch their legs ahead of next Friday’s Top 14 tie against Stade Francais, a game that holds far more significance for them.

He wasn’t misled.

Galthie will start with French out-half Francios Trinh-Duc, Georgia’s beast of a back row Mamuka Gorgodze and skipper Fulgence Ouedraogo in the back row alongside them but they will hardly burn at their brightest.

It’s a big day for Rhys Ruddock who gets a rare European start in a week where a summer move to Munster has been mooted and an even bigger one for Jamie Hagan who makes his first ever start in the Heineken.

That he gets his big chance at what is usually such a critical juncture in the tournament says it all about the nature of Leinster’s expected task today. Establish a platform early on and they can put this one to bed long before the 80th minute.