Leinster have enough quality to see off Saints, reckons Warrior Warwick

Former Munster favourite Paul Warwick tasted defeat to Northampton Saints on Saturday but the Australian reckons Leinster have the quality to overcome the English title chasers when they meet at Franklin’s Gardens this weekend.

Leinster visit Northampton on Saturday in a keenly anticipated re-run of the 2011 Heineken Cup final, with Saints on a mission to avenge the mother of all comebacks as a Johnny Sexton-inspired rally from 22-6 down at half-time saw the Irishmen retain the European crown with a 33-22 win at the Millennium Stadium.

Warwick faced the current Saints side on Saturday as a second-half sub when his Worcester Warriors slumped to a 33-10 Premiership home defeat that was the visitors’ seventh successive win in all competitions. Yet the former Munster and Stade Francais out-half believes Leinster will edge a tightly-contested tussle.

“The forward battle will, as in most games, be crucial,” Warwick said. “Leinster have a strong pack and I think they will be able to cope with Northampton. But Northampton are a good team, they don’t have many weaknesses, and when you get chances against them, you have to be clinical and Leinster will need to be accurate.

“Leinster have proven to be an accurate team over the past three or four seasons and I would back them to beat Northampton. Northampton are a good side but I think Leinster just have a bit more quality across the board.”

Warwick’s Warriors slumped to their ninth league defeat in nine and remain pinned at the bottom of the English table but created enough opportunities against Northampton to make a potent Leinster side feel optimistic about their chances.

“Neither of these two teams have many weaknesses. It is going be about collision and defence and being clinical when opportunities arise. We saw on Saturday against Northampton what happens when you don’t take opportunities but we lack the quality and consistency of those teams.”

With no Sexton any longer for Leinster, Warwick believes Matt O’Connor’s side must deliver a quality kicking adversary, be it Jimmy Gopperth or Ian Madigan, for Northampton fly-half Stephen Myler.

“He is very accurate, he got seven from seven against us [on Saturday] and it is part of the clinical nature of a good team that they have a kicker who is very accurate,” Warwick said of Myler. “And with Sexton leaving, someone is going to have to step up and take that role for Leinster.”

Warwick, 32, played his last game for Munster against Leinster in the 2011 Magner’s League final victory at Thomond Park, a game which took place a week after the Blues snatched victory from Saints in Cardiff.

“It is inevitable the 2011 Heineken Cup final will be mentioned in both camps during the week and while both squads have changed a lot in personnel, they are both sides with a lot of strike power.

“I’m sure Northampton were kicking themselves for letting that lead slip and Leinster will be a side who have confidence that no matter what situation they are in, they can recover from it. I think it will be a great match and I look forward to watching it.”