‘Safer pair of hands ’ Gopperth gets the nod

Jimmy Gopperth, come on down.

At 30 years of age, the capable Kiwi has been handed the greatest test of his professional career by being selected at out-half ahead of Ian Madigan for Leinster’s trip to Toulon this weekend.

The signs were probably there in the fact that Gopperth has started four Heineken Cup games to Madigan’s two this season but the older man has played just eight minutes of rugby in the last ten weeks.