Halfpenny ready for tough assignment
Leigh Halfpenny wants Cardiff Blues to take a leaf out of Wales’ book when they face mission improbable against Heineken Cup holders Leinster tomorrow.
The Blues will arrive in Dublin without injured Wales stars Sam Warburton and Jamie Roberts, while dust is still settling on the Gavin Henson sacking saga of just four days ago.
And Heineken Cup history is also stacked against Halfpenny and company in that of the tournament’s 60 previous quarter-final ties, only 14 have produced away victories.
But the Wales full-back, who returns to the Aviva Stadium nine weeks after his successful late penalty launched what became a Six Nations title and Grand Slam-winning campaign, is relishing a latest tilt at toppling Ireland’s finest.
“A lot of the Leinster players were in the Irish team at the Aviva in February, and a lot of them will feel at home there, but we have to do the same as we did with Wales,” Halfpenny said.
“We have to do the basics well, run hard and make sure we compete well at the breakdown.
“Every time we get a chance to take points we have to do it, and our defence will need to be huge.
“Coming into this game, it is the biggest game of our season so far. If you can’t get up for a quarter-final Heineken Cup game at a packed stadium you shouldn’t be here.
“People are writing us off, saying the odds are stacked against us and we have no chance, but we have to take that as motivation and go there with the belief that we can give it everything and get a result.”
Key to the Blues’ unlikely victory bid will be stopping a free-scoring Leinster side at source.
And the need for a watertight defensive display is not lost on Halfpenny, with Leinster unbeaten in their last 12 Heineken Cup games and boasting a back division capable of tearing most teams apart.
“Our defence has to be spot-on,” he added.
“It has to be bigger than it has been so far in this competition if we are to get a result.
“A lot of games are won by defence now, and we have worked hard on aspects we need to do well on.
“The breakdown is another area they are very strong at, and we have to make sure we are cleaning guys out to keep hold of the ball and not give away turnovers.”
Dafydd Hewitt replaces Roberts in midfield alongside Casey Laulala, while Halfpenny is among four players starting that were involved in Wales’ match-day 22 when they beat France to clinch the Grand Slam three weeks ago.
Leinster include a fit-again Brian O’Driscoll for his first European start this term, with New Zealand World Cup-winning lock Brad Thorn handed a Heineken Cup debut alongside second-row partner and captain Leo Cullen.
Leinster have not lost a Heineken clash in Dublin for almost six years, but the reigning European champions are taking nothing for granted.
“The Blues are a much better side than some of their Pro12 results suggest, and we know how dangerous they can be when they have their full-strength side out,” Leinster forwards coach Jono Gibbes said.
“They will be coming with a number of players who were able to help Wales win against Ireland at the Aviva in the recent Six Nations, and that knowledge and confidence is bound to give them a big lift.
“Our recent home defeat against the Ospreys introduced a dose of positive fear into the camp. We now know what can happen if we are not on top of our game.”
Aviva Premiership champions Saracens, meanwhile, face Clermont Auvergne in Sunday’s last quarter-final after Irish challengers Munster and Ulster have got to grips with each other at Thomond Park.
Saracens will face Leinster or the Blues at Twickenham on April 29 if they triumph, having reached the last-eight as England’s solitary survivors following pool stage exits for Leicester, Northampton, Harlequins, Gloucester, Bath and London Irish.
Scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth makes his first start since being injured last October, with England centre Brad Barritt and Wales prop Rhys Gill also returning to a Saracens side captained by Steve Borthwick.
“Competing with the elite of Europe in the knockout stages of tournaments is where we want to be – both now and in the future,” Saracens rugby director Mark McCall said.
“If you look at the likes of Toulouse, Leicester, Leinster and Munster, these are teams who have created a legacy in Europe, and we want to to do the same.”
Racing Métro 20 - 26 Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues 24 - 18 London Irish
Cardiff Blues 25 - 8 Edinburgh
Edinburgh 19 - 12 Cardiff Blues
London Irish 15 - 22 Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues 36 - 30 Racing Métro
Montpellier 16 - 16 Leinster
Leinster 38 - 13 Glasgow Warriors
Bath 13 - 18 Leinster
Leinster Rugby 52 - 27 Bath
Glasgow Warriors 16 - 23 Leinster
Leinster 25 - 3 Montpellier
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