URC: Benetton v Leinster, Stadio Comunale Monigo, Saturday, 7.45pm Irish time – Live on TG4
A week out from a Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon and Leo Cullen, Jacques Nienaber and Leinster’s supporters will be looking for further evidence that the blues are finally hitting their straps.
With a much-changed side and with plenty of frontliners omitted, Leinster went to Belfast last Friday night and produced a performance that ranked among their best this season as they suffocated Ulster with their defensive line speed and were clinical when on the front foot.
Or, at least, it was that good for 57 minutes, before Ulster woke up and began to attack with purpose. Richie Murphy’s side made hay out wide and scored three tries in a nine-minute purple patch that served as a reminder that Leinster still have some way to go to convince they can go beyond backing up last season’s URC triumph, even if they did travel home with a 29-19 victory.
Another win here could move them back into the top two, which is where Cullen wants to be in terms of home advantage for the playoffs. The current top two, Glasgow Warriors and the Stormers, meet in Cape Town on Saturday, so Leinster – currently level on 51 points with the Stormers and four adrift of Glasgow – should at least edge closer to their objective with a fifth win in succession.
The province travel to Treviso to face a Benetton side that is out of contention for the top eight so has little to play for. Whether they can muster a sufficient response after their tame surrender to Munster last week remains to be seen, but they welcome back Tommasso Menoncello, Ignacio Mendy and Paolo Odogwu into the backline, along with five changes to the pack, including a complete front row switch. Sebastian Negri makes way for Manuel Zuliani in the backrow.
Leinster have made 13 changes for the trip. In a week when outhalf Harry Byrne and secondrow Conor Tighearnaigh have signed new contracts, a first senior deal for the latter, the duo are included in the starting XV, while Caelan Doris makes his return from concussion to captain the side.
Josh van der Flier was rated as doubtful at the start of the week but is named to start, as is Jack Conan. Andrew Porter, who was also being assessed during the week, is left out, with Ed Byrne making his first start since his return to the province last week. Jerry Cahir provides backup at loosehead.
Hugo Keenan, Garry Ringrose and Robbie Henshaw have the night off and so, with the Toulon game in mind, there is plenty to motivate the likes of centre partnership Jamie Osborne and Rieko Ioane, as well as Ciarán Frawley at fullback and Tommy and Jimmy O’Brien on the wings. James Lowe may still be a few weeks away from a return.
Sam Prendergast made a positive impact at outhalf at the Affidea Stadium and is among the backline replacements, along with Fintan Gunne and Charlie Tector. Three more players who signed new contracts in recent days, Gus McCarthy, Thomas Clarkson and Alex Soroka, are among the forwards on the bench.
“We selected a side which we thought would get us a result in Ulster,” said Nienaber. “I know a lot of people talk about rotation, but you are always trying to keep your squad as engaged as possible.
“You have to make sure that as big a squad as you have is match fit and ready to step up. Wherever it’s possible, we try to do that. We try and get better daily as an individual, as a group. Our main thing is just to get better.
“We are not great. We know we’re not playing to the best of our ability as a group. We need to improve individually and collectively as a group, and that’s what we tried to do.
“We’re probably just trying to get better and realising that it’s not perfect because you won the game, almost staying in your own reality. A lot of things were good, but yes, there’s lots of things that we have to fix going forward.”
BENETTON: Matt Gallagher; Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Malakai Fekitoa, Paolo Odogwu; Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi; Destiny Aminu, Bautista Bernasconi, Tiziano Pasquali; Giulio Marini, Riccardo Favretto; Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro (capt), Lorenzo Cannone. Replacements: Nicholas Gasperini, Ivan Nemer, Marcus Gallorini, Niccolo Cannone, So’otala Fa’aso’o, Eli Snyman, Andy Uren, Leonardo Marin.
LEINSTER: Ciarán Frawley; Tommy O’Brien, Rieko Ioane, Jamie Osborne, Jimmy O’Brien; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Ed Byrne, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Conor O’Tighearnaigh, Brian Deeny; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt). Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jerry Cahir, Thomas Clarkson, Alex Soroka, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Sam Prendergast, Charlie Tector.
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SA).
