Dempsey comes on a ton under new axis

If there is one player who personifies the freedom of expression the Australian coaching axis of Michael Cheika and David Knox has inculcated into the Leinster set-up in their first season at the helm, it is Girvan Dempsey.

Today at the RDS he'll win his 100th cap for Leinster, proving nice guys can survive in professional sport. Dempsey has been a paragon of solidity in his 10 seasons wearing the Leinster blue, during which time he has also amassed 62 Irish caps.

The virtues that have endeared him most to supporters are his utter reliability under the high ball and uncanny positional sense. Critics would say he has never enjoyed the same impact in a creative context.

This season though, Dempsey has shelved any conservatism and blossomed under Knox's promptings. He's blown the cobwebs off a sidestep and carries the ball in two hands, making him far harder to defend against. The Terenure College man has always had pace and footballing nous; they've just been redirected to more telling effect.

His modesty will preclude boasting over today's milestone but he did concede: "It will be a proud moment for me when I step out on the field. I don't think I would ever have dreamed of getting 100 caps when I made my debut back in 1996 in Treviso.

"As regards highlights, I really enjoyed the home game against Bourgoin this season. The win away in Montferrand - our first ever on French soil - was memorable. The tighter the games we have won over the years, the more satisfying the result.

"This year I'm enjoying playing under Michael and David, partly because I'm not putting myself under as much pressure when I take to the field. I think that's a case in point for a number of players."

Dempsey puts today's game against Glasgow into context.

"In a sense, this is a semi-final for us. We're not where people think we are - and we know that. We know we're a good team, but now it's up to us to show it."

Leinster can't afford another slip-up. They've managed to include the occasional slipshod display in an otherwise run of promising performances. Llanelli was the most recent example. They are the biggest danger to themselves in that their risk/reward patterns of play can implode through carelessness or at least a lack of precision.

When they hit their straps though, the rugby they produce is irresistible.

Will Green's shoulder hasn't recovered so Emmett Byrne will play in his third Heineken European Cup game this season, while Bryce Williams is preferred to Adam Byrnes in the second row and Cameron Jowitt is handed the number six jersey with Eric Miller on the bench.

Denis Hickie returns to the starting line-up, with Kieran Lewis dropping to the replacements. Guy Easterby may end up looking like Pogues front man Shane MacGowan after teeth problems in Stradey Park last week, but no one can doubt his courage.

One further fillip is the return after injury of young wing Rob Kearney. He's included on the bench as Johnny Hepworth drops out of the match squad.

Glasgow Warriors can be an irritating team to play against and that's meant as a compliment. They're honesty personified and easy on the eye. A physically big team, they put an emphasis on playing the ball out of the tackle and exploring the full width of the pitch. Unless opponents are aggressive in the tackle and quick to close down space, it can take plenty of perspiration to get the ball back from the Scottish side.

One weakness exposed in their last match, a Celtic League game against Ulster, was a tendency to concede penalties. When Ulster held on to the ball through four or five phases, the Scottish side lost their discipline. They have made a couple of changes in the pack from that game, introducing Dan Turner and John Barclay.

Although Leinster won the corresponding fixture in Hughenden earlier in the tournament, that was partially attributable to Dan Parks's personal nightmare with the boot. In the interim he's rediscovered his rhythm.

The Irish province will need to be aggressive defensively because any back-foot tackling and they'll be in trouble. They'll have to scramble a little bit better than they did in the Bourgoin and Bath defeats and be more ruthless when they manage line breaks. A win and four tries will breathe life into their campaign.

Leinster are good enough, but that's a statement that's received an airing or two down the years. It's time to stand up and be counted.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, D Hickie; F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Blaney, E Byrne; B Williams, M O'Kelly; C Jowitt, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: D Blaney, R McCormack, A Byrnes, E Miller, B O'Riordan, K Lewis, R Kearney.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: G Staniforth; H O'Hare, G Morrison, A Henderson, R Lamont; D Parks, G Beveridge; K Tkachuk, S Lawson, E Murray; D Turner, C Hamilton; S Swindall, J Barclay, J Petrie (capt). Replacements: F Thomson, L Harrison, G Hayter, T Barker, S Pinder, C Gregor, M Roberts.

Referee: Joel Jutge (France).

Previous meetings: (1999-2000) Glasgow 29 Leinster 19. (1999-2000) Leinster 44 Glasgow 17. (2005-2006) Glasgow 20 Leinster 33.

Formguide: Leinster - 19-22 v Bath (h); 33-20 v Glasgow (a); 53-7 v Bourgoin (h); 28-30 v Bourgoin (a). Glasgow - 16-3 v Bourgoin (h); 20-33 v Leinster (h); 26-31 v Bath (a); 10-29 v Bath (h).

Leading points scorers: Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 78. Glasgow - Dan Parks 29.

Leading try scorers: Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 4. Glasgow - Andrew Henderson 2.

Verdict: Leinster to win.

The AIB Cup quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, February 11th, and not February 25th as stated in yesterday's paper.