LEINSTER ARE given due respect by Montpellier who arrive to the RDS with as many heavy-hitters as they can muster – and that adds up to quite a few. Earlier in the week Shane Jennings spoke about the danger of the French team’s backrow and the prospect of facing players like Georgian Mamuka Gordodze and France’s Fulgence Quedraogo.
While Jennings takes to the bench for the start of this one, which Leinster need to win to ensure a home quarter-final, sure enough they are there along with Francois Trin-Dic, Argentina’s Lucas Amorosino at fullback and a Georgian, Argentinian and Samoan- flavoured frontrow in George Jgenti, Agustin Creevy and Na’ama Leleimalefaga.
Montpellier mean business in Dublin. In that respect Leinster’s Jamie Hagan, who makes his Heineken Cup debut at tighthead prop alongside 2007 Under-20 Grand Slam-winning team-mate Cian Healy and hooker Ricardt Strauss, will be rigorously tested in the set piece.
Leo Cullen, who is set to make his 170th appearance for the province, captains the side alongside Damian Browne at lock, the same secondrow that figured in the first pool match which ended 16-16. Number eight Jamie Heaslip makes his 50th Heineken Cup appearance alongside Sean O’Brien and Rhys Ruddock in the back row.
The robust Isaac Boss is preferred to Eoin Reddan for this outing and Johnny Sexton has overcome an ankle injury to again line out, Ian Madigan chomping at the bit on the bench.
Interestingly, Eoin O’Malley partners Gordon D’Arcy in the centre forcing Fergus McFadden onto the right wing. McFadden, who took over the kicking from Sexton last week in Glasgow, has a cracking record. “I’m sure if you speak to Fergus he will tell you he has only missed one so far this year and he has taken about 26,” said coach Joe Schmidt.
There is no Dave Kearney this week following his selection on Declan Kidney’s Irish Wolfhounds’ side, while Luke Fitzgerald remains on the injury list.
“I have spoken to a few people in France this week and judging by the fact that they rested their entire team last week, they’ll need a hit out this week in order to be ready for Stade Francais,” said Schmidt.
“They are going to come fully armed and we’ll have to be fully prepared for that.”
And so his contacts in France since his year’s coaching in Clermont have been accurate. Last year’s beaten finalists in the French championship maintain an interest in qualification for the Amlin Challenge, which is still a possibility for them. But, as the Leinster coach points out, their home game against Stade next week remains the priority. A home quarter-final is the enticing prize for Leinster.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; F McFadden, E O’Malley, G D’Arcy, I Nacewa; J Sexton, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, J Hagan, L Cullen (c), D Browne, R Ruddock, S O’Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements: S Cronin, H Van Der Merwe, M Ross, D Toner, S Jennings, E Reddan, I Madigan, F Carr.
MONTPELLIER: L Amorosino, T Nagusa, Y Audrin, P Bosch, M Bustos Moyano, F Trinh-Duc, J Tomas; N Leleimalefage, A Creevy, G Jgenti, D Hancke, M Demarco, F Ouedraogo, M Gorgodze, Alex Tulou, Replacements: R Vuuren, J Figallo, M Bustos, J Tuineau, V Bost, B Paillaugue, S Fernandez, G Doumayrou.
Referee: N Paterson (SRU).
Verdict: Home win.
