Leinster give some clue to cup selection

Celtic League Preview Leinster v ConnachtRotation may be the buzz word of late, but the Leinster head coach, Michael Cheika, will hardly be indulging in it when Leicester Tigers come calling next week. And we can take it the XV he has picked to face Connacht tonight gives some clues to the one he will ask to start that opening skirmish in a ferocious Heineken European Cup Pool Six (it also contains Toulouse).

Of course there will be some tweaking tomorrow week. Felipe Contepomi, for one, is attending his brother's wedding. Stephen Knoop is unofficially concussed.

But tonight's line-up at least suggests Keith Gleeson is ahead of Shane Jennings at openside and Luke Fitzgerald has a yard on Rob Kearney in what was Denis Hickie's number 11 jersey.

Most perplexingly, Christian Warner seems to be ahead of Jonathan Sexton as replacement outhalf. Or not. With no established placekicker here, Warner is expected to shoulder that duty but maybe because his style is more akin to Contepomi's the Leinster think-tank are preparing their three-quarters for the Argentinian's imminent return.

Either way, Sexton's tactical kicking kept a rampant Leinster pack rolling forward in Ravenhill last weekend until David Humphreys altered that game's course. In Contepomi's absence, Sexton seemed certain to be afforded another chance to showcase his obvious progress. Maybe this is where rotation kicks in.

Jennings should feature at some stage tonight and again next week but wouldn't it look strange if one of Leicester's stars of 2007 could not nail down a starting berth on his return home?

The idea of Jennings and Gleeson being given a dual openside mandate to the exclusion of Stephen Keogh appears to have been shelved. Either way, the battle against Johnny O'Connor, not long ago Ireland's leading number seven, will provide a fascinating subplot.

Fitzgerald has not started since the pounding by Llanelli on October 5th and is presented with an ideal opportunity to fend off Kearney entering the European campaign. This could also have resonance come the next Ireland squad selection.

There are others playing for similar stakes. Malcolm O'Kelly's performance in Belfast made the decision to leave him warming the bench for large chunks of the World Cup seem bizarre. Jamie Heaslip's display last week rubbished his omission from the ill-fated France campaign.

Leinster, 11 points off leaders Cardiff with a game in hand, can move back into the Magners Celtic League title race tonight.

Connacht must drag their richer siblings into a dog-fight to stay clear of bottom side Ulster and keep alive the distant dream of European Cup qualification.

Coach Michael Bradley has named a team with two positions still undecided. Captain Andrew Farley and Ray Ofisa are struggling with hamstring problems so David Gannon and Mike McCarthy are on standby.

Warner has his shortcomings as a territorial outhalf but his ability to run a back line should help Leinster prevail with some comfort. Their pack showed enough brute force against Ulster to dominate here. Now they need to produce the ruthlessness Irish rugby has been screaming out for.

Redemption starts at home.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; C Warner, C Whitaker; O le Roux, B Jackman, S Wright; L Cullen, M O'Kelly; S Keogh, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: Brian Blaney, JF Gomez, C Jowitt, S Jennings, C Willis, J Sexton, R Kearney.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; O Treviranus, M Deane, A Wynne, K Matthews; T Donnelly, C McPhillips; B Wilkinson, J Fogarty, R Morris; M Swift, D Gannon/A Farley (capt); R Ofisa/M McCarthy, J O'Connor, J Muldoon. Replacements: A Flavin, R Loughney, D Gannon/A Farley/A Browne, R Ofisa/M McCarthy/C Rigney, C O'Loughlin, P Durcan, D Yapp.

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU).

Last meeting: March 24th, 2007, Donnybrook - Leinster 30 Connacht 21.

Leading scorers: Leinster - J Sexton 59. Connacht - T Donnelly 58.

Leading try scorers: Leinster - L Fitzgerald three. Connacht - R Morris two.

Verdict: Leinster.