Opportunity for fringe players to stake claim

MAGNERS LEAGUE Leinster v N-G Dragons:THE RE-EMERGENCE of the Magners League in the November Test window means Leinster coach Joe Schmidt must delve into depleted resources to try and maintain the province's excellent recent run of results.

This match offers an opportunity for several young players and also a few players who have had limited game time this season.

New Zealand Maori prop Clint Newland makes his debut for Leinster in a cosmopolitan front row that contains Heinke van der Merwe and hooker Richardt Strauss.

The latter has been in superb form, a fact rewarded by his thoroughly merited player of the month accolade. Leo Cullen leads the team from the secondrow, where he is joined by Trevor Hogan.

Ireland Under 20 captain Rhys Ruddock starts at blindside flanker alongside Shane Jennings and Stephen Keogh. Isaac Boss was released from the national squad to play this match and is joined by a fit again Shaun Berne at halfback.

The burgeoning midfield partnership of Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley gets another outing, while David Kearney gets a rare outing on the left wing. Ed O’Donoghue is named amongst the replacements after missing the last five games through injury.

The Dragons arrive at the RDS having never won in Dublin but buoyed by an excellent away win over the Ospreys which should act as a warning to their hosts. The Welsh franchise are probably the least disrupted, personnel wise, in terms of international commitments this weekend.

New Zealander Tom Willis returns to captain the side from hooker. Wales released Will Harries and he takes his place in a reshuffled backline that sees Tom Cheeseman moving to centre, where he will partner Ashley Smith.

Jason Tovey and Wayne Evans are the preferred halfback pairing. Luke Charteris can only make the bench.

In the past these are the matches in which Leinster would have struggled but there are signs under the new coach of a change in culture or at least a growing maturity.

Newland’s performance will be of interest in the context of both the set-pieces and his contribution around the pitch.

There’s sufficient nous and power up front to provide a platform for the backs. The likely key to tonight’s outcome is whether they can avail of it.

There is plenty of creativity in the midfield but Leinster will also want to involve their back three in a positive manner. For several of the side, the painful memory of the thumping they received at Rodney Parade last season, should provide a little extra motivation.

The Dragons should be more cohesive in their patterns based on what approximates to a pretty full team. They’ll view this as an ideal opportunity to break their seven match losing streak in Dublin. However, Leinster don’t appear as brittle when the internationals are absent and for many of this team there is so much to play for with European competition looming.

Schmidt can also go to his bench to change up the game. Providing the home side apply themselves from the outset then this potentially difficult fixture must just reveal some joy for the home supporters.

LEINSTER: I Nacewa; S Horgan, E O'Malley, F McFadden, D Kearney; S Berne, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, C Newland; L Cullen (capt), T Hogan; R Ruddock, S Jennings, S Keogh. Replacements: J Harris Wright, J McGrath, M Ross, E O'Donoghue, D Ryan, P O'Donohue, I Madigan, A Conway.

DRAGONS: P Leach; W Harries, T Cheeseman, A Smith, A Hughes; J Tovey, W Evans; P Price, T Willis (capt), N Hall; S Morgan, R Sidol;, A Jones, G Thomas, L Evans. Replacements: L Burns, D Way, H Gustafson, L Charteris, H Ellis, R Gomer Davies, J Leadbeater, M Jones.

Referee: Stefano Penne(Italy).

Verdict: Leinster.