Leinster v Benetton: Bookies’ spread harsh on Italians despite return of Irish big guns

United Rugby Championship: Leinster v Benetton, RDS, 7.35pm kick-off, live on TG4 and Premier Sport

Leo Cullen has seemingly made something of a statement of intent for Leinster’s first home game of the season. In making 11 changes from the side which ultimately laboured to beat Zebre a week ago, nine Irish internationals will make their seasonal re-appearances, including seven players who featured in Ireland’s historic series win in New Zealand.

Garry Ringrose captains the side alongside the restored Robbie Henshaw in midfield, who started all three Tests, as did five of the forwards recalled to the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, James Ryan, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris.

A further four summer tourists also start, Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour, Ciarán Frawley - named at outhalf after his two outings there against the Maori All Blacks - and Ryan Baird, who starts at blindside flanker. Frawley’s selection at outhalf is perhaps the most interesting, amid a hint of influence from Andy Farrell.

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There’s a strong bench too, featuring five of last week’s starters in Rónan Kelleher, Ed Byrne, Ross Molony, Ross Byrne and Charlie Ngatai. Will Connors continues his comeback as a replacement, with Cian Healy and Cormac Foley completing the 23.

Marco Bortolami might have fancied his team’s chances against last week’s Leinster line-up given their defensive disconnects in midfield and on the outside which contributed to them conceding three of five tries from first phase.

Bortolami has promoted six players from the bench in making eight changes from the side which were full value for their 33-11 bonus point win over Glasgow a week ago. Although Italian captain Michele Lamaro is one of those changes, they travel without two very influential players in goal-kicking fullback Rhyno Smith and scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage.

The well-travelled 29-year-old Scottish scrumhalf Sam Hidalgo-Clyne makes his first start for his seventh club following his arrival from Exeter, with the former Italian Under-20 scrumhalf, 21-year-old Manfredi Albanese, in line for his debut, having earned his first cap for the Azzurri against Portugal in the summer.

As you’d expect from a side coached by former Italian lock Botolami, Benetton have strong set-piece basics as well as a varied attacking game, with last week’s double try-scorer, Argentinian winger Ignacio Mendy, switching to fullback, and also an effective kick-chase game, albeit there is no Duvenage to launch his box-kicks.

With two pre-season games also under their belt, Benetton have also had an extra day’s turnaround, and so the bookies’ 35-point handicap may be a bit stiff. Furthermore, although Leinster hold a 17-2 head-to-head record over Benetton, with two draws, and won 61-17 in Treviso last March, the Italians have been tricky opponents for Leinster on their two most recent visits to the RDS. In April 2018 they inflicted upon Leinster just a second home defeat in 38 matches, and a year later drew 27-all here.

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Yet for all their competitiveness at the Stadio di Monigo, where they won five of nine matches in the URC last season, Benetton’s only away win was against Zebre. Indeed, Benetton have won just once outside of Italy in the URC since 2018, against the Dragons in March 2020 in the last game before the pandemic hit.

Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien, Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose (CAPT), Robbie Henshaw, Dave Kearney, Ciarán Frawley, Luke McGrath, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Michael Ala’alatoa, James Ryan, Jason Jenkins, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Ed Byrne, Cian Healy, Ross Molony, Will Connors, Cormac Foley, Ross Byrne, Charlie Ngatai

Benetton: Ignacio Mendy, Mattia Bellini, Joaquin Riera, Marco Zanon, Onisi Ratave, Giacomo Da Re, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Ivan Nemer, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolò Cannone, Scott Scrafton, Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (CAPT), Toa Halafihi

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Federico Zani, Filippo Alongi, Carl Wegner, Henry Time-Stowers, Manfredi Albanese, Tommaso Menoncello, Ratuva Tavuyara.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (SARU).

Forecast: Leinster to win with a bonus point.