URC: Zebre v Leinster, Stadio Lanfranchi, Saturday, 7.35 Irish time – Live RTÉ 2 and Premier Sports
Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber described friendly matches against Saracens and Bath as a “great test for the squad’s character” in the absence of the international contingent and the hope is that the experience stands to the group in Italy in Saturday night’s URC encounter.
There are several landmarks from a Leinster perspective, prop Ed Byrne becomes the latest centurion for the province, while at the other end of the scale, a couple of players make their debuts. The Osborne brothers, Jamie and Andrew, get to play together for the first time in a competitive fixture for the senior team.
Andrew, a former underage international who played on last season’s Under-20 Grand Slam-winning team that also reached the World Junior Championship final in South Africa, makes his first appearance. Diarmuid Mangan, another of those players, is in line to make his debut after being named on the bench with former Ireland U20 team-mates Sam Prendergast, Fintan Gunne and Henry McErlean.
Ciarán Frawley has passed the return-to-play protocols following the head injury he sustained while playing for Ireland in the defeat to England at Twickenham and is named in his occasional home of fullback. Rob Russell is named on the right wing with Liam Turner wearing the 13 jersey.
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Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has opted for an experienced halfback partnership in Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath and the same can be said of an athletic backrow containing Will Connors, captain Scott Penny, and Max Deegan. For all three these are the matches in which they must excel to try to rearrange the pecking order when it comes to European match day 23s.
Ross Molony will curate the lineout while Jason Jenkins provides a power-based game. Hooker Lee Barron and tighthead Thomas Clarkson will undergo a rigorous examination in set-piece detail, more so than their obvious qualities in general play.
The bench contains what those on it will hope is a glimpse of a not-too-distant group of starters in the future. Michael Milne and John McKee fully appreciate how competitive front row places are considering that Jack Boyle, Paddy McCarthy and Gus McCarthy are pushing from behind. It’s another chance for Brian Deeny to upgrade his place on the depth chart.
Mangan is an excellent all-round athlete, Gunne has a pass that you could hang in the Louvre, while Prendergast and McErlean have the skill sets to embellish their physical qualities and aptitude to break down defences. The challenge this weekend is to translate theory into practice on the pitch in Parma.
Zebre play some cracking rugby and in Italian wing Simone Gesi possess a player of rare attacking quality. Number eight Giovanni Licata is another who easily carries a big reputation on young shoulders.
Zebre head coach Fabio Roselli said: “Leinster is a team that becomes irrepressible if allowed to play with intensity. Throughout the week we have put an important focus on our defence and contact area. We want to start and finish the game very physically, to put good pressure on the breakdown and generate turnovers to build our big opportunities.”
The visitors need to be intelligent in their game plan and the way they implement it. As the defeats to Saracens and Bath demonstrated there has to be discipline, steel, and cohesion when it comes to defending.
Zebre may have won just once and drawn one of 11 matches, but eight bonus points offer a reminder that they have been competitive in many of the games. Momentum is important especially when considering that Leinster’s nearest challengers in the standings, the second-placed Bulls, hit Dublin next Friday night.
If the visitors are properly attuned, they’ll win. Anything less and the outcome will be up for dispute.
ZEBRE PARMA: J Trulla; S Gregory, L Morisi, F Paea, S Gesi; G Prisciantelli, G Garcia; M Hasa, G Ribaldi, J Pittinari; D Sisi, L Krumov; D Ruggeri, I Bianchi, G Licata (Capt).
Replacements: T Di Bartolomeo, L Rizzoli, R Genovese, M Canali, J Kaifa, A Fusco, D Mazza, P Bruno.
LEINSTER: C Frawley; R Russell, L Turner, J Osborne, A Osborne; R Byrne, L McGrath; E Byrne, L Barron, T Clarkson; R Molony, J Jenkins; W Connors, S Penny (capt), Max Deegan.
Replacements: J McKee, M Milne, M Ala’alatoa, B Deeny, D Mangan, F Gunne, S Prendergast, H McErlean.
Referee: M Jonker (South Africa).
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