Rugby

Montpellier match cancelled after Leinster name team

Leo Cullen names 11 Ireland internationals in a heavily Covid-affected starting line-up

James Ryan is in line to captain Leinster in Montpellier. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho

John O'Sullivan's face
John O'Sullivan
Thu Dec 16 2021 - 12:23

Champions Cup: Montpellier v Leinster, Friday December 17th, GGL Stadium (kick-off 8pm, BT Sport).

[ after an announcement by the ECPR on Thursday ]

Coronavirus has ripped through the Leinster squad ahead of Friday night’s Champions Cup game against Montpellier at the GGL Stadium. Leo Cullen has been forced into wholesale changes for the trip to France.

Eight players are missing from the starting side that defeated Bath last weekend at the Aviva Stadium with five players set for European debuts including 20-year-old Naas centre Jamie Osborne who partners Ciarán Frawley in midfield.

Fullback Hugo Keenan, right wing Jordan Larmour and centre Garry Ringrose drop out of the backline to be replaced by Jimmy O’Brien, Adam Byrne, playing his first European tie since 2019, and Osborne. There is no Tadhg Furlong in the frontrow, so Andrew Porter switches across from loosehead to tighthead with Cian Healy starting.

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James Ryan, named as captain, returns having completed the graduated return to play protocols following a head injury having missed the Bath match and he will partner Ryan Baird in the secondrow.

It’s a completely new backrow as Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris are ruled out to be replaced by Max Deegan, Dan Leavy and Ireland number eight Jack Conan, another absentee last weekend, but who has recovered from a quad injury. Luke McGrath and Michael Ala’alatoa are also missing from the matchday 23.

Four players, tighthead prop Vakh Abdaladze, secondrow Jack Dunne, scrumhalf Cormac Foley and Scott Penny are set for European debuts off a bench that contains a 6-2 split in terms of forwards. The fact that Leinster had to name two secondrows amongst the replacements brings home debilitating the extent of the Covid-19 issues are for the Irish province.

They are fortunate that there are a number of players who are versatile enough to cover several positions. Frawley will act as outhalf cover, Jimmy O’Brien can play centre and outhalf, Tommy O’Brien will cover centre and wing, Cormac Foley is a scrumhalf who played centre in his last year in St Gerard’s School while there is enough versatility in the back five of the pack to accommodate most eventualities.

Montpellier have largely stuck to the side that lost 42-6 in Exeter but there will be one especially familiar face in their ranks, Drogheda-born, former Ireland and Leinster underage player Karl Martin; he is named among the replacements.

Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Adam Byrne, Jamie Osborne, Ciarán Frawley, James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter; Ryan Baird, James Ryan (captain); Max Deegan, Dan Leavy; Jack Conan. Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Ed Byrne, Vakh Abdaladze, Devin Toner, Jack Dunne, Cormac Foley, Tommy O'Brien, Scott Penny.