Rugby:Shane Jennings will lead a young Leinster team for their RaboDirect Pro12 clash with the Glasgow Warriors at Firhill tomorrow night (6.0). Isa Nacewa forms a potent back three, flanked by Dave Kearney and Fionn Carr, while Brendan Macken and Colm O'Shea resume a youthful midfield partnership.
Outhalf Ian Madigan’s six tries in the league make him the second highest scorer in that category. Mullingar native Mark Flanagan makes his sixth appearance for the province in the secondrow while Dominic Ryan’s comeback from injury continues with a starting place at openside flanker. Andrew Conway has been named on the bench alongside Eoin O’Malley and Devin Toner.
Glasgow will be looking to pick up where they left off are inflicting a 23-19 defeat at the RDS last September. Since then Leinster have won 17 and drawn one of their 18 matches.
That was the first loss Leinster had suffered at home in almost two calendar years, and they claimed revenge by winning the subsequent two Heineken Cup meetings between the teams, most recently at Firhill in January.
Glasgow have never before done the double over Leinster in a single season, and are under no illusions as to the calibre of performance that will be required to interrupt this trend tomorrow. Coach Sean Lineen admitted: “The business end of the RaboDirect PRO12 season is well and truly here now, and such is the tight nature of the table, there isn’t much margin for error.
“Three of our next four games are at home, and it’s vital we exploit that to our advantage, starting with this match against Leinster. They’ve got a big squad with top players right throughout it. Their rugby is the definition of relentless and they punish every mistake.
“We know our individual decision-making has to be spot on, and our composure right up there with anything we’ve produced so far this season.”
The Warriors starting line-up for the game shows four changes to that which ran out in Galway six days ago. Alex Dunbar takes over from Graeme Morrison in the centre while Colin Shaw comes onto the wing in place of Tommy Seymour. Mike Cusack makes a first appearance since injuring an ankle in the New Year’s Day victory over Edinburgh and while Nick Campbell comes in at lock in place of Rob Verbakel.
Glasgow Warriors:P Murchie; D Lemi, A Dunbar, T Nathan, C Shaw; R Jackson, H Pyrgos; R Grant, P MacArthur, M Cusack; N Campbell, T Ryder; R Harley (capt), C Fusaro, R Wilson. Replacements: D Hall, J Welsh, G Reid, R Verbakel, C Forrester, S Wight, F Aramburu, T Seymour.
Leinster:I Nacewa; D Kearney, B Mackrn, C O'Shea, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, N White; D Browne, M Flanagan; D Ryan, S Jennings (capt), L Auva'a. Replacements: A Dundon, J McGrath, J Hagan, D Toner, J Murphy, J Cooney, E O'Malley, A Conway.
Referee:John Lacey (Ireland)
