Leinster have done the hard work in already securing a home quarter-final in the Champions Cup, but they will be determined to get as high a seeding as possible when they renew rivalries with a powerful Montpellier side.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP – POOL 3: Saturday, January 20
MONTPELLIER (3rd) v LEINSTER (1st), Altrad Stadium, 2pm local time/1pm Irish time (live Sky Sports Action/beIN Sports/RTÉ Radio 1/highlights TG4)
Team News: With Leinster guaranteed to top Pool 3 and gain a home quarter-final, head coach Leo Cullen has made six changes to the starting XV from last weekend’s 55-19 victory over Glasgow Warriors, while there is also a welcome return from injury for Joey Carbery on the bench.
Rob Kearney comes back in at full-back, with Jordan Larmour, who was called up to the Ireland Six Nations squad this week, moving to the right wing. James Lowe is again selected on the left wing having scored a try on his European debut on Glasgow.
Captain Isa Nacewa is joined by Athlone man Robbie Henshaw in an unchanged centre pairing, but there is a new half-back pairing in Ross Byrne, who will make his 12th start of the season, and Jamison Gibson-Park. Luke McGrath drops to the bench while Leo Cullen confirmed that Jonathan Sexton is fit and available for selection but will not make the trip to France.
In the pack, Cian Healy rejoins fellow Ireland internationals Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, and James Ryan will partner Devin Toner for his second Champions Cup start of the season in only his 10th appearance for Leinster. The 21-year-old’s other start was also against Montpellier at the RDS in October.
Dan Leavy starts this weekend at blindside flanker with Josh van der Flier, who is set for his 60th Leinster cap, and number 8 Jack Conan completing the pack.
The aforementioned Carbery, who has recovered from a broken wrist, is selected on the bench and is back for his first Leinster involvement since starting at full-back against Glasgow Warriors in round 2 of the Champions Cup.
Meanwhile, former Ulster and South Africa scrum half Ruan Pienaar is one of five changes to the Montpellier team that lost 41-10 to Exeter Chiefs last Saturday. He returns from injury as does tighthead prop Antoine Guillamon who was named in France’s November squad being having to pull out.
Pienaar and New Zealander Aaron Cruden will start together at half-back for the first time in Europe, with Benjamin Fall and Timoci Nagusa rejoining a back-three that features Fijian powerhouse Nemani Nadolo who has scored four tries in his last three outings against Leinster.
Kelian Galletier is the final change made by head coach Vern Cotter, coming in for Julian Bardy at blindside flanker. Still with a mathematical chance of reaching the quarter-finals, the Top 14 leaders will have to better Exeter’s result against Glasgow Warriors, and whoever finishes second will then await results from elsewhere.
MONTPELLIER: Benjamin Fall; Timoci Nagusa, Frans Steyn, Jan Serfontein, Nemani Nadolo; Aaron Cruden, Ruan Pienaar; Mikheil Nariashvili, Bismarck du Plessis, Antoine Guillamon, Nicholaas van Rensburg, Konstantine Mikautadze, Kelian Galletier, Yacouba Camara, Louis Picamoles (capt).
Replacements: Romain Ruffenach, Yvan Watremez, Mohamed Haouas, Julien Delannoy, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Gela Aprasidze, Joe Tomane, Jesse Mogg.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Jordan Larmour, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt), James Lowe; Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Dan Leavy, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony, Jordi Murphy, Luke McGrath, Joey Carbery, Fergus McFadden.
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant Referees: Ian Tempest, Peter Allan (both England)
Television Match Official: Graham Hughes (England)
Pre-Match Quotes: Leo Cullen (Leinster) – “It’s good that we try and freshen things up, the games in Europe are very, very intense. We’ve made a few changes which is good for freshening the team and the squad is very competitive at the moment as well, so it gives guys an opportunity and hopefully we can get as much as we possibly can from the game.
“Montpellier are a big physical team, very hard to play against. They have a lot of quality throughout and when they click they’re very, very dangerous. It’s important for us we manage the game on our terms and don’t get sucked into the way they want to play.
“It’s a great challenge as it’s always very tough going away to France where we don’t have a fantastic record in recent seasons so that’s been a focus. There is plenty of motivation in these games. With five wins it’s great but we want to kick on now as well. To be able to deal with the chaos that is there when you play in France. The crowd and they’re very, very physical in the way they play at home and it’s a very different environment to what we’re used to.
“It’s important we try and manage our way through that and think clearly. It’s a good challenge. A lot of young guys have come through who wouldn’t have experienced trips to France and it is different, a different assault on your senses. It’s a good chance for us this week to show where we are at at the moment. A very tough challenge but one everyone is looking forward to it.”
Vern Cotter (Montpellier) – “If we score four tries, we can finish with 18 points. With 18 points, if Exeter don’t win in Glasgow, we can finish second best. Then we could be one of the best three runners-up. But the most important is to end up a good performance at home in front of our supporters. We must do that.
“We have experienced difficulties in attack, in control and the ability to keep the ball. We knew from the beginning that these European games, especially against opponents like Exeter or Leinster, would give us some learnings after 80 minutes.
“(Last weekend’s result) shows us that there is still a lot of work to do. We’ll try to work as best as possible. This week, Exeter are away and we are playing at home, with even the opportunity to qualify for the quarter-finals. So we’re going to quickly move on and focus on the next game.
“The score was heavy at the end. We didn’t get our defensive system working. That was the difference between the two teams. We had opportunities to score but we didn’t take them. In the second half, Exeter created space well, and whenever they entered our 22, they left with points. The difference was intensified in efficiency, especially in decisive areas.”
Current Form – Montpellier – (Top 14 Championship): Won 48-19 v Agen (home), Won 37-6 v Oyonnax (home), Won 22-17 v Castres Olympique (away), Won 43-20 v Toulon (home), Lost 47-17 v Bordeaux-Begles (away), Won 54-10 v Brive (home), Lost 31-20 v Stade Francais (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 24-17 v Leinster (away), Lost 27-24 v Exeter Chiefs (home); (Top 14 Championship): Won 22-16 v Pau (away), Won 28-24 v Clermont Auvergne (home), Won 32-22 v Toulouse (home), Lost 26-0 v Racing 92 (away), Lost 26-14 v La Rochelle (away); (Champions Cup): Won 29-22 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 36-26 v Glasgow Warriors (home); (Top 14 Championship): Won 38-17 v Lyon (home), Lost 29-10 v Brive (away), Won 28-16 v Stade Francais (home); (Champions Cup): Lost 41-10 v Exeter Chiefs (away)
Leinster – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 39-16 v Dragons (away), Won 37-9 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 31-10 v Southern Kings (away), Lost 38-19 v Toyota Cheetahs (away), Won 21-13 v Edinburgh (home), Won 23-17 v Munster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 24-17 v Montpellier (home), Won 34-18 v Glasgow Warriors (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 25-10 v Ulster (away), Lost 31-21 v Glasgow Warriors (away), Won 54-10 v Dragons (home), Won 36-10 v Benetton Rugby; (Champions Cup): Won 18-8 v Exeter Chiefs (away), (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 34-24 v Munster (away), Won 21-18 v Connacht (home), Won 38-7 v Ulster (home); (Champions Cup): Won 55-19 v Glasgow Warriors (home)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Montpellier – Points: Nemani Nadolo 30; Tries: Nemani Nadolo 6; Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 39; Tries: Jonathan Sexton 3
Previous European Meetings: 5
Saturday, October 14, 2017 – Pool 3 – Leinster 24 Montpellier 17, the RDS
Friday, January 13, 2017 – Pool 4 – Leinster 57 Montpellier 3, the RDS
Sunday, October 23, 2016 – Pool 4 – Montpellier 22 Leinster 16, Altrad Stadium
Saturday, January 21, 2012 – Pool 3 – Leinster 25 Montpellier 3, the RDS
Saturday, November 12, 2011 – Pool 3 – Montpellier 16 Leinster 16, Stade de la Mosson
Match Facts –
– Last season’s beaten semi-finalists Leinster have five wins from five meaning they are already assured of a home quarter-final in Europe’s top tier competition, but Montpellier could conceivably still join them in the last-eight, should Glasgow Warriors defeat Exeter Chiefs in Scotland
– Just one point separates third-placed Montpellier and Exeter Chiefs in second, meaning a bonus point victory for the French side and defeat for the reigning Aviva Premiership champions could draw the Top 14 team into contention for one of the three available runners-up berths
– However, form is not on the side of Montpellier, who suffered a bruising 41-10 reverse at the hands of Exeter last Saturday, while their only other defeat in the tournament came at the hands of Leinster Rugby, losing 24-17 in round 1
– Montpellier will be hoping their talismanic back rower Louis Picamoles can influence the game with his offloading skills, which see him ranked second in Europe with nine in the competition so far
– Lineout ball will undoubtedly be priority for three-times Champions Cup winners Leinster, with towering Devin Toner claiming 20 lineouts so far in the competition, ranking him seventh overall
European Cup Records:
Montpellier –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2012/13: Reached the quarter-finals
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
Leinster –
2016/17: Reached the semi-finals
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2014/15: Reached the semi-finals
2013/14: Reached the quarter-finals
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Champions
2010/11: Champions
2009/10: Reached the semi-finals
2008/09: Champions
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2006/07: Reached the quarter-finals
2005/06: Reached the semi-finals
2004/05: Reached the quarter-finals
2003/04: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2002/03: Reached the semi-finals
2001/02: Reached the quarter-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1999/00: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
1998/99: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1997/98: Failed to qualify from Pool A
1996/97: Failed to qualify from Pool B
1995/96: Reached the semi-finals
This website uses cookies.
Read More