A first Champions Cup final appearance since 2012 is Leinster’s target this afternoon as they host the Scarlets in a mouth-watering Celtic derby at a blue and red-swathed Aviva Stadium.
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, April 21
LEINSTER v SCARLETS, Aviva Stadium, 3.30pm (live Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Action/beIN Sports/Newstalk/highlights TG4)
Team News: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has made two personnel changes to the team that overcame last year’s champions Saracens 30-19 at the quarter-final stage. Robbie Henshaw returns from a shoulder injury in the centre, while Luke McGrath’s absence due to a knee injury sees Jamison Gibson-Park start at scrum half.
McGrath’s sidelining has a knock-on effect for James Lowe who misses out on selection as Champions Cup rule 3.7 states that teams can only have a maximum of two ‘non-Europeans’ in their squad. The pair included for tomorrow’s game are New Zealander Gibson-Park and Australian Scott Fardy.
In a rejigged back-line, Henshaw comes back in to make his first appearance for Leinster since January’s round 6 victory in Montpellier. The Athlone man teams up with Garry Ringrose to renew the midfield combination that worked so well against Exeter Chiefs in the December double header.
Isa Nacewa, one of four Leinster players nominated for the European Player of the Year honour, shuffles across to the left wing berth, joining Rob Kearney and Fergus McFadden in an experienced back-three, while Jonathan Sexton will captain the province from half-back alongside Gibson-Park.
In an unchanged pack from the Saracens game, Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong start together in the front row with the 213-times capped Devin Toner and James Ryan behind them in the second row.
Fardy, Dan Leavy, who was a try-scoring man-of-the-match against Sarries, and Jordi Murphy continue as the starting back row, backed up by the fit-again Jack Conan who features on the bench and provides a timely boost with the luckless Sean O’Brien undergoing shoulder surgery on Friday morning.
Jordan Larmour missed the quarter-final win through injury but returns to a European matchday panel for the first time since starting on the right wing against Montpellier in January. The last remaining Leinster v Scarlets semi-final tickets are still on sale online on www.ticketmaster.ie.
Meanwhile, captain Ken Owens, who was on the replacements bench in the Scarlets’ last European semi-final eleven years ago, will lead the Welsh region out in Dublin as he makes his 50th European appearance.
Owens, alongside Scarlets attack coach Stephen Jones, are the only personnel remaining from that side over a decade ago. The Llanelli outfit have experienced success in recent times at the Aviva Stadium, lifting the GUINNESS PRO12 trophy there at the end of last season.
With injuries to personnel in the back-three, including Johnny McNicholl and Tom Prydie, Wayne Pivac has named Wales out-half Rhys Patchell at full-back with Steff Evans and Leigh Halfpenny on the wings. The international centre partnership of Hadleigh Parkes and Scott Williams line up outside half-backs Dan Jones and Gareth Davies.
The Welsh international front row of Rob Evans, Owens and Samson Lee will lead from the front, with Kildare man Tadhg Beirne and David Bulbring in the second row. Adding weight to the rear of the pack are Aaron Shingler, James Davies and John Barclay.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa; Jonathan Sexton (capt), Jamison Gibson-Park; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Devin Toner, James Ryan, Scott Fardy, Dan Leavy, Jordi Murphy.
Replacements: James Tracy, Jack McGrath, Andrew Porter, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour.
SCARLETS: Rhys Patchell; Leigh Halfpenny, Scott Williams, Hadleigh Parkes, Steff Evans; Dan Jones, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens (capt), Samson Lee, Tadhg Beirne, David Bulbring, Aaron Shingler, James Davies, John Barclay.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Dylan Evans, Werner Kruger, Lewis Rawlins, Steve Cummins, Aled Davies, Steff Hughes, Will Boyde.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal, Pierre Brousset (both France)
Television Match Official: Philippe Bonhoure (France)
Pre-Match Quotes: Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) – “A lot (went wrong in last year’s PRO12 semi-final). We played badly, Scarlets played well. Didn’t do what we were meant to do. We didn’t put our best selves out that day and that’s what we have to do tomorrow – play our best and see where that gets us.
“They beat us well on the day. People thought that might be a one-off and then they went and did the same thing to Munster. So they proved, and this season again, that they weren’t flukes. They are a very good side and we know about them now, which is an advantage.
“It’s a tough competition to win, especially with the French teams over the last number of years taking it seriously and wanting to win it. We want to get back to a final. That’s our main focus at the minute.
“(The younger guys) obviously know what it takes now. It was a harsh lesson for all of us (last year against Clermont Auvergne) – me, Isa (Nacewa) – all the guys who hadn’t experienced a semi-final defeat before. So to experience it and realise how difficult it will be to get through it is a positive. You don’t always have to lose to win, but it does teach you some good lessons.”
Wayne Pivac (Scarlets) – “Leinster have shown right the way through this competition (that they’re the form team). Getting through the pool stages unbeaten shows the strength of their squad. It’s going to be one of those games, from first whistle to last, where we have to be at our best. It’s a great challenge and one where we aspire to be. We’re really looking forward to it.
“We can certainly take a lot of confidence out of the fact we went to Ireland twice last year and came away with two wins. Having said that that was twelve months ago. They’re a different side, we’re a different side. There’s some quality that was in the side last year that won’t be there this weekend. It’s going to be, I believe, a quality match.
“It’s going to be a massive occasion. It’ll be a difficult day, there’s no doubt about that. We’re in the same competitions so we face each other often. This is the first clash since that semi-final last year with our top sides out. Both sides know there’s a massive prize at the end of the day. Everyone has a lot to play for.”
Current Form – 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), Won 23-14 v Montpellier (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 29-24 v Edinburgh (away), Won 20-13 v Scarlets (home), Won 64-7 v Southern Kings (home), Drew 10-10 v Scarlets (away), Lost 32-18 v Ospreys (away); (Champions Cup quarter-final): Won 30-19 v Saracens (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 41-6 v Zebre (home), Lost 17-15 v Benetton Rugby (home)
Scarlets – (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 57-10 v Southern Kings (home), Won 41-10 v Zebre (away), Lost 27-20 v Ulster (away), Won 28-8 v Edinburgh (home), Won 36-27 v Connacht (home), Won 19-18 v Ospreys (away); (Champions Cup): Lost 21-20 v Toulon (away), Lost 18-13 v Bath (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 30-17 v Cardiff Blues (home), Won 20-8 v Benetton Rugby (home); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 40-0 v Exeter Chiefs (home), Lost 23-18 v Dragons (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 34-30 v Southern Kings (away), Lost 28-21 v Toyota Cheetahs (away); (Champions Cup): Won 33-28 v Benetton Rugby (home), Won 31-12 v Benetton Rugby (away); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 12-9 v Ospreys (home), Won 14-11 v Cardiff Blues (away), Won 47-13 v Dragons (home); (Champions Cup): Won 35-17 v Bath (away), Won 30-27 v Toulon (home); (Anglo-Welsh Cup): Lost 35-7 v Harlequins (away), Lost 45-18 v Sale Sharks (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Lost 22-12 v Benetton Rugby (away), Lost 20-13 v Leinster (away), Won 34-10 v Ulster (home), Drew 10-10 v Leinster (home), Lost 19-7 v Munster (away); (Champions Cup quarter-final): Won 29-17 v La Rochelle (home); (GUINNESS PRO14): Won 26-8 v Glasgow Warriors (home), Lost 52-14 v Edinburgh (away)
Top Scorers – 2017/18 European Champions Cup: Leinster – Points: Jonathan Sexton 52; Tries:Jonathan Sexton 3; Scarlets – Points: Leigh Halfpenny 59; Tries: Gareth Davies 4
Previous European Meetings: 5
Saturday, January 12, 2013 – Pool 5 – Leinster 33 Scarlets 14, the RDS
Saturday, October 20, 2012 – Pool 5 – Scarlets 13 Leinster 20, Parc y Scarlets
Saturday, December 19, 2009 – Pool 6 – Leinster 39 Scarlets 7, the RDS
Saturday, December 12, 2009 – Pool 6 – Scarlets 7 Leinster 32, Parc y Scarlets
Friday, November 6, 1998 – Pool A – Leinster 27 Scarlets 34, Donnybrook
Match Facts –
– Leinster are the only side with a 100% winning record in this season’s Champions Cup and could become just the second team after Saracens in 2015/16 to win every match in a campaign. Leinster did go unbeaten during their 2011/12 title success with eight wins and a draw
– These teams have met seven times previously in the European Cup with Leinster winning five of those matches, including the last four in-a-row
– This will be Leinster’s 10th semi-final appearance, only Munster (13, including 2017/18) have featured in more (Toulouse also on 10)
– Just one of Leinster’s previous nine semi-finals have been against Welsh opposition, that was back in the first edition of the European Cup in 1995/96 when they were beaten by Cardiff
– The Scarlets have reached this stage of the Champions Cup for the first time since 2006/07 and for the fourth time overall. They have yet to progress to the final, however
– No side has averaged more tries per game than Leinster this season (3.6, same as Saracens), while the province has also conceded the fewest penalties per match (7.6)
– The Scarlets have won 94% of their own lineouts in this campaign, the best rate of any team
European Cup Records:
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
Scarlets –
2016/17: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2015/16: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2014/15: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2013/14: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2012/13: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2011/12: Failed to qualify from Pool 1
2010/11: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2009/10: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2008/09: Failed to qualify from Pool 4
2007/08: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
2006/07: Reached the semi-finals
2005/06: Failed to qualify from Pool 6
2004/05: Failed to qualify from Pool 3
2003/04: Reached the quarter-finals
2002/03: Reached the quarter-finals
2001/02: Reached the semi-finals
2000/01: Failed to qualify from Pool 5
1999/00: Reached the semi-finals
1998/99: Reached the quarter-finals
1997/98: Reached the quarter-final play-off
1996/97: Reached the quarter-finals
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