With 13 Rugby World Cup players back in the mix, Leo Cullen will field the strongest Leinster team of his short coaching reign as the province hunt down GUINNESS PRO12 points in northern Italy.
GUINNESS PRO12: Sunday, November 1
BENETTON TREVISO (12th) v LEINSTER (6th), Stadio di Monigo, 4pm local time/3pm Irish time (live Sky Sports 3 HD/Rai Sport)
Team News: After training this morning in UCD, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen announced the team to face Benetton Treviso in the GUINNESS PRO12 at Stadio di Monigo.
Cullen also confirmed that Isa Nacewa had been installed as Leinster club captain on a permanent basis. Following the retirement of Kevin McLaughlin, Nacewa, who has 131 caps for the province, had taken up the role on an interim basis during the Rugby World Cup phase. Jamie Heaslip and Jonathan Sexton will be Leinster’s vice-captains for the season ahead.
In team news, there are nine changes to the starting line-up with a host of Ireland internationals returning and a debut in the second row for New Zealander Hayden Triggs. In all, 13 of Leinster’s 20 Rugby World Cup representatives have been selected in the matchday squad.
Nacewa captains the side from full-back with Fergus McFadden again selected on the right wing. Dave Kearney, who made four starts during the Rugby World Cup and scored a try against Canada, comes onto the left wing.
Ben Te’o and Luke Fitzgerald start in the centre for the first time together, although they have played there before in the PRO12 last season at home to the Dragons when Fitzgerald came off the bench early in the game for Noel Reid.
Eoin Reddan makes his first start in blue of the season. Sexton joins him at half-back for his first Leinster appearance since his move back from Racing 92.
Sexton has 110 Leinster caps to date and 1,027 points and it will be a first game for Leinster for the 30-year-old since May 2013 when they beat Ulster in the PRO12 decider.
In the forwards, it is a completely new front row as Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin and Tadhg Furlong all start for the first time this season. Furlong featured off the bench last weekend against Glasgow Warriors.
6ft 7in former Auckland Blues lock Triggs makes his debut alongside Mike McCarthy, who starts for the fifth time this season. Rhys Ruddock continues at blindside flanker, while Jordi Murphy comes in at openside. Wicklow man Jack Conan completes the pack at number 8.
Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy and Devin Toner are all in line to make their seasonal bows from the bench as Leinster go in search of a first away win of the campaign.
Meanwhile, centres Andrea Pratichetti and Sam Christie are two of the five changes made to the Benetton Treviso team that lost 19-12 away to the Dragons.
Edoardo Gori comes in for the benched Chris Smylie at half-back where he links up with Italy’s regular full-back Luke McLean.
The front row of Matteo Zanusso, hooker Davide Giazzon and Rupert Harden is unchanged, while Samoa’s Filo Paulo replaces Tom Palmer in the second row and Alessandro Zanni, who takes over from Dean Budd at openside, will captain the hosts from the back row.
BENETTON TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Ludovico Nitoglia, Andrea Pratichetti, Sam Christie, Simone Ragusi; Luke McLean, Edoardo Gori; Matteo Zanusso, Davide Giazzon, Rupert Harden, Marco Fuser, Filo Paulo, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni (capt), Braam Steyn.
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Alberto de Marchi, Simone Ferrari, Jeff Montauriol, Robert Barbieri, Chris Smylie, James Ambrosini, Tommaso Iannone.
LEINSTER: Isa Nacewa (capt); Fergus McFadden, Ben Te’o, Luke Fitzgerald, Dave Kearney; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Hayden Triggs, Mike McCarthy, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Martin Moore, Devin Toner, Josh van der Flier, Luke McGrath, Cathal Marsh, Noel Reid.
Referee: Andy Brace (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Giuseppe Vivarini, Gregorio Piran (both Italy)
Television Match Official: Stefano Roscini (Italy)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Benetton Treviso to win: 10/3; Draw: 20/1; Leinster to win: 2/9
Pre-Match Quotes: Luke McGrath (Leinster) – “Not even last year, the season before we only won by a point (in Treviso) so we’ve always had a very tough game over there. We weren’t accurate at all last year – any time we got into their 22 we didn’t convert the phases into points, so just being accurate and clinical is our focus now.
“We haven’t spoken about it (the Champions Cup build-up), but in your own individual mind you’re thinking that. It’s almost a dress rehearsal for Europe. Obviously last year we drew and it’s always been a very tough game in Treviso.
“When the guys were away (at the World Cup) we had a lot of young lads, but there is a bit of a mix with older guys like Ferg (McFadden) and Isa (Nacewa), and they really stepped up and helped the younger lads with how they approached the game at the start of the season.”
Top Scorers – 2015/16 GUINNESS PRO12: Benetton Treviso – Points: Jayden Hayward 48; Tries: Dean Budd, Andrea Pratichetti, Duncan Naude, Sam Christie, Jayden Hayward, James Ambrosini, Luca Bigi 1 each; Leinster – Points: Isa Nacewa 39; Tries: Isa Nacewa 3
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, September 15, 2012 – Benetton Treviso 18 Leinster 19, Stadio di Monigo
Saturday, February 16, 2013 – Leinster 40 Benetton Treviso 5, the RDS
Sunday, November 24, 2013 – Benetton Treviso 20 Leinster 21, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, April 18, 2014 – Leinster 62 Benetton Treviso 7, the RDS
Sunday, November 23, 2014 – Benetton Treviso 24 Leinster 24, Stadio di Monigo
Friday, May 8, 2015 – Leinster 10 Benetton Treviso 0, the RDS
MATCH FACTS:
– Benetton Treviso slipped to a twelfth straight GUINNESS PRO12 defeat with their 12-9 reversal at the Newport Gwent Dragons last Friday
– Treviso have not been victorious in the league since they beat Cardiff Blues at Stadio di Monigo last February, while they have failed to defeat an Irish province since Connacht visited Treviso in October 2013
– All five of Leinster’s fixtures in the PRO12 this season have been won by the home side on the day, while Leinster’s only away victory in their last eight trips in all competitions was over Edinburgh at BT Murrayfield in round 22 last season
– The only time that Treviso have beaten Leinster in a dozen previous encounters in all competitions was when the province visited Stadio di Monigo in September 2010 and lost 29-13
– The two sides played out a 24-all draw at the venue last November
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