Leinster desperately need to put a stop to their erratic form in the GUINNESS PRO12 if they want to make the end of season play-offs. Avenging their home loss to the Newport Gwent Dragons is vital on Sunday afternoon.
GUINNESS PRO12: Sunday, April 12
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (9th) v LEINSTER (5th), Rodney Parade, 4.15pm (live S4C/highlights TG4)
Team News: Fergus McFadden has not passed the return-to-play protocols and will not be involved in Leinster’s GUINNESS PRO12 encounter with the Newport Gwent Dragons. His place on the right wing is taken by Dave Kearney.
Kearney, a try scorer against the Dragons earlier in the season, and Zane Kirchner, who replaces Kearney’s older brother Rob at full-back, form the back-three along with Darragh Fanning.
In the centre Gordon D’Arcy will make his 258th appearance for the province alongside Ben Te’o, while Eoin Reddan starts at scrum half alongside Jimmy Gopperth.
Jack McGrath, hooker Richardt Strauss and Martin Moore start in the front row having come off the bench against Bath last weekend. Ben Marshall (pictured below) comes in for his second start of the campaign with Kane Douglas once again missing out through injury. Mike McCarthy is Marshall’s second row partner.
In the back row, Shane Jennings will captain the side from openside flanker, with Dominic Ryan selected at blindside and Jack Conan at number 8. Should he come on at Rodney Parade, prop Michael Bent will win his 50th cap for Leinster.
Meanwhile, Dragons director of rugby Lyn Jones has made three personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that beat Cardiff Blues in last weekend’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final.
Full-back Jason Tovey retains his place in the back-three and is joined by international wings Tom Prydie and Hallam Amos. Tyler Morgan replaces Pat Leach in the centre where he pairs up with Jack Dixon.
Half-backs Dorian Jones and Jonathan Evans, who put in a good performance against Cardiff, retain their places at out-half and scrum half respectively.
The front row remains unchanged as hooker and captain Rhys Thomas is joined by props Phil Price and Brok Harris. The second row sees the inclusion of James Thomas, who has made a full recovery from the injury he sustained last time out. He partners Cory Hill. with Nick Crosswell moving to blindside flanker.
The back row is completed by openside Nic Cudd and Wales and Lions ace Toby Faletau who returns to the number 8 berth.
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS: Jason Tovey; Tom Prydie, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Dorian Jones, Jonathan Evans; Phil Price, Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, James Thomas, Cory Hill, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Luke Garrett, Dan Way, Matthew Screech, James Benjamin, Luc Jones, Pat Leach, Geraint Rhys Jones.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Dave Kearney, Ben Te’o, Gordon D’Arcy, Darragh Fanning; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Martin Moore, Ben Marshall, Mike McCarthy, Dominic Ryan, Shane Jennings (capt), Jack Conan.
Replacements: Aaron Dundon, Michael Bent, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, Jordi Murphy, Luke McGrath, Noel Reid, Luke Fitzgerald.
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Sean Brickell (both Wales)
Television Match Official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Pre-Match Quotes: Richie Murphy (Leinster) – “Our focus for this week is purely on Dragons and trying to get ourselves into a position where we can fight for that top four. Obviously we are up against it a little bit, so it is a case of all hands to the pump and just try and do as much as we can do to force our way into that top four but it is a little bit out of our hands at the moment.
“We definitely haven’t performed in the league to the level that we need to. With players coming in and out, and obviously players over the last season or so dropping out of the squad, the leaders that were there beforehand when the internationals were away are changing now.
“People are trying to develop those areas, those roles. The sooner that happens, the better. The young guys coming in have to play in order to get experience. You’ve got to review how they did on that day, and put them back out again in order to see can you get an improvement.”
Lyn Jones (Newport Gwent Dragons) – “We’ve got to use Leinster in a five-day turnaround as a really good training session, incorporating it in our preparation for Edinburgh (in the Challenge Cup). European rugby is nice and we will think about that next week but now it’s about Leinster and we are not in the position where we can rest players.
“I’ve no doubt that Leinster will be targeting this game and likewise they will be targeting Toulon, which is the tougher game for them I am not sure.
“We have got to be right on top of our game. I don’t foresee any rested players for Leinster because they have got a lot to play for. It’s going to be a real humdinger and a good test for us to see where we are against a quality outfit.”
Top Scorers – 2014/15 GUINNESS PRO12: Newport Gwent Dragons – Points: Tom Prydie 89; Tries: Hallam Amos 6; Leinster – Points: Ian Madigan 127; Tries: Ian Madigan, Dominic Ryan 4 each
RECENT LEAGUE MEETINGS:
Saturday, May 5, 2012 – Newport Gwent Dragons 18 Leinster 22, Rodney Parade
Saturday, September 8, 2012 – Leinster 45 Newport Gwent Dragons 25, the RDS
Friday, March 1, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 19 Leinster 26, Rodney Parade
Friday, November 1, 2013 – Newport Gwent Dragons 19 Leinster 23, Rodney Parade
Friday, February 14, 2014 – Leinster 31 Newport Gwent Dragons 19, the RDS
Sunday, February 15, 2015 – Leinster 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 16, the RDS
MATCH FACTS:
– The Newport Gwent Dragons have won their last three matches in all competitions since losing out to Zebre in Parma in the GUINNESS PRO12 on March 1
– The Dragons have won two of their last three contests with Irish provinces with their 26-22 victory over Ulster in round 17 ending a run of five home losses to Irish opponents at Rodney Parade
– Leinster’s only win in their last five PRO12 fixtures was 29-8 at home to Zebre on February 20
– The Leinstermen have been victorious only once away from home in any competition since October: 22-13 at Cardiff Blues in the PRO12 on January 10, a run which includes three draws
– The Dragons beat Leinster at the RDS in round 14 and have never before achieved a PRO12 season’s double over the Irishmen, however Leinster have won on their last four visits to Newport
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