Connacht v Leinster - Preview

Peter Robb will make his Pro12 debut for leaders Connacht while Luke Fitzgerald returns for Leinster for Saturday's top-of-the-table contest.

Connacht's two changes from the win over Edinburgh see Robb, 21, and Niyi Adeolokun replacing Craig Ronaldson and Danie Poolman in the backs.

Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw is named in the Connacht replacements.

Fitzgerald's inclusion after injury is one of eight Leinster changes from last Friday's defeat by Glasgow. The wing missed Ireland's entire Six Nations campaign because of a medial ligament injury.

Fitzgerald is joined in the backline by Ian Madigan and Fergus McFadden who both featured as replacements in Ireland's win over Scotland.

Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy and Rhys Ruddock will also start for Leinster in Galway after being introduced by Ireland last weekend while another of Joe Schmidt's Six Nations players Josh van der Flier is named in the back row.

A strong Leinster bench includes Ireland players Jamie Heaslip, Jack McGrath, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Sean Cronin and Eoin Reddan.

Henshaw is joined in the Connacht replacements by another Ireland squad member Finlay Bealham.

Nathan White, who featured in all five of Ireland's Six Nations games, will start in the Connacht front row while youngster Sean O'Brien is again named in the back row alongside Jake Heenan and skipper John Muldoon.

Connacht go into the Sportsground contest a point ahead of Leo Cullen's Leinster side.

Connacht

T O'Halloran; N Adeolokun, B Aki, P Robb, M Healy; AJ MacGinty, K Marmion; D Buckley, T McCartney, N White; Q Roux , A Muldowney; S O'Brien, J Heenan, J Muldoon (capt) 

Replacements: D Heffernan, R Loughney, F Bealham, A Browne, E McKeon, C Blade, S O'Leary, R Henshaw.

Leinster

I Nacewa (capt); F McFadden, G Ringrose, B Te'o, L Fitzgerald; I Madigan, L McGrath; C Healy, R Strauss, T Furlong; R Molony, H Triggs; D Ryan, J van der Flier, R Ruddock

Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, M Ross, D Toner, J Heaslip, E Reddan, N Reid, Z Kirchner

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Lucky Thirteen for Leinster Flier

Josh van der Flier’s controversially-awarded try helped Leinster to grind out a 13-0 Guinness PRO12 win over Connacht at a wet and windy RDS Arena.

The young flanker’s converted score on the hour mark was awarded by referee George Clancy and TMO Marshall Kilgore, despite no clear grounding of the ball on the replays, with Connacht captain John Muldoon appearing to hold him up.

But Leinster deserved their sixth league victory on the trot, with man-of-the-match Eoin Reddan, Devin Toner and lively replacement Sean O’Brien, making his 100th provincial appearance, driving them to a hard-earned result.

Jonny Sexton’s penalty on the quarter hour mark was the only score of a bruising, rain-soaked first half, with Connacht digging deep to prevent wind-backed Leinster from crossing their line.

The westerners, second in the table before kick-off, struggled for accuracy in attack, though, and Van der Flier’s effort, coupled with a 74th-minute penalty from replacement Ian Madigan, sealed the points for Leo Cullen’s men.

With a strong wind behind them, Leinster forced a series of early penalties, but the white-shirted visitors doggedly defended three lineout mauls in quick succession.

The pressure had to tell eventually and following two further Connacht infringements, Sexton slotted a straightforward 14th-minute penalty from in front of the posts.

A threatening break from Garry Ringrose amounted to nothing as Craig Ronaldson brought him down and then gobbled up a loose ball, and Eoghan Masterson won a relieving ruck penalty after another Leinster maul was halted.

A turgid spell was broken up by a couple of sniping runs from Eoin Reddan, who started in place of Luke McGrath (foot infection), but Connacht’s excellent number eight Masterson poached a ruck ball to release the pressure.

It was Leinster’s turn to feel the heat close to half-time, Niyi Adeolokun racing up to almost score from a Tiernan O’Halloran grubber kick towards the right corner. Having initially failed to gather the greasy ball, Dave Kearney recovered well to tackle Adeolokun into touch.

Into the second period, Connacht survived a slick midfield surge from Ringrose, a knock-on spoiling Leinster’s latest attack, and O’Halloran hoovered up at the end of a Rob Kearney-initiated kick chase.

However, Kearney’s younger brother Dave soon sliced open the Connacht defence on the left, powering into the 22 to set up a prolonged attacking spell. After a series of pick and goes, Van der Flier was adjudged to have forced his way over, with Sexton converting.

Bundee Aki tried to inject some pace into the Connacht attack, but he lacked support and some questionable decisions by Clancy also thwarted their progress.

The influence of Toner and O’Brien up front kept Leinster on course and Madigan knocked over the clinching penalty with six minutes left, confirming the province’s rise to second place — just a point behind the table-topping Scarlets, with a game in hand.

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Heineken Door Still Open

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The "door is still open" for Europe's top clubs to help find a solution to the row over the Heineken Cup's future, says the competition's organiser.

English and French clubs will quit the tournament next year in favour of the proposed Rugby Champions Cup.

European Rugby Cup (ERC), which has run the Heineken Cup since it began in 1995, wants to reopen talks with clubs.

"The future is best served by doing what we have all been doing for 18 years," said ERC chief Derek McGrath.

"ERC wishes to encourage everybody back to the table. There is a lot of activity to try to find solutions.

"We have stated many times that we absolutely believe that we will only find agreement when we have the full engagement of all the parties around the table. We haven't had that yet.

"We haven't had engagement and we haven't had negotiation, which is critical to find progress."

English Premiership and French Top 14 clubs are serving a notice period to leave ERC-run competitions and will not attend talks planned by the organising body next month.

They believe the Heineken Cup structure favours teams from the Pro12, which is made up of sides from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy.

Only the top six in England and France are guaranteed a place in the Heineken Cup, whereas at least 10 Celtic League outfits - including both Scottish, both Italian and a minimum of three sides each from Wales and Ireland - have certain entry into the competition.

With the Pro12 having no relegation, it is argued teams can rest players for league matches to keep them fresh for Europe, while Premiership and Top 14 teams have to fight hard just to qualify.

The English and French clubs are also unhappy with the way revenues are split between the three leagues and want to keep a greater share.

Pro12 clubs will be allowed to join the potential new tournament, but the Welsh, Scottish and Irish Rugby Unions want "full approval" of the International Rugby Board (IRB) for their clubs to take part.

Despite the English and French clubs' insistence on forming a breakaway competition, ERC chief executive McGrath insists there is still time to reach an agreement for all of Europe's top clubs to continue playing in the Heineken Cup.

"All parties bear a responsibility to find those solutions," he added at Monday's English and French launch of this season's Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cup competitions in Cardiff.

"Walking away is not respecting the obligations to those, in particular, who are not sitting at the table - the fans, the players, the sponsors - who have a significant interest in the future of the competitions.

"I sincerely believe it is in everyone's best interests to come to the meeting."

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Leinster v Connacht - Preview

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Leinster coach Joe Schmidt makes nine changes in the team to face Connacht in the Pro12 derby at the RDS on Saturday.

Andrew Goodman, Fionn Carr and Issac Boss are drafted into the backs while there are six changes in the forwards.

Heinke van der Merwe, Aaron Dundon, Ben Marshall, Rhys Ruddock, Jordi Murphy and captain Shane Jennings also get a start.

Connacht make four changes with Eoin Griffin, Matt Healy, Denis Buckley and Michael Swift coming in.

Connacht are chasing a season double over the European champions after defeating them 34-6 at the Sportsground in September.

Winger Healy earn his first start and cap for the province while Danie Poolman moves to the right wing and makes way for Eoin Griffin, who resumes his centre partnership with Dave McSharry.

In the pack, Buckley is named in the front row alongside Jason Harris-Wright and Nathan White, who captains the side.

Swift, who returned from injury last week and came off the bench against Munster, will partner George Naoupu in the second row.

Jennings leads a young Leinster team and the back-row forward is one of six Ireland internationals in the starting line-up.

Amongst them is Fergus McFadden, who starts on the right wing in a back three alongside Carr and full-back Andrew Conway.

Ian Madigan lies in third place in the league's accumulators list with 74 points in 11 Pro12 games so far, and he will pair up with Boss at half-back.

Van der Merwe is named in the front row alongside Dundon and Ireland prop Michael Bent, with Devin Toner partnering Marshall in the second row.

Marshall will make his fifth appearance for the province and is one of four current Academy players or recent Academy graduates in the pack.

Leinster boss Joe Schmidt is expecting a tough challenge from a Connacht side that probably should have accounted for Munster in Galway last Saturday night.

"They have recruited well, including a number of players we know well, and will look to dominate and to be as combative as they were in their win over us earlier in the season," he said.

"We know from personal experience how good they can be and they'll be disappointed that they didn't make the most of their opportunities against Munster last Saturday, especially when George Naupou crossed the line late in the game.

"They'll be frustrated by that and motivated by it as well so there is no doubt about how committed and passionate they will be arriving into the RDS."

The recent war of words between Schmidt and Connacht chief executive Tom Sears following Mike McCarthy's decision to move from the Galway-based club to Leinster may add a little spice to Saturday's encounter.

Leinster: A Conway; F McFadden, B Macken, A Goodman, F Carr, I Madigan, I Boss, H van der Merwe, A Dundon, M Bent, B Marshall, D Toner, R Ruddock, S Jennings (capt), J Murphy.

Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, M Ross, L Cullen, D Ryan, J Cooney, N Reid, A Byrne.

Connacht: R Henshaw, D Poolman, E Griffin, D McSharry, M Healy, D Parks, K Marmion, D Buckley, J Harris-Wright, N White (capt), M Swift, G Naoupu, A Browne, J O'Connor, E McKeon.

Replacements: E Reynecke, B Wilkinson, R Loughney, M Kearney, E Grace, P O'Donohoe, M Jarvis, T O'Halloran.

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O'Shea Leaves Sportsground Defeated

Connacht recorded a sensational victory at The Sportsground in Galway on Friday night , beating Harlequins 9-8 and doing Ulster a huge favour in the process as they are now qualified for the quarter-finals ahead of Saturday's clash away to Clermont Auvergne.

In a second stunning result in Pool Six, Gloucester scored four tries to beat Toulouse 34-24 at Kingsholm, a result that will see the French side having to travel in the quarter-finals.

Harlequins’ hopes were engulfed by a storming defensive display from Eric Elwood’s side as they made history in a typically wild night in Galway.

The rain-soaked crowd witnessed an intense battle between a home team hunting for their first victory in 15 matches, dating back to September 23rd, and the English Premiership leaders.

Niall O’Connor notched three penalty goals to push Connacht into a 9-5 half-time lead, however the hosts failed to take full advantage of a strong wind.

Sam Smith’s eighth-minute try showed Harlequins’ capabilities with ball in hand, but a single penalty from Nick Evans was all they could muster despite dominating possession and territory after the break.

The visitors elected to play into the elements in the first half, and pressure at scrum time on James Johnston yielded an early penalty which O’Connor stuck it over.

Quins replied in brilliant fashion, using their big ball carriers to build momentum in the 22 before Evans’s flat pass sent Smith diving over in the left corner past Fetu’u Vainikolo’s limp challenge.

Evans had to improvise after the ball fell off the kicking tee during his run-up, drop-kicking his conversion which spiralled wide in the difficult wind.

Johnston was pinged for another binding offence when play resumed, allowing O’Connor a long range shot which he sent over with aplomb.

Despite being starved of possession, Connacht went 9-5 ahead when O’Connor swung over a left-sided penalty after some mishandling from Quins.

In a tense second quarter, Connacht survived a couple of five-metre scrums but they failed to get their attack going, forcing passes as they tried frantically to take advantage of an increasing wind.

Connacht enjoyed some late territory, a close range surge from Mike McCarthy helping to set up O’Connor’s fourth shot at goal, yet the outhalf managed to screw his easiest kick to the right and wide.

It was all Harlequins when the second half got under way, Ugo Monye just failing to hold Evans’s bouncing grubber kick as Connacht’s defence was immediately tested.

Connacht maintained a high tackle rate, with a doughty scrum and feisty work in contact from man-of-the-match John Muldoon and McCarthy continuing to frustrate O’Shea’s charges.

Having turned down an earlier kickable penalty, Evans was called upon to add three points to the Quins tally after Muldoon infringed at a ruck.

The New Zealander did just that, making it a single-point game with 20 minutes left on the clock. It seemed enough time for the English outfit to prevail.

They had the upper hand in the scrum. Another good shunt, 13 minutes from time, gave Evans the opportunity to kick Quins ahead, but the Kiwi misjudged the wind and Connacht drew breath.

Energised by their ability to hold on to that slender lead, the hosts edged closer to their first Heineken Cup win thanks to a combination of sterling work up front and unforced errors by Quins.

Danny Care and company were unable to find space against a tiring but suffocating Connacht defence and they held their nerve to end that losing run.

Gloucester floored Heineken Cup heavyweights Toulouse after a brilliant performance inspired by their try-hungry backs.

Fullback Jonny May led the way with a double, while England wing Charlie Sharples and Fijian flanker Akapusi Qera also crossed and outhalf Freddie Burns booted 14 points.

Four-time European champions Toulouse, though, still progress to the quarter-finals as Pool Six winners.

Wing Timoci Matanavou touched down twice for the visitors, while skipper Thierry Dusautoir scored early on and outhalf Lionel Beauxis added three conversions and a penalty.