Leinster team to face Glasgow Warriors

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Glasgow, Leinster, RaboDirect Pro 12

The Leinster team to face the Glasgow Warriors in Saturday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 Play Off in the RDS (KO: 7.35pm) has been named.

Isa Nacewa will make his 100th appearance for the province as the two sides shape up for their fifth meeting this season.

Nacewa, 29, has to date scored 358 career points for Leinster and he starts at full-back in a back three which features Fergus McFadden – who replaces the injured Luke Fitzgerald – and David Kearney who lines up on the wing.

Rob Kearney (back) and Brian O’Driscoll (knee) picked up niggles in training this week and have been ruled out for this weekend’s game. The Ireland duo will be further assessed by the Leinster medical team over the coming days

Gordon D’Arcy – capped 204 times for the province to date – partners the fit again Eoin O’Malley at centre, with Eoin Reddan linking up at half back alongside Jonathan Sexton.

Jamie Heaslip leads the team and the Naas man is named in an all-Irish back-row alongside Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien who makes his 70th appearance for the province. Devin Toner forms a second row partnership with All Black Brad Thorn.

Leo Cullen is named amongst a strong replacements bench.

Over 14,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s game and tickets are still on sale from www.leinsterrugby.ie, the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), Spar (Donnybrook) as well as Ticketmaster outlets nationwide. There will also be tickets on sale on the day on both Simmonscourt Road and Anglesea Road from 4pm.

Meanwhile, with a number of events taking place in and around the RDS on Saturday, supporters are advised to use Public Transport. Gates open at 6pm.

LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa

14: Fergus McFadden

13: Eoin O’Malley

12: Gordon D’Arcy

11: David Kearney

10: Jonathan Sexton

9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy

2: Richardt Strauss

3: Mike Ross

4: Brad Thorn

5: Devin Toner

6: Sean O’Brien

7: Shane Jennings

8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin

17: Heinke van der Merwe

18: Nathan White

19: Leo Cullen

20: Kevin McLaughlin

21: Isaac Boss

22: Ian Madigan

23: Andrew Conway

REFEREE: George Clancy (IRFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: John Lacey (IRFU), Leo Colgan (IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Mark Patton (IRFU), 5th OFFICIAL: Richard Kerr (IRFU), TMO: Marshall Kilgore (IRFU)

Sexton makes first start of the season for Leinster

Posted on Oct 8, 2010 in Rugby News

The Leinster team to face Racing-Métro 92 in Saturday’s Pool 2 Heineken Cup opener in the RDS (KO: 1.30pm) has been named.

Jonathan Sexton makes his first start of the season and will partner Eoin Reddan at half-back for the visit of Top 14 table-toppers. Gordon D’Arcy partners Brian O’Driscoll in a backline which includes six Ireland internationals as well as Isa Nacewa, who starts on the right wing.

Shane Jennings forms an all-Ireland back-row partnership with Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip, with Devin Toner continuing his second row partnership with Nathan Hines.

Tickets sales are approaching the 17,000 mark for Saturday’s match and tickets are still on sale from www.leinsterrugby.ie, Spar (Donnybrook) and the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook). Tickets will also be on sale at the gate on the day from the Ticketmaster box offices (located on Anglesea Road and Simmonscourt Road) from 9am.

LEINSTER:

15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Brian O’Driscoll
12: Gordon D’Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Nathan Hines
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O’Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Cian Healy
18: Simon Shawe
19: Mariano Galarza
20: Dominic Ryan
21: Isaac Boss
22: Fergus McFadden
23: Shane Horgan

REFEREE: David Pearson (RFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Rob Debney, Stuart Terheege (both RFU), 4^th OFFICIAL: Peter Dennehy (IRFU), 5^th OFFICIAL: Ken Henley-Willis (Leinster Rugby Referees)

Leinster team to face Treviso

Posted on Sep 16, 2010 in Irish Rugby

The Leinster team to face Benetton Treviso in Saturday’s Magners League clash at the Stadio di Monigo (KO: 7.05pm local time, 6.05pm Irish time, LIVE on TG4) has been named.

Ireland’s Gordon D’Arcy, Rob Kearney and Eoin Reddan start for the province for the first time this season and the trio are named in a backline which also includes Isa Nacewa, who scored 19 points (including a try) in the 34-23 victory over the Cardiff Blues this season.

In the pack, Cian Healy comes into the front row after making a second half appearance last weekend to partner John Fogarty and Mike Ross, while Rhys Ruddock forms a back-row partnership with Sean O’Brien and skipper Shane Jennings.

Isaac Boss, Fergus McFadden and Heinke van der Merwe are named amongst the replacements.

Meanwhile, in excess of 43,000 tickets have now been sold for the Magners League clash between Leinster and Munster in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 2nd October (KO: 7.30pm). Limited tickets for all categories (price €30 to €70) are available now from www.leinsterrugby.ie , Spar (Donnybrook), the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook) as well as Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

LEINSTER:

• 15: Rob Kearney
• 14: Isa Nacewa
• 13: Eoin O’Malley
• 12: Gordon D’Arcy
• 11: Luke Fitzgerald
• 10: Ian Madigan
• 9: Eoin Reddan

• 1: Cian Healy
• 2: John Fogarty
• 3: Mike Ross
• 4: Nathan Hines
• 5: Ed O’Donoghue
• 6: Rhys Ruddock
• 7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN
• 8: Sean O’Brien

REPLACEMENTS:

• 16: Richardt Strauss
• 17: Heinke van der Merwe
• 18: Simon Shawe
• 19: Mariano Galarza
• 20: Stephen Keogh
• 21: Isaac Boss
• 22: Fergus McFadden
• 23: David Kearney

REFEREE:Peter Allan (SRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Stefano Marrama, Domenico Sironi (both FIR), TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)

Leinster scrum-half Eoin Reddan previews the game:

“It’s good to get a win especially after the (performance) the week before where we were a little bit annoyed when we came back after losing away to Glasgow. It wasn’t a great game of rugby against Cardiff but we managed to put a few more phases together. We’ve got to keep working on that, keep getting the shape that Joe (Schmidt) wants and put a good performance together against Treviso this week.

“They’re a very tough side. We know that their main goal for the season was to be good at home and if you have to respect that and know what you’re getting into this week. It’s going to be very tough out there; (we’re expecting) a tough physical battle and we have to be ready for it.

“The weather over there should be quite similar to here! Last Saturday was like that (showery and warm) and the boys have been working very hard on their fitness so we have to be ready. That’s something that we have all been working hard on this year and whatever the weather is this weekend, even if it will be hot, hopefully we’ll have the skills and the capability to deal with whatever weather conditions come our way.

“I have played in Italy a few times before with Wasps in the Heineken Cup and with Munster as well. Attacking wise they target different areas in which they’re very strong. They come off the line very hard and in attack they have a few dangerous players who are very good on their feet with a very good change of direction, so you really have to be on your guard.

“Having away games at this stage in the season is an opportunity to capitalise on the work you’ve done and maybe get wins away from home. That’s what the goal is over the next few weeks. We need to win these next two games and hopefully put the squad in a good position in the Magners League going forward.”

King returns for Scarlets – Michael Cheika Previews Leinster game

Posted on Feb 16, 2010 in Rugby News

The Leinster squad to face the Scarlets in Saturday’s Magners League clash at the RDS (KO: 6.30pm) has been named.

Leinster welcome back Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton from Ireland duty for Leinster’s fourth fixture against the Scarlets this season.

With the likes of Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan and Shane Jennings in tow, supplemented by the likes of Shaun Berne, Isa Nacewa, Stan Wright and CJ van der Linde, Leinster can call on a panel of experienced and young talent.

Full-back Andrew Conway is named in the extended panel having impressed for the Ireland Under-20′s in recent weeks. Meanwhile, David Kearney, Eoin O’Malley and Eoin Sheriff are included in the panel after impressing in last weekend’s 22-10 British & Irish Cup victory over the Exeter Chiefs.

The team is expected to be announced on Friday lunchtime.

Over 13,000 tickets have now been sold for Saturday’s Magners League fixture

(more…)

Ireland announce team

Posted on Feb 9, 2010 in Rugby News

Ireland Coach Declan Kidney has named the team to play France in the second game of the RBS 6 Nations Championship in Paris on Saturday. Keith Earls has been selected on the left wing in place of Andrew Trimble.  Donncha O’Callaghan has not recovered from the injury that ruled him out of the opening game. Leo Cullen has been named to start in the second row.

A vacancy has been left blindside flanker pending confirmation of the fitness of Stephen Ferris. Both players took part in training with the Ireland team today but a final decision will be made on Thursday. The seven replacements will also be finalised on Thursday from the possible nine players named today.
(more…)