RABODIRECT PRO 12 Leinster v Newport-G Dragons:AFTER "EMBARRASSING" defensive lapses in Llanelli last weekend several Leinster players yet to establish themselves at this level must know they are already on their last chance – as far as game time goes this season anyway.
“I was walking around on the Sunday, I went down to Wicklow with my missus and I was nearly embarrassed, and everybody felt that way,” said Shane Jennings, a man who owes nothing to anybody in Irish rugby.
The video session must have been brutal viewing. Far too many blue tacklers fell off Welsh runners, leading directly to tries. Second string or not, 45-20 is a humiliating defeat for the European champions.
Repeat performances, especially in contact, will make it very difficult for the coaching staff to sell the “competition for places” line over the coming months.
At least the visiting Dragons are not a patch on the Scarlets side that shredded Joe Schmidt’s team on match day one. We presume those who had their heads patted by try-scoring George North and friends will produce an angry reaction for the first RDS outing.
“It’s actually quite a good opportunity for us because we got beat up last week, we got bullied, we didn’t win the confrontations and tackles, even when we were carrying ball,” Jennings continued.
“So if we do that again we’re going to get beat up again by (Toby) Faletau and these guys so it’s a massive job for us not to give them space, especially him.”
The public will learn plenty this evening. For starters, is Quinn Roux going to be more Brad Thorn than Steven Sykes? Here’s hoping the former. Can Jamie Hagan, now aged 25, become a viable option at tighthead prop? And what of Ben Marshall at blindside flanker?
The backline, with the exception of Isa Nacewa and to a lesser extent Ian Madigan, have to show season ticket holders they are worth the price of admission. Quality underage performers they may have been, but can they step up to the big league?
Andy Tuilagi – brother of Alesana and Manu – will probe the midfield defence. Brendan Macken appears to have the physique to cope, while Noel Reid is retained at 12 after a brief pre-season experiment with Ireland under-20s flanker Jordan Coughlan. The Dragons lost some serious quality during the summer, while Dan Lydiate and Tonderai Chavhanga are both injured.
Leo Cullen’s return as captain always guarantees a lift in standards. They should win comfortably but certain players must make dramatic improvements or their value will plummet.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Conway, B Macken, N Reid, F Carr; I Madigan, J Cooney; J McGrath, S Cronin, J Hagan; L Cullen (capt), Q Roux; B Marshall, S Jennings, L Auva'a. Replacements: T Sexton, H van der Merwe, M Moore, D Toner, J Murphy, L McGrath, C O'Shea, D Hudson.
DRAGONS: D Evans; W Harries, P Leach, A Tuilagi, T Prydie; S Jones, J Evans; N Williams, S Parry, N Buck; I Nimmo, A Jones; H Stodart, J Groves (capt), T Faletau. Replacements: H Gustafson, A Coundley, T Ryan, L Evans, T Brown, L Davies, A Smith, H Amos.
Referee: Marius Mitrea(FIR).
Verdict: Leinster win.
