Munster v Leinster team news: With the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Harlequins looming large, Leinster coach Michael Chieka has declined the opportunity to wheel out all his big guns for tomorrow night's pivotal Irish derby with Munster, who, on the other hand, are at full strength save for the injured Denis Leamy.
The names of Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald were conspicuous by their absence when the Leinster teamsheet was circulated earlier this morning although Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip do return to front line action.
O’Driscoll and Fitzgerald are not even named among the replacements as Cheika opts to keep at least some of his powder dry for Sunday week’s trip to The Stoop.
Felipe Contepomi will start at outhalf in his final tussle with Munster before departing to France in the summer with Isa Nacewa named on the wing and Shane Horgan partnering Gordon D’Arcy in the Leinster midfield.
Utilised at fullback throughout Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, Kearney reverts to the left wing for the match at Thomond Park as Girvan Dempsey holds on to the number 15 jersey.
Up front, South African World Cup winning prop CJ van der Linde has failed to shake off the toe injury that has severely limited his opportunities this season, meaning the frontrow will again comprise of Stan Wright, Cian Healy and hooker Bernard Jackman.
Despite van der Linde’s absence, the pack will no doubt be bolstered by the return of Heaslip to a powerful backrow following his heroics in Ireland’s Grand Slam campaign.
With Munster currently three points clear at the top of the table, Leinster captain Leo Cullen, who will partner Malcolm O’Kelly in the engine room, feels another defeat to Tony McGahan’s side could end their chances of defending the title.
“Munster already gave us a bit of a beating in the RDS, 18-0, and I suppose if you look back to last year we got two wins over them and that was the difference in us winning the league,” Cullen said
“They’re already one up on us this year and if we allow that to happen again that’s essentially the league over for us . . . it’s gonna be a massive game and will come down to whoever wants it most on the day.”
McGahan, meanwhile, welcomes back all the Irish internationals available to him as the province seek to strengthen their grip on the title.
As such, the entire front five that started at the Millennium Stadium are back in situ, while David Wallace returns to the backrow and Ronan O’Gara and Tomas O’Leary form the halfback partnership.
McGahan is also able to welcome back Ian Dowling ahead of their European clash with the Ospreys the following Sunday. Dowling has not played since injuring a hamstring against Montauban in January and, in the continued absence of Rua Tipoki, gives another option for the coaching staff.
Alan Quinlan is well aware that the visitors will come seeking revenge and feels it will be an occasion to savour.
"You always look forward to these type of games, against the other Irish sides, local derbies if you like that have a unique atmosphere and this one probably caps 'em all,” said the flanker. “I know they (Leinster) will be looking to make up for us beating them earlier but even still games against them are as tough as anything we play during the season."
"I think it's going to be a great occasion," he continued, " I hope the weather stays the way it is and if it does I think people are going to see a cracking game of rugby played by two good sides."
Munster v Leinster,Thomond Park, Saturday (7.30pm)
On TV:Setanta Sports 1 (from 7pm)
Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; A Quinlan, N Ronan, D Wallace. Replacements: D Fogarty, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, P Stringer, B Murphy, D Hurley.
Leinster: G Dempsey, I Nacewa, G D'Arcy, S Horgan, R Kearney; F Contepomi, C Whitaker; C Healy, B Jackman, S Wright; L Cullen, M O'Kelly; R Elsom, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements(from): J Fogarty, O le Roux, R McCormack, T Hogan, C Jowitt, S O'Brien, C Keane, J Sexton, S Keogh.
Referee: Christophe Berdos (FFR)
