Rugby – Team News:After a week of intense speculation, Brian O'Driscoll has been named in the Leinster starting line-up to take on Northampton in tomorrow's Heineken Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff (kick-off 5pm).
O'Driscoll was in a race to be fit in time for the European showpiece after injuring his knee during last weekend’s Magners League semi-final win over Ulster. There were also injury conerns over Richardt Strauss and Mike Ross but both were named in a full strength side.
The Leinster centre now has the chance to add to his 30 Heineken Cup tries as the province go in search of their second European title in three years. O’Driscoll forms a familiar centre partnership alongside Gordon D’Arcy, which means the in-form Fergus McFadden must be content with a place on the bench.
O’Driscoll was only able to play a limited part in training all week but management remained confident he would recover and gave him as much time as possible.
In a backline showing no less than six Irish internationals, Jonathan Sexton will partner Eoin Reddan in the halfbacks as coach Joe Schmidt opted for Reddan’s quick supply over the muscle of Isaac Boss who will deputise from the bench.
Luke Fitzgerald and Shane Horgan will take their place on the wings with player of the year Isa Nacewa holding down his customary fullback role.
Leo Cullen leads the side and will line up alongside Scotland's Nathan Hines at secondrow. The pack also shows six Ireland internationals which includes Sean O'Brien, who has scored four tries in this year's competition.
O'Brien starts in the backrow alongside Kevin McLaughlin and number eight Jamie Heaslip. Cian Healy and Ross are named alongside Strauss in the frontrow.
Shane Jennings, who came on in the semi-final win over Toulouse, is named on a strong bench.
Although Leinster will go into tomorrow’s final as favourites flanker O’Brien believes there is no danger of complacency creeping in, either this weekend or for next Saturday’s Magners League final appointment with Munster in Limerick.
“We have had a brilliant season so far and we are exactly where we want to be - in the finals of both the Heineken Cup and the Magners League,” said O’Brien. “But we have nothing won yet and we still have it all to do.
“There is a lot of excitement about the place thinking about what we could possibly do. But if we don’t win something, we will just be the same as everyone else - taking early holidays.
“We know what we have to do. We have to go out and win a trophy, it is as simple as that.
“I was only involved in the 2009 final (against Leicester) as a replacement, and I never came off the bench. So this Heineken Cup final will certainly be the biggest game of my club career.
“It is an absolutely massive day for the players, the club and our phenomenal fans. We know we simply have to perform for them as well.”
Northampton boast a 100 per cent record through the pool stages and knockout rounds, and they will become the first team to go through an entire Heineken Cup campaign unbeaten if they lift the trophy. They also had a full deck to choose from with Ireland's James Downey and Roger Wilson getting the nod at centre and number eight respectively.
But Leinster can reflect on toppling last season’s Heineken Cup winners Toulouse, English champions Leicester, Tigers’ fellow Aviva Premiership title contenders Saracens and two more powerful French clubs in Clermont Auvergne and Racing Metro.
O’Brien added: “We had massive physical contests against Leicester and Toulouse, and we did what we had to do. But now, the Saints will be a different kettle of fish with different challenges. They are playing good rugby.
“Way back when the pools for this season’s Heineken Cup were drawn, you knew Saints would almost certainly be there or thereabouts at this stage of the tournament.
“They have quality throughout their whole side, and we face a huge physical task.”
Northampton have not experienced such an occasion since 2000, when the likes of Pat Lam, Tim Rodber, Paul Grayson and Allan Bateman helped edge out Munster 9-8 in the final at Twickenham.
But they will become the first English club to be crowned European champions since Wasps in 2007 if they triumph and make amends for last week’s Premiership play-off defeat against Leicester that ended their hopes of a trophy double this term.
“We are massive underdogs,” claimed Wilson. “People think we are just happy to be here, but it’s about us proving them wrong.
“It’s going to be a big step up. They (Leinster) don’t have any weaknesses, and to win the game everyone of us will have to be at our best. Everyone of us needs to play the best game of our lives. It’s within our capabilities, but it’s a massive ask.
“Leinster’s set-piece has improved massively. They’ve always had the backs, but maybe didn’t have that killer instinct up-front. Now, they are certainly one of the top-ranked packs.
“But (prop) Soane Tonga’uiha has been unreal for us. His scrummaging is unbelievable, and he’s all over the place making carries and charging down kicks.
“Perpignan have one of the best scrums in Europe, but we got on top of them in the semi-final. We have good scrum stamina - it’s quite rare to have guys running around and scrummaging with that ferocity for 80 minutes.
“It’s a big area that we will target, and hopefully we can get some dominance there. Hopefully, Leinster won’t be able to cope with that.”
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL TEAMS
LEINSTER:I Nacewa, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald, J Sexton, E Reddan, C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, L Cullen (Capt), N Hines, K McLaughlin, S O'Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements: J Harris-Wright, H van der Merwe, S Wright, D Toner, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F McFadden.
NORTHAMPTON SAINTS:B Foden; C Ashton, J Clarke, J Downey, P Diggin; S Myler, L Dickson; S Tonga'uiha, D Hartley [capt], B Mujati, C Lawes, C Day, C Clark, P Dowson, R Wilson. Replacements: B Sharman, A Waller, T Mercey, M Sorenson, M Easter, S Commins, S Geraghty, J Ansbro
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
HEINEKEN CUP FINAL KEY BATTLES
JONATHAN SEXTON (Leinster) v STEPHEN MYLER (Northampton)
Given that 10 out of the last 11 Heineken Cup finals have been decided by one score or less, rival goalkickers Sexton and Myler have huge roles to play. Both outhalves are outstanding marksmen, although both can sometimes be flaky under pressure, but Sexton's greater experience of the bigger stage courtesy of regular Test match rugby and a previous Heineken final might just give him an edge.
CIAN HEALY (Leinster) v BRIAN MUJATI (Northampton)
If Northampton are going to be crowned European champions for the first time since 2000, then they will need to showcase their trademark scrummaging power, which is where South African tighthead prop Mujati comes into his own. Saints are pushovers for no team up-front, and it will be Mujati's job to make life as uncomfortable as possible for Leinster and Ireland loosehead Healy.
JAMIE HEASLIP (Leinster) v ROGER WILSON (Northampton)
Ireland star Heaslip is in the form of his life, repeatedly hitting the heights in a Test match shirt or Leinster's colours. The number eight's astonishing work-rate and enviable footballing skills make him a handful for any opponent, but Ulsterman Wilson has proved one of Northampton's unsung heroes this season, putting in one top-drawer display after another. A head-to-head that is almost worth the admission on its own.
