Montpellier v Leinster, GGL Altrad Stadium , Saturday, 5.30, Irish time – Live on BT Sport
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has resisted the temptation to repatriate the majority of the returning Ireland contingent straight into the team for a tricky opening assignment in this season’s Heineken Champions Cup.
Johnny Sexton (dead leg) and James Ryan (HIA) have overcome medical issues arising from Ireland’s victory over Scotland and are named among the replacements, a cadre comprising seven internationals and Ryan Baird; the latter soon to be one. It’s an exceptionally strong group with Cullen opting for a six-two split that includes Dan Leavy.
The starting team is a vindication to some extent performance-wise, both individually and collectively, of the team that produced a seven-match winning streak in the Pro14 during the international window; albeit comparing the apples and oranges when it comes to the respective standards of the two tournaments.
Peter Dooley, James Tracy and Michael Bent are retained in the frontrow, while Devin Toner and Scott Fardy are reunited in the secondrow. Rhys Ruddock captains the team on foot of several man-of-the-match performances and is joined in the backrow by Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris.
The injuries to Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose and James Lowe informed the composition of the backline and while their absence will be felt, it is heartening to see form rewarded in the shape of fullback Jimmy O’Brien, who will make his Champions Cup debut, and centre Ciarán Frawley, who starts a European game for the first time.
The last time these teams met at today’s venue, back in January 2018, Leinster triumphed 23-14, Ross Byrne wore the No 10 jersey and contributed 13 points including a try. The Irish province fields four survivors from that starting team, Robbie Henshaw – he was a try scorer at outside centre that day – Byrne, Toner and Van der Flier.
Montpellier, now under the direction of Philippe Saint Andre (director of rugby) and Xavier Garbajosa (head coach) have only two survivors from the run-on team, Nico Janse van Rensburg and Yacouba Camara. Their presence in the lower echelons of the French Top 14 is partially attributable to the fact that they have played three games less than most teams.
The French club enters the tie fresh from a victory away to Clermont Auvergne last weekend and there are just three alterations to the team. Alex Lozowski, on loan from Saracens, is named at outhalf, while veteran Benoit Paillaugue replaces the dangerous South African Cobus Reinach at scrumhalf.
The only change to the pack sees the 28-year-old Van Rensburg, one of three South African-born secondrows in the back five in a gargantuan pack – Jacques du Plessis and Paul Willemse, now a French international are the others – that includes former French captain Guilhem Guirado and the volatile tighthead Mohamed Haouas.
Former Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis, ex-French number eight Louis Picamoles and Titi Lamositele, who played against Leinster in Saracens colours, are among the replacements. Montpellier’s three-quarter line is replete with seriously quick players and led by the lavish gifted 21-year-old Arthur Vincent who has already won seven caps for France.
The size of the Montpellier eight will provide a rigorous examination of Leinster’s set piece and their work at the breakdown and exemplary discipline will be central to any hope of winning a fifth game against the French club in seven matches. The bookies have the visitors as nine point favourites.
Leinster scrumhalf Luke McGrath summed up the proposed gameplan neatly when he ventured: “It’s important that we go over to France with an attacking mindset and look to start well, because if you give Montpellier a start then it’s very hard to get it back. We’re well aware that it’s a huge step up this week. We have to concentrate on ourselves.”
The visitors can’t afford to become embroiled in an arm wrestle up front and must instead rely on the high tempo, wider game reminiscent of their best days in Europe. There is an element of rolling the dice a little selection wise and it’s important that those calls work out, albeit with the safety net of the bench.
MONTPELLIER: V Rattez; G N'gandebe, Y Reilhac, A Vincent (capt), V Martin; A Lozowski, B Paillaugue; G Fichten, G Guirado, M Haouas; B Chalureau, P Willemse; N Janse van Rensburg, Y Camara, J du Plessis.
Replacements: B du Plessis, E Forletta, T Lamositele, L Picamoles, C Timu, L Foursans, P Vallée, A Bevia.
LEINSTER: J O'Brien; H Keenan, R Henshaw, C Frawley, D Kearney; R Byrne, L McGrath; P Dooley, J Tracy, M Bent; D Toner, S Fardy; R Ruddock (capt), J van der Flier, C Doris.
Replacements: R Kelleher, C Healy, A Porter, J Ryan, R Baird, J Gibson Park, J Sexton, D Leavy.
Referee: K Dickson (England).
