Dragons v Leinster
Rodney Parade 7.35pm – Live TG4, Eir Sport
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has neatly avoided the growing debate around Johnny Sexton's long-term successor by naming both Byrne brothers, Harry and Ross, in the starting XV to face the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
Harry Byrne starts at outhalf with Ross Byrne wearing number 12 but the pair are expected to share responsibilities at first receiver.
“For us we want to make sure guys are playing for 10, 15 years in Leinster and Ireland jerseys,” said Cullen. “It’s not just for two or three seasons so it’s great, you’ve got this 21-year-old playing but he’s on the scrap heap as a 24 year old.
“I’m not sure what does that achieve for anybody. That’s what player development is [about]. We have limited player resources in this country and it’s important for people to understand that with limited resources you have to really take care of them because other countries have 10 or 15 times the playing population that we have, if you think of England, France, New Zealand, South Africa.
“But, yeah, Harry is getting his game time and he’s making progress.”
It still feels like both brothers are auditioning for a Six Nations trip to Rome.
“These things take time,” Cullen continued, “to get the international experience to be able to play 10. Like, if you look at the NFL. There is a 43-year-old quarterback lifting the trophy at the end of the tournament and a 10 in rugby is the closest thing to a quarterback, isn’t it?”
Tom Brady never cleaned a ruck.
“Exactly. And he doesn’t have to defend in the front line and he can just dive on the ground when he has the ball and the game stops.”
Ciarán Frawley is temporarily out of the equation with a shoulder injury.
The selection of Marcus Hanan, an Ireland Under-20 prop last season, on the bench shows how stretched the Leinster panel is, as the Clane RFC man has yet to receive an academy contract.
Ryan Baird comes in at lock – after being released from the Ireland camp along with the Byrne brothers and Jack Conan – as Luke McGrath captains the team from scrumhalf.
Leinster: Max O'Reilly; Cian Kelleher, Rory O'Loughlin, Ross Byrne, Dave Kearney; Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath (capt); Peter Dooley, James Tracy, Michael Bent; Ross Molony, Ryan Baird; Josh Murphy, Scott Penny, Jack Conan. Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Marcus Hanan, Tom Clarkson, Devin Toner, Scott Fardy, Rowan Osborne, David Hawkshaw, Jamie Osborne.
Dragons: Jordan Williams, Jonah Holmes, Aneurin Owen, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams (capt; Brok Harris, Richard Hibbard, Lloyd Fairbrother, Joe Davies, Ben Carter, Matthew Screech, Ben Fry, Huw Taylor. Replacements: Ellis Shipp,Greg Bateman, Chris Coleman, Joe Maksymiw, Dan Baker, Luke Baldwin, Josh Lewis, Connor Edwards.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales).
Verdict: Leinster win.
