Nienaber not expecting any change to Benetton style
Despite taking on a side that are in a similar boat when it comes to international absentees, Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber isn’t anticipating any major surprises from Benetton in this afternoon’s United Rugby Championship showdown at the RDS (kick-off 3pm).
Playing for the first time since their European Champions Cup pool stage win over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on January 20, Leinster return to competitive action without the services of their 19-strong Ireland contingent.
Ciaran Frawley had been released back to the province with a view to featuring against the Treviso-based outfit, but he subsequently returned to international training on Thursday.
While six of Benetton’s own cohort of 19 internationals are included in the match day 23 for today’s game, they are also missing a large contingent of players that have remained with the Italian squad.
Yet even if the personnel is different, Nienaber is expecting a similar approach from a team that have recorded seven wins from nine league games this season and are currently just two points adrift of pace-setters Leinster in the URC standings.
“Benetton have a specific playing style and soul that they apply pressure with and I don’t think that will change. It will be different players trying to fulfil a role or a certain style of play, which the coaches have embedded since the start of this season,” Nienaber remarked.
“We will play with the strength of the guys that we have, which will be a little bit different to the strength of the guys playing with Ireland. I think it will be the same for them. Yes, it will be different. The players that you know that play for Italy and play for Benetton, they are not playing there.
“It is almost defending or attacking against the unknown players. They will have to prepare for our players that are not as well known, whose skill set isn’t as well known as the guys that are playing for Ireland.”
Due to Frawley’s absence, the door has now opened for Henry McErlean – a star for the Ireland U20s side that secured a Grand Slam in 2023 – to make his Leinster senior debut later on today.
He is joined in the back line by Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath, who between them have accumulated 352 provincial caps for the eastern province.
While the front-row of Jack Boyle, Lee Barron and Thomas Clarkson are youthful (the latter is the eldest at just 23 years of age), the likes of Ross Molony, Will Connors and Max Deegan ensure there is plenty of know-how within the Leinster pack.
Thanks to the strong blend of northern and southern hemisphere talent within their ranks, Benetton head coach Marco Bortolami is still able to name 11 players in his starting line-up that have been capped at senior international level.
This includes former New Zealand and current Tonga international Malakai Fekitoa, who helped Munster claim the United Rugby Championship title last May.
H McErlean; T O’Brien, L Turner, J Osborne, R Russell; R Byrne, L McGrath; J Boyle, L Barron, T Clarkson; R Molony, J Jenkins; W Connors, S Penny, M Deegan.
J McKee, E Byrne, M Ala’alatoa, B Deeny, R Ruddock, B Murphy, S Prendergast, B Brownlee.
J Umaga; I Mendy, M Fekitoa, M Zanon, O Ratave; T Albornoz, A Uren; T Gallo, S Maile, T Pasquali; G Koegelenberg, E Snyman; G Pettinelli, T Halafihi, H Time-Stowers.
G Nicotera, F Zani, F Alongi, R Favretto, A Izekor, A Garbisi, L Marin, F Drago.