Leinster favourites to retain crown
RUGBY UNION: Leinster A will be hoping to secure the first of two back-to-back successes for the province when they host RFU Championship outfit Leeds Carnegie in the British & Irish Cup decider at Donnybrook this evening (7pm kick-off).
Noel Reid’s 78th minute penalty in last May’s showpiece against Newcastle Falcons ensured that Girvan Dempsey’s men became the fourth team to add their name to the trophy, and with their unbeaten run in the competition stretching to 15 games, they will be favourites to hold on to their crown.
Clontarf’s Reid forms a formidable midfield partnership with Brendan Macken, who has been a regular in this season’s RaboDirect PRO12 campaign along with left-wing Darragh Fanning. Out-half Cathal Marsh is expected to be on kicking duties, and he will be joined at half-back by Luke McGrath, fresh from his cameo role against Ulster last Saturday.
Second-row Quinn Roux and No 8 Leo Auva’a will be the lynchpins for a settled pack, which will be vital against a team that has recent history with Leinster.
LEINSTER A: D Hudson; S Coghlan-Murray, B Macken, N Reid, D Fanning; C Marsh, L McGrath; J O’Connell, J Tracy, T Furlong; B Marshall, Q Roux; J Conan, D Ryan, L Auva’a.
Replacements: B Byrne, E Byrne, R Molony, J Van Der Flier, J Cooney, C O’Shea, A Boyle.
Daire Walsh