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A NIGHT OF opportunity awaits under the lights at the RDS.
Firstly, there is the opportunity for Leinster to move top of the Guinness Pro12; a bonus-point victory over Edinburgh [KO 7.35pm, TG4] would do just that with current leaders Munster and second-placed Ospreys going head-to-head tomorrow.
The eastern province have won their last three games in the league, scoring 132 points in wins over Ulster, Zebre and Treviso, and coming out with the maximum tonight is almost expected on home turf.
The RDS has become a real fortress for Leo Cullen’s side with Leinster winning their last 18 home games (including at the Aviva Stadium) in all competitions since a 16-20 defeat to Toulon in December 2015.
All the odds are stacked in their favour, particularly when you consider Edinburgh have registered just four wins all campaign and have failed to win on Irish soil in two years.
But there is so much more than points on the line, even if Cullen and Luke McGrath, who will captain Leinster this evening, were quick to downplay that at yesterday’s pre-match press conference.
With Joe Schmidt set to name his squad for the resumption of the Six Nations on Monday, opportunity knocks for the likes of McGrath to put their hand up and push their case for inclusion.
Leinster can go top with a bonus-point win tonight. Source: Alfio Guarise/INPHO
Cullen has named as many as 11 internationals in his starting XV for the visit of the Scottish side with Josh van der Flier and James Tracy’s availability a real fillip for the Leinster head coach.
Van der Flier, in particular, will be delighted to get back on the pitch and show Schmidt and the Irish management why he has developed into one of the most exciting young flankers in Europe after falling behind Sean O’Brien in the international pecking order.
The 23-year-old made cameos off the bench at Murrayfield and the Stadio Olimpico but was released by Schmidt this week in order to get minutes under his belt.
There’s no doubt he’ll be part of the Irish squad that reconvenes at Carton House next week but van der Flier will want to give Schmidt something to think about.
“The difficulty for guys in this period, you finish Europe, so Josh played against Castres and then there’s no game for a week, there’s an Irish camp that he’s involved in,” Cullen explained.
“It’s just a really competitive position for Ireland, they’ve three pretty good guys starting. Tonight for Josh, it’s a chance for him to play and say ‘this is what I am able to do’ and make life pretty uncomfortable for whoever is making that call in terms of the selection for the next Ireland back row.”
Cullen speaking at yesterday’s pre-match press conference. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO
From 1 to 15, it’s a big night for a lot of Leinster players.
Dave Kearney continues his comeback from injury with a second start in the space of a week while James Tracy is straight back into the team just six days after featuring in Ireland’s nine-try win over Italy.
Then there is Joey Carbery, who starts for the first time in two months after making his return from injury in the trouncing of Treviso last Sunday.
“We will see,” Cullen said when asked if the out-half could still play some part for Ireland in the remaining three Six Nations games.
“Joey came on at 15 at the weekend against Treviso, moved at one stage to 12, Ross [Byrne] did really, really well at 10. Again with a short turnaround, three games in 12 days, we’re trying to manage the group as well.