Leinster Rugby vs Connacht Rugby
United Rugby Championship
RDS Arena, Dublin
Friday, 3rd December 2021, 19:45

TV: Live: TG4, Premier Sports

Every time referee Frank Murphy gets assigned a match, you can hear an angel cry.

You know that, win or lose, it will be a pretty awful game in which Frank and his whistle will be the star. The breakdown will be a mystery novel and the offside line will be as forgotten as Friendster. It is known.

Yet, everyone who's watched Murphy over the last few years knows what he's like but Ulster seemed to be the only team who read the brief last Saturday night at the RDS. Ulster tuned their gameplan perfectly, rushed up offside all night and completely disrupted Leinster's rhythm. They were also more up for the physical challenge and thoroughly deserved their win.

It was notable that Leo Cullen refused to take the easy option of blaming the referee and instead put the full blame on his players for not adapting. It wasn't Leinster's worst performance of the season (that still belongs to Dragons away) but it was error-strewn, clueless and the players seemed to be going through the motions just expecting the win to come. Cullen has put the onus on his players to sort themselves out for tomorrow's match against high-flying Connacht.

This is Connacht's third interpro of the season, they were robbed against Munster by dreadful officiating and hammered Ulster in the Aviva before the international break. Last week they beat the Ospreys at home in the kind of driving wind and rain that the Sportsground specialises in. It was the sort of conditions you'd take a 9-3 win but Connacht stuck to their gameplan and played some fantastic rugby, scoring seven tries in a 46-18 win.

Most impressive were the three tries they scored in the first half playing into the gale force wind. They were all great running tries with the backs trusting their skills in the elements. Interestingly they were all scored by Irish qualified players recruited from abroad in Oran McNulty from England, Shayne Bolton from South Africa and Mack Hansen from Australia. Mack Hansen has been the breakout star of the URC season so far with five tries from six games. He's had a couple of assists too and already there's a buzz in the ground when he gets the ball. Andy Farrell was impressed enough to bring him into the Ireland squad for a look at him during the Autumn internationals and he could be set for big things.

Hansen is named to start again in a side showing three changes to last week as Oisin Dowling, Eoghan Masterson and Peter Robb all come in to start. Jack Carty captains the team from out-half and he will be eager to press his claims for an Ireland recall by continuing his good form.

For Leinster several of the Ireland contingent return as Cullen makes ten changes in all to the starting lineup. Hugo Keenan and James Lowe return to the back three with Jordan Larmour moving over to the right wing. Robbie Henshaw moves to inside centre to allow Garry Ringrose take the outside role. Luke McGrath skippers the team from scrum-half again but this week Harry Byrne gets the start at number 10. Harry has been making a lot of mistakes recently, which hasn't gone unnoticed in the media, and he has been guilty of forcing things a little. But if he can settle down, the talent is there.

Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan and Michael Ala'alatoa come in to start in the front row and Ryan Baird joins the retained Devin Toner in the second row. Caelan Doris starts at Number 8 with Rhys Ruddock moving to blindside and Josh van der Flier coming in at openside. Both Doris and van der Flier were superb for Ireland in the Autumn internationals and will look to bring that form into the blue jersey. Ronan Kelleher and Andrew Porter will offer serious impact off the bench.

Last season Connacht came to the RDS and deservedly won 35-24 and they'll fancy their chances again. However you can see a pretty mean Leinster team turning up tomorrow night looking to take their frustration out on someone. Hopefully that will give them the edge.

by Jim O'Connor, © 2021-12-02