Defending champs tackle Warriors

Published: Friday, 18. November, 2011 in category Rabo Direct Pro 12

Reigning champions Leinster, will be looking for their first win of their title defence when they host fellow Pro 12 side Glasgow Warriors at the RDS in Dublin on Sunday.

The Irish province returned home after a fierce physical examination in France by new boys Montpellier with a 16-16 draw thanks to a last ditch penalty by flyhalf Jonathan Sexton.

The two-times champions, who lifted the trophy in 2009 and last season, will be wary of a Glasgow side who travel across the Irish sea having pulled off a last minute victory of their own.

The Scottish side are now top of Pool 3 after Scottish lock Richie Gray scored a try with the last move of the match to stun Bath with a 26-21 victory at Firhill last weekend.

But Glasgow will have their work cut out against a Leinster side which has an impressive record at home in Europe, having lost only once in their last 19 games in European competition in the Irish capital.

The Warriors, though, don't have a great record on the road and have lost their four Heineken Cup games away from home.

The teams:

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Eoin O'Malley, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Johnny Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Heinke Van Der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Nathan White, 19 Rhys Ruddock, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fionn Carr.

Glasgow: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Pete Murchie, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 Colin Shaw, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Barclay, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Alastair Kellock, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Michael Cusack, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Finlay Gillies, 17 John Welsh, 18 Ed Kalman, 19 Tom Ryder, 20 Henry Pyrgos, 21 Chris Fusaro, 22 Troy Nathan, 23 Federico Aramburu.

Date: Sunday, November 20
Kick-off: 12:45; 12.45 GMT
Venue: RDS
Referee: Andrew Small (England)