THERE WERE FEW surprises announced in Joe Schmidt’s starting line-up for this Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final.
However, presence of Shane Jennings and Isaac Boss in the starting line-up has at the very least raised some eyebrows.
Boss and Eoin Reddan have alternated the role of scrum half since the Irish-Kiwi’s arrival from Ulster.
Reddan, though, is usually the man handed the reigns when Leinster play at home, or on a firm pitch that will allow fluid rugby.
Jennings has only started in two of Leinster’s seven Heineken Cup fixtures this season; competition for places often handing a berth to Kevin McLaughlin or Rhys Ruddock with Sean O’Brien operating as open-side flanker.
Schmidt says the selection is no more than circumstantial:
Narrow margins
“To be honest we had a few niggles, nothing major, but anyone who wasn’t really able to train on Monday, we decided to go with the guys who could train fully. Those are the narrow margins for selection anyway.”
The former Clermont backs coach was keen to stress that although Boss and Reddan bring slightly different skill-sets, he does not have a pre-conceived policy of: Boss for away and Reddan for home.
However, the Kiwi’s more robust physical stature and swift delivery off the turf make him a solid inclusion for what is expected to be wet day in the south of France. Reddan though, like McLaughlin and Fergus McFadden, will be sprung from the bench as Schmidt signalled this as a test which would push his entire squad to the limit:
“There was always going to be some tight calls that were going to be made. We’ve got a heck of a lot of faith in the 15 that start, but by no means do we think that 15 players will win this game, we think it’s very much a 23 man team that will be needed to win the game.”
With O’Brien handed an opportunity to operate on the blindside, he has been freed up to provide the visitors a ball carrier to match try and match Elvis Vermeulen and Julien Bonnaire.
Tough
Schmidt looked visibly concerned, when speaking about the extra obstacle presented by the weather, as if the challenge wasn’t difficult enough already:
“For me it’s as tough a task as we’ve had to face” Schmidt said with an exhale, “I think they’ve recruited incredibly well this year, they are one of the big-budget French clubs and the weight and experience that can be bring into a game…
“They’re in a very strong position, on what is reported to be pretty wet ground which will slow down our game and probably aid their big heavy men coming forward. It’s hard to stop momentum on grounds that are pretty sticky.”
