“This weekend presents a great opportunity for players such as Martin Roberts, Ed Shervington and Mike Powell to show us what they can offer at this level,” stated Jones. “There may also be an opportunity to give Ben Lewis some game time.
“It was always our intention to rotate the squad over these few weeks, but the enforced changes have made this weekends selection even more difficult. Having said that, we have always performed well at Donnybrook and we have enjoyed our previous visits to the ground.”
This could be a clash to remember as both sides are enjoying a run of fine form, with Leinster currently sitting in second place and the Ospreys in third.
Leinster’s only defeat in their last five matches in the Magners League was 11-25 at Munster on December 27th. Leinster have won their last fourteen home games in all competitions since November 2005, whilst they haven’t lost at home to a Welsh region since the Ospreys visited Donnybrook on March 6th, 2005.
The Ospreys have lost just once in their last six outings in all competitions; 24-30 to the Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park on December 23rd. They have lost the last four matches they have played against Irish provinces since beating Connacht 44-16 in Galway in May 2006.
The Ospreys have the slight edge in previous meetings, winning three games to Leinster’s two, with one match (in 2004) drawn 16-16.
Leinster: S Wright, W Green, R Corrigan, H Vermaas, B Jackman, T Hogan, M O’Kelly, O Finegan, C Jowitt, S Keogh, K Gleeson, J Heaslip, C Whitaker, G Easterby, F Contepomi, J Sexton, C Warner, G D’Arcy, B O’Driscoll (capt), K Lewis, D Hickie, S Horgan, R Kearney, R McCarron
Ospreys: S Terblanche, J Vaughton, T Selley, A Bishop, R Mustoe, S Connor, M Roberts, P James (capt), E Shervington, A Millward, B Cockbain, M Powell, L Beach, R Pugh, A Lloyd
Replacements: B Williams, A Jones, C Martenko, B Lewis, J Spice, N Walker, AN Other (back)
