EXCLUSIVE: Are Leinster looking to juggle risk and reward...or have Ireland SENT a message saying that's the way they are thinking
But, most notably, have moved Garry Ringrose to the right-wing suggesting Simon Easterby's 'new' Ireland are considering switching the player for the opening Six Nations game with England in a fortnight's time.
Ringrose has not started a game on the wing for NINE years despite having been moved there following necessary mid-game game rejigs at both provincial and international level.READ MORE: Robbie Henshaw reckons tough European tests will strengthen Ireland Leo Cullen, talking exclusively to The Mirror, says it is a logical switch given he has Jordie Barrett and Robbie Henshaw available; the question is does Easterby feel the same way given he has Bundee Aki and Henshaw available... "I don't think there is a huge amount of movement when it comes to the jigsaw pieces to be fair," says Cullen of what is a considerable back-line shuffle when the side is compared with what was selected for La Rochelle."Obviously, our no9 and no10 started last week. Hugo Keenan, who is an unbelievably experienced international player, comes in at no15. "I remember having some of those conversations when Garry was coming through back then and us picking him on the wing. Ben Te'o and Noel Reid were our centres at that point." Ringrose, to date, has just that four-game stretch in 2015 starting on the wing - he has not played there at club or international level as a winger since - and the matches comprised.* 3/10/2015: Won 37-13 at home to Dragons - wore no11, 80 minutes and scored a try* 23/10/2015 : won 23-18 at home to Glasgow - wore no14, 80 minutes and won Man of the Match Continues Cullen: "The cohesion gets built over a long period of time, there is not really that much change, that's the back-row that started against Bristol with Caelan on the bench. It is more the fact that that's the way the game has gone that it is a 23-man game. "To get the balance between fresh juice over the course of 80 minutes, so that from minute zero to minute eighty, we are making sure we start strong and we finish strong. "Hence why we have some of that freshness coming into this group because we have a bloody good set of players and we want to make sure we back them as well. Rejigging players such as Barrett who has 67 All Blacks caps, Henshaw who has 77 Ireland caps and Ringrose who has 63 Ireland caps for a club game, considering their experience and ability, doesn't appear high-risk. "They are quality players, there are a few different ways you can manoeuvre them, as training sessions go on you are constantly tweaking things anyway."Like, I asked him at the start just to make sure he is comfortable just like I would have had a conversation with Jordie leading into last week's game where going into it he was no23 whereas he ended up starting at no15. "We talked to him when he was coming over and he is still early-days in the group but we sorta set sail on a different course last week. "Jordie was originally in the team at no23 and there were some rejigs, Jamie was originally at no15 and then he moved to no14. Jimmy O'Brien is another one who started last week, he was due to start on the left-wing and he started on the right-wing." As it stands for this evening Jack Conan, who will captain Leinster, is one of the five changes from last week's win over La Rochelle Conan, Max Deegan, Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani and Hugo Keenan come in for Caelan Doris, Ryan Baird, Cian Healy, Tadhg Furlong and Jimmy O'Brien respectively. Healy, Doris and O'Brien are on the bench. Furlong, who made his return from medium term injury last week, is dropped out as a precaution while hooker Dan Sheehan is very close to a return: “Tadhg did well to get through the game last weekend," continues Cullen. “Thomas Clarkson was unlucky to miss out last week, so it’s just trying to manage the group but, listen, Tadhg is good to go. “Dan Sheehan is very close, we’re going to have a couple of conversations after this weekend in terms of what do Ireland want out of our game next week against the Stormers - maybe some of those guys who haven’t featured in this game will possibly feature in that game next week.” Former Leinster star Ross Molony is one of three changes to the Bath side that posted a 40-21 home win over Clermont Auvergne last week. He will start alongside another former Leinster player, South African-born 16 times Ireland-capped Quinn Roux. Belfast-born hooker Niall Annett, 33, was with Ulster 2011-14 and made three Emerging Ireland appearances in 2013/14. Centre Ollie Lawrence, flanker Ted Hill and prop Will Stuart were named in England's 36-strong Six Nations squad this week while out-half Finn Russell and back-row/second-row Josh Bayliss were in the Scotland squad. Notably Bath, managed by South African and former Munster coach Johann van Graan, have gone for a six-two split on the bench. Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jordie Barrett, Jamie Osborne; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Rabah Slimani, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan capt Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cian Healy, Tom Clarkson, RG Snyman, Caelan Doris, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jimmy O'Brien Bath: Tom de Glanville; Joe Cokanasiga, Ollie Lawrence, Max Ojomoh, Ruaridh McConnochie; Finn Russell, Ben Spencer capt; Beno Obano, Niall Annett, Will Stuart, Quinn Roux, Ross Molony, Ted Hill, Miles Reid, Alfie Barbeary. Replacements: Tom Dunn, Francois van Wyk, Thomas du Toit, Charlie Ewels, Josh Bayliss, Louis Schreuder, Orlando Bailey, Jaco Coetzee
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