Leo Cullen on Croker clash: 'We need to strip it back to what we need to do to play well on the day'
Exposure: Croke Cullen Inpho/dan Park Leinster Northern Coach Head Friday On Sheridan At Leo
Ciaran Frawley will finally get to start a truly ‘big’ game for Leinster at out-half when he wears the No.10 jersey for their URC game against Munster at a sold-out Croke Park on Saturday evening.
The Ireland international has played in a variety of positions for the province down the years but has rarely had the opportunity to show his wares from the off in what is his favoured spot. This is big for him, as was clear when Leo Cullen spoke of the fixture to come.
“It's amazing just in terms of focusing the minds,” said the Leinster head coach. “The occasion, it's incredible really. We're very appreciative of the people that have gone on and bought tickets. It's remarkable.
“So now you've got to strip it all back. Like, the occasion is amazing, the stadium is slightly different just because of the way the pitch is laid out there, the size of the crowd, the enormity of the occasion is amazing.
“But again, we need to strip it back to what we need to do to play well on the day.”
The Skerries clubman did fill the role for Champions Cup games against Sale and Stade Francais at the turn of the year but he has mostly had to get by in the role of ‘versatile back’ as Cullen has used Ross Byrne and Harry Byrne in the pivot.
Ross Byrne is named on the bench for this URC derby despite taking no part in the team captain’s run at GAA HQ on Friday. Sam Prendergast, the great hope in terms of Irish No.10s for the years to come, is in South Africa with Emerging Ireland.
Frawley is part of a star-studded Leinster outfit with 19 Test players in all to choose from but there are injury issues that have given roles to players not normally associated with the province’s bigger outings.
Back three injuries to the likes of Jimmy O’Brien and Jordan Larmour see Liam Turner take a turn on the win, the absences of Dan Sheehan and Ronan Kelleher see Lee Barron start at hooker with Gus McCarthy, recalled from Emerging Ireland duties, on the bench.
RG Snyman will make his second appearance for the club, against his previous employers. He goes in the second row alongside James Ryan and Cullen has opted for a 5:3 split on the bench which shows plenty of experience.
Cullen explained after training that Ross Byrne was carrying a “little niggle” and was being managed cautiously having trained fully on the Thursday while Joe McCarthy misses out altogether after suffering an injury against Benetton last week.
Kelleher has already had a procedure for an ankle issue suffered in Italy, Larmour’s problem was left vague while Robbie Henshaw, yet to be seen on a pitch or an injury update this season, was said to be “slower” in coming back off the summer.
: H Keenan; L Turner, G Ringrose, J Osborne, J Lowe; C Frawley, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, L Barron, T Furlong; RG Snyman, J Ryan; J Conan, J van der Flier, C Doris.
: G McCarthy, C Healy, T Clarkson, R Baird, M Deegan, L McGrath, R Byrne, H Byrne.