Leinster are gearing up to take on Southern Kings at the RDS on Friday night (k/o: 19:35) with a very inexperienced forward pack.
While the South African side may have given Ospreys a little bit of a scare last weekend, there shouldn't be any concern for the Blues. Despite the fact that the pack has just two players with more than 25 appearances for the province, head coach Leo Cullen has huge faith in the young guns he has selected.
"We've a lot of players unavailable to us and a lot of injuries as well," Cullen said with a wry grin at the RDS while also highlighting the fact that it is Six Nations time. "I think it's a great window. For us a coaching team I think it's important that we demonstrate a certain element of bravery as well with selections at different times of the year and we've come under a little bit of scrutiny for some selections over the years and it's important that we make sure guys are pushing through.
"You've got to give guys the opportunity to play. When a guy comes out of the academy for his first game, he's got to get to fifty caps somehow and the only way he does that is by playing fifty games. We've got to make sure we back the players that we have and we pick them, we give them the opportunities, so this week's another chance for guys. There's a bit of experience mixed in with some inexperience. I think all the time we're just trying to get that balance right. I think it's good for the group, I think it's good for the competition of the overall collective. It's good to see and I'm curious to see how this group of players gets on."
Cullen praised Ciaran Frawley, who makes his first ever senior start for the province against Kings, for the way he handled his debut last weekend. The Skerries man came on in the first half for the injured centre Rory O'Loughlin, despite the fact that he had run as an outhalf in training leading up to matchday.
"I thought he acquitted himself really well. He shifted to ten later on because Ross [Byrne] had picked up on his hip. [Ross] didn't kick at the star of the second half, you saw the kick at the end for James [Lowe]'s second try that came up short so Ciaran took that on at half-time and slotted over his first kick from the sideline and kicked another one after that. I thought he did really well.
"He's had the added advantage of preparing through the course of the week, even though it's been a short week. He's gone well, it's great. I'm delighted to see him out there and hopefully he does well again."
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Dave Kearney (119)
14. Barry Daly (20)
13. Garry Ringrose (44)
12. Isa Nacewa (179) CAPTAIN
11. James Lowe (6)
10. Ciarán Frawley (1)
9. Nick McCarthy (19)
1. Ed Byrne (19)
2. Bryan Byrne (23)
3. Michael Bent (101)
4. Mick Kearney (30)
5. Ian Nagle (15)
6. Josh Murphy (5)
7. Will Connors (2)
8. Max Deegan (13)
16. James Tracy (55)
17. Peter Dooley (44)
18. Adam Coyle (0)
19. Ross Molony (57)
20. Peadar Timmins (9)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (44)
22. Noel Reid (95)
23. Jordan Larmour (15)
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