Leinster v Leicester Tigers - Teams and Prediction
CHAMPIONS CUP QUARTERFINAL: Leicester Tigers will be looking to be the first club to inflict defeat on Leinster this season when they meet in Dublin on Friday.
In addition to winning all five of their Champions Cup ties so far this campaign, the Irish province have won 15 and drawn one of their United Rugby Championship fixtures.
They have also triumphed in their last three EPCR encounters with Leicester, including last season’s quarterfinal at Welford Road, to lead their overall meetings 7-5.
However, the Premiership club have won twice at the Aviva – in their 2005 quarterfinal, when they emerged 29-13 victors, and in their first EPCR encounter in 1996, a pool game, which Tigers won 27-10.
Leinster reached the quarterfinals via a 30-15 success over Ulster, while Leicester progressed thanks to a 16-6 win over Edinburgh.
One man who will certainly be a vital cog for Leicester Tiger is Springbok star Jasper Wiese.
The No.8 has been incredible for the Premiership side and was pivotal in securing a place in the Champions Cup quarterfinals, by defeating Edinburgh during his cameo.
"My role was to add something to what the guys who started had begun doing and hopefully I did that," Wiese said.
"It doesn't matter if you start or you come on from the bench, you have a job to do for the team and need to focus on what you can do that is best for the team. That was just my job last week for the group."
This Friday he gets a start and will make his first appearance at the Aviva for the club, the soft-spoken Wiese admitted to being "excited" for the fixture.
"It is a brilliant opportunity, for all of us, and we are really excited," he said.
"This is a great challenge to see where we are at as a team, against the best in the world, on a stage that we haven't played at a lot - I know I haven't for Tigers and don't think many have - so we are looking forward to taking the challenge on, head on."
Key Stats:
Leinster:
Despite not scoring in the Round of 16, flank Josh van der Flier remains the top try-scorer in the Champions Cup this season with five.
Ross Byrne has made more crossfield kicks than any other player this season (5).
James Ryan has made the most clearouts in the competition (39).
Leicester Tigers
Leicester’s goalkicking has been the best in the tournament so far with a success rate of 93 percent.
Cameron Henderson has made the most low tackles in the competition (32).
Of the teams remaining in the Champions Cup, Leicester have made the highest proportion of their tackles below the waist (53 percent).
Prediction
@rugby365com: Leinster by five points
Teams
Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Caelan Doris, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan (captain), 4 Ross Molony, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Jason Jenkins, 20 Scott Penny, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Ciarán Frawley
Leicester Tigers: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Harry Potter, 12 Dan Kelly, 11 Freddie Steward, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Tommy Reffell, 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 5 Cameron Henderson, 4 George Martin, 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Julián Montoya (captain), 1 James Cronin
Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Tom West, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Eli Snyman, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Sam Wolstenholme, 22 Charlie Atkinson, 23 Jimmy Gopperth
Date: Friday, April 7
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 20.00 (20.00 GMT)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (France) & Tual Trainini (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
* Sources: @LeicesterTigers & @ChampionsCup