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Dragons v Leinster

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An Tarbh

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Dragons v Leinster</div>

Newport Gwent Dragons are without injured number eight Joe Bearman for their final Magners League game with Leinster at Rodney Parade on Saturday.

But Wales squad call-ups Jason Tovey, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate and Lewis Evans are all included in their side.

The Scarlets' midweek win at Cardiff Blues means the Dragons face a Heineken Cup qualification play-off in Italy.

Rob Kearney returns for Leinster while there are debuts for centre Kyle Tonetti and fly-half Ian McKinley.

The Leinster backline features Girvan Dempsey at full-back and Simon Keogh on the right wing.

Tonetti and McKinley are the latest players to be promoted from the Leinster Academy.

Tonetti partners Fergus McFadden, who is in line to make his seventh appearance of the season.

In the pack Devin Toner partners Trevor Hogan, while Kevin McLaughlin forms a strong back-row alongside Sean O'Brien and Stephen Keogh, who captains the side.

Four further Academy players could be set to make their debuts from the replacements bench and are named alongside the most recent graduate Paul O'Donohoe, who impressed for Clontarf in last weekend's AIL Division One final.

Brian O'Driscoll is rested along with Leinster's other international stars ahead of the Heineken Cup final against Leicester.

"Although Leinster may be more focussed on their game next week... they have a strength in depth which means they can pose a massive threat," said Dragons coach Paul Turner.

"But the end of the league is coming down to the wire and it is crucial that we keep focus for this last game.

"It is disappointing to have lost Joe Bearman for this match, who has been putting in some very strong performances recently.

"But having three forwards from the Welsh squad available for selection is clearly a good position to be in and I am confident in the personnel I have selected."

Uncapped Dragons Tovey, Lydiate and Evans, plus lock Charteris were all named this week in the Wales squad for the summer tour to North America.

But those four players will now have to withdraw, as the Dragons have been forced into a play-off for a Heineken Cup place against the third-placed Italian club.

The lowest-placed Welsh region in the Magners League must contest next season's 24th and final Heineken place with an Italian side in a qualification play-off game on 29 May.

That is the day before Wales' first Test against Canada, with a further international against USA the following week.

Even if the Dragons win against Leinster, the Scarlets' win at Cardiff Blues on Wednesday night meant that they cannot now be overtaken in the table by Turner's men.

The Dragons have won just one of their last six matches, but have triumphed in three of their last four outings against Irish sides at Rodney Parade.

Leinster have won their last three league games and have only lost to the Dragons once in five meetings.

Their defeat at Rodney Parade last season was their only loss in their last 13 clashes with Welsh opposition.

Dragons: Martyn Thomas; Gareth Wyatt, Rhodri Gomer Davies, Phil Dollman, Richard Fussell; Jason Tovey, Wayne Evans; Adam Black, Tom Willis (capt), Rhys Thomas, Andrew Hall, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Lewis Evans, Craig Hill.
Replacements: Steve Jones, Nigel Hall, Huw Gustafson, Grant Webb, Aled Brew, James Arlidge, Alex Walker.

Leinster: Girvan Dempsey, Simon Keogh, Fergus McFadden, Kyle Tonetti, Rob Kearney, Ian McKinley, Chris Keane, Ronan McCormack, John Fogarty, Stephen Knoop, Trevor Hogan, Devin Toner, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O'Brien, Stephen Keogh (capt).
Replacements: Brian Blaney, Jamie Hagan, Cameron Jowitt, Paul Ryan, Paul O'Donohoe, Ian Madigan, David Kearney.

Referee: Graham Knox (SRU).

BBC Sport
 
I'll be interested to see how McKinley does at 10 seeing as we don't have a second fly-half for next season. I'd put this one down for Dragons which is a shame because we really should be trying to keep up some momentum before next week.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (feicarsinn @ May 15 2009, 06:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
I'll be interested to see how McKinley does at 10 seeing as we don't have a second fly-half for next season.[/b]
He was an outstanding schools player for St.Columba's and began to make his mark with UCD towards the end of the AIL season. He's a good passer, has a terrific break and a massive boot. Apparently Bernard Jackman (as the newly appointed director of rugby at Clontarf) is trying to recruit him to Castle Avenue. In my opinion he's a better prospect than Jonny Sexton and Ian Keatley. Hopefully he goes well tomorrow.

I suspect Leinster will look to recruit a new 10 to back Sexton up next year. If they don't succeed in bringing one in, it'll be Sexton then Nacewa followed by McKinley on the depth chart.
 

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