DRAGONS v LEINSTER BOOTROOM

TEAM NEWS: Leinster have rested the majority of their frontliners ahead of Sunday’s European Cup semi-final against Toulon but Ben Te’o (below) and Jimmy Gopperth are retained in the backline where Gordon D’Arcy has an opportunity to force his way into the Marseilles picture. Second row Mike McCarthy is the only forward to keep his place while Dragons will look to Toby Faletau for inspiration.

LAST THREE

MEETINGS: Feb 2015 - Leinster 14 Dragons 16. Feb ’14 - Leinster 31 Dragons 19. Nov ’13 Dragons 19 Leinster 23.

KEY STAT: Leinster have missed 56 tackles in their last two games, the win over Bath in the European Cup quarter-final and the PRO12 draw with Glasgow.

VERDICT: Leinster. WHY: Leinster travel to Newport driven to gain revenge for the shock defeat by the Dragons at the RDS in February while equally desperate for a morale boost ahead of next week’s daunting assignment in Marseilles. It should be too much for their hosts, especially as the visitors have quality options off the bench in the form of Six Nations winners Jordi Murphy and Luke Fitzgerald. DRAGONS: J Tovey; T Prydie, T Morgan, J Dixon, H Amos; D Jones, J Evans; P Price, R Thomas (capt), B Harris; J Thomas, C Hill; N Crosswell, N Cudd, T Faletau. Reps: R Buckley, L Garrett, D Way, M Screech, J Benjamin, L Jones, P Leach, R Jones. LEINSTER: Z Kirchner; D Kearney, B Te’o, G D’Arcy, D Fanning; J Gopperth, E Reddan; J McGrath, R Strauss, M Moore; B Marshall, M McCarthy; D Ryan, S Jennings (capt), J Conan. Reps: A Dundon, M Bent, T Furlong, R Molony, J Murphy, L McGrath, N Reid, L Fitzgerald. Referee: M Mitrea (Italy). TV: LIVE S4C (kick-off 4.15)