We are tantalisingly close to an all-Irish Champions Cup final, and it falls first to Leinster to complete their part of the job at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The opposition are the reigning Pro14 champions Scarlets and if you weren't lucky enough to get a ticket to Dublin 4, then read on for details on where to watch Leinster vs Scarlets.
Where to watch Leinster vs Scarlets?
The game is live on Sky Sports Main Event on Saturday afternoon. Kick off is at 3.30pm, with coverage kicking off at 3pm.
How are Leinster shaping up, injury-wise?
Leinster have been dealt a couple of blows in the lead-up to this: Sean O'Brien is out with a shoulder injury picked up against Benetton last weekend. To exacerbate matters, the injury may require surgery meaning he could miss Ireland's summer tour of Australia. Luke McGrath is out too, which has ramifications across the park for Leinster. Jamison-Gibson Park will likely step up to the breach, which means that Leinster will only be able to field either Scott Fardy or James Lowe. It's expected that Lowe will miss out.
In better news: Jack Conan should be available having missed the quarter-final win over Saracens, while Robbie Henshaw is in contention for an early return, too. Henshaw dislocated his shoulder in the Six Nations win over Italy and it was expected that he would miss the rest of the season. Instead, however, the Athlone man has returned to training and is in contention to play this weekend.
Jordan Larmour should be back, too.
Is there anything we can get angry about in the build-up?
Nothing of great substance. Shane Williams, has identified who he believes to be Leinster's weak link: Isa Nacewa.
Isa Nacewa is a wonderful player – someone I faced numerous times during my career – but he’s 35 now and more used to playing full-back or wing than centre.
Robbie Henshaw’s injury means Nacewa is likely to start in the blue 12 jersey and while he is a top-class operator, the Scarlets must look to exploit him in that position.
In Hadleigh Parkes and Scott Williams the Scarlets have two men in peak form. Their challenge is to tie in Nacewa, target him with some initial carries, and then work off that platform.
If I was Wayne, I’d tell my backs to try and isolate Nacewa in defence – initially with some brute power – and then later in the game, by getting outside him and doing him for pace.
Should the Scarlets manage that, then the Leinster back three will be forced to cut inside and the likes of Steffan Evans and Leigh Halfpenny will have plenty of joy and more space to work in.
While Nacewa is unlikely to start in the centre now that Henshaw looks like he should be fit to play, we don't think Nacewa is a weak link: it was he who guided Leinster through Exeter at home with Sexton injured.
So, a reminder on where to watch Leinster vs Scarlets: it's on Sky Sports Main Event from 3pm on Saturday.
