Top of the table Leinster welcome 10th place Cardiff to the RDS this Saturday for the 13th round of the United Rugby Championship. This match will see Leinster try to continue their unbeaten run while Cardiff try to make a push for quarter-final qualification. These two teams meet for the first time this season, with both squads depleted due to the upcoming start of the Six Nations. We have all the info on how to watch Leinster this weekend right here.
When is Leinster v Cardiff?
The match kicks off at 17:05 Irish time on Saturday 28th of January at the RDS Dublin.
How to watch Leinster v Cardiff?
Leinster v Cardiff is being broadcast live on RTE 2 with the pre-game build-up beginning at 16:30 in anticipation of the 17:05 kick-off.
Form guide
Leinster come into this fixture in phenomenal form. Hot off the heels of two impressive wins in Europe against Racing 92 and Gloucester and without a loss in the URC so far. Leinster will be heavy favourites for this fixture. With twelve out of twelve wins in the URC so far and 8 of them coming with bonus points they are the in-form team in this match and in this tournament. However they are missing a number of their usual heavyweights who are in Portugal with Ireland's Six Nations squad.
Cardiff only have a fifty percent win rate in the URC, winning six of their twelve matches. Coming off the back of two URC losses to Scarlets and Ospreys the Welsh team will be looking for and will need an improvement in their form if they are to overcome Leinster this weekend. Cardiff also have five bonus points and are only one point behind Edinburgh in eight place and two behind Munster in seventh place, leaving them with plenty to play for as they look to qualify for the last eight. Head Coach Steve Law will be hoping his side can put their recent losses behind them and exploit a younger more inexperienced Leinster team who are missing their star players. Cardiff also have the most of amount of turnovers in the competition and the least amount of turnovers lost. Leinster's discipline at the breakdown could prove pivotal in this outing. Leinster's need for better discipline was already talked about this week, with Brian O'Dricscoll saying it could be their downfall again this season.
In saying all that, this same fixture last year saw Cardiff pip Leinster by two points in Cardiff Arms Park Wales. Their players will be looking to that as inspiration for Saturday's fixture and hoping to build on that. Cardiff Director of Rugby Dai Young said as much himself when asked about going to RDS this week.
🎙 "Whoever puts that jersey on is going to go and do a job for us. I’m confident in the team that’s going out there and there’s no reason why we can’t do the job."
🗣 Dai Young looks ahead to Saturday's trip to Dublin to take on Leinster pic.twitter.com/s4p1eMAuym— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) January 26, 2023
Team news
Leo Cullen announced a Leinster team with a string of changes from his European matches. With plenty of Leinster's star players away on Six Nations duty, Cullen has leaned on some of the younger less experienced members of his squad to carry the torch. In saying that team veteran Rhys Ruddock will captain the side, while Luke McGrath and Harry Byrne will man the half-back line. Dave Kearney also lines out on the wing while Scott Penny will win his 50th cap for the side. Will Connors will also make his return from injury and is listed on the bench. The Leinster team in full is below.
📥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 #𝐋𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐑𝐮𝐠𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧!
Here is the team that Leo Cullen has selected for tomorrow's #BKTURC clash with @Cardiff_Rugby #LEIvCAR #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/PFXeS9oqXf— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) January 27, 2023
Cardiff are also missing players who are on international duty but have made just six changes to their team after their defeat in Brive, with scrum-half Lloyd Williams making his 255th Cardiff appearance and equaling the club's record for all-time appearances. While Rhys Priestland starts in full-back. Cardiff's full team is here.
🔴⚫️ Y TÎM | LINE UP
🆚 @LeinsterRugby 🔵⚪️
🏆 @URCOfficial
🏟️ RDS Arena
📅 Saturday, Jan 28 (KO 5.05pm GMT)
📺 RTE & S4C
6️⃣ CHANGES and Lloyd Williams draws level with the great @ffilise#YmlaenCaerdydd— Cardiff Rugby (@Cardiff_Rugby) January 27, 2023
That's everything you need to know for how to watch Leinster this Saturday in the URC.
