Jacques Nienaber not taking bait as Toulouse crank up mind games: ‘I’m full-on Ospreys currently in my head’

Coach Ugo Mola has suggested that Leinster assistant coach Jacques Nienaber’s World Cup-winning prowess with South Africa might prompt Leinster to once more re-align their squad.

This might mean reverting from Saturday’s semi-final selection to a 6/2 bench split as preferred for their previous Champions Cup knock-out tie against French opponents, La Rochelle, the champions they dethroned in the quarter-final.

“Nienaber, during the World Cup, dared and tried different teams in each of his compositions with South Africa from the quarter to the final,” said Mola after his side’s semi-final win against Harlequins. “Perhaps we will take inspiration from the best!”

Meanwhile, despite losing three successive semi-finals against Leinster, including the last two, Antoine Dupont reminded Leinster supporters that the Irish club have also lost the last two finals.

“The Leinster players have beaten us twice in the semis in the last two years but they have reached the final twice without winning it,” he said. “So I don’t know who is more unhappy in the story.”

However, Nienaber refused to take the French bait, insisting his sides are fully focused on this weekend’s visit of Ospreys as they seek to re-affirm a potential home route to URC glory.

“I promise you. I watched yesterday’s game, was it at 3? So I watched the game, but one eye there, one eye on the laptop doing the review of the Saints game.

“So, to be honest, I can’t tell you can they attack from lineouts, do they maul from lineouts? I probably will give them, and it’s not that I disrespect them, but they will probably get our respect when they are the next team. I’m full-on Ospreys currently in my head. So yeah, I haven’t even thought about that.”

Garry Ringrose is primed for a comeback from shoulder trouble in the RDS this Saturday for what would be only his second appearance since January after the centre wasn’t risked against Northampton Saints.

However, Hugo Keenan’s return from a persistent hip problem may be another week away, while there is no update on James Ryan’s long-term absence with an arm injury.

Jimmy O’Brien came through Saturday’s win with no issues after his recent neck injury, while Tommy O’Brien is back in full training after a hamstring injury.

Ciarán Frawley and Joe McCarthy also trained fully yesterday despite shipping heavy knocks late on in Croke Park.

Meanwhile, Will Connors, the 28-year-old flanker who has won nine Ireland caps in a career punctuated by injury, has committed to Leinster after signing a new contract, while Thomas Clarkson has also extended his stay.

The 24-year-old prop has made the most appearances in a season since his debut in 2020, including a Champions Cup debut. Academy back-row James Culhane has been promoted to a senior deal.