Bernard Jackman: Leinster correct in cautious squad rotation

Bernard Jackman believes Leinster's team selection on their recent two-game tour of South Africa was a risk worth taking, ahead of Saturday's Investec Champions Cup semi-final with Northampton (live on RTÉ 2 and RTÉ Player).

The province fell to second place in the BKT United Rugby Championship following a winless trip to South Africa, where they shipped heavy defeats to both the Lions and the Stormers.

Head coach Leo Cullen wasn't taking any risks ahead of this Saturday's semi-final at Croke Park; of the starting XV from their Champions Cup quarter-final win over La Rochelle, only Jason Jenkins and Ciarán Frawley featured in either Johannesburg or Cape Town.

It means that the vast majority, and possibly even all of this weekend's starting XV to face Northampton Saints at Croke Park will have gone three weeks without a game.

The province employed a similar selection strategy last season as they tried to compete on both fronts, and although they ended last season trophyless, Jackman believes Cullen was right to leave his frontline players at home, particularly given the layout of the URC this year.

"To come back with zero points will be disappointing but they have to manage this end of the season," Jackman told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.

"It's a different end of the season schedule to last year, where they took a bit of a gamble in that semi-final against Munster and rested some key players for the Champions Cup final the week after.

"I don't think anything drove my desire more to be a professional rugby player..."@Mickkearney06 gives his unique perspective on his experiences watching Ireland at Croke Park in 2007...