Cullen won't get 'bogged down' by Gloucester selection

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says he won't get "bogged down" by the makeup of Gloucester's team for tomorrow night's Champions Cup meeting at the RDS [live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player].

The four-time champions are heavy favourites to pick up a bonus-point win tomorrow night, with their opponents making 13 changes from last week's win against Bordeaux-Begles, head coach George Skivington instead prioritising their Christmas Eve Premiership meeting with Leicester Tigers.

The English side have been heavily criticised for their selection, choosing to rest the likes of Chris Harris, Val Rapava Ruskin, Lewis Ludlow and Jonny May.

With eight of the 12 teams in Pool A advancing to the knockout stage of the competition, Gloucester would still be well-placed to earn a spot in the last 16, regardless of tomorrow's outcome.

However, Cullen says his focus is only on his own team.

"They got their five points [against Bordeaux], it probably gives them potentially a free-pass, that's what their logic is," he told RTÉ Sport.

"They made a few changes, but we don’t get too bogged down by it. They’re still a team that have strong cohesion, a very strong set-piece, a very strong lineout maul in particular.

"That’s been the focus for us this week, it doesn’t change a huge amount from our point of view."

By contrast, Leinster's side is close to full strength, with Johnny Sexton set to return from injury off the bench.

Cullen has made four changes to his starting team, with Luke McGrath, Rónan Kelleher (above), Ross Molony and Jack Conan rotating into the side, and he admits the six-day turnaround from last week's win has factored into his selection.

"A few changes, great to freshen the group up a little bit," he added.

"Johnny [Sexton] is back on the bench,