Mighty challenge awaits Glasgow in Dublin, but Sean Lineen confident win over Bath has given his side confidence to give cup holders a real test

The Warriors head into this weekend as the only side in Pool Three with a win under their belts, Leinster having drawn in France and Bath hosting Montpellier with both sides knowing that defeat would make qualifying almost impossible. The picture could change quickly, however, and Lineen knows that to retain the confidence from last week his side need to perform well in front of more than 17,000 Dublin supporters.

Lineen acknowledged that there was some foundation to a report in the Irish media that pointed out that the Warriors have never backed up good wins so never reached the quarter-finals. He also accepted the contention that this game will bear very little comparison with the RaboDirect Pro12 match in Dublin in September, won 23-19 by Glasgow.

However, he defended his side against a further claim that their win over Bath came from “a catalogue of good fortune” and said: “There was a lot more around our game than that. But then I think they have every reason to [write us off] as Leinster are the current champions and we have had one-offs before – we’ve beaten Toulouse, Wasps, Gloucester and Biarritz at home – but can we back it up?

“In the league we won in Leinster but then lost at home to Treviso, so we have to learn these lessons, on the biggest stage, playing against a quality team with almost 15 internationalists starting the game.

“We know Leinster bring to the game a huge amount of physicality, they are clever and have tons of experience. But facing the current champions in front of 22,000 people in their own backyard is the next stage for us, to learn, to go there and not just make the numbers up but to try and win the game.”

Glasgow make three changes to the squad that defeated Ian McGeechan’s side, Peter Murchie replacing Rob Dewey, who suffered a shoulder injury, Finlay Gillies coming onto the bench to cover for Dougie Hall, who is suffering from a dead leg, and loosehead prop Jon Welsh returning from the ankle injury he suffered in the season’s opening game.

For Leinster, Brian O’Driscoll’s shoulder operation this week will keep him out for a considerable time, and his replacement Fergus McFadden is also out of tomorrow’s game with a dead leg suffered in the heroic draw with Montpellier. Eoin O’Malley steps in, while Eoin Reddan makes his first start of the season alongside Jonny Sexton at half-back and the dangermen of Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa add plenty of experience.

Sean Cronin makes his first Heineken Cup start after an impressive try-scoring display last weekend, the 6ft 10in Devin Toner plays alongside Leo Cullen and Kevin McLaughlin continues alongside two of Ireland’s top performers, Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip.

There are also five Ireland internationalists on the bench with fit-again Cian Healy expected to be released after half-time as coach Joe Schmidt looks typically to lift the tempo in the second period.

Schmidt warned his players and Leinster supporters, however, not to take Glasgow lightly. He said: “There’s three aspects to their momentum – last week’s win, their World Cup guys coming back in and there’s the fact they beat us here a few weeks ago.

“I’d say we had 60 per cent of the game here at the RDS but they showed their mettle. They’ll hang in and when they see an opportunity, they’re very quick to seize upon it. I think they’d be the first to say there was a little bit of fortune in the way the ball bounced [against Bath] but they certainly make it very hard to build a gap between you and them on the scoreboard.”

While Leinster are overwhelming favourites, Lineen knows that confidence can take his squad a long way in a tight encounter, and ruled out the notion that a bonus point in defeat would be a good result.

“There is real belief there, competition for places and the guys are really filling the Warriors jersey,” he said.

“Last week was a very small step and no-one is getting carried away because we know there’s going to be lots more bumps along the way, but we’re heading in the right direction at the moment.

“If you go over there against a quality team like that and think you can just hang in there and get a losing bonus, you’ll get thumped.

“They got a draw against a quality Montpellier team and will have targeted this game for a win. We didn’t actually play well last week, but we showed tremendous character.

“Guys who have played since the start of the season, like Rob Harley, Tom Ryder, Ryan Grant, Ryan Wilson, Stuart Hogg, Duncan Weir and Colin Shaw have been outstanding and have got belief. Now guys have come back in and added their experience. Chris Cusiter has been outstanding and big Al [Kellock] and Richie [Gray] in the second row want to be part of this. They are finding out that winning is a good feeling, but it’s bloody hard.”

Leinster: R Kearney; I Nacewa, E O’Malley, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; H van der Merwe, S Cronin, M Ross, L Cullen (capt), D Toner, K McLaughlin, S O’Brien, J Heaslip. Replacements: R Strauss, C Healy, N White, R Ruddock, S Jennings, I Boss, I Madigan, F Carr.

Glasgow: S Hogg; T Seymour, P Murchie, G Morrison, C Shaw; D Weir, C Cusiter; R Grant, P MacArthur, M Cusack, R Gray, Al K (capt), R Harley, J Barclay, R Wilson. Replacements: F Gillies, J Welsh, E Kalman T Ryder, H Pyrgos, C Fusaro, T Nathan, F Aramburu.

Referee: A Small