Brian O'Driscoll set for his final appearance in a Leinster jersey in the Pro 12 final... Glasgow will have their hands full

By Andy Nicol

Published: 02:09 EST, 31 May 2014 | Updated: 03:25 EST, 31 May 2014

Former Bath, Glasgow and Scotland scrum-half Andy Nicol previews all the key match-ups for Saturday's Pro12 final between between Leinster, with Brian O'Driscoll playing his last game of rugby, and the Glasgow Warriors - the action kicks off at 6.15 in Dublin.

Final farewell: Brian O'Driscoll will play his last ever game in Saturday's Pro12 finalO'Driscoll

BACK THREE

The big talking point for the Warriors is about who has not been picked rather than who has. Gregor Townsend has kept faith with Peter Murchie at full-back, with British & Irish Lion Stuart Hogg not even on the bench.

Murchie is a solid player, good under the high ball and cuts some very good lines in attack.

He will not let Glasgow down but it is a huge call to leave Hogg out of the squad altogether. Sean Maitland and Tommy Seymour make up a very attack-minded back three for Glasgow.

One of their strengths is their work-rate, they both come off their wing to great effect and play off the stand-off very effectively.

But they are up against a very good unit in Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden and Zane Kirshener, all three are very experienced. If given space, they are deadly finishers.

Centres

The centres are all about youth against experience. There is no more seasoned centre partnership in the world than Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy, it feels like they have played together for ever. Peter Horne and Alex Dunbar will have their hands full with these two.

But I really like the look of the Glasgow partnership, Horne is a fantastic playmaker and distributor who will take some of the pressure off Finn Russell in phase play as the first receiver.

It is great to see all the hard work that Horne has had to make to return from a serious knee injury rewarded with a starting jersey in the biggest game in the Club’s history.

Alongside him, Dunbar is developing into a centre of the highest order and only needs to look up at his opposite number to see the benchmark for greatness in the No 13 shirt. It will take some time to get to O’Driscoll’s quality but every time I see Dunbar play, I am more impressed with him.

I could write about BOD for ever.

Creative: Peter Horne (centre), pictured here in action against Castres, is Glasgow's playmaker

I am a huge fan of him as a player and as a person and, if Leinster were playing anyone else, I would want him to sign off from his glorious career with a trophy! He may have lost a yard of pace over the years but his mind is as sharp as ever. There is no player better at getting hands on the ball in the tackle area — once locked on you don’t remove him. Dunbar versus O’Driscoll will be a key battle in determining the winner tonight.

Half-Backs

There are two experienced No 9s playing this evening, both of whom have excelled at the top level for many years.

Chris Cusiter will play his last game for Glasgow tonight. He has had injury problems for sure, but he is one of the leaders the team look to to get them going.

His performance is absolutely key for Glasgow.

I would like to see him attack more around the fringes than he did in the semi as this will keep the fringe defence aware of the threat and alleviate some of the pressure on young Finn Russell.

He will have to help his young half- back partner because the final will be a step up for him.
Russell has had a phenomenal season but it is still a brave call from Townsend when experienced international players like Jackson and Weir are available.

The confidence he should have from being given the shirt needs to translate to a performance tonight and Cusiter and Horne will need to keep an eye on him and just let him play. I love the way he attacks the line and he is very brave in defence.

Leinster have a very experienced pair in Eoin Reddan and Jimmy Gopperth, who can control a game very effectively. In finals, goal kicking can be key and both stand offs will have the responsibility, Gopperth knows he can cope with the pressure and we will find out if young Russell can tonight.

Everything I have seen about him suggests will be fine.

Key man: The performance of Chris Cusiter could play a vital role in deciding the outcome of Saturday's final

Front Row

Townsend has left out another Lion in Ryan Grant, who is replaced by Gordon Reid.

He was a try scorer in the semi, so in many ways, the match winner but it is another brave call.
He is there for his scrummaging. Leinster are strong in the front row with Cian Healy, Sean Cronin and Mike Ross but Reid is much more than just a scrummaging prop.

He gets around the pitch, is a good ball carrier and is good defensively.

The other prop is Jon Welsh and, as a proud Glaswegian, he will be absolutely relishing the chance to win a major trophy.

Between them is Dougie Hall whose many years of  service would be rightly rewarded if they could win tonight. He is good at the basics but needs to ensure that Glasgow win all their line-out ball.

The Leinster front row is formidable, with Healy the star man. This time last year, he looked a stick on for the Lions test team before injury and he can be a real handful in the scrum and in the loose with his ball carrying.

Welsh will really need to work hard to keep Healy quiet. I like the hooker Cronin also.

He is quick and likes to loiter out in the wide channels where he scores lots of tries.

Standout performer: Leinster's Cian Healy will need to be kept quiet by Glasgow on Saturday

Second Row

For Glasgow it is the combination of the old master and the young apprentice, with captain Al Kellock and young Jonny Gray.

Kellock is a Glasgow legend and there would not be a more fitting or deserving winner of the trophy. He is a brilliant leader, having that combination of seething intensity required of a second row and a calm assured way of communicating with the referee and players.

He has been a big role model for all the Warriors’ players but, especially, his second row partner Jonny Gray.

This kid is a phenomenon. When I first saw his brother Richie, I was impressed but the younger version is even better at the same age.

His work rate is sensational in both attack in defence, being top carrier and top tackler in the same match which is almost unheard of. Nothing seems to phase him and he is a absolutely key in determining if Glasgow are going to win tonight.

I very rarely say that about a second row but that is how good he is. He has the stardust.

They are up against a Leinster partnership in Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy who offer the same physical attributes as their Glasgow counterparts; Toner is tall and thin, McCarthy has a huge work rate. Toner is good defensively in the line-out, so the execution from the Warriors will need to be spot on.

This is where Kellock’s calm leadership will be required. Control the ball, control the game.

Back Row

The back-row battle is always a big one. Glasgow have gone with the combination that played so well in the semi-final because the balance is just right.

Rob Harley pushes Gray in the work rate stakes. He is the classic blind-side flanker, you don’t often see the work that he does but he is immense.

If Harley does all the unseen stuff, Chris Fusaro does the glory work in the back row, winning penalties or the ball in the tackle area. As with all open sides, he has to walk the fine line between what is legal and what gets penalised, so getting on the referee’s wavelength is key.

Josh Strauss is at No 8 and he is one of the key ball carriers. He is the guy who allows the team to play with a different dimension by breaking tackles and offloading to the support runners.

Alongside Shaun Jennings in the Leinster back row is Rhys Ruddock and Jamie Heaslip. Ruddock is building a good reputation and looks like he could be a really good player.

I look forward to watching his battle with Harley.

Heaslip is class. He is great when the game is going for him as he loves to have the ball in hand in the wide spaces where he can be devastating.

Threat: Leinster's Jamie Heaslip, pictured here in action against Toulon, will pose a threat to Glasgow