Leinster Women v Connacht in first Interpro clash

They have not been given permission to start any of the ladies involved for Ireland against New Zealand last Sunday.

However, Leinster will have a cavalry to summon from the bench, including Ireland out-half Nora Stapleton, lock Ciara Cooney and prop Lindsay Peat.

Of course, Griggs would prefer not to dig too deep into his pocket of replacements.

This will require complete application to the plan put in place to take Connacht out of their comfort zone and into the wide spaces where they will be forced to make difficult decisions in defence.

When the Leinster U18s enjoyed home advantage over Connacht, earlier in the season, Eimear Corri stood out for her five tries and a lot more than that.

The Portlaoise teenager has since made the move to Blackrock and the immediate step-up to the senior level in light of her dominance at Age Grade, starting on the right wing.

Griggs will trust the reins of game management to half-backs Michelle Claffey and Alisa Hughes in behind a strong forward eight with Carmella Morey at the base of the scrum.

The strategy to move the ball should put it into the hands of full-back Ali Coleman and wings Corri and Navan’s Meaghan Kenny to do their thing.

The weather can play its’ part and Leinster will have a Plan-B to accommodate any inclement conditions that may force a change in focus from the wide to the narrow.

Connacht struggle for the numbers on the basis that they have just Galwegians at the top-end of the All-Ireland League.

They will draw on the Galway club to provide the spine of a collective that usually struggles in this competition.

If that trend is to be bucked, there is no better time than right there and right now.

The Westerners will also be limited to who they can use as they will be without Ireland’s Mary Healy and Nicole Fowley, the latter’s breakthrough to the international ranks serving as an example of the pathway for Connacht’s Women.

Fowley started out at Sligo, learning the game there, before making the move to Galwegians and the province where she has impressed Ireland coach Tom Tierney.

The centre is the yardstick for any young girl in Connacht, for what it takes to make the grade.

“There are development clubs starting up around the province such as Tuam, NUIG Galway, Castlebar, Carrick on Shannon and Sligo where Nicole started out,” said Connacht assistant coach Gavin Foley.

“In terms of the Interprovincial Championship, we will look to the pride and passion of the girls to take them some of the way.”

Connacht coach JP Walsh had not settled on his side at the time of writing, waiting until after The Captain’s Run on late on Friday night.

Leinster Women’s squad to face Connacht: