Match facts

• Reigning champions Leinster won all nine games on their way to lifting the Champions Cup trophy last season and one more victory would equal their longest winning streak in the competition which they set across the 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons.
• This will be the fourth time in their last five European Cup campaigns that Wasps have begun with an away game in Ireland (W1, L2).
•  Leinster have won each of their last six games against Gallagher Premiership opposition, this after having won just four of their preceding 10 such games (D1, L5).
•  Last season Leinster were the only side to concede an average of less than 10 turnovers per game in the competition (9.7).
• Despite beating fewer defenders per game (14.5) than any other side, only Saracens (3.6) averaged more tries than Wasps (3.5) in 2017/18.
•  Christian Wade had an average gain of 8.8 metres per carry in the pool stage of last season’s tournament, the best rate of any of the 66 players to make as many carries as him (45).
• Leinster’s Luke McGrath provided six try assists last season, the most of any player in the competition.
•  Leinster’s James Ryan completed 74 of 74 tackles last season, no player attempted more without missing at least one.

⭐️ JUST TWO DAYS TO GO ⭐️

Heineken #ChampionsCup action is so close you can almost taste it, so why not get stuck in to the Champions Fantasy Rugby game🍴

Here are some tasty picks to consider, including @J_George2, @SimonZebo and @jameslowenz 👀

👉 https://t.co/RdAehjChmg pic.twitter.com/b6G3cJGUSs

— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) October 10, 2018

Speaking at Monday’s press conference, Wasps head coach Dai Young said:

• We’re going to the home of the champions and we’re going there to try and win. But we have to play to our potential because if we don’t we won’t be near. You can’t limp over the line against Leinster.
• We’ve got to try and come out of every European game with something because if you have two bad results, you’re going to struggle to get through the pool stages.
• Dan Robson (ankle) is to have a scan today and will see a specialist on Wednesday. He certainly won’t be fit for the weekend.
• Joe Launchbury (knee) will run tomorrow and if he comes through that okay he will hopefully be fit for Friday. He had an injection in his knee to settle it down.
• Brad Shields (cheekbone) should be available for the weekend. He is up to speed with everything and has been training.

Contepomi: "We need to focus on this first game. It's the most important – the start of the campaign, the start of the championship." #LEIvWAS pic.twitter.com/dXIj6eILXD

— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) October 9, 2018

Leinster Rugby backs coach Felipe Contepomi also issued this injury update:

• Jamison Gibson-Park rolled his ankle in the second half of the win over Munster at Aviva Stadium on Saturday. He will be further assessed this week ahead of the game against Wasps on Friday.
• Jordan Larmour is due to return to training this week after recovering from a hip injury.
• Jack McGrath made his return from injury to start against Munster and came through the match with no ill effects.
• Ian Nagle has completed the Graduated Return to Play Protocols and will return to training, while Tom Daly will return to full training this week.