AN OUTSIDER doesn’t get to captain Leicester Tigers without being a deserving recipient; neither, even, does a homegrown player get to lead Leinster in the face of a challenge from national captain and rugby’s iconic Brian O’Driscoll.

Brian O'Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald are back in the Leinster squad for the Heineken Cup quarter final clash with Harlequins at The Twickenham Stoop on Sunday afternoon.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll has been passed fit to play for Leinster at home to Edinburgh in the Heineken Cup at The RDS on Friday night.

Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Girvan Dempsey return to Leinster duty for the sold-out Magners League tie with Ulster on Friday at Ravenhill (kick off: 7.30pm).

Munster hooker Jerry Flannery has returned to the Ireland squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship after recovering from a shoulder injury.

LEINSTER bid to bounce back from the disappointment of their Heineken Cup defeat by Munster when facing the Neath Swansea Ospreys in the Celtic League at Lansdowne Road on Saturday (7.35pm).

Ireland boss Eddie O’Sullivan has delayed naming his second row for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations clash with Scotland in order to give Paul O’Connell time to recover from injury.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has allayed fears Brian O'Driscoll's long-awaited return to action over the festive season may be stalled by a niggling back injury.

Coach Michael Cheika has gone for an extended 28-man Leinster Squad ahead of their trip to Munster on Saturday.

Brendan O’Brien

Irish Lions Malcolm O'Kelly, Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie have been named on the bench for Leinster's Celtic Cup Quarter Final against Glasgow at Lansdowne Road on Friday night.

LIONS skipper Brian O’Driscoll will partner Gordon D’Arcy at centre in the Leinster team to face Glasgow at Hughenden on Saturday (7.30pm).

Munster out-half Ronan O'Gara has been included in the Irish team for this Sunday's Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome.

Ireland international Malcolm O'Kelly has recovered from a groin injury to take his place in Lenister's second row as Declan Kidney's side strives to retain their unbeaten record in the Heineken Cup at Bath on Saturday.

Benetton Treviso 9, Leinster 25

Declan Kidney had sprung a few minor selection surprises for Leinster's opening Heineken Cup encounter with Benetton Treviso in Italy on Saturday.

Leinster coach Declan Kidney has resisted the temptation to meet leaders The Ospreys with his first choice side at St Helen’s in the Celtic League on Friday night (7.05pm).

Leinster 16 Neath-Swansea Opsreys 16

IRELAND centres Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy have agreed to play for the Barbarians on next month's three-match tour of Britain.

Brian O'Driscoll will partner Gordon D'Arcy in the centre and Malcolm O'Kelly, Reggie Corrigan, Shane Byrne and Victor Costello will be on hand to beef up the Leinster pack for their Celtic League tie with Llanelli at Stradey Park on Friday evening.

Leinster have Girvan Dempsey and Gordon D'Arcy in their side for the Celtic League date with Glasgow at Donnybrook on Friday evening.

GARY LONGWELL has been called into the Irish squad for the Six Nations game against England at Twickenham tomorrow week.

There are no surprises in the Leinster Lions side to face Biarritz in their Heineken Cup pool decider on Saturday.

TALENT is a trait that has rarely been questioned in Leinster. Mental toughness, on the other hand, has. Frequently.

Coach Gary Ella has chosen an unchanged side for the penultimate Pool game with Cardiff Blues at Lansdowne Road on Friday night (7.45pm).

Leinster second row Ben Gissing was cleared of a stamping allegation to take his place in the Leinster side against Sale Sharks on Sunday.

Leinster coach Gary Ella had to admit that Christian Warner had not mastered his quad injury in opting for Matt Leek at out half for Leinster's Heineken Cup meeting with Sale Sharks on Friday evening.

Leinster coach Gary Ella has included centres Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Horgan in a strong line-up for their Heineken Cup meetibg with Sale Sharks at Lansdowne Road on Friday evening.

Heineken Cup-tied Felipe Contepomi is sure to make some kind of contribution, from the bench, to Leinster's Celtic League tie with Ulster at Donnybrook on Friday evening.

IN an unsurprising move, considering their demolition job on Biarritz last weekend, Leinster coach Gary Ella has named an unchanged starting line-up and substitute’s bench for Friday's night’s trip across the water to play Cardiff at The Arms Park.

Coach Gary Ella has gone wih the same 15, indeed the same 22, players for their Heineken Cup away date against Cardiff Blues on Friday evening.

Leinster have included most of their World Cup contingent, including Brian O'Driscoll and Malcolm O'Kelly, for Saturday's Celtic League tie at the Neath/Swansea Ospreys at The Gnoll.

Christian Warner has mended from a neck injury to take the position of shoulder injury victim James Downey in the centre for Llanelli's Celtic League visit to Leinster on Friday evening (ko 7.35pm).

Shane Jennings is the shock selection as Leinster's newest captain in the absence of the injured Leo Cullen for the Celtic League confrontation at The Borders on Friday (7.30pm).

Ulster 23 Leinster 23 (After extra-time, Ulster win on tries scored 3-2)

LEO CULLEN may have missed out on the World Cup but Leinster coach Gary Ella is delighted to have him back as Leinster captain for the visit of Edinburgh to Donnybrook this evening.

LEINSTER coach Gary Ella is happy to rely on his “young guns” for as long as they are needed in the Celtic League and Cup competitions.

Versatile three-quarter Christian Warner will start as outside centre in place of the injured Kieran Lewis (bruised knee) as Leinster prepare for their third Celtic League outing against Edinburgh at Donnybrook on Friday evening.

RONAN O’GARA is likely to make his international comeback after being included in the 22-man squad from which the Ireland team to play Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday will be chosen.

NO rush, no panic. That’s clearly the course of action being taken by Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan.