AFTER the emotional turmoil of Paris and the shock of Mike Ruddock’s departure there may be a temptation to gloss over this weekend’s round of Celtic League fixtures.

MICHAEL CHEIKA reiterated his commitment to nurturing Irish talent in the wake of Leinster signing Australian scrum-half Chris Whitaker from the NSW Waratahs in a two-year deal.

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MICHAEL CHEIKA has dismissed two recent sideline incidents involving himself and assistant coach David Knox as storms in a teacup and claims the Australian pair will not be altering their style of management.

LEINSTER resist the urge to rest key players for Saturday’s Celtic League visit to Stradey Park, despite their fast-approaching make or break Heineken Cup fixture with Glasgow.

DENIS HICKIE is poised to make his return to the Leinster panel after spending the last two months on the sidelines with a dislocated right fibula.

ULSTER coach Mark McCall has opted to retain Kieran Campbell at scrum-half for Monday’s Celtic League clash against Leinster at Ravenhill (5pm).

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.

THEY say good things come in threes. If that maxim holds true then Leinster will touch down in Dublin Airport late on Saturday night with another Heineken Cup win over Bourgoin in the bag.

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LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has targeted two wins from their back-to-back Heineken Cup duels with Bourgoin.

GORDON D’ARCY will partner Shane Horgan in the centre for Leinster’s critical trip to Galway to play Connacht in the Celtic League tomorrow.

IT’S been a punishing three weeks for Gordon D’Arcy and Shane Horgan but Leinster coach Michael Cheika will have few qualms about asking them to don their battle fatigues again against Connacht on Saturday.

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BRIAN O’MEARA will make his 100th appearance for Leinster when he lines up at out-half for tomorrow’s Celtic League clash against the Edinburgh Gunners at Donnybrook (3pm).

INJURIES and international duty has weakened the Leinster squad for the visit of Edinburgh Gunners to Donnybrook on Sunday.

THEORETICALLY, it’s not quite win or bust for Leinster’s Heineken Cup ambitions when they travel to face Glasgow Warriors this weekend.

MICHAEL CHEIKA is giving out a positive spin, but the suspicion remains that the gods are conspiring against Leinster as they open their Heineken Cup campaign against Bath in the RDS on Saturday.