EIGHTEEN months ago, Trevor Hogan was playing his part as Ireland went about putting 50 points on the board against Italy in Rome in the Six Nations.

AS EXPECTED, Michael Cheika has taken a wrecking ball to his established first XV for tonight’s meaningless Magners League game against the Dragons but a number of Irish internationals have been afforded another much-needed run-out before the summer tour.

Despite the best efforts of captain Brian O'Driscoll to make him stay, Leinster flanker Keith Gleeson has stuck with his decision to retire from the game and he did it in style, bowing out at the RDS with a man of the match winning performance in Leinster's 41-8 victory over Newport-Gwent Dragons.

Leinster head coach Michael Cheika has singled out the versatility of his squad as the province romped home to its second Celtic League title with a ruthless 41-8 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at the RDS.

Leinster 41 Newport-Gwent Dragons 8

Shane Horgan has recovered from illness to take his place in the Leinster backline to play The Dragons in the province's final home Magners League clash of the season at the RDS on Saturday, kick-off at 6pm.

SIX weeks of injury frustration will end in some style for Brian O’Driscoll tonight when he returns to the Leinster line-up for his 100th provincial cap.

DAY TRIPS to Dublin, as evidenced by the multiple shoppers boarding the evening train last Saturday, can be expensive affairs.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll is part of the Leinster squad that will look to make the Magner's League a mathematical certainty against Edinburgh at Murrayfield on Friday night.

A THUNDEROUS, niggly, high-octane Magners League derby at a sold-out RDS confirmed the most consistent team in the Magners League towards ultimate honours but, for Munster, the loss to their greatest rivals might have come at a huge cost.

The Leinster team to face the Llanelli Scarlets in Saturday evening’s Magners League clash in Stradey Park (KO: 5.30pm) has been named. Malcolm O’Kelly will become the most capped Leinster of all time when he lines up for his 140th appearance.

Malcolm O'Kelly should become the most capped player in Leinster history if he wins his 140th cap against the Llanelli Scarlets in the Magners League at Stradey Park on Saturday (KO: 5.30pm).

Leinster 34 Glasgow Warriors 18

Bank of Ireland Player of the Month Ollie le Roux partners Stan Wright and Bernard Jackman, who is one of six returning Ireland players, in the front row for Leinster's Magner's League tussle with Glasgow at The RDS on Friday night.

A LACK of involvement with the national side is one of the key reasons behind Keith Gleeson’s decision to retire from professional rugby at the end of the season, according to Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

He may be returning to Australia at the end of the year with his wife Fiona, but coach Michael Cheika says the door will always be open for Keith Gleeson to resume his Leinster career.

Leinster flanker Keith Gleeson will retire at the end of this season.

Leinster have been boosted by the return from injury of Leo Cullen and Jonathan Sexton ahead of the Magner's League tie with Glasgow Warriors at The RDS on on Friday, kick-off at 7.30pm.

Malcolm O'Kelly will become the second most-capped Leinster player of all time with his 138th appearance for the province away to Connacht in the Magners League clash on Friday.

IT’S BEEN a good Six Nations so far for David Wallace, another Ireland player showing that the World Cup was, at least for him, an aberration.

Leinster wing forward Keith Gleeson is the latest winner of the Bank of Ireland Leinster Player of the Month for January.

Leinster 24 Cardiff 17

MICHAEL CHEIKA claims a perceived sense of injustice over their lack of representation in the Ireland pack will act as extra motivation for his Leinster forwards ahead of this weekend’s crunch Magners League tie.

Ireland winger Shane Horgan has been included in the Leinster squad for Saturday's Magners League clash with Cardiff.

SHANE HORGAN will start Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons at Welford Road next Friday.

Ireland Coach Eddie O’Sullivan has today named a 22-man squad for the opening game of the 2008 RBS 6 Nations against Italy and the Ireland A team for the game against the England Saxons in Welford Road on February 1.

Leo Cullen will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance in the colours of Leinster against his former club Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

IRELAND coach Eddie O’Sullivan has defended his decision to exclude Leinster flankers Keith Gleeson and Shane Jennings from his Six Nations squad.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has a guilt complex about playing Shane Jennings at number six rather than open side flanker following the latter’s exclusion from Ireland’s Six Nations squad.

The Leinster squad to face the Leicester Tigers in Saturday's Heineken Cup Pool 6 clash at Welford Road (KO: 3.30pm) has been named.

Eddie O’Sullivan has chosen to inject some youth into Ireland’s creaking squad with Cian Healy and Jonathan Sexton among the fresh faces.

Shane Horgan and Ollie Le Roux have both been named in the Leinster Squad to go to Leicester Tigers for Saturday's Heineken Cup Pool 6 clash at Welford Road.

Brian O'Driscoll will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance for Leinster and will captain the side to face Toulouse tomorrow.

THEY may be dead men walking in Pool Six of the Heineken Cup but Leinster coach Michael Cheika has signalled his side’s determination to fight until the bitter end in the hope of an unlikely last-minute reprieve.

Brian O'Driscoll returns from injury to lead Leinster against The Ospreys in Saturday night's Magners League clash at the RDS.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll and second row Trevor Hogan return to the Leinster squad to play The Ospreys in Saturday night's Magners League clash in The RDS (KO: 7.30pm).

Luke Fitzgerald will start for the injured Shane Horgan in Leinster's Magner's League date with Ulster at The RDS on St Stephens' Day, kick-off at 3pm.

As expected, Shane Horgan will miss out on Leinster's St Stephen's Day joust with Ulster at The RDS in the Magners League.

NEW signing Guy Easterby is named at out-half for Leinster’s Heineken Cup clash with Edinburgh in Murrayfield this afternoon (3.30pm).

Guy Easterby has been parachuted back into the Leinster first team days after signing a short-term contract for Saturday’s Heineken Cup Pool 6 clash against Edinburgh in Murrayfield, kick-off at: 3.30pm.

New signing Guy Easterby has been included in the Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in Saturday's Heineken Cup clash at Murrayfield (KO: 3.30pm).

Leinster 28 Edinburgh 14

Leinster and Ulster will both be looking for victories tonight in the Heineken Cup.

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.