BERNARD JACKMAN returns to the Leinster line-up for tonight’s Magners League clash at the Liberty Stadium (KO: 7.05pm) in the only change from the side that defeated the Scarlets 31-17 last time out.

GORDON D’ARCY will again audition for a Six Nations starting berth this Friday when Leinster go to the Ospreys’ Liberty Stadium in search of a second successive Magners League win in Wales.

LEINSTER defence coach Kurt McQuilkin believes the province is ‘in a good place’ in terms of the race for Magners League and Heineken Cup honours.

The teams for this weekend's AIB League fixtures have been announced.

IT IS back to basics this week for Leinster. Last Saturday it was Wasps, the Heineken Cup and a heaving RDS. This Friday it will be Glasgow, approximately 2,000 people and Glasgow’s Firhill in the Magners League.

The teams for this weekend's AIB League fixtures have been announced.

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HEINEKEN Cup winner Anthony Horgan and hooker Denis Fogarty struck for two tries apiece in the Munster reserve side’s resounding win over their Leinster equivalents at Donnybrook yesterday.

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.

RUGBY legend David Humphreys is battling to be fit for his final game with Ulster at Ravenhill tomorrow night.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL has been included in the Leinster squad to face Edinburgh in the Magners League tie at Murrayfield on Friday but a final decision on the centre’s fitness won’t be made until tomorrow at lunchtime.

THE good news for Leinster fans is that Brian O’Driscoll has been included in the 26-man squad to face Munster at the RDS on Saturday.

MALCOLM O’KELLY could become Leinster’s most capped player in Saturday’s top-of-the-table Magners League clash with Llanelli Scarlets, (Stradey Park, 5.30pm).

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.

GIRVAN DEMPSEY has described his recovery from his hip injury as “slow but good” and is keeping his fingers crossed that he will be ready in time for the next Six Nations match against Wales.

LEINSTER’S South African prop Ollie le Roux believes Toulouse will destroy Munster’s dreams of a second Heineken Cup title.

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.

EXORCISING their Murrayfield ghosts may be Leinster’s primary goal for the visit of Magners League basement boys, Ulster, to the RDS on St Stephen’s Day, but under pressure Blues coach Michael Cheika may also have a point to prove to his detractors.

IT was just over a year ago and Stan Wright, a beefy Pacific Islander, was at home in the Cook Islands, working construction.

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.

IF there was one obvious downside to Leinster’s defeat of Munster last Friday evening it was the sight of Brian O’Driscoll hobbling off the pitch after half an hour but it seems the Irish captain is recovering and on track to return for Friday’s Heineken Cup encounter with Edinburgh.

MUNSTER and Leinster face off in Musgrave Park on Friday knowing that the victor will sit proudly atop the Magners League table for the guts of a month but that’s less important to Michael Cheika than bragging rights.

THE FIRST game of any Heineken Cup campaign is always one to whet the appetite, but Shane Jennings has added reason to count down the days to Saturday’s game ever since Leinster were paired with the Leicester Tigers last June.

FELIPE CONTEPOMI is again a notable absentee from the Leinster squad to face Connacht in Friday night’s Magners League clash at the RDS (7.30pm).

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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).

LEINSTER and Ulster will endeavour to put the Ireland’s World Cup nightmare in the rear-view mirror on Friday night in Ravenhill — but the presence of Felipe Contepomi in the visitor’s dug-out will make that difficult.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL and Malcolm O’Kelly return to the Leinster fold this week for the first time since their World Cup disappointments.

THE blows just keep on coming for Irish rugby.

WHILE his “galacticos” had been labouring at the Rugby World Cup in France, Michael Cheika’s set of replacement backs have been cutting a swathe through the first two rounds of the Magners League.

KEITH GLEESON could join a select band tonight by earning his 100th cap for Leinster in their Magners league tie away to the Cardiff Blues — but he will have to come off the bench to do it.

CARDIFF Arms Park has been a graveyard for Leinster’s Magners League ambitions this past two seasons and coach Michael Cheika accepts that they will be up against it again when they return to the Welsh capital this Friday.

Centre Michael Berne has had to drop out of the Leinster squad to play the Cardiff Blues in the Arms Park on Friday (KO: 7.30pm).

WITH almost half their first team away in France and a revamped RDS providing the backdrop, this Magners League opener threatened to be a step into the unknown for Leinster.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made three changes to his front five as captain John Fogarty, prop Stephen Knoop and second row David Gannon come into the side ahead of their Magners League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday night.

Michael Bradley has made five changes to the Connacht squad ahead of their Magners League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday night.

IN a game that could have gone either way, Connacht were forced to accept a draw against a side touting title hopes.

MALCOLM O’KELLY is named in the Leinster side to face Connacht in the Magners League at Donnybrook this afternoon (5.15pm).

CONNACHT have announced a 22-man squad ahead of their Magners League derby clash with Leinster at Donnybrook tomorrow (ko 5.15pm).

CONNACHT coach Michael Bradley has made three changes to the team which played Ospreys two weeks ago for tonight’s Magners League clash with Border Reivers at Galway Sportsground (6.30).

Coach Michael Bradley has made four changes to his Connacht side ahead of their match with Edinburgh Rugby at Murrayfield on Friday night, kick-off at 7.30pm

Alan Quinlan will know in the middle of next week whether he can play in Munster’s remaining Heineken Cup Pool 4 games against Bourgoin and Leicester in January.

BALLYMENA flanker Chris Henry and Belfast Harlequins wing Paul McKenzie have been included in a 24-man Ulster squad ahead of the Magners League derby against Connacht at Ravenhill on St Stephen’s Day.

RONAN O’GARA will captain Munster when the European champions clash with Connacht in the Magners League at Thomond Park tomorrow (5pm).