No respite in sight for Leinster stars as crucial clash beckons

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.

Despite full appearances against New Zealand, Australia and Romania both are named in the squad for this weekend’s Celtic League tie in the Sportsground.

The coach also hinted that the core of the side to start against Connacht will be retained for the must-win Heineken Cup clash the week after.

Normally, a week off would probably be the preferred option for D’Arcy and Horgan.

The problem is that the game against Michael Bradley’s side is Leinster’s first since the home defeat to Edinburgh on November 6 and Cheika’s only trial run before plunging headlong into European action.

“It’s fine as long as you manage the preparation correctly,” said the Australian yesterday. “We don’t get them out there and flog them. We obviously modify their programmes. We want them in peak physical condition to play games.

“For those players who haven’t had any time off, I don’t think it’s much of an issue at this stage of the year. Most of them would have come back late [after the close season] so they’ve only played five or six games, which really isn’t a lot when you look at the big picture.

“I’m a great believer in players playing at their peak week in, week out, to have consistency in mind and in body.”

Girvan Dempsey and Felipe Contepomi also return to the day jobs after a rather less taxing tour of international duty, while Eric Miller and Adam Byrnes are also included in the extended 27-man squad after periods on the treatment table.

Malcolm O’Kelly still has the injury he got against the Wallabies but is in the running for the following week’s European tie. Flanker Niall Ronan and lock Ciaran Potts are injured.

Leinster will play nine games in the next nine weeks before another enforced absence, this time because of the Six Nations. It’s a lopsided calendar that annoys many Irish provincial coaches but Cheika isn’t interested in fuming over a problem he can’t fix.

“As with most things in the northern hemisphere, they’re more steeped in culture and tradition. There’s more history here and you understand that the Six Nations has been played where it is for quite some time. If that’s the way the programme is, then that’s what we’ve got to deal with.

“If you look at the soccer players, they’re playing Champions League on the Tuesday, then Premier League and then maybe Carling Cup if it’s the UK. You’ve got to be able to play every game every time at your best.”

Included in the Connacht squad for the first time are new signings Tongan international centre Andrew Mailei who joins from North Harbour and Gavin Williams who joins from Auckland and has played both Connacht’s recent A inter pros at outside centre.

Among those injured are Dan McFarland (back), Ronan Loughney (knee), Keith Matthews (groin), Brendan O’Connor (thigh) and Darren Yapp (calf).

John Hearty is back to full fitness and available while James Downey and Mark McHugh remain on the long term injured list.

Connacht Squad Forwards: D McFarland, R Loughney, R Hogan, S Knoop, J Fogarty, J. Merrigan, D Gannon, A Farley (captain), C Short, M Lacey, M Swift, B O’Connor, Colm Rigney, John Muldoon.

Backs: T Tierney, C Keane, P Warwick, D Slemen, C McPhillips, T Robinson, J Hearty, K Matthews, G Williams, A Mailei, D Yapp, M Mostyn.

Leinster Squad: Forwards: R Corrigan, R McCormack, B Jackman, B Blaney, W Green, E Byrne, B Gissing, B Williams, A Byrnes, C Jowitt, K Gleeson, N Ronan, E Miller, J Heaslip.

Backs: G Easterby, B O’Meara, B O’Riordan, J Hepworth, R Kearney, S Horgan, G Brown, B Burke, F Contepomi, G D’Arcy, K Lewis, G Dempsey, E Hickey.