O’Kelly glad of chance to lock horns with Johnson

MALCOLM O’KELLY has more than one reason to enjoy the prospect of meeting Leicester in this afternoon’s Heineken Cup quarter-final at Lansdowne Road.

Naturally there’s the hope that Leinster can progress to the last four of Europe’s premier rugby competition. But that’s the bigger picture. Today, O’Kelly’s visage will be filled by the hulking figure of Martin Johnson, with their battle possibly one of the most crucial contests of the day.

“Johnson has been a great stalwart of English rugby and been an example for all second-rows,” O’Kelly says.