Cheika fires up Leinster players

MICHAEL CHEIKA has challenged his players to prove their dismal show in Wales two weeks ago was a one-off when Leinster take on Connacht in the Celtic League on Sunday.

Leinster made the trip to face the Newport Gwent Dragons bereft of billboard names like Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy, Shane Horgan and Malcolm O’Kelly but still fielded a team that, on paper, seemed to be bursting with talent.

It was because of that Cheika would have been reasonably confident going into that fixture at Rodney Parade. Instead, Leinster put in their worst day at the office since rolling over to Munster in a 33-9 defeat at Musgrave Park last October.