Kidney coy on Leinster’s three-quarter thoroughbreds

AS always, Declan Kidney had a phrase to deal with a given situation.

Asked whether Gordon D’Arcy and Shane Horgan are in contention to start Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leicester he mused: “It would be like betting on the Grand National. Both have a reasonable chance of making it. Gordon and Shane trained with us this week but we won’t finalise the side until Friday morning.”

Horgan’s fractured thumb was in plaster since Ireland’s clash with England last month. If he is not recovered, the speedy but defensively suspect Gary Browne will probably get the nod.