Cheika calls for improvement
Currently top of the table, three of the province’s final four games are away in Wales, starting with Friday’s fixture against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
After that they have a weekend off after which they host Borders before wrapping up the campaign with trips to face Ospreys and Cardiff.
Leinster have claimed some notable victories on the road this season, the Heineken Cup victory in Agen and the defeat of Ulster in Ravenhill being the obvious highlights, but they have been the exceptions to the rule.
“Away form has been poor,” Cheika admitted yesterday. “In a league situation, we like to build our points from home and then look to take half of your away games. Do that and you will be close to winning the league.
“We’ve had moments where our away form been good and others where it has been poor. We knew the run-in to the league, with four out of the last five away from home, was going to be difficult. It’s not about putting too much emphasis on winning the league right now, it’s about getting a consistent 80 minutes.”
Since regrouping after the Six Nations, Leinster have lost both of their games, to Wasps in the Heineken Cup quarter-final and to Glasgow in the Magners League last weekend. Both were away from Donnybrook.
The defeat in Hughenden last week, and the manner of it, was symptomatic of a team suffering from a European hangover and Cheika pointed to the fact that the other three defeated quarter-finalists stuttered as well last week.
Leinster stacked up errors like firewood against the Scottish side but Cheika was keen to remind everyone that they are still in prime position to end the season on a high note.
“In the league format, you are playing over 20 games and you can make up for the points last week by winning this week. Remember, our fate is still in our own hands. We have some tough games but if we can keep winning we can win it.”
The Australian will find out today whether Bernard Jackman and Stephen Keogh are fit enough to return to the squad after sitting out the Glasgow reversal while 19-year-old prop Cian Healy has been promoted to the senior squad for the first time after impressing in recent weeks for the Ireland U20 Grand Slam winning side.
Brian O’Driscoll will again be absent on Friday evening but the hamstring strain picked up on Ireland duty in Rome last month should be cured in time for Leinster’s last three fixtures.
“He’s rehabbing pretty well,” said Cheika. “He’s doing a lot of fitness work in that area. He’s pretty keen to contribute again. ”
Backs: C Whitaker, G Easterby, F Contepomi, D Hickie, C Warner, K Lewis, G D’Arcy, L Fitzgerald, R Kearney, S Horgan, G Dempsey.
Forwards: S Wright, R Corrigan, W Green, F Pala’amo, C Healy, B Blaney, H Vermaas, O Finegan, T Hogan, D Toner, M O’Kelly, K McLaughlin, C Jowitt, K Gleeson, J Heaslip.
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