O’Driscoll and O’Kelly back in Leinster squad
The Irish captain and the record-capped lock have been named in an extended 26-man squad for Friday night’s Magners League clash against the Glasgow Warriors at Firhill.
Their international colleagues Gordon D’Arcy, Shane Horgan and Girvan Dempsey will not return until the next game against Ulster in Ravenhill on October 26 but coach Michael Cheika is happy to have begun the process of reintegrating his star players.
“We’re delighted to welcome back both Brian and Malcolm from Ireland duty. They’ve been around for training and I suppose it’s a bit of a restart for them as it’s the first time that they will have played with the new players.
“The players who were away at the World Cup have shown a real hunger to get back and play for Leinster and it will be a further boost when the other players join the squad for the following game.”
It isn’t all good news. Trevor Hogan will miss the opening two Heineken Cup games at home to Leicester and away to Toulouse next month after knee surgery.
Wing Gary Brown, who picked up a foot injury last week at home against Llanelli Scarlets, is also out for Friday’s game while lock Leo Cullen and scrum-half Chris Whitaker are rated as doubtful.
Leinster have only three more Magners league games before opening their European campaign at the RDS against the Tigers on November 10. Cheika will be hoping last weekend’s 29-point defeat against the Scarlets was merely a blip.
“There was huge disappointment for the players especially last weekend. We have a number of young players who will benefit enormously from that experience and from the previous week’s victory in Wales.
“There’s nothing simple about professional rugby. The top players take experience, learn their lesson from it and then build on it.”
Leinster (squad v Glasgow): Forwards: S Wright, J Gomez, C Healy, S Knoop, B Blaney, B Jackman, L Cullen, M O’Kelly, D Toner, C Jowitt, K McLaughlin, S Keogh, J Heaslip, K Gleeson, S Jennings.
Backs: C Whitaker, C Keane, C Willis, J Sexton, C Warner, B O’Driscoll, F McFadden, F Carr, R Kearney, L Fitzgerald, R McCarron.
Referee: Hugh Watkins (WRU).
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