Leinster get timely boost as O’Driscoll makes squad

THE good news for Leinster fans is that Brian O’Driscoll has been included in the 26-man squad to face Munster at the RDS on Saturday.

The bad news is that the Ireland captain is unlikely to have recovered from his hamstring injury in time to make the team for the top-of-the-table Magners League clash.

O’Driscoll suffered the injury during Ireland’s four-point defeat to Wales in the Six Nations tie at Croke Park over a month ago, and the prognosis at the time was that he would be fit again within three to four weeks.

“I would say his chances will be low,” Michael Cheika has conceded. “He is training and doing everything he can to be in the game but I would say his chances are pretty low.

“We’re not giving up on it but we’re not going to put him at risk either. At the same time, if we think he can play he’ll be involved at some stage.”

Cheika is facing something of a squeeze in the centre positions ahead of the weekend. Gordon D’Arcy will definitely sit out Saturday’s game and the appointment against Edinburgh the following week due to the arm injury he picked up while on Ireland duty.

Back-up centres Mick Berne (ankle) and Christian Warner (back) are also giving cause for concern, meaning 19-year-old Academy player Eoin O’Malley has been brought into the squad for the fixture.

“He’s an out-and-out 13 and it would be a big game for him but he has been in good form for the Under-21s and we’ve a lot of confidence in the young fella,” said the coach.

Leinster take a healthy 11-point lead over their southern cousins into Saturday’s encounter but, with a game in hand on the leaders, a Munster win at the RDS would leave matters delicately poised with three rounds to play.

“We’re very aware of that. This game is so important for us in the context of the league and because of the game itself — Leinster-Munster. We are going to have to play really well to beat them and we really want to beat them. We really want to.”

Though bounced out of Europe back in January, Leinster have been models of consistency in the Magners League with away wins in Munster, Connacht and Llanelli sticking out as evidence of their progress as a team.

All three wins were achieved in a very unLeinster-like way with the forwards grinding out the result in horrendous conditions, but such achievements have had to exist in the shadow of Munster’s Heineken escapades.

Club captain Leo Cullen admitted yesterday that it stuck in the craw to be watching all four European quarter-finals from the comfort of his couch last weekend but Cheika is fulsome in his praise of Declan Kidney’s men.

“They deserve (the plaudits). We don’t have to worry about what Munster do. We only have to worry about what Leinster do.

“If they go on to win (the Heineken Cup), which I think they will, good on them. What we have got to do is do what we can in this league this year and then have another go at Europe next year. Jealousy will get you nothing. Hunger will get you everything.”

A sell-out 18,500 crowd is expected as Leinster bid to record a rare double over the 2006 European champions after winning in Cork earlier this season.

Leinster squad (v Munster): Forwards: C Healy, O le Roux, B Blaney, B Jackman, S Knoop, S Wright, L Cullen, T Hogan, M O’Kelly, C Jowitt, S Keogh, K Gleeson, S Jennings, J Heaslip.

Backs: C Keane, C Whitaker, F Contepomi, J Sexton, L Fitzgerald, R Kearney, M Berne, C Warner, B O’Driscoll, E O’Malley, S Horgan, G Dempsey.