Boost for Leinster as prop van der Linde returns

WORLD CUP winning prop forward CJ van der Linde appears to have put his injury woes behind him and is named in Leinster’s squad for Saturday’s Magners League derby clash with Ulster at Ravenhill (6pm).

The big South African prop forward featured for the first time in seven months when coming off the bench to help the Heineken Cup champions crush Brive and has shown no ill effects from that outing.

His return, the availability of all of Leinster’s top brass backs, including Rob Kearney, Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Gordon D’Arcy and the remainder of the senior forwards, has left consultant coach Alan Gaffney in a positive mood as Leinster strive to retain top spot in the table against their second placed rivals.