Cheika rests big guns for Dragons clash

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika has decided rest and recuperation is more important than game time for his top players in advance of the crucial back-to-back Heineken Cup fixtures against Llanelli Scarlets over the next couple of weeks.

So when Leinster step out for tomorrow’s Magners League clash against Newport Gwent Dragons there will be an unfamiliar look about the line-up. Cheika has decided on a no-risk policy for his internationals whilst clearly giving up-and-coming youngsters an opportunity to push for selection.

Fergus McFadden, Simon Keogh and Chris Keane are amongst the more seasoned members of the back division, while there is a wealth of experience up front in the form of Malcolm O’Kelly, CJ van der Linde, Bernard Jackman, who will captain the side, and Stephen Keogh.

The promising David Kearney makes his third appearance against the Dragons in just six months and he is well aware that Leinster have a tough task: “It will be a good test for us coming off the back off two good wins in the British & Irish Cup and we’re all conscious that we need to maintain our position in the league. Rodney Parade is a tough place to go.

“A number of players, including myself, made our senior debuts there in the closing game of last season and we didn’t exactly cover ourselves in glory. We’re conscious of that. Opportunities like this don’t always come about in mid season to make an impression on the coaching staff, so we’re all excited about this match.

“Although I have played only three times for the senior team, two of those games have been against the Dragons so I’m quite familiar with them. They fought hard in the RDS back in September and will probably feel as though they could have got something out of the game.

“Hopefully, there is a carrot for the players to play well this weekend with two big Heineken Cup games coming up against the Scarlets as well as a key Magners League game against Ulster later on in the month.

“I have been pleased enough with my own form in the British & Irish Cup. In both wins the wingers were fairly starved of the ball, but hopefully Sunday will provide more chances to get my hands on the ball,” he said.

Meanwhile, Welsh stars Dan Lydiate and Luke Charteris return to the Dragons squad with Charteris taking on the captain’s armband in the absence of Tom Willis.

The stand-in captain is confident of securing a positive result too, although he is taking little notice of the fact that Cheika has rested so many of his top players.

“We have had some great wins, amongst them against Edinburgh and Sale, but we’re not taking much notice of Leinster resting these boys. The Irish provinces have shown that they can afford to lose these players and still put out a very strong team, which is why the Irish sides always figure at the top of the league at the end of the season and are always pushing in the Heineken Cup,” said Charteris.