O’Driscoll knee injury a big worry for Schmidt

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt admitted that Brian O’Driscoll’s knee injury was a concern heading into Heineken Cup final week as assessed a battered dressing room following the 18-3 Magners League semi-final victory over Ulster last night.

Ireland captain and centre O’Driscoll’s right knee took a knock three minutes before half-time at the RDS, while hooker Richardt Strauss suffered a blow to his side in the second-half, tighthead prop Mike Ross suffered a “stinger” and was substituted after just 33 minutes, as was scrum-half Isaac Boss, withdrawn a minute earlier with a hamstring twinge.

English Premiership heavyweights Northampton Saints await Heineken Cup favourites Leinster at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday evening but Schmidt will not learn his stricken players’ availability for the final build-up until tomorrow evening at the earliest.