O’Driscoll all-clear as Schmidt names unchanged Leinster side

THERE was relief for Leinster yesterday as Brian O’Driscoll came through his fitness test, dispelling doubts about the severity of the injury to his right knee.

The Ireland captain had suffered the knock during last Friday night’s Magners League semi-final win over Ulster at the RDS and left the field at half-time to raise concerns he might not be able to start this evening’s Heineken Cup final against Northampton.

O’Driscoll, though, saw the swelling around the injury recede and resumed training on Wednesday and although Leinster travelled to Cardiff with an extra squad member as cover, the talismanic centre was named in Joe Schmidt’s starting 15 at noon yesterday for this evening’s Millennium Stadium showdown.