O’Brien looks set to face Munster

SEÁN O’BRIEN is expected to be among a number of frontline World Cup players ushered back into the Leinster team to face Munster in the Rabobank PRO12 encounter at the Aviva Stadium on Friday evening.

However, with the Heineken Cup champions facing into 12 consecutive weeks of action, coach Joe Schmidt intends chopping and changing his line-up to keep his side as fresh as possible.

The Irish province travels to France the week after next where they will begin their European title defence against competition newcomers Montpellier before opening their home account with the visit of Glasgow Warriors to the RDS. It promises to be an energy-sapping period for players, coaches and team and Schmidt suggested at yesterday’s Heineken Cup launch in Dublin that some of his billboard names may have to take an unfamiliar back seat at times as he husbands his resources.