O’Driscoll set to be fit, D’Arcy out for Amlin final

Brian O’Driscoll is expected to overcome injury in time for Leinster’s Amlin Challenge Cup final against Stade Francais on Friday night, butGordon D’Arcy’s season looks to be all but over.

Both centres were helped offduring last Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final win againstGlasgow Warriors at the RDS, with O’Driscoll falling victim to a back spasm that allowed him feature for just a dozen minutes.

“Brian O’Driscoll is a lot morecomfortable,” said Joe Schmidtyesterday. “His back tightened right up and he was unable to stretch out at all. It has happened a couple of times over the last three to five years.

“Therefore that’s something that’s come right within 48 hours (before). So he’s a lot more comfortable now and we’re hopeful he’ll be right to train [today]. If he’s training then, you’d expect him to be right forFriday.”

No doubt Warren Gatland will be breathing easier but there was no comfort for D’Arcy who sufferedeither a grade two or three tear inhis calf which rules him out thisweek and leaves him “highlyunlikely” for next week’s PRO12decider.

Sean O’Brien, rested againstGlasgow because of his own calf problem, has been declared fully fit while Schmidt also dismissedconcerns about Richardt Strauss (knee) and Cian Healy.