Leinster take first glimpse into future without BOD

We’ll always have Paris, as they say, but time moves on and attention this evening turns from Brian O’Driscoll’s victorious Test swan-song and life after him at provincial level as Leinster resume their RaboDirect Pro12 duties against Zebre at the RDS.

With O’Driscoll among the 11 of those Ireland players rested or carrying knocks after last weekend’s championship-winning exertions in the French capital, Fergus McFadden is the one to wear the number 13 jersey.

Eyes will also zero in on Luke Fitzgerald who, fingers crossed, will return to a starting berth having suffered with a pelvic injury which persisted far longer than expected and ruined his hopes of featuring in the Six Nations.