Cheika looking to maintain consistency

Coach Michael Cheika has spoken about Leinster’s need “to maintain their consistency” this week as the province make a less than glamorous trip to The Borders in the Magner’s League on Friday night.

Frontline attackers Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan have been given time to recover from slight shoulder injuries as precautionary measures one week ahead of the opening match of the Heineken Cup.

In mitigation, Robert Kearney and Kieran Lewis are back to full health and they have been included in the squad. Captain Brian O’Driscoll will demand the highest standards before Gloucester come to Lansdowne Road next Saturday week.

LEINSTER SQUAD (v The Borders):

Backs (11): C Whitaker, G Easterby, C Willis, F Contepomi, C Warner, B O’Driscoll (capt), G D’Arcy, K Lewis, D Hickie, L Fitzgerald, R Kearney.

Forwards (14): B Blaney, B Jackman, H Vermaas, R Corrigan, W Green, J Wickham, M O’Kelly, T Hogan, O Finegan, S Keogh, K Gleeson, J Heaslip, C Jowitt, N Ronan.