MAGNERS LEAGUE:LEINSTER WILL not make a final decision on the availability of Gordon D'Arcy and Nathan Hines until today despite both internationals being included in an extended 27-man squad to face Munster at Thomond Park on Good Friday.
Both have knee injuries sustained during Six Nations duty for Ireland and Scotland respectively.
D’Arcy did recover sufficiently from deep bruising that forced him off against Wales on March 13th to start against Scotland a week later, but were it not for Geordan Murphy’s early departure it is unlikely he would have played the 80 minutes.
Hines was pulled from that fixture after a frustrating few months for the Australian-born lock. Should D’Arcy fail to recover in time Eoin O’Malley would be in contention to partner Fergus McFadden in the centre although the versatile Australian Shaun Berne remains an option at inside centre. Malcolm O’Kelly would partner Leo Cullen ahead of Hines with Devin Toner promoted to the bench.
Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll is another struggling with a knee problem (medial ligament damage) sustained in the defeat to Scotland and was not considered for selection this week.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika was hesitant yesterday to make a definitive call on O’Driscoll’s availability ahead of the visit of Clermont Auvergne to Dublin on April 9th for the Heineken Cup quarter-final. “I know it’s not what anybody wants to hear but it could go either way. We will follow medical advice and make a decision next week. It could go either way. On D’Arcy and Hines a call will be made tomorrow (today).”
Shane Horgan’s recurring foot injury still remains an even less clear cut situation but the in-form right winger could resume training next week. If he fails to recover it will be interesting to see if Cheika retains Girvan Dempsey or prefers 18-year-old Andrew Conway over the 34-year-old when he announces his starting XV tomorrow lunch time.
Kevin McLoughlin is another regular out of contention due to shoulder damage sustained against Glasgow on March 18th. This is disappointing for the former Gonzaga schoolboy who earned his first cap against Italy in the Six Nations, but it provides an opportunity for Ireland’s successful under-20s captain Rhys Ruddock, who looks to be in a straight fight with Stephen Keogh for the number six jersey.
At least 4,000 Leinster supporters are due at Thomond Park for this top-of-the-table Magners League showdown. Four points separate Leinster from their second-placed hosts although they have a game in hand. Both are ideally positioned for a home semi-final but Connacht could do them a favour by beating third-placed Edinburgh, who are equal on 38 points with Munster, also this Friday.
Leinster’s departing backs coach Alan Gaffney, of course, is the former Munster head coach so he is well placed to discuss the rivalry between the sides.
“We have great respect for what the supporters give us and to know that there are going to be several thousand Leinster supporters travelling down to Munster is absolutely fantastic. It’s a tough time financially to be a supporter and the players never take that for granted. Maybe we wouldn’t have seen those kind of numbers a few years ago, but the players revel in that kind of commitment because they know that in these tough economic times things aren’t easy and every time they pull on a blue shirt they want to repay that.
“There’s a hard-core following who would follow the team to the ends of the earth, it seems, and that gives the players, coaches and everyone involved in the organisation a massive fillip.”
With one eye on the Clermont fixture, CJ van der Linde is expected back at tighthead prop at the expense of Mike Ross, despite the World Cup-winning Springboks’ imminent return home as he seeks a place in the 2011 South African squad.
Cheika also confirmed Luke Fitzgerald will not feature again this season as rehabilitation continues on ruptured knee ligaments suffered against Australia last November, but Seán O’Brien has made a speedy recovery from a fractured tibia. The injury occurred on February 20th against the Scarlets but O’Brien is due back in full contract training before May.
LEINSTER: Forwards – L Cullen (capt), J Fogarty, C Healy, J Heaslip, N Hines, B Jackman, S Jennings, S Keogh, M O’Kelly, M Ross, R Ruddock, P Ryan, D Toner, CJ van der Linde, S Wright. Backs – S Berne, A Conway, G D’Arcy, G Dempsey, R Kearney, S Keogh, F McFadden, I Nacewa, P O’Donohoe, E O’Malley, E Reddan, J Sexton.
