MAGNERS LEAGUE NEWS:LEINSTER COACH Michael Cheika has kept a significant vein of international players in his squad for Friday's Magners League match against Glasgow in Firhill. Among the international players in the line-up is last weekend's try-scoring outhalf, Felipe Contepomi, who needs just another penalty to overhaul James Hook, currently on 61 points, to become the leading scoring in this year's competition.
Four-try Luke Fitzgerald is also chasing Thom Evans's leading figure of five touchdowns.
Cheika is clearly caught between resting several of his frontline cast and at the same time maintaining the strength of the side, something that has been a positive change from past campaigns.
It is also his last chance to have the international players at his disposal as they are off next week and then involved in the autumn series of international matches.
While the 31-man squad will not be whittled down to the match 22 until tomorrow, Contepomi is also joined by Chris Whitaker, Jonathan Sexton and Leinster's two in-form back-line players Rob Kearney and Fitzgerald.
Although expected to be fit for the international dates, Brian O'Driscoll will miss the match with a knee injury. Captain Leo Cullen is also ruled out due to a collarbone injury.
The balancing act is completed however with the inclusion of some of the province's up-and-coming back talent as youthful trio Felix Jones, Fergus McFadden and Eoin O'Malley are all named in the panel.
In the pack Malcolm O'Kelly is named, although, there will be a few surprised faces if the most capped Irish player lines out on Friday night in the secondrow.
O'Kelly's neck problem flared up last weekend but he is included in the extended squad alongside Cameron Jowitt, Kevin McLaughlin, Stephen Knoop, Ronan McCormack and Seán O'Brien, who showed try-scoring form at the weekend with Clontarf in the All Ireland League.
Australian, Rocky Elsom, Springbok, CJ Van Der Linde, Bernard Jackman, Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip complete a hard-edged back bone. Again Cheika will be looking for Leinster to keep up their winning form, something they have struggled to do at this time of year in the past.
"We have two massive games in the Magners League before we play Castres (in the Heineken Cup) in December back-to-back," said the coach.
"So it's vital we pick up points, starting this Friday. All in all we're happy enough with how things are going but there are some bumps and bruises to contend with.
"We've picked up some injuries from the Wasps game so I'd say that there'll be squad rotation for this match. They (Glasgow) played well against Toulouse last weekend and they're going to be focused on the domestic competition after losing a few games in Europe."
LEINSTER SQUAD: (Forwards): C Healy, R McCormack, S Wright, B Blaney, J Fogarty, B Jackman, S Knoop, CJ Van Der Linde, T Hogan, C Jowitt, M O'Kelly, D Toner, R Elsom, S Keogh, S Jennings, S O'Brien, J Heaslip, K McLaughlin. (Backs) C Keane, C Whitaker, J Sexton, S Keogh, F McFadden, F Contepomi, L Fitzgerald, E O'Malley, G Brown, S Horgan, F Jones, G Dempsey, R Kearney.
