RUGBY: Once again Denis Hickie has illustrated the value of diligence and obedience to medical advice. Having recovered from a ruptured Achilles tendon a few years ago, the Ireland and Leinster winger has returned from a dislocated right fibula. Following a week in Lanzarote with the Ireland squad, Hickie's name could appear in the Leinster teamsheet this week or next

Hickie dislocated the fibula in a freak training-ground accident in the week leading up to the Heineken European Cup match against Bath in October. His return this week was not expected, but at yesterday's press conference in Dublin, coach Michael Cheika said he was looking forward to the winger coming into consideration almost immediately.

Given Rob Kearney's form, Hickie is not without a challenge for his old position, one that prior to the injury was never in doubt.

With loosehead prop Reggie Corrigan recovering from flu, Shane Horgan returning after two weeks out with a bruised hip-bone, and Brian O'Driscoll shaping up to start against Munster on Saturday, Cheika may, at last, have a full squad from which to choose.

"There is a chance Denis may be back," said Cheika. "It (the news) only just happened today and there's a small chance he might be back. That really starts to give us some options. We'll know more about Denis later in the week.

"He (Hickie) has paid real attention to detail in his rehab and he's feeling good so I think again it will come down to confidence and getting into the game scenario and making sure he's feeling confident to take the contact and to bounce around. But if it's not this week, it will probably be the week after against Llanelli."

With O'Driscoll, the decision whether to start may again be his own. He played for half an hour against Ulster on Monday.

"What we'll do is have a look at him in training," said Cheika. "I would say that if he's feeling good and he's feeling fit . . . he'll start. If we still think he needs time off the bench then okay. It's about finding the balance. He's been a long time out. Six months is a long time."

Horgan got injured the week before Leinster travelled to play Bourgoin in the European Cup. In his absence, Kieran Lewis played at outside centre against Ulster, with Gordon D'Arcy inside and Kearney and Brendan Burke on the wings.

"In the Bourgoin game and actually in the game before I had a bruised bone in my hip - a hip pointer," said Horgan. "But I'm hoping to get through training this week and hopefully be in the mix for selection . . . Bruising in the bone is normally about 14 days so hopefully that ties in with the Munster game."

Munster and Connacht have yet to name teams. Munster's main concern is the fitness of hooker Denis Fogarty, who was replaced by Jerry Flannery after 17 minutes of the win over Connacht at the Sportsground.

The Leinster A squad to face Ireland Under-21s at Stradbrook tomorrow (2pm) includes a number of front-line players including Brendan Burke, Eoghan Hickey, Adam Byrnes and Gary Brown. The squad will be further reduced once the senior team for Saturday's Celtic League game is picked.

LEINSTER: Backs - B O'Riordan, G Easterby, J Hepworth, G Brown, R Kearney, S Horgan, F Contepomi, G D'Arcy, K Lewis, B O'Driscoll, E Hickey, G Dempsey, B Burke. Forwards - R McCormack, R Corrigan, D Blaney, B Blaney, W Green, E Byrne, A Byrnes, B Williams, B Gissing, M O'Kelly, C Jowitt, N Ronan, K Gleeson, E Miller, J Heaslip.

LEINSTER A: Backs - R McCarron, G Brown, J Norton, G Stafford, D McAllister, S Grissing, S Hanratty, B Burke, J Hepworth, E Hickey, Matthew D'Arcy. Forwards - John Lyne, Conor Geoghegan, J Wickham, N Duffy, K Doyle, A O'Sullivan, A Byrnes, S Crawford (captain), A Dunlop, N Ronan, K McLaughlin, D Laffan.