Celtic Cup: The interim Leinster management have named the same team that beat Glasgow 30-23 on April 16th for Friday's Celtic Cup quarter-final against the same opposition. The knock-out format means Victor Costello, David Holwell and Ricky Nebbett are potentially making a final bow for the province.
Tight-head prop Nebbett has signed terms with Northampton for next season, on the proviso that they are not relegated from the English Premiership, while Costello and Holwell are retiring from top-flight rugby.
Incidentally, Holwell has kicked 22 straight goals, making his departure home to New Zealand that bit more difficult to swallow for Leinster followers.
The two breakthrough players this season, Kieran Lewis and Gary Brown, retain their slots on the wings, with centres Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy hoping to continue their partnership into July. Shane Byrne also starts with fellow Lions Malcolm O'Kelly, Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie likely to be introduced.
Ciarán Potts is suffering from the effects of an ulcer, allowing Des Dillon to continue at blindside wing forward and Ben Gissing at lock. Considering the imminent departure of Shane Jennings to Leicester, Eric Miller is a slight favourite to make the replacements. Dave Quinlan and Felipe Contepomi are also named on an enlarged bench.
If Leinster win they return to Lansdowne Road - most likely next Sunday due to the All-Ireland league finals the previous day - to play either Munster or Edinburgh in the semi-final.
The wide-ranging speculation that a foreign coach will take over at Leinster is given greater weight by the strictly-worded job description posted on their website: "Applicants must have previous Head Coach experience at either Heineken Cup or Super 12 levels."
This rules out, for example, the recently-unemployed Willie Anderson, despite previous experience as London Irish coach, assistant coach to Ireland, Scotland and Leinster. The closing date for applications is May 7th. The only other present Irish coaches with this experience are Mark McCall and Declan Kidney.
Ulster will name a side tomorrow for Saturday's trip to Swansea to face the Ospreys. David Humphreys and Tyrone Howe will undergo late fitness tests. They have also confirmed a pre-season friendly against the Rotherham Titans at Ravenhill on August 26th.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; G Brown, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, K Lewis; D Holwell, G Easterby; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, R Nebbett; B Gissing, L Cullen; D Dillon, K Gleeson, V Costello. Replacements from: E Byrne, D Blaney, M O'Kelly, S Jennings, E Miller, B O'Riordan, S Horgan, D Hickie, D Quinlan, F Contepomi.
