Rugby/European Cup quarter-finals: Ciarán Potts looks set to make his first start in the Heineken European Cup tomorrow as Declan Kidney revamps his backrow ahead of the Leicester Tigers arrival to Lansdowne Road.
This means Victor Costello will not finish out his last season in the starting line-up with Eric Miller moving to number eight and Potts taking up the blindside flanker role.
This may not sit well with the 39-times capped Costello but he is the ideal impact replacement as Leinster seek an extra target runner late on.
Miller's form coming off the bench during the Six Nations, and starting last week against the Llanelli Scarlets, is a factor but it is Potts's rise through the highly competitive backrow ranks since the arrival of Kidney that has been most impressive.
Further change to the previous European backrow unit should see the fit again Keith Gleeson fend off Shane Jennings, who has stood out in the Leinster number seven shirt all season and can consider himself unlucky not to get international recognition in the autumn during Gleeson's enforced absence. Like Costello, Jennings would be an effective impact sub but this would require selecting five forwards and two backs on the bench with Brian O'Meara covering both halfback slots. This is the formula Kidney adopted for last Friday's 31-25 victory over Llanelli at Lansdowne Road. A Jennings/Gleeson combination on the flanks is another, albeit unlikely, option.
If Leinster fail to progress to the semi-finals on Saturday, Fijian lock Ifereimi Rawaqa will not be coming to Donnybrook. The 24-year old was supposed to arrive in time for last Friday's match so the Leinster management could take a look at him, but Fiji's victory in the Hong Kong Sevens meant his presence was required in his homeland for national celebrations. The main purpose of Rawaqa's recruitment was as cover for Leo Cullen, but his lower back problem appears to have cleared up sufficiently.
Brian O'Driscoll took time out from training yesterday to collect the Sure for Men Six Nations player-of-the-tournament award, as voted by the media. Considering his two crucial line breaks against Italy and tries against England and France, the decision to plumb for the Irish captain was relatively straightforward.
A Leinster Academy and Naas RFC combined selection will play the Leicester Tigers Academy tonight (kick-off 8pm) in Naas rugby club for the Michael Higgins Memorial Trophy. The charity fixture has been organised by Ross Murphy, the brother of Tigers and Ireland player Geordan Murphy. The home side contains several of last year's under-21 world cup finalists including captain David Gannon.
The Irish schools side is unchanged from the 27-18 victory over England in Cork last week for their match against Wales in Pontypool on Saturday (kick-off 3pm).
Royal School Dungannon's David Pollock captains the side who play one more match, against France next Friday in Dubarry Park, Athlone, with a kick-off time of 6.45.
Meanwhile, the annual IRUPA Rugby Players' Awards, which will take place in the Burlington Hotel on Wednesday May 4th, will this year be sponsored by Esat BT.
LEINSTER ACADEMY/NAAS RFC: B Lynn (St Mary's College/Academy); J Delaney (Naas), J Hearty (Blackrock College/Academy), G Stafford (UCD/Academy), S Grissing (UCD/Academy); E Hickey (UCD / Academy), D Geraghty (UCD/Sub-Academy); J Wickham (Clontarf /Academy), B Blaney (UCD/Development), K Doyle (UCD/Academy); D Gannon (Blackrock College/Academy), A Dunlop (Terenure College/Academy); S Crawford (capt, UCD/Academy), D O'Brien (Clontarf/Academy), K Coke (UCD). Replacements from: A O'Sullivan (Lansdowne/Academy), C Geoghegan (UCD/Academy), J Moran (UCD/Academy), C Willis (UCD/Academy), J Murphy (Lansdowne), B Conroy (Naas), R Price (Naas), E Harney (Naas), D Drowney (Naas).
IRELAND SCHOOLS: L Fitzgerald (Blackrock College); S Hanratty (Gonzaga College), M McCrea (Belfast High School), K Earls (St Munchin's College), V Artemiev (Blackrock College); B Collins (Castlenock College), A Bartholomew (Royal School Armagh); C Healy (Belvedere College), C Culleton (Blackrock College), R Burke-Flynn (St Michael's College); T Anderson (Rainey Endowed School), C McInerney (St Mary's College); R Hamilton (Methodist College), W Falloon (Royal School Armagh), D Pollock (capt, Royal School Dungannon). Replacements: D Gilchrist (Belvedere College), M Ferguson (Sullivan Upper School), N Simpson (Belfast Royal Academy), D Keogh (Christian Brothers College Cork), D Moore (Blackrock College), J Shiells (Royal School Dungannon), O McMurray (Methodist College).
FIXTURES
Saturday: AIB League, Division One: Dublin University v Cork Constitution, College Park (2.30). Division Two: DLSP v Highfield, Kilternan (2.00). Division Three: Wanderers v Old Wesley, Merrion Road (2.00); Ballina v Banbridge, Heffernan Park.
