It was a tale of two secondrows at Leinster’s squad announcement for Saturday’s Magners League semi-final with Munster with news that skipper Leo Cullen will miss the game through injury, while Malcolm O’Kelly will follow Girvan Dempsey into retirement at the end of the season.
Cullen injured his shoulder in last weekend’s victory over Edinburgh at the RDS and will miss the semi-final clash at the same venue.
Jonny Sexton is expected to start at outhalf after coming through training yesterday while Gordon D’Arcy, who received a heavy blow to the head against Edinburgh, is also expected to be okay.
Shaun Berne, who pulled out of last Sunday's game just before the kick-off with a quad muscle injury, have also been named amongst the backs.
Cullen’s injury could see O’Kelly start against Munster as Leinster’s most capped player looks to add to his 186 appearances for the province before he retires from competitive action at the end of the season. Flankers Shane Jennings and Sean O’Brien are the other concerns amongst the forwards.
Cheika is confident that Cullen could still make the Magners League final if Leinster make it past Munster.
“Leo has a problem with his shoulder. He won't be available for this weekend's match but we're hopeful that his season is not over as of yet,” said Cheika.
“I'd say that Jonny Sexton's going to be alright. He just trained now and he probably could have edged it last week if we wanted to, but we decided not to.
“Jennings didn't train today but looks like he's getting himself back on his feet, but with O'Brien we still wouldn't be too sure about yet. It's just taking a bit of time for him to get over his injury, so we'll just have to wait and see there. He's running, but I don't think he'd be up to be playing better than Stephen Keogh is at the moment.”
Cheika took time out to praise O’Kelly’s input to the province over his playing career.
“I think everyone knows what he has contributed as a player. He has been a pro for a long time and the mere fact that his standing within our squad at the moment, where he's well in line to start the match this weekend, pretty much says it all about him.
“On a personal level, from the first day I came in, he was open to change. He helped me in making the change in a different way; he may not be the captain's style of player but he undertakes his influence in the team in a totally different way, more as a colleague in the changing-room.
“He's always open to become better as a player. Even now we have come off the training field and he was out there running around and still wanting to improve and be better.
"He has been an unbelievable influence on the team and on me and he has been an integral part of the change that I hope has happened in Leinster Rugby over the last five years.”
O’Kelly, 35, made his Leinster debut in February 1995 and also made 92 Ireland appearances during a stellar career. The St Mary’s player held the record of international caps but has since been surpassed by the likes of Brian O’Driscoll and John Hayes, who both reached the century milestone.
His senior international debut came against New Zealand in November 1997 at Lansdowne Road where he made an immediate impression. From there he became a mainstay of the Irish pack for over a decade with his prowess in the lineout a speciality.
“Big Mal” featured for Ireland at three World Cups (Wales 1999, Australia 2003 and France 2007) and was a tourist with the British and Irish Lions in 2001. He was selected for his second tour in 2005, only to miss out with a groin injury.
His last involvement for Ireland was against Italy in Rome during the 2009 Six Nations when Declan Kidney’s side went on to secure the Grand Slam for the first time in 61 years. He didn’t feature in this year’s Six Nations campaign due to a knee injury.
That said the 6”8’ lock has remained a key squad member for his province, who won the Heineken Cup in 2009 after securing the Magners League in 2008/09.
His Test haul of eight tries includes two against Scotland, and one each against Argentina, USA, Russia, Wales, Italy and the Pacific Islanders, whom he scored against in the last international played at the old Lansdowne Road stadium. He has also scored 10 tries for his province.
Meanwhile, Munster coach Tony McGahan has delayed naming his squad because of a number of injury worries.
Skipper Paul O’Connell and Ian Dowling are ruled out but Mick O’Driscoll, Doug Howlett, Keith Earls and Jerry Flannery could be in line to return.
John Fogarty, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Nathan Hines, Trevor Hogan, Shane Jennings, Stephen Keogh, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Malcolm O’Kelly, Mike Ross, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Richardt Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Stan Wright
LEINSTER SQUAD - Forwards:
Backs:Shaun Berne, Gordon D'Arcy, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney, Simon Keogh, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa, Paul O'Donohoe, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin O'Malley, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton.