Heineken Cup squad news:Ireland stars Jonathan Sexton and Rob Kearney have been named in Leinster's 27-man squad for their Heineken Cup semi-final clash away to Toulouse on Saturday (3.45pm). The pair haven't played since sustaining injuries in the 29-28 quarter-final win over Clermont earlier this month.
Sexton required a metal plated inserted in his fractured jaw the day after that game and remains Michael Cheika's biggest concern ahead of the trip to France. The outhalf has been receiving oxygen treatment in order to hurry the healing process along but Cheika admitted today he remains a “real concern”.
“The only way that he (Sexton) will be playing is if we feel that he can do his job to the fullest,” the Australian said. “If we have to play him and hide him out the back, or something like that, then he won't be playing. If he can, and if he's confident 100 per cent that he can play, then he'll play.”
Should Sexton fail to make it, Cheika can bring in Shaun Berne or move Isa Nacewa to the outhalf role from the wing.
“We have a lot of confidence in Shaun,” Cheika said. “Isa (Nacewa) has also played there before . . . we'll make that call on Thursday and it will be a qualified decision based on the information that we've got.”
Kearney, who went off in the closing stages of that bruising contest after damaging ankle ligaments, looks likely to start with Chieka saying the management team are “a lot more positive” after he trained today.
CJ van der Linde (foot) Fergus McFadden (calf) and Girvan Dempsey (neck) will also be given the cotton-wool treatment in a bid to have them fit for selection when the starting XV is named at lunchtime on Friday.
Toulouse have yet to name their squad for the match at Le Stadium and have injury problems of their own with William Servat (thigh), Louis Picamoles (ankle) and Census Johnston (knee) all rehabbing from knocks picked up against Castres at the weekend.
But whatever team veteran coach Guy Noves puts out at the weekend, Cheika rates the challenge as the biggest he has faced during his five-year tenure at the province.
“We know that we're going to face the sternest test of our whole time together,” he said today. “It's the biggest battle that we have ever come across and we'll have to dig in and fight hard because we're a couple of men down. To do that will take a real team effort.
"They fancy their chances against us deep down and they're probably pretty happy that they have drawn us. They see that as the quickest road to get to Paris.”
LEINSTER (squad v Toulouse)
Forwards (15):Leo Cullen, John Fogarty, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Nathan Hines, Bernard Jackman, Shane Jennings, Stephen Keogh, Ronan McCormack, Kevin McLaughlin, Malcolm O'Kelly, Mike Ross, Richardt Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Stan Wright
Backs (12):Shaun Berne, Gordon D'Arcy, Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Isa Nacewa, Paul O'Donohoe, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin O'Malley, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton.