Celtic League: Leinster coach Michael Cheika has named an extended, 26-man squad that includes academy players Jonathan Sexton and Devin Toner ahead of tomorrow night's Celtic League match against Borders. He must plan without a host of players involved in the Ireland squad for Saturday week's opening Six Nations Championship game against Italy at Lansdowne Road.
National coach Eddie O'Sullivan requires Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan and Malcolm O'Kelly, while Girvan Dempsey is out with a calf problem. However, Reggie Corrigan, Jamie Heaslip, Guy Easterby, Rob Kearney and Denis Hickie have been released by the Ireland management.
Cheika is keen to move on from Sunday's pulsating victory over Bath and put the European Cup to bed for a while to concentrate on the Celtic League.
"Our focus is very much on preparing for what is a very important Celtic League game. The last time we played in a similar scenario (before the November internationals), pardon my French, but we got our asses kicked, so we want to learn from our mistakes.
"We're not looking past this weekend's game. We knew that there would be a gap before the next European Cup game, so it's not a problem. What we are going to look at is scheduling a fixture in the gap week before the European Cup quarter-final."
At this stage Leinster have put out feelers about opposition for that free date. Their first choice was English club Harlequins, on the assumption they could have the league title all but wrapped up at that stage. Unfortunately for the Irish province, they were reluctant.
Sexton (20), played for Ireland Under-21s as a 19-year-old and is a fine prospect at outhalf. The St Mary's College player may find a place on the bench for tomorrow's game.
The 6ft 10in Toner impressed Cheika playing for the Ireland Under-21s when they beat Leinster A in their most recent encounter. The 19-year-old Lansdowne secondrow could be included in the match squad if Ben Gissing fails to recover from an injury picked up at the weekend while playing for Clontarf.
"The two guys (Sexton and Toner) have both done well and deserve their chance. The likes of Stephen Grissing, Kevin McLaughlin and Ross McCarron have also been training with the squad this week."
The Australian said earlier in the season he would like to have his recruitment of players for next season sorted out by the end of January. He has been linked with Australian Test scrumhalf and long-time George Gregan understudy Chris Whitaker, although the latter will turn 32 this year and would seem a short-term option.
Border Reivers have shown a marked improvement this, season and Cheika expects a difficult night. "They play a similar style of play to the other Scottish teams - and a style that can cause us a lot of problems. It will be a test of concentration and mental strength and also one to maintain our position in the league."
Ulster coach Mark McCall will name a team today for their game against Llanelli Scarlets tomorrow night at Ravenhill, while Munster coach Declan Kidney should release a squad ahead of Saturday's match with the Dragons at Musgrave Park.
Four players who were involved with the international squad this week, John Kelly, Barry Murphy, Mick O'Driscoll and Anthony Foley, have been released back to the Munster squad and they will be available for selection, as will Anthon Pitout - out with injury since the Connacht game - Paul Devlin and Federico Pucciariello, who had to have seven stitches for a head wound received in the Sale game.
Kidney admitted: "Obviously morale is high after last weekend and that is hugely important going into this game. The Celtic League is a crucial part of our season, and I don't think we could have achieved the level of performance we did the past two weekends if we didn't have such a competitive league."
LEINSTER SQUAD: R Corrigan, R McCormack, B Blaney, D Blaney, W Green, B Williams, A Byrnes, B Gissing, D Toner, E Miller, C Potts, N Ronan, K Gleeson, J Heaslip, G Easterby, B O'Riordan, B O'Meara, F Contepomi, J Sexton, E Hickey, G Brown, J Hepworth, K Lewis, B Burke, R Kearney, D Hickie.
