Leinster will learn today whether Brian O'Driscoll is available for a seasonal debut in their crunch Guinness interprovincial championship match against Ulster at Donnybrook on Friday. O'Driscoll's availability will be decided after an examination by an IRFU medical expert.
O'Driscoll has taken an increasing amount of contact in training in the past week and Leinster coach Matt Williams may throw him in from the start after they were prevented from having O'Driscoll on the bench last weekend away to Munster by the medical specialist.
O'Driscoll's presence alone would have a positive effect on his team-mates, and his fitness levels are such that despite not playing since the Barbarians match at the end of May, he is capable of making an impact. Leinster announce their side at midday today and if O'Driscoll is selected, it could mean a straight replacement for Peter McKenna. Girvan Dempsey has looked curiously unsure in his two outings to date and hasn't done himself justice.
Gordon D'Arcy has, arguably, looked in the best shape of the trio, albeit with less to do on the left wing, and could be moved to fullback in a reshuffle which would see either Dempsey or McKenna revert to wing, where both have played for Leinster in the past.
McKenna is also troubled by a slight calf strain, while Victor Costello has a slight back strain, but Leinster's biggest concern of those wounded in Cork is Emmet Byrne with a bruised shoulder.
Gary Halpin is back in contention after his back strain, as is the Irish schools outhalf Andy Dunne after he ended his threeweek lay-off due to concussion with an outing for Old Belvedere last Saturday. However, Dunne will probably need a few more games to come back into contention and, besides, Simon Broughton did enough to earn at least another chance. "He did really well (in Musgrave Park) given he was pitched in after just two training sessions," said Leinster manager Ken Ging, "and didn't look out of place at all."
It will still be an interesting selection, as both Leo Cullen and Peter Smyth (now, unusually, the championship's leading try scorer after two appearances as a last-quarter replacement) made good impressions off the bench in each of the last couple of Fridays; and the Leinster lineout should be functioning better than it did in Munster.
So impressive was Mick O'Driscoll in replacing the injured John Langford - his confidence buoyed by taking a Leinster throw on his arrival - that Munster will have few quibbles about the Irish under-21 and A lock replacing the former Wallaby. That, coupled with John Hayes being selected in place of Peter Clohessy (who has a slight ankle strain) constitute Munster's only two changes for Friday's visit of Connacht to Thomond Park.
The extent of Langford's absence is still unclear, though it has now been estimated downward from six weeks to "about four weeks" according to manager Jerry Holland. Jeremy Staunton's leg injury, sustained playing for Garryowen on Saturday, has delayed an announcement of the replacements among whom Clohessy will probably figure.
It is a daunting challenge for Steph Nel's team, and, as they know in Connacht, it never rains but it pours. Mervyn Murphy has now joined their expanding absentee list with a fractured arm which is liable to sideline him for four to six weeks and oblige Nel to select a third captain in three games.
Pat Duignan would probably benefit from a run in his favoured midfield, with Robert Lee, a try-scoring substitute last Friday in the defeat to Ulster, likely to play on the wing. The latter's colleague at Buccaneers, Eamonn Molloy, has been drafted into the squad. A notable absentee because of Jim Ferris' return from injury is Stephen McIvor, with Bryan Shelbourne named as the other scrum-half.
An intriguing vacancy has been left in the second-row, which suggests that Connacht's search for another lock, due to Mark McConnell's suspension, continues, though they will do well to find one for Friday's game. Ulster will again test the extent of Clem Boyd's back problem after his inability to field as selected in either of their two games thus far, but otherwise they have no injury concerns.
Selections
Munster: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; M Horan, F Sheahan, J Hayes, M Galwey, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: to be announced.
Connacht (squad): N Carolan, R Lee, W Ruane, P Duignan, M Smyth, T Allnutt, E Molloy, E Elwood, J Ferris, B Shelbourne; J Screene, D McFarland, M Uijs, J McVeigh, M Cahill, C Rigney, D Browne, AN Other, J Charlie, J O'Connor, I Dillon, M Swift.
