Cheika keeping his fingers crossed

Leinster coach Michael Cheika remains confident that Brian O'Driscoll's knee injury will not keep him out of action for too long…

Leinster coach Michael Cheika remains confident that Brian O'Driscoll's knee injury will not keep him out of action for too long after the Ireland centre limped out of yesterday's win over Wasps. O'Driscoll sustained ligament damage to his right knee and was replaced at half-time.

"It doesn't look too serious," Cheika said after the match at the RDS. "He just couldn't get his knee moving properly during the game. We took the decision to take him off at half-time even though he didn't want to leave the game."

Leo Cullen, meanwhile, faces six to eight weeks on the sidelines after suffering a suspected broken collarbone. The Leinster captain was replaced by Devin Toner after just 15 minutes and was taken to hospital for an x-ray last night.

The injury is likely to keep Cullen out of the autumn international series but the second-row could return in time for December's back-to-back Heineken Cup meetings with Castres.

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Wasps coach Shaun Edwards admitted he is "gravely concerned" after the 41-11 drubbing.

Leinster scored six tries as they inflicted Wasps' heaviest Heineken Cup defeat since Stade Francais beat them 31-0 in 2002.

O'Driscoll led the way with an early double before his injury while Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Rocky Elsom and Felipe Contepomi also crossed.

Wasps have now lost six games from eight starts in all competitions this season, leaving Edwards a worried man.

He said: "It makes me feel gravely concerned about our form. We were second-best in the aerial battle — Leinster's kicking game was on a different planet to ours — and I thought they were by far the most dominant side.

"We have to eradicate our errors in the kicking department, but there will be no excuses. We were second-best by a long shot."

Harlequins meanwhile, set themselves up for a tilt at Pool Four rivals Stade Francais in December by brushing aside Ulster 42-21 at the Twickenham Stoop.

But Ulster coach Matt Williams launched a verbal volley at Welsh referee Tim Hayes, claiming: "At half-time, the count was eight penalties, two free-kicks and a penalty try against us.

"It's an eight-zero penalty count at half-time. Are you telling me that they (Quins) did not infringe at the breakdown once in the first half? We will put in a report. I don't talk to referees. It's like complaining to your mother-in-law about your wife — it doesn't get you too far."