Leinster pair to reach milestones

Team News:  As expected, Malcolm O'Kelly will make his record-breaking Leinster appearance when Michael Cheika's side attempt…

Team News: As expected, Malcolm O'Kelly will make his record-breaking Leinster appearance when Michael Cheika's side attempt to consolidate their position at the top of the Magners Celtic League standings tomorrow night.

The Ireland international will win his 140th cap against Llanelli at Stradey Park tomorrow evening, overhauling Reggie Corrigan's previous record for the province.

O'Kelly will partner Leo Cullen in the Leinster engine room, with the secondrow also reaching a significant landmark with 100 Leinster caps of his own - no mean feat considering he spent two years at Leicester.

"I missed some periods with Leinster, with a shoulder injury that more or less wiped out a whole season for me as well as obviously the two-year spell that I had with Leicester, so I have finally got there, you could say," Cullen said ahead of tomorrow's game.

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Cheika has tinkered with his starting line-up for the trip to southern Wales, moving Felipe Contepomi from outhalf to first centre in order to bolster his midfield options with Jonathan Sexton starting at number 10.

Stephen Keogh comes back into the side to join Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip in a strong back line, while Girvan Dempsey has overcome the hip injury that disrupted his Six Nations campaign and is named on the replacements bench.

Ten points clear with just a handful of matches left, Leinster know a second Celtic League title is very much within their grasp but will be taking nothing for granted against the second-placed Scarlets.

"Llanelli away has traditionally been a difficult tie for us," added Cullen. "I do remember winning in Stradey Park in the 2001/'02 season. Over the years we have also taken a bit of a walloping too, so it's a tough place to go.

"On Saturday we will need to be ready for a dogfight and be streetwise because they have a very good record at home. They're a very proud club so we will need to be disciplined.

Leinster:R Kearney; S Horgan, M Berne, F Contepomi, L Fitzgerald: J Sextonm, C Whitaker; O le Roux, B Jackman, S Wright, L Cullen (c), M O'Kelly; S Keogh, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements:B Blaney, C Healy / S Knoop,  T Hogan, C Jowitt / K Gleeson, C Keane, C Warner, G Dempsey