Trio's return a boost for Leinster

Brian O'Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey and Brian Blaney all return to the Leinster squad for Friday's Heineken Cup game against Gloucester…

Brian O'Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey and Brian Blaney all return to the Leinster squad for Friday's Heineken Cup game against Gloucester having missed last week's convincing win over Edinburgh.

Coach Michael Cheika will announce his starting team at midday tomorrow.  He must decide whether to include Dempsey from the start or leave in-form Rob Kearney at full-back.

O'Driscoll, who picked up a knock prior to the Edinburgh game, should be fit to resume his centre partnership with Gordon D'Arcy, meaning Kieran Lewis, who started at Donnybrook last Saturday, will return to the substitutes bench.

D'Arcy himself limped off in that game with an apparent groin injury but Cheika was adamant the move was a precautionary one, and medical opinion suggested there was no serious damage.

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"We're all on deck and the only player who is out would be Ronan McCormack," said Cheika.

"We've got some tough choices to make in the backs. We'll pick our team tomorrow and with Brian and Girvan coming back there will probably be a few changes."

All 11 Leinster players named yesterday in Ireland's 35-man Six Nations squad are available for selection as Cheika's side bid to secure a home quarter final.

"It's a very important game for us because the result on Friday will dictate the management of where we will play our quarter-final," said Cheika.

"Winning on Friday is also important because we want to make our own destiny. We know that our chances of progressing further will increase if we a get a home quarter-final.

"Gloucester are at home," he added, "and they would have felt that they didn't perform in Dublin. The return of James Simpson-Daniel in the backs will give them more pace and a new dimension. In addition they've been changing their half-backs recently between Peter Richards and (Rory) Lawson.

"They'll also have (Alex) Brown back in the second row. He's also a good player. All our players understand that your form is something you want to manage. After our experiences last year, there's no risk of complacency. We're very motivated to manage our destiny.

"I know that it will sound like lip service, but we know that we have to peak on Friday night."

The Pool 2 clash at Kingsholm kicks-off at 7.30pm.

FORWARDS:  Stanley Wright, Reggie Corrigan, Bernard Jackman, Brian Blaney, Harry Vermaas, Will Green, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Owen Finegan, Stephen Keogh, Cameron Jowitt, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip

BACKS:  Chris Whitaker, Guy Easterby, Felipe Contepomi, Christian Warner, Denis Hickie, Luke Fitzgerald, Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll CAPTAIN, Shane Horgan, Kieran Lewis, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney