Irish international Brian O'Driscoll is to return to the Leinster line-up for Friday night's Heineken Cup trip to Newport. O'Driscoll missed the first meeting between the two sides last Friday after he picked up a hand injury during Ireland's memorable Six Nations victory over England on October 20. However, Leinster coach Matt Williams will be forced to plan without O'Driscoll's fellow Irish international Girvan Dempsey, who is sidelined with an achilles injury, with Peter McKenna poised to fill his place at full back. Denis Hickie is also doubtful after sustaining an injury against Newport last weekend.
Meanwhile, Newport coach Ian McIntosh will be seeking to resurrect his side's Heineken Cup ambitions when they attempt to exact revenge on Leinster this Friday. Leinster, together with Munster, made it an Irish double over Welsh opposition as they beat Newport 21-6 at Donnybrook to make it three wins out of three in Pool 6 last weekend. But the big challenge for Williams' side now comes with three away matches in a row, starting with the Newport return fixture in Round 4. With further trips to Toulouse and Newcastle to follow, it could be the week in which Leinster confirm themselves as potential winners – though Newport will obviously have other ideas come Friday night at Rodney Parade.
McIntosh insisted: "An away win would have been money in the bank but we are not too downhearted, we have not lost a great deal because it was an away game. What we have to make sure of is that we do not lose at home – that is when you make things really difficult. We will look at any mistakes we made and work to put them right. We have to work hard and make our own luck, but while we will be wiser on Friday, we must remember what a good side Leinster are."
Filed by Amanda Fennelly & Shane Murray
