Hickie doubtful as Leinster look to edge further forward

Denis Hickie's participation is clouded in uncertainty due to a shoulder injury.

Leinster's right wing was optimistic that he would be available, but coach Matt Williams has revealed that the player will face a late fitness test today and rated Hickie's chances no better than 50/50.

Girvan Dempsey's absence because of an Achilles tendon problem means that Leinster can ill-afford further disruption to their back three.

If Hickie does not recover in time, then Old Belvedere's Simon Keogh will come in on the left wing with Gordon D'Arcy switching to the right.

Peter McKenna starts at full back and will be determined to make the most of his opportunity.

The return of Brian O'Driscoll to the centre will provide the visitors with a greater cutting edge behind the scrum, but it is up front that the Irish province will need to demonstrate an improvement.

They experienced considerable difficulties in the scrum and that is an area that Williams has addressed along with Willie Anderson during the week.

The fractured nature of their preparation last week meant that Leinster were a few notches below their best and it was their defensive resilience that allowed them to thwart Newport. Suitably forewarned, the Welsh club will have trawled the video for chinks in the intervening seven days.

They make two changes, the pacy Ben Breeze introduced on the left wing while Jason Forster wins the starting role at openside flanker.

On Wednesday, Newport had already sold 6,500 tickets for the match and they expect a full house, providing for ear-splitting noise and colour.

One glaring difference for the Leinster players having played all three matches before a packed Donnybrook will be the lack of travelling support. As well as being physically resilient, Leinster need to be mentally strong and retain the focus and quality of execution that has allowed them to sweep all before them this season.

Williams must privately rail against the fact that the goalposts are constantly moved when discussing the province's merits and achievements to date. The next task, tonight at Rodney Parade, is to win away in this season's European Cup. That victory would propel Leinster ever closer to the knock-out stages.

Standing in their way is a Newport team who have already beaten Bath, Castres and Toulouse in the European Cup at home. They will be confident that they can redress last week's reverse. Physically, they out-muscled the Irish side up front, but must find a more subtle approach to break down what has been an excellent Leinster defence this season.

Williams' charges have found the answers on each occasion this season and should do so again, albeit by a slander margin.

NEWPORT: M Pini; M Mostyn, A Marinos, J Pritchard, B Breeze; S Howarth, O Tonu'u; R Snow, J Richards, C Anthony, S Raiwalui (capt), M Voyle, P Buxton, A Powell, J Forster. Replacements: A Garvey, P Young, I Gough, G Gravell, N Brew, J Strange, D Burn.

LEINSTER: P McKenna; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; N Spooner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, E Miller, V Costello, K Gleeson. Replacements: P Coyle, G Hickie, B Casey, T Brennan, B Willis, A Dunne, A Magro.

Referee: C White (England).

Previous meetings (EC 2001-2002): Leinster 21 Newport 6.

Leading EC try scorers: Newport - M Mostyn 2. Leinster - B O'Driscoll 3.

Leading EC points scorer: Newport - S Howarth 41. Leinster - N Spooner 39.

Formguide: Newport - beat Newcastle (a) 34-21; beat Toulouse (h) 21-20; lost Leinster (a) 21-6. Leinster - beat Toulouse (h) 40-10; beat Newcastle (h) 28-9; beat Newport (h) 21-6.

Betting: Handicap odds (Newport +3pts) 10/11 Newport, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Leinster.

Forecast: Leinster to win.