Inconsistent Leinster face injury crisis

NEWS ROUND-UP:THERE MIGHT be some lines furrowing across the brow of Michael Cheika this week. Leinster, who meet the Dragons in the RDS on Saturday, go into the match on the back of three Magners League defeats that has left them mid-table, in fifth position.

While welcoming back their international players following the autumn Tests, Leinster may also face something of an injury crisis with the Heineken Cup third round just over a week away.

Their form in the two competitions is somewhat inconsistent. While losing the last three league games to Munster, Connacht and Warriors, the side have been more than convincing in the Heineken Cup, with bonus points wins against London Wasps at home and away to bogey side Edinburgh.

However, captain Leo Cullen and centre Gordon D'Arcy are not expected to be available until the New Year. Cullen has had a shoulder operation, while D'Arcy has had a number of setbacks with his badly broken forearm. The latest unofficial news is the cast was finally taken off last Thursday and the doctors are satisfied with progress.

Felipe Contepomi will be assessed next week regarding the infection to his right hand suffered prior to the first match of Argentina's European tour and although he started against France on November 8th and against Italy a week later, the infection returned and he had to have it drained last week in St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin, which kept him out of the game against Ireland.

Unofficial reports have him out of action for a month, which would rule him out of Leinster's Heineken Cup matches against Castres Olympique. Leinster, however, have not ruled him out of the meeting with the French side and will assess his fitness next week.

The same applies to flanker Shane Jennings. Again, the international backrow is doubtful but will be reassessed, as will Fijian international Isa Nacewa, who having scored a try on his Magners League debut, then fractured his arm in late September.

The simple replacement for Contepomi is Johnny Sexton at 10 partnering Chris Whitaker for this week's match.

Further out the backline, the likelihood is players such as Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald, who were central contributors to the Test matches against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina, may not be asked to play this Saturday, although Munster have picked nine players involved in last week's international for the game against Llanelli Scarlets.

Tony McGahan has selected a 24-man squad that includes David Wallace, who left the field on a stretcher against Argentina, as well as Frankie Sheahan and Denis Leamy, who were both forced out of the Munster game against the All Blacks last Tuesday.

Paul O'Connell, Marcus Horan, Tomás O'Leary and Ronan O'Gara, all of whom played full bruising parts in the final game, are also included.

Prop John Hayes and hooker, Jerry Flannery, who attended a hospital in Dublin on Monday for a knee injury, are not included.

Flannery has suffered medial ligament damage. He will not be available for Munster's Magners League match this weekend or their Heineken Cup match in Clermont Auvergne the following weekend. He is also doubtful for the return leg in Thomond Park.

MUNSTER SQUAD: M Horan, D Fogarty, F Sheahan, F Pucciariello, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll, P O'Connell, D Ryan, N Ronan, J Coughlan, D Wallace, D Leamy, J O'Sullivan, P Warwick, I Dowling, D Howlett, A Horgan, B Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, P Stringer, T O'Leary, R O'Gara.