Leinster await Whitaker's arrival

Big Brother was auditioning at the RDS yesterday forcing the Leinster team to move over to the member's area of the society for the weekly media exchange of views. Not long into the press conference and after coach Michael Cheika had formally announced that Australian Chris Whitaker would be arriving for pre-season training later this year, the question on everyone's lips was which scrumhalf was going to be voted out of the Leinster house for next year.

The team already has three scrumhalves on their books, Brian O'Riordan, Brian O'Meara and Guy Easterby, with Easterby holding down the first-pick place. The arrival of the 31-year-old Wallaby "celebrity guest", who, in the shadow of George Gregan has managed to play 31 Test matches for Australia, will make that at least one number nine too many. Both O'Riordan and O'Meara's contracts with Leinster end at the end of the season.

The deal to bring Whitaker to Dublin could not have been done without the explicit approval of the IRFU, which monitors all overseas players coming into the provinces to ensure they do not prevent home-grown Irish talent from coming through.

In acquiring Whitaker Cheika is hoping to bring in a player who not only sets a certain standard on the pitch but can spread his experience around and pull up the overall standards in his specialist position.

"They (the players) are aware of the situation that we've got to make a decision about where we go with the third halfback," says Cheika. "They're good players and I don't think there's going to be a void there. But we've got to make sure that we've still got this season to play and they are part of that squad and they have serious contributions to make before the end of this year. To both of their credits, in the discussions I've had with them, they are very positive about that.

"I've said to him (Whitaker) that he's going to come in but he'll have to fight for a place. He's happy with that. Bryce (Williams) came over and had to spend some time on the bench until he found his form. In those decision-making positions, we've got to set a high standard there."

Cheika and his assistant David Knox know Whitaker's form very well. Cheika has played with him at Randwick and also coached him for a couple of years before leaving the club.

"He played a bit behind Gregan in 1996," says Cheika. "That's when he started to come into his own. We didn't see Gregan much because he was committed to Australia but yeah; I coached him (Whitaker) in the last couple of years there.

"We are lucky to be in the frame for a player like him and I think he is going to step up the standard for the other boys to chase."

Whitaker has captained the New South Wales Waratahs since 2004 and led them to the Super 12 final last year. A veteran of two World Cup campaigns, he was captain of Australia against Namibia during the 2003 World Cup, having made his Australian debut against South Africa in 1998. Importantly he also carries an English passport, which will allow Leinster to field two foreign players in next season's Heineken European Cup.

"Several top European teams were keen to sign him but after visiting our set-up he was extremely enthusiastic in continuing his career in Ireland and in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup," says Cheika. "He has a wealth of international experience and is a natural leader."

Cheika has also being looking at other players from overseas but has not committed to anyone in particular. Kiwi Williams, the former New Zealand Maori secondrow, has, like the two scrumhalves, a contract until the end of the season but he too would be hopeful of holding on to his place and staying in Dublin.

"We've thought about it (adding new players)," says Cheika. "We are not going to do things just for the sake of them. We want to do things that will make a contribution to the team, make it stronger. I think we've got until March to make that decision so we are having a look at a few options. We'll definitely add a couple of players to the squad. It's about finding the right mix of who we want to get."