THE RECURRING lower leg complaints CJ van der Linde has suffered since he arrived in Leinster look set to rule the World Cup-winning South African prop out of the St Stephen’s Day Magners League meeting with Ulster at the RDS Showgrounds.
Michael Cheika will announce a squad this morning, with Stan Wright, recently returned from a pectoral muscle injury, set to come back in at tighthead. Irish international Mike Ross is another contender, but Wright was used when the Springbok pulled up after 28 – albeit impressive – minutes in the 39-7 defeat of the Llanelli Scarlets on Saturday.
Leinster are also awaiting an update on Scottish lock Nathan Hines after he was also replaced after just 46 minutes against the Scarlets. Malcolm O’Kelly is primed to start on Saturday (5.30pm). The Leinster Branch have sold 17,000 tickets, so there are still 2,000 at the regular outlets.
The other live game on Setanta Sports is Connacht’s visit to Thomond Park to face League champions Munster (7.30pm).
Stade Francais have confirmed they will be appealing the 24-week suspension of French scrumhalf Julien Dupuy for eye-gouging Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris.
Elsewhere, the Leinster development XV who play the Irish under-20s in Donnybrook today will be captained by centre Eoin O’Malley. Kyle Tonetti’s progress at inside centre is worth following after an injury lay-off.
LEINSTER DEVELOPMENT: I Madigan; S Monahan, E O’Malley (capt), K Tonetti, Michael Keating; I McKinley, D Moore; J McGrath, J Harris-Wright, J O’Connell; C Ruddock, M Flanagan; E Sheriff, J Murphy, P Ryan. Replacements: M Moore, AN Other, C Mallon, R Bent, C Lilly, D Hudson, P du Toit/N Morris.
IRELAND UNDER-20S: A Conway (Leinster); T O’Halloran (Connacht), B Macken (Leinster), D McSharry (Leinster), S Zebo (Munster); B Kingston (Leinster), M Heaney (Ulster); D Buckley (Connacht), B Risterard (Leinster), M Stewart (Leinster); B Marshall (Leinster), B Hayes (Munster); P Ryan (Munster), B O’Hara (Munster, capt), P Butler (Munster). Replacements: B Cagney (Munster), J Robinson (Connacht), D Doyle (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), R Ruddock (Leinster), R O’Sullivan (Leinster), J Cooney (Leinster), J McKinney (Ulster), E Griffin (Connacht), C O’Hanlon (Munster).
