Form book gives Leinster plenty to smile about

RUGBY:Leinster's chances of beating the Ospreys in their pivotal Magners Celtic League match at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow are as good as they could wish for going by previous clashes. The Welsh side have beaten the Dublin outfit only once in their eight matches and last time out, in Donnybrook earlier this year, Leinster ran in six tries to convincingly win 45-22.

Ospreys seek to draw level with the league leaders by gaining a bonus-point win but their record of three draws, four defeats and just one victory over Leinster gives the travelling Dublin side some hope of holding their table position.

Last time Brian O'Driscoll and Rob Kearney earned two tries each, with Denis Hickie and Keith Gleeson grabbing one apiece. Felipe Contepomi kicked the six conversions and added a penalty with a flawless display from the boot. James Hook was a bench player on that occasion for Ospreys. How much things change over three months.

O'Driscoll will not play this weekend as his hamstring continues to mend but he is the only player, of those who performed in January, not available for this weekend's match.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika, however, has both fullback Girvan Dempsey and winger Shane Horgan in this week's squad. Neither player lined out against the Ospreys last time.

While Ospreys are clearly on a high following their bonus-point 19-6 win over Llanelli on Tuesday night, yesterday's signing of Wales internationals Mike Phillips and Ian Gough for next season is a timely declaration of what direction this team is planning to travel.

Welsh scrumhalf Phillips joins the Ospreys from the Blues, signing until the end of May 2011. Gough joins from the Dragons and has signed on until the end of May 2010.

From Cheika's viewpoint, he is looking to the experience he has wide of his outhalf Contepopmi to unlock the Welsh side.

"We have to evolve our game away from what they might have seen of us," he said this week. "The Ospreys have mixed it up between a slide and a rush defence. There's an emphasis on players outside of Felipe to call those moves."

In what is a potential 10-point game, a lot is hanging on just that.