Cheika receives international boost

Squad News: Leinster have their injury worries but coach Michael Cheika is boosted by the return of five internationals to his squad ahead of Saturday's Magners League match against the Newport-Gwent Dragons at the RDS.

The returns of Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Malcolm O'Kelly and Bernard Jackman  are some consolation for the absence of captain Leo Cullen and Argentine playmaker Felipe Contepomi.

Cullen is still recovering from shoulder surgery and is sidelined until the new year, while the prognosis for Contepomi is less certain after a cut to his hand became infected during the autumn internationals.

Ireland squad players, Jonathan Sexton and Cian Healy, and new additions Rocky Elsom and CJ van der Linde, also return to the fray as Leinster seek to bring a three-game losing streak to a halt.

Defeats to Munster, Connacht and Glasgow have left the defending champions mid-table and in dire need of a morale boosting win.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has Keith Matthews and Tim Donnelly back in his squad ahead of  Friday's clash with Ulster at Ravenhill.

Centre Matthews has not played since sustaining a calf injury against Glasgow in September, while Australian outhalf Donnelly has been out of action since injuring his shoulder against Edinburgh last season.

The bad news for Bradley is a calf injury rules team captain John Muldoon out of the derby match.

Connacht can move off the foot of the table and ahead of Ulster with a win at Ravenhill.

Bradley will name his team tomorrow morning.

Leinster squad:

Chris Whitaker, Chris Keane, Paul O'Donohoe, Jonathan Sexton, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin O'Malley, Shane Horgan, Felix Jones, Simon Keogh, Gary Brown, Girvan DempseyCian Healy, CJ van der Linde, Stan Wright, John Fogarty, Bernard Jackman, Brian Blaney, Devin Toner, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Cameron Jowitt, Sean O'Brien, Rocky Elsom, Stephen Keogh.

Connacht squad:

Andrew Browne, Kieran Campbell, Fionn Carr, Sean Cronin, Mel Deane, Tim Donnelly, Gavin Duffy, Andy Dunne, Andrew Farley, Adrian Flavin, John Hearty, Ian Keatley, Ronan Loughney, John Lyne, Keith Matthews, Michael McCarthy, Joe Merrigan, Robbie Morris, Frank Murphy, Troy Nathan, Johnny O'Connor, Ray Ofisa, Colm Rigney, Daniel Riordan, Michael Swift, Brett Wilkinson.