Defending champions Leinster have named a strong starting line-up for Friday night’s Celtic League curtain raiser against Potypridd at Donnybrook.
Coach Matt Williams has the rare luxury of being able to select from a almost a full compliment of his Ireland internationals and despite being without the services of the injured Shane Horgan and Nathan Spooner, the Australian was able to select a formidable XV.
Christian Warner deputises for Horgan alongside Brian O’Driscoll in the centre while Andy Dunne gets the nod at out-half in a team that elsewhere has a familiar ring to it.
Leinster, who must negotiate a pool including a rejuvenated Connacht, the newly formed Scottish club Borders as well as Pontypridd, Brigend, Newport, Cardiff and Glasgow have had little preparation time for the defence of the Celtic League captured so impressively last season.
Injuries and the involvement of a number of his top players in the two-week Ireland training camp have deprived Williams of many of his brightest stars.
Indeed, for their last pre-season run out - last week’s narrow loss to London Irish - Williams was without 19 of his squad and with three Ireland Tests scheduled for next month, the Leinster coach must do without his Ireland players, perhaps 10 or 11, for four pool matches.
Nevertheless, the bookmakers have installed both Leinster and Munster, last year’s finalists, as joint favourites and, despite being no mugs, it is hard to imagine Pontypridd throwing a spanner in the works under the floodlights at Donnybrook on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Munster’s new coach Alan Gaffney will name his side to travel to Llanelli on Saturday later today.
Leinster: 15 Girvan Dempsey, 14 Denis Hickie, 13 Brian O' Driscoll, 12 Christian Warner, 11 Gordon D'Arcy, 10, Andy Dunne, 9 Brian O' Meara, 8 Victor Costello, 7 Keith Gleeson, 6 Eric Miller, 5 Malcolm O' Kelly, 4 Leo Cullen, 3 Paul Wallace, 2 Shane Byrne, 1 Reggie Corrigan (Capt)
Substitutes: 16 Niall Treston, 17 Peter Smyth, 18 Des Dillon, 19 Aidan McCullen, 20 Ben Willis, 21 David Quinlan, 22 Peter McKenna
