Cheika keeping door wide open for O'Driscoll

Rugby European Cup NewsThe impending return of Brian O'Driscoll remains an issue if not for Leinster coach Michael Cheika then for the assembled media. The Irish province takes on Bourgoin in the Heineken European Cup at the RDS on Saturday evening.

The Lions, Ireland and Leinster captain is not included in the extended squad but Cheika, playing with a straight bat that underscores his heritage, wouldn't fix a definitive date for the centre's return. O'Driscoll's father, Frank, has said it won't be until the end of the month.

Cheika teased: "There is no point in closing a door that doesn't have to be closed. He's fully back into training. Like I said this month, he's going to be back at some stage. Whether next week, the week after: it's going to be up to Brian. I haven't ruled out anything.

"Maybe the son spoke to his father and they have ruled it out. At the end of the day it's going to be up to him (Brian O'Driscoll). I am not going to tell any player to play. Between him and his doctor, they'll make a decision.

"It's not like he's the type of bloke that's looking to hide from matches. He's dying to get back into it. I have told him that when you're ready, put your hand up and you'll be picked."

Unfortunately for Cheika, another injury situation was more straightforward.

"Bernard Jackman has a fracture in his fibula and also a medial ligament tear which means he'll be out for anything up to six weeks. Hopefully, he won't need to have his leg in a cast so that he can still have manoeuvrability."

Jackman broke a leg in Saturday's Celtic League game against Connacht, shipping a very heavy tackle while in possession. He demonstrated his grit by playing on for a while before being forced off. His absence will mean a start for Brian Blaney, who came on as a replacement the last day.

The fact that Brian's elder brother David only returned to action with UCD at the weekend (30-minute cameo) means it is the younger sibling that'll start. Leinster will also welcome back Lions and Ireland secondrow Malcolm O'Kelly, who has been sidelined after being knocked out in the Test match against Australia.

"(I feel) brilliant. I have undergone more tests than I've had to do for any other injury and been cleared by a neurologist so I am ready for action," he said.

"(The incident) was more frightening for my family. When I woke up in Lansdowne Road I knew I was alright at that stage but I don't think many around me knew, like family and friends. So it was harder for them than it was for me."

O'Kelly hasn't lost his sense of humour judging by how he described his return to the land of the living. "I woke up a couple of minutes later, woke up with the doctor on top of me. That doesn't sound too good.

"All credit to the people who had to lug me from the pitch all the way to the medical centre, which was a fair effort at my 120kg weight. They did a fantastic job and I got the best treatment. Got all the tests, including a night in (St) Vincent's."

His thoughts are now clearly focused on Bourgoin.

"We were a little bit shell shocked going there as we didn't fully appreciate the difference in the levels of their performance between Lansdowne Road and over there. They are a very strong team up front and are a very passionate side, probably the most passionate French side I have played against. They rely on that a lot. Hopefully we will be as abrasive as possible against them this weekend and try and quell some of that passion.

"They're a very aggressive team. They play with a lot of skill and flamboyance over there. They throw it around. They really tested us hugely."

Cheika will confirm his starting line-up following a check on flanker Keith Gleeson, who is battling rib-cartilage damage.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley has made a couple of enforced changes to the team that lost to Leinster for Saturday's European Challenge Cup tie against Worcester Warriors at the Sixways stadium.

New Zealanders Gavin Williams and Andrew Mailei, both of whom started the Leinster match in the centre, are ineligible for European competition until the knockout stages so Keith Matthews returns following injury to Darren Yapp.

There are still some medical concerns over outhalf David Slemen and Yapp, so a final decision will not be taken until after Friday's captain's run.

Dan McFarland and Daniel Riordan will travel with the match squad to England.

Both Connacht and Worcester have won their opening two games in Pool Five, and Saturday's game along with the return fixture in Galway the following week will be pivotal to deciding the outcome of the group.

Meanwhile, Leinster Rugby is asking you to support the Welcome Home Christmas Appeal to help Fr Peter McVerry in his work with young homeless people in Dublin. To date McVerry has opened four fully operational houses providing accommodation and support for these young people. Welcome Home was set up as a registered charity in 1990 to raise funds for McVerry to enable him to provide services for the homeless.

To support the Christmas Appeal people can send a cheque, payable to Welcome Home, to 9 Annsbrook, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14, complete a bank transfer to the account: Welcome Home, AIB, 69-71 Morehampton Road, sort Code: 93:10:39, account number: 30997069 or visit www.welcomehome.ie and donate online.

CONNACHT: M Mostyn; J Hearty, D Yapp, K Matthews, C McPhillips; D Slemen, C Keane; R Hogan, J Fogarty, S Knoop; C Short, A Farley (capt); J Muldoon, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: J Merrigan, A Clarke, A Gallagher, M Swift, T Tierney, P Warwick, T Robinson.

LEINSTER: (squad, from): R Corrigan, R McCormack, B Blaney, D Blaney, W Green, E Byrne, B Williams, A Byrnes, M O'Kelly, B Gissing, C Jowitt, K Gleeson, N Ronan, E Miller, J Heaslip, G Easterby, B O'Riordan, J Hepworth, R Kearney, S Horgan, F Contepomi, G D'Arcy, K Lewis, G Dempsey, E Hickey.