Cheika rests weary troops

JUST OVER a fortnight to the biggest game of an already momentous season and the mindsets of Leinster coach Michael Cheika and Munster coach Tony McGahan couldn’t be more different.

Cheika has rested all but three of last week’s team that beat Harlequins 6-5 for tomorrow’s trip to Murrayfield to face Edinburgh.

Captain Leo Cullen and Gordon D’Arcy have had injury-interrupted campaigns so they are retained, along with Isa Nacewa, who looks certain to be named at outhalf in place of the suspended Jonathan Sexton. Ian McKinley and Kyle Tonetti (both being groomed as centres) are promoted from the academy.

Ollie le Roux continues to provide cover for the injured CJ van der Linde, who Leinster hope can recover from a dislocated toe ahead of the May 2nd Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park but the other internationals are rested ahead of the Lions squad announcement next Tuesday.

Defence coach Kurt McQuilkin said: “Friday will provide an opportunity for different players to put their hands up for selection.”

However Munster have named a full-strength squad, besides the rested Donncha O’Callaghan, for the visit of Connacht to Thomond Park on Saturday night.

Connacht have resisted naming an enlarged squad with coach Michael Bradley awaiting “an update on a lengthy injury list” after a comprehensive defeat to Northampton in the Challenge Cup quarter-final last week.

Finally, former Irish strength and conditioning coach Mike McGurn returns home from Wales this summer after just one season with the Ospreys. The Fermanagh native cited family commitments – his six-month-old son Eoin and wife are still based in Belfast – as the main reason. He will continue to work with a number of GAA squads and WBA World Super Bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne but has yet to be picked up by a rugby union squad.

LEINSTER SQUAD: C Keane, P O'Donohoe, I Nacewa, I McKinley, S Keogh, G D'Arcy, E Sheridan, K Tonetti, F McFadden, G Brown, S Horgan, G Dempsey, N Morris, O le Roux, R McCormack, B Blaney, J Fogarty, J Harris-Wright, J Hagan, S Knoop, L Cullen (capt), T Hogan, D Toner, C Jowitt, S O'Brien, S Keogh, K McLaughlin.

MUNSTER SQUAD: D Hurley, P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, B Murphy, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer, T O'Leary; T Buckley, M Horan, J Hayes, M Essex, J Flannery, D Fogarty, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll, P O'Connell, D Ryan, A Quinlan, D Wallace, N Ronan, D Leamy, N Williams.