Leinster are keen to make amends

Celtic League: Leinster return to the much-maligned Donnybrook surface on Sunday against Connacht but coach Michael Cheika avoided a Jose Mourinho-like inquisition about the pitch during yesterday's media conference, ironically enough, held at the RDS.

The focus instead switched to the strength of his 25-man squad. Oh, and the looming spectre of Toulouse got a few mentions too.

Besides Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Shane Horgan and Malcolm O'Kelly being rested ahead of the Scotland international on March 11th, Cheika was able to select from a fully-fit squad as Bernard Jackman, Cameron Jowitt and Adam Byrnes returned from injury.

Victory would turn the Celtic League into an all-Irish three-horse race as either Ulster or Munster will be reeled back in after tomorrow night's Ravenhill encounter.

The Leinster backline largely picks itself, with Jonathan Sexton, Gary Brown and Brian O'Riordan expected to be benched, while one from each forward row will miss out in tomorrow's team announcement.

Although the season is reaching a climax, Cheika and sidekick David Knox are only now experiencing the ridiculous scheduling system of European rugby. The Six Nations annually disrupts Irish teams' preparations for the Heineken European Cup quarter-finals, but especially this season as a Leinster friendly cannot be fixed a week before the trip to Toulouse.

That makes Sunday's game the last before meeting the kings of Europe on April 1st.

"We'll probably have a friendly fixture the weekend before (March 18th). Our Irish A players will be playing and our senior players will be playing England so we'll try and secure a game as well. Then merge our preparation. (It's a) tricky situation," admitted the philosophical coach.

"I haven't had that experience in coaching but I knew it would be there so you've got to prepare accordingly. That's what we have tried to do. We have a big squad to fill that void. That's part of the deal. We encourage as many of our players as possible to go and play for Ireland. We got to keep moving forward and not sit and wait for them to come back so when they (do) come back they've got to get themselves integrated as quickly as possible."

Leinster are out to atone for a comprehensive defeat to Newport-Gwent Dragons two weeks back and equally avoid a repeat of 2002, when Mark McHugh's last minute drop goal recorded a famous 26-23 away victory for Connacht.

"We are very keen to make amends for what went down in Wales a couple of weeks ago. I think we need the opportunity, we are wishing it came sooner rather than later, to show that's not what we are about."

Cheika also highlighted victory here would put Leinster top of the interprovincial pecking order with five wins from six outings - although Munster and Ulster remain above them in the top two Celtic League spots.

It's also the time of year when additions to next year's squad must be finalised. The former Randwick man's theory is simple. "We are looking to increase the quality of our squad, probably looking to reduce the quantity."

He envisages Leinster evolving into a three-tier system where the senior squad interacts pro-actively with an A team and the academy. Blackrock sensation Luke Fitzgerald and Belvedere prop Cian Healy have already been signed up for the academy, while Cheika will keep an eye on this week's senior cup semi-finals and the club international against Scotland on March 10th.

Trinity lock Marc Warburton and Clontarf prop Robert Sweeney are two players the coach has indicated are on the cusp of contracts.

Meanwhile, Connacht coach Michael Bradley also named an enlarged squad for Sunday's game with team selection delayed by injury concerns to Christian Short (hamstring), Stephen Knoop (calf), Matt Lacey and Conor McPhillips (both groin).

Ulster coach Mark McCall will select from a fully-fit squad this afternoon with the only absentee being Andrew Trimble, who is held off by the Irish management.

Munster are missing six front line forwards but Mick O'Driscoll is available for selection against Ulster tomorrow night, however, his partner in the engine room will be a converted backrower as Trevor Hogan and Donnacha Ryan are injured. Shannon's Stephen Keogh is the likely cover. The Leicester bound Paul Burke will make his competitive return from injury as Ronan O'Gara, along with Peter Stringer, are unavailable.

LEINSTER (squad) Forwards: Reggie Corrigan, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, David Blaney, Will Green, Emmett Byrne, Ben Gissing, Devin Toner, Adam Byrnes, Bryce Williams, Eric Miller, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip, Niall Ronan, Cameron Jowitt. Backs: Guy Easterby, Brian O'Riordan, Felipe Contepomi, John Hepworth, Kieran Lewis, Jonathan Sexton, Gary Brown, Rob Kearney, Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hickie.

CONNACHT (squad) Forwards: Ray Hogan, Dan McFarland, John Fogarty, Joe Merrigan, Adrian Clarke, Stephen Knoop, Andrew Farley, Christian Short, David Gannon, John Muldoon, Michael Swift, Matt Lacey, Brendan O'Connor, Colm Rigney. Backs: Chris Keane, Tom Tierney, Paul Warwick, David Slemen, Keith Matthews, Andrew Mailei, John Hearty, Darren Yapp, Conor McPhillips, Ted Robinson, Matt Mostyn, Mark McHugh.

MUNSTER: (squad) Forwards: F Pucciariello, D Fogarty, T Buckley, F Roche, E McGovern, D Varley, D Ryan, M O'Driscoll, B Madigan, S Keogh, A Foley, J O'Connor, J O'Sullivan. Backs: T O'Leary, M Prendergast, M Lawlor, P Burke, T Halstead, G Connolly, B Murphy, J Kelly, A Horgan, I Dowling, S Payne.