O'Driscoll ruled out as Cheika reshuffles

Celtic League: Leinster's Brian O'Driscoll is an absentee, the Ireland captain ruled out of tomorrow's game, after failing to recover from a knee injury sustained in the team's victory over Glasgow Warriors last weekend.

Cardiff Blues v Leinster Sunday, Millennium Stadium 6.10 ON TV: Setanta Sports

Kieran Lewis will partner Gordon D'Arcy in midfield with Shane Horgan switching to the right wing. Rob Kearney drops to the bench.

A late decision will be made on who plays tighthead prop. Will Green has been given every opportunity to prove his fitness as Emmett Byrne stands by.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika is under no illusion his side face a far tougher test.

"They have certainly improved since the last time we played them at the RDS. They're very physical. They like a little bit on the side, like to rough up the edges. It's good for us to play against teams like that. We're becoming a little bit more aggressive in our own right. It's going to be a good battle.

"I like the fact it's on in the Millennium (stadium) as it gives us a little bit more width to play in and we'll be testing them by playing with that width. We'll see if they can handle it or we can match their power. They definitely have a lot of it. Their back row is strong, their halves, centres. They've improved, as their position in the table shows. They'll be chasing a high finish."

One player Leinster will need to monitor closely is scrumhalf Mike Phillips, a real handful at 6ft 2ins and with an eye for a gap.

Cheika admitted: "He very much dominates because he runs with the ball a lot. He changes the dynamic of their game because he's always probing around the edges. Those type of players are the ones you have to look out for. We can either turn that into a positive by making them keep the game tight or a negative if we don't mark him correctly."

New Zealander Xavier Rush will continue as captain as Rhys Williams is still nursing a hamstring injury. Flanker Martyn Williams has recovered from a shoulder injury to take a place on the bench alongside Scott Roberts and Matthew Nuthall.

There'll be a huge onus on Leinster's pack "fronting up" as the home side are likely to go after them in the set-pieces and also plot a largely direct path from ruck and maul.

The Irish province cannot afford a repeat of the type of performance they produced in squeaking past Glasgow.

In Cheika's own words this match resembles a semi-final and Leinster won't want to repeat the outcome of the last one they endured. They'll need to introduce pace and precision, cut down on the unforced errors and be aggressive in front-foot defence.

If they meet those requirements they have the skills to prise open Cardiff.

CARDIFF: N Macleod; C Czekaj, J Robinson, M Stcherbina, C Morgan; N Robinson, M Phillips; J Yapp, R Thomas, G Jenkins; D Jones, R Sidoli; M Molitika, R Sowden Taylor, X Rush (capt). Replacements: S Roberts, D Goodfield, K Schubert, M Williams, R Powell, T Davies, M Nuthall.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, K Lewis, G D'Arcy, D Hickie; F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Jackman, W Green or E Byrne; A Byrnes, M O'Kelly; E Miller, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: R McCormack, B Blaney, B Gissing, N Ronan, B O'Riordan, J Hepworth, R Kearney.

Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland).

Leading points scorers: Cardiff - Nick Robinson 158. Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 260. Leading try scorers: Cardiff - Nick Robinson, Chris Czekaj 6 each. Leinster - Felipe Contepomi 8.

Verdict: Leinster to win.