RUGBY NEWS ROUND-UP: BRIAN O'DRISCOLL should be fit for Ireland's forthcoming autumnal internationals against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina according to Leinster coach Michael Cheika, after a scan yesterday confirmed the injury he sustained against Wasps is no worse than a twisted knee.
"He'll definitely miss this week's game," said Cheika in reference to Leinster's game away to Glasgow on Friday night, "but we reckon that he should be good to go for the internationals. We don't want to speculate too much, but there are no hamstring issues or any structural damage to his ligaments."
Alas, Leo Cullen's broken collarbone means the Leinster captain "will be out for at least a couple of months". After such a physically intense effort against Wasps, there are number of others suffering bumps and bruises, which obliged Cheika to afford those in the frontline at the RDS last Saturday an additional day off yesterday.
In return for having their Irish frontliners available from the start of the season, it's clear Leinster and Munster especially have to ensure a degree of game management in return, but they will not be under obligation to withdraw all those players named in Declan Kidney's first 30-plus squad for the November internationals tomorrow.
Against that, Malcolm O'Kelly's neck problem, worsened by taking another big hit on Saturday, must make him doubtful for the Glasgow game and likewise Chris Whitaker, who has clearly been playing manfully through the pain of a leg injury. But those defeats to Connacht and Munster have not given the Magners League champions too much room for manoeuvre.
"We're very mindful that the internationals have a week off the following week and so we won't be looking to rest guys. We'll definitely be looking to enlarge our squad when we announce it (today) and we'll want to give some other guys opportunities.
"But we'll be looking to get our best combination on the pitch for what is a very important game for us," Cheika said.
The unbeaten league leaders, Munster, travel to Ravenhill on Saturday evening and are expected to be without their front five of Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan and Paul O'Connell, as well as David Wallace and Ronan O'Gara, given their recent workload. However, the likes of Alan Quinlan, Tomás O'Leary and Peter Stringer should be available.
Facing into a huge game at home to Edinburgh, Connacht were relieved to have props Brett Wilkinson and Robbie Morris - both of whom were forced off in Friday's 27-10 defeat to London Irish - back in training yesterday. "There were more superficial than anything else, so there's no drama," commented Michael Bradley yesterday, who had no additional injury worries arising from that bruising game.
World Cup-winning coach Jake White has opened the door to helping the British and Irish Lions next year for their tour of his native South Africa. White said he was looking to get back into coaching soon and that, after the Springboks failed to offer him a position, he turned to the Lions.
"I made it clear to South African rugby that I wanted to be involved in helping them because I feel I have a lot to give back to rugby," White said. "But they haven't expressed an interest in using me, so I have to look at my options. I chatted to (Lions coach) Ian McGeechan last week about the possibility of working with the Lions and it's something I would consider.
