Cook Islands prop Stan Wright has been slotted straight into the Leinster squad for this weekend's Heineken Cup tie with Agen, despite only arriving in Dublin last Sunday.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika has announced a 24-man squad for the clash with the French side (Lansdowne Road, kick-off 5.35pm).

The panel includes 21 of the players from the matchday 22 from last week's Magners League draw with Ulster - prop Fosi Pala'amo (ankle) being the absentee. Wright, Kieran Lewis and the fit-again Girvan Dempsey are the additional players.

Ireland full-back Dempsey has recovered from the knock to the head he took against the Pacific Islanders in last month's Guinness Autumn Series.

A mini injury crisis in the front row (with Will Green (neck) also sidelined) prompted Cheika to seek out a quick fix. And while the 28-year-old Wright, who signed for Leinster before Wednesday's Heineken Cup deadline, is little known on these shores, his consistent performances for NPC outfit Northland in recent seasons have marked him out as a durable scrummager.

Cheika said of the newcomer: "Stan's got experience and I think that's something we're going to need. He's been around and he's played against some of the best scrummagers in New Zealand - Carl Hayman, Greg Somerville and those type of blokes.

"He's also playerd every game for Northland in the NPC over the last two years. So I don't think it's disrespectful to him to say we haven't imported the best prop in the world but we've got someone in who we've got confidence in.

"In terms of scrummaging, he's shown good strength and technique in training and he's already done a fair bit of homework on what he's going to encounter against Agen. And one of the big things is that the French guys aren't going to know anything about him."

Saturday's Pool 2 encounter, the first ever European game between the two sides, is an all-ticket affair. Tickets are available in Dublin from the following outlets - Spar (Donnybrook), the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook) and Elvery's (Suffolk Street and Dawson Street). They are also available online at www.leinsterrugby.ie and www.ticketmaster.ie, as well as Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

There will also be two ticket booths selling tickets between 2pm and 5.30pm around Lansdowne Road on Saturday, at the Dodder Bridge (opposite Marian College) and on Northumberland Road (opposite Jury's Hotel).

LEINSTER Squad: Forwards - Ronan McCormack, Reggie Corrigan, Brian Blaney, Harry Vermaas, Stanley Wright, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Owen Finegan, Cameron Jowitt, Stephen Keogh, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip.

Backs - Chris Whitaker, Guy Easterby, Andrew Dunne, Christian Warner, Denis Hickie, Rob Kearney, Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll (capt), Kieran Lewis, Shane Horgan, Luke Fitzgerald, Girvan Dempsey.