Hickie Doubt for Leinster

Leinster arrived in their Welsh base, the Vale of Glammorgan, ahead of tonight’s game with Newport (7.05pm), with major concerns over Denis Hickie. The international wing injured his shoulder in last weekend’s encounter and coach Matt Wiliams gives him no better than a 50/50 chance of making the starting line-up. If he fails, then his place will be taken by Simon Keogh.

Newport make two changesfrom the side beaten in Donnybrook with the pacy Ben Breeze introduced on the left wing while Jason Forster coming in at wing forward.

Newport expect a full house for this crucial game and one suspects that their coach Ian McIntosh will be very disappointed if his side doesn’t overturn that Dublin reversal.They were well able for Leinster upfront and McIntosh will be hoping that they convert that pressure into points if only from the boot of Shane Howarth.

However, Leinster have added steel to their already impressive repetoire and, as they showed last season, away to Northampton, and this year, their defence is top class. It will take a mighty Newport effort to break down this Leinster team.

Leinster. P McKenna; D Hickie, B O’Driscoll, S Horgan, G D’Arcy; N Spooner, B O’Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne, L Cullen, M O’Kelly, E Miller, V Costello, K Gleeson.

Replacements: P Coyle, G Hickie, B Casey, T Brennan, B Willis, A Dunne, A Magro.

Newport. M Pini; M Mostyn, A Marinos, J Pritchard, B Breeze; S Howarth, O Tonu’u; R Snow, J Richards, C Anthony, S Raiwalui (capt), M Voyle, P Buxton, A Powell, J Forster.

Replacements: A Garvey, P Young, I Gough, G Gravell, N Brew, J Strange, D Burn.

Referee: C White (England).