Heineken Cup Difficulties For Leinster

The postponement of Leinster’s Heineken Cup tie with Newcastle raises huge logistical problems for coach Matt Williams as he sprepare for the quarter-final.

On the one hand Williams has to get his squad together to ready themselves for a trip to France and the game with Toulouse which will be the side’s first outing in a month. Then, with just one weekend available between the Toulouse fixture and the quarter final date it would seem that Saturday January 19th would be the only date available to play the game outstanding against Newcastle Falcons.

However, the week leading up to the 19th is scheduled as a national squad get-together in Limerick, when, it must be presumed the national management will require the attendance of all the national squad. So, presuming Leinster get back from France on Sunday January 13th, then players such as Girvan Dempsey, Denis Hckie, Shane Horgan, Brian O’Driscoll, Malcolm O’Kelly,Eric Miller and some others will have to take off to join their national squad colleagues in Limerick.