Jamie Heaslip will miss out on Leinster's Heineken Cup clash with Saracens on Saturday after the big back row failed to recover from an ankle injury sustained in the 15-10 win over Ospreys last Friday.
It is the same ankle he injured against Clermont Auvergne early in the season but it is expected he will be fit to fill the number eight jersey for next weekend's trip to Paris to face Racing Metro. Coach, Joe Schmidt elaborated on the details of his star forwards disability:
"What he did was the ankle joint. He's given that a wrench," explained Schmidt.
"He stretched the ligaments a little bit but there's inflammation between the joint. When he goes to push off, move his leg forward, there is inflammation underneath there that impinges his movement and weakens his explosiveness, which is a real key to his play. It's a totally unrelated injury so if he hadn't got that he would have been totally fine to play."
"He stretched the ligaments a little bit but there's inflammation between the joint. When he goes to push off, move his leg forward, there is inflammation underneath there that impinges his movement and weakens his explosiveness, which is a real key to his play. It's a totally unrelated injury so if he hadn't got that he would have been totally fine to play."
There was an attempted storm in a teacup as the issue of Heaslip's Twitter account arose. The Ireland international had informed his followers on Wednesday evening that he would be unavailable for selection. But Schmidt, in his amiable effortless style, diffused the situation:
"I don't know how he let people know. Was he tweeting or something? That technology is beyond me but I can ask my kids what was happening!
"But, no, it was of no annoyance to me because if I wanted to hide the fact, we would have hidden up until Friday when the team was announced."
That team sees Sean O'Brien step in to anchor the scrum, flanked by Dominic Ryan and Shane Jennings. Schmidt took the opportunity to talk up the Tullow native even further
"Sean's a really different player to Jamie; he's a bit younger and is probably a rougher diamond. But potentially, yeah, he could become world-class.
"I really like Sean as a player, the players that have played with him really like what he brings to the table. He has a real robustness about him and he has a massive work ethic.
As the country's in form back row, O'Brien is a shoe-in for Ireland squads in both the Six Nations and the World Cup. But his Kiwi coach was perhaps giving Declan Kidney a hint when espousing the 23 year old's versatility.
"Sean's also underestimated in the air. He's a very good aerial player and he really demonstrated that against Racing Metro. He's quite versatile. He can play anywhere in the back-row. And he makes good bread too!"
In the backline, the main bone of contention will be the non-selection of Luke Fitzgerald. The Blackrock man has been touted as a fullback in recent weeks but was always going to play second fiddle to Isa Nacewa, the best player in Europe in that position.
Shane Horgan and Fergus McFadden make up the back three, with the reformed centres being rewarded for some sensational wing displays over the winter schedule. With Horgan nearing his 32nd birthday it is likely he will make way, to allow Fitzgerald make an impact in the final 15 minutes.
There are no surprises in the pack where Nathan Hines replaces Devin Toner as Leo Cullen's second row partner. Toner occupies the bench, where there is no place for Rhys Ruddock on the bench as Kevin McLoughlin provides the back row cover.
LEINSTER: 15: Isa Nacewa 14: Shane Horgan 13: Brian O'Driscoll 12: Gordon D'Arcy 11: Fergus McFadden 10: Jonathan Sexton 9: Eoin Reddan
1: Cian Healy 2: Richardt Strauss 3: Mike Ross 4: Leo Cullen (CAPT) 5: Nathan Hines 6: Dominic Ryan 7: Shane Jennings 8: Sean O'Brien
REPLACEMENTS: 16: Jason Harris-Wright, 17: Heinke van der Merwe,18: Clint Newland, 19: Devin Toner, 20: Kevin McLaughlin, 21: Isaac Boss, 22: Ian Madigan 23: Luke Fitzgerald
SARACENS15 Nils Mordt, 14 David Strettle, 13 Michael Tagicakibau, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth
1 Rhys Gill, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Carlos Nieto, 4 Steve Borthwick (CAPT) 5 Hugh Vyvyan, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Andy Saull, 8 Ernst Joubert
REPLACEMENTS:16 Jamie George, 17 Jared Saunders, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Gavin Henson, 23 Noah Cato
1 Rhys Gill, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Carlos Nieto, 4 Steve Borthwick (CAPT) 5 Hugh Vyvyan, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Andy Saull, 8 Ernst Joubert
REPLACEMENTS:16 Jamie George, 17 Jared Saunders, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Gavin Henson, 23 Noah Cato
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