Leinster Call On Corrigan

Reggie Corrigan’s recovery from a hand injury has seen Michael Cheika make one change to his Leinster side for tomorrow’s Celtic League clash with the Dragons.

Ireland prop Reggie Corrigan

Reggie Corrigan’s recovery from a hand injury has seen Michael Cheika make one change to his Leinster side for tomorrow’s Celtic League clash with the Dragons.

CELTIC LEAGUE: Friday, September 16

Leinster v Newport-Gwent Dragons, Donnybrook, 7.10pm (live Setanta Sports)

Corrigan will step in for his first appearance of the season, replacing loosehead John Lyne in a front row including hooker Bernard Jackman and tighthead Will Green.

Ireland and Lions stars Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie have been included on the province’s replacements bench, having completed their pre-season conditioning with the international squad. Gordon D’Arcy misses out as he is still recovering from recent shoulder surgery.

Eric Miller, meanwhile, is still nursing ankle strain which saw him sit out last Saturday’s 26-21 win over Glasgow Warriors, so it means another start for former Ireland Under-21 captain Jamie Heaslip, who has impressed so far, at number 8.

Horgan and Hickie were unfortunately present when the Dragons handed Leinster a 34-13 beating at Rodney Parade last October, but the boys in blue got their own back in January when recording a record 55-3 victory over the Welshmen at Lansdowne Road. Horgan and Hickie split four of Leinster’s seven tries.

Coach Cheika is expecting a tough battle with the third-placed Dragons. The Australian said: “The Dragons looked strong against the Ospreys (on Tuesday) and they’re a very courageous side who play a high intensity game. I’m expecting a very physical encounter.”

LEINSTER: Girvan Dempsey; Gary Brown, Kieran Lewis, Felipe Contepomi (Capt), Robert Kearney; Christian Warner, Guy Easterby; Reggie Corrigan, Bernard Jackman, Will Green, Adam Byrnes, Ben Gissing, Ciaran Potts, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Ronan McCormack, David Blaney, Simon Crawaford, Niall Ronan, Brian O’Meara, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie.

Dragons: Kevin Morgan (Capt); Gareth Wyatt, Hal Luscombe, Sione Tuipulotu, Leigh Hinton; Craig Warlow, Gareth Baber; David Maddocks, Steve Jones, Rhys Thomas, Ian Gough, Luke Charteris, Andrew Hall, Jamie Ringer, Rhys Oakley.

Replacements: Andrew Brown, Adam Black, Gethin Robinson, Jason Forster, Richard Bryan, Jon Bryant, Aled Thomas.

Referee: Andy Ireland (Scotland)