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Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip are on the fringes of Lions selection. ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Final Four

Column: Last chance at Lions saloon for Heaslip and Kearney

Former Leinster and Ireland player Shane Byrne believes Joe Schmidt can bolster the club’s trophy coffers before departing.

JOE SCHMIDT HAS said it previously and he proved it by selecting Jonathan Sexton at outhalf – he wants to win the Challenge Cup and Pro12.

It is not an insult to Ian Madigan that Sexton has got the nod at outhalf. He has had a seriously good season but Sexton is first-class and showed that last week against Zebre. He is the senior player coming back and, when he featured, he hasn’t put a foot wrong all season.

Next season will be interesting as Sexton will be out of sight and out of mind over in France.

He will find that he isn’t getting it all his own way when it comes to squad sessions with Ireland.

There are a lot of people saying that [new signing] Zane Kirchner is not world-class but neither was Nacewa when he first came over. Everyone knew he was a superb talent with Auckland Blues but he truly developed when he came to Leinster and became so much more of a player.

From what I’ve seen of Kirchner, and by all accounts I’ve heard of him, he has lots of ability. He won’t let the side down.

Amlin ambitions

Leinster are taking this very seriously. There is silverware up for grabs and they want to claim both the cup and the league title.

They played a freer style in the quarter-final win over Wasps. They’ll look to play expansively again but a lot will depend on Biarritz. They are not the side they used to be - reaching two Heineken Cup finals in six seasons – but they still have lots of superb players on their books.

With this fixture taking place on their home turf, at the RDS, I expect Leinster to go out and take them on. Match their pack, quell their halfbacks and they should be well set to knock them over.

The added incentive for the Leinster lads and every player in action this weekend is the final shop window with regards Lions squad selection.

Rob Kearney should be OK but lads like Jamie Heaslip and Rory Best, who won’t be playing this weekend, will be nervous. Three-quarters of the plane is full and the Welsh starting XV is going on-stock but there are spots left and everyone that plays in the Heineken and Amlin semis has a chance.

Shane Byrne’s publication, Club Rugby Magazine is available monthly in the Irish Independent. Follow the magazine, and all the latest rugby news, on Twitter @ClubRugby1

*TheScore.ie will be liveblogging all the action at the RDS from 2pm today.

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