SEVERAL OF LEINSTER’S Irish internationals will rejoin the squad tomorrow having received extra time off after last weekend’s victory over England.

Leinster captain Leo Cullen is expected to return, while half-back pairing Jonathan Sexton and Eoin Reddan may also be included in the panel for Sunday’s game against Newport. A decision on their inclusion will be made at Friday’s team announcement, according to the Leinster Rugby website.

Fergus McFadden, unlucky not to have featured more in the Six Nations following a good outing against France, should also come back into the provincial side. Shane Jennings, Stan Wright and Andrew Conway look likely to remain sidelined, but Shane Horgan could return from a knee injury that has seen him out of action for the past two months.

Munster’s Tomás O’Leary is several weeks away from making a return to competitive action with Munster. The Corkman is yet to recover from the eye injury he sustained in Ireland camp in the build-up to the Six Nations game against England.

O’Leary will meet with an optometrist this week to earn a full prognosis, according to Cork’s Evening Echo.  Peter Stringer will partner Ronan O’Gara in Friday night’s game against Cardiff Blues.

Meanwhile, Nigel Owens will take charge of Leinster’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leicester in the Aviva on  Saturday 9 April. The Welsh referee was also  in the middle for the 2009 final when Leinster beat the Tigers 19-16. Fingers crossed for a repeat.