Josh van der Flier is expected to sit out Leinster's Champions Cup quarter-final with Leicester Tigers due to the ankle injury he suffered last weekend.
However Caelan Doris is winning his race to be fit after training with the province yesterday. Doris missed out on last weekend's last 16 victory over Ulster due to illness.
Leo Cullen is likely to restore Doris to the no 8 jersey, with Saturday's man of the match Jack Conan moving back to the bench.
READ MORE: Leinster coach Stuart Lancaster warns Leicester Tigers will relish Champions Cup shot at the Blues
Ryan Baird is expected to retain his place on the blindside and Leinster have no shortage of players who can fill in for van der Flier at openside, although the absence of the reigning world player of the year will be felt.
"It has definitely caused a conversation, with Calean coming back into the equation as well," said Leinster's senior coach Stuart Lancaster.
“Caelan trained today. Josh didn’t. That probably gives you a decent indication.
"Will Connors played and trained for the last few weeks now, Scott (Penny) came off the bench (against Ulster), and you still have Max Deegan and Rhys Ruddock. So there are still some decent options for us.”
That is an understatement as Leinster are blessed with an abundance of back row riches.
For Leicester, meanwhile, one of only two players in their squad to have experienced a Champions Cup game at the Aviva Stadium will be absent - scrum-half Ben Youngs misses out through injury. Dan Cole is the other veteran of that 17-10 defeat in 2012.
Another who played that day and misses out is, of course, Johnny Sexton. Lancaster is confident that Ross Byrne can guide Leinster to success without their veteran skipper.
“His leadership is not in question," said Lancaster.
"He’s led the team throughout the years I’ve coached him, his knowledge and understanding of how we want to play is ingrained in him because bar that period when he had a little bit of opportunity with Ireland he’s been here for seven years so he’s 100 % clear on the plan.
"In Johnny’s absence he has stepped into the void seamlessly."
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