SHANE GERAGHTY (Northampton) The promising playmaker has the chance to prove he is the real deal as Northampton tackle Heineken Cup heavyweights Perpignan and Munster. MORGAN PARRA (Clermont) The goal-kicking scrum-half moved from Bourgoin in the summer and is one of the young French stars who could stamp their mark on the Heineken Cup this year. JEAN DE VILLIERS (Munster) Potentially the best European signing of the summer, the South Africa centre (pictured) has every skill in his locker and will bring another dimension to the Munster attack. PAUL HODGSON (London Irish) The Exiles scrum-half is one of the best attacking half- backs in the Guinness Premiership and some big European performances will seal an England place for the November Tests. JONATHAN SEXTON (Leinster) Proved his quality by replacing injured fly-half Felipe Contepomi and guiding Leinster past Munster and Leicester to European triumph. JAMIE ROBERTS (Cardiff) The Wales centre (pictured) starred for the Lions and is one of the most powerful midfield men in the game. South Africa just could not cope with him. STEPHEN FERRIS (Ulster) The powerful Ireland flanker was denied the chance to make his Lions test debut by injury. Expect him to make up for it in Europe. MAXIME MEDARD (Toulouse) Massive danger to opposing defence. Medard scored the winning try in Frances summer victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand. EIGHT STARS TO WATCH SPORT Digest Tribe to follow the Cork model GAA: Galway will be using beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork as their template as they bid to become contenders again under Joe Kernan, says new selector Sen Domhnaill. I think the benchmark is Cork, said Domhnaill (pictured). I know they lost to Kerry but that is more a mental thing I think. You look at their style of play, they have plenty of big guys but they can play football. Look at Pearse ONeill, hes around 6ft 5in but hes a fine footballer. We need to get Galway players into that situation where theyre not going to roll away. FORMULE ONE: US F1 has passed a second inspection test conducted by the FIA ahead of their debut next year. Question marks have been recently raised about US F1s viability, however, FIA deputy president Nick Craw is satisfied with the work being done by the team after visiting their headquarters this week in North Carolina. I personally visited the US F1 Team in August, as well as this week, and I am impressed with their progress, said Craw. It has all come together very quickly for the team, and we welcome them in 2010. US F1 on target Morgan gets nod CRICKET: Eoin Morgan has been rewarded for his excellent form in the Champions Trophy with a place in Englands one- day squad for their winter tour of South Africa. Dubliner Morgans (pictured) batting was a real bright spot in Englands run to the semi-finals and can expect to remain in the side when the tour gets under way on November 6. Meanwhile, Steve Harmisons England career looks over after the fast bowler was left out of the Test squad. Ravi Bopara was also dropped from both panels after a dismal summer. GOLF: Darren Clarke suffered another day of frustration at the Madrid Masters in Spain yesterday. Three days after slipping from fourth to seventh in the final round of the Dunhill Links Championship, Clarke burst to the turn in a superb five-under-par 31 before bogeys at the second, fifth and eighth, left the 40-year-old Ryder Cup star having to settle for a three- under 69. Manuel Quiros holds a two-shot lead over fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia thanks to a staggering ten-under 62, five ahead of Irish pair Damien McGrane and Gary Murphy. Clarke frustrated D Friday, October 9, 2009 METROSPORT 25 RUGBY HEINEkEN CUP Leinster will have to repeat the physicality they displayed in defeat- ing Munster if they are to have any chance of opening the Heineken Cup defence with a victory tonight, ac- cording to coach Michael Cheika. Most observers were surprised by the manner in which Leinster domi- nated their provincial rivals in the col- lision areas but Cheika insists visiting London irish, who won a pre-season friendly in Dublin in August, will tar- get what they still perceive as a Lein- ster weakness when they take the field at the rDs. they came here to target us [in pre- season] and they probably still see us as being a little bit weak still, said Cheika. they can target us in the physical stakes... even after [Munster]. theyre not going to change their approach now.You can see it from the friendly. theyve got the goods they can do it, they can muscle up. We have the self-belief and we need to take that on to the field and into the physical stakes, but control- led, making sure were still precise and disciplined. We gave away far too many penalties against Munster. its going to be a massive battle for us there, weve got a lot to prove in that area on Friday night. the exiles have a similar reputation Physicality the key to Irish clash, says Cheika for attacking rugby as their hosts, and winger sailositagicakibau has already scored six tries this season, while dan- gerous scrum-half Paul Hodgson is hoping to continue his fine form as he chases an england call-up. theyve some unbelievable pace spread out wide, admitted Cheika. tagicakibau has scored more tries himself than we have as a team all season. i was reading where [irish coach] toby Booth said theyve threats all over the park. so weve got to be mindful of that and shut them down while imposing our own game on them as well. We know well need to be on the top of the game on Friday night be- cause were going to be seriously challenged. BY GARETH MAkIM Big hits: Shane Jennings and Leinster will be tested again tonight World champions South Africa will provide the first international opposition for Ireland in the new Aviva Stadium on November 6, 2010. The 50,000-capacity stadium is due to be handed over to the IrFU and FAI upon completion in April next year. Exiles aim to join Euro elite loNdoN IrISH are out to establish themselves as one of the finest teams in Europe, but their task will come no harder than a trip to reigning Heineken Cup champions leinster tonight, says head coach Toby Booth. We want to measure ourselves against the best teams in Europe and they dont come much bigger than this just now, said Booth. Playing the current champions at their home is just the welcome back to the tournament that we wanted! But Booth added: our players are aware that many hundreds of supporters are travelling to dublin and will want to give them plenty to cheer about. Boks booked for Lansdowne launch ToNy McGAHAN yesterday named a 27-strong squad for Munsters opening Heineken Cup game against Northampton Saints tomorrow in Franklins Gardens. Tomas oleary is returning to Heineken Cup action and said he is looking to put his injury woes behind him. yeah, Im feeling good and have a few games under my belt now and Im looking forward to Saturday, the scrum-half said. When I get out on the pitch its not on my mind and Im just concentrating on my game and forgetting about the injury, its great. None of us played well against leinster last weekend and weve addressed that now and there is no point dwelling on it. Saturday is the most important thing, the Heineken Cup is such a big part of our season. Theyre a very formidable side with a great home record but we cant dwell on them too much. We can only look after our own performance. Meanwhile, Ulster have made one change to the side which beat llanelli last week for tonights visit of Bath to ravenhill, Andy Kyriacou replacing Nigel Brady at hooker. OLeary out to forget injury woes team news Leinster (v London Irish): I Nacewa; S Horgan, B ODriscoll, G DArcy, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan; C Healy, J Fogarty, M Ross; L Cullen, N Hines; K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements: B Jackman, R McCormack, CJ van der Linde, M OKelly, S OBrien, S Keogh, S Berne, R Kearney Ulster (v Bath): C Schifcofske; T Nagusa, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble; I Humphreys, I Boss; T Court, A Kyriacou, BJ Botha; E ODonoghue, R Caldwell, S Ferris, W Faloon, R Diack. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, D Fitzpatrick, N McComb, C Henry, P Marshall, I Whitten, S Danielli. Munster squad (v Northampton): M Horan, J Brugnaut; T Buckley, D Hurley, D Ryan, D Fogarty, J Flannery, D OCallaghan, M ODriscoll, P OConnell, D Leamy, A Quinlan, D Wallace, N Ronan, N Williams, D Ryan, T Morland, P Stringer, T OLeary, R OGara, P Warwick, L Mafi, J de Villiers, D Howlett, I Dowling, D Hurley, K Earls. Picture:Sportsfile index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html