Leinster centre Brian O'Driscoll will return to domestic action this weekend as the Heineken Cup holders prepare to begin the defence of their European Crown.
O'Driscoll was a key figure in the Irish province's first Heineken Cup triumph last season as Michael Cheika's men beat Harlequins, Munster and Leicester in the knockout stages of Europe's premier club competition.
But the 30-year-old Ireland skipper has yet to feature for the Dublin-based side so far this season following his exploits on the summer Lions tour of South Africa.
That statistic is set to change this weekend, however, as O'Driscoll lines up for the league clash with Munster just a week ahead of Leinster's Heineken Cup opener against London Irish at the Royal Dublin Showground.
Toby Booth's Exiles are flying high in the Guinness Premiership yet again and head coach Michael Cheika wants to ensure his talismanic centre has had game time prior to the Pool 6 opener. And that means Cheika will throw him in at the deep end this Saturday in a Magners League rerun of last season's historic Heineken Cup semi-final.
"Brian's got enough experience now to play these games fresh from a long break," said Leinster coach Michael Cheika.
"He will have some rustiness, so we don't expect him to go out there and win the game on his own, but it will be very good for him to get his first start at a high level because it will get him up there pretty quickly."
O'Driscoll is likely to be joined in the Leinster starting line up by fellow 2009 Lions Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Gordon D'Arcy, Jamie Heaslip and Nathan Hines, who all featured in last weekend's narrow victory over Edinburgh at Murrayfield.
All six of Leinster's Lions missed their side's most-recent clash with London Irish - a 24-8 defeat at Donnybrook in a pre-season friendly at the end of August.
