Max Evans set to face under-strength Leinster after shrugging off injury

MAX Evans returned to training yesterday after suffering a nasty injury at the weekend and is set to be named in Glasgow's side for Friday night's Magners League opener, but opponents Leinster could be without as many as 15 internationalists.

The Scotland centre took a hefty bang to his leg during the 36-17 defeat away to Premiership side Wasps on Saturday and it was doubtful whether he would be able to resume training this week in time for Friday's game. However, he shrugged the pain aside yesterday to take a full part in training which is a relief to coach Sean Lineen and the squad, who are without Johnnie Beattie, John Barclay, James Eddie, Al Kellock, Chris Cusiter and Colin Gregor, among others, for the start of the season.

Gregor is close to returning, but is unlikely to be pressed into action this week, and Canada Test prop Kevin Tkachuk suffered a back injury last week and is doubtful. Glasgow name their side today and are expected to start with the half-back pairing of Ruaridh Jackson and Henry Pyrgos, the recent Scotland under-20 cap.

The Irish provinces insisted at last week's Magners League launch that they would be fielding full sides from the start, however, that appears to have been nonsense. The strict policy marshalled by the national side's management now appears likely to ensure leading stars such as Brian O'Driscoll play only around half of Leinster's 22 league games this season.

Leinster have won just once in their last six opening matches of the season and are again ripe for the picking by Glasgow with the Irishmen stating yesterday they would not be adding any players to the squad that lost 37-14 to Leicester at Welford Road on Saturday, a week after their heavy 41-6 defeat by Wasps in Dublin.

However, they could have a familiar face in opposition with 32-year-old prop Ben Prescott - who was at Glasgow for four years - having signed for Leinster this week, and, with Mike Ross and Stan Wright injured, gone straight into their match squad.

Only three Ireland caps - Luke Fitzgerald, Isaac Boss and new skipper Sean O'Brien - appear certain to be involved against Glasgow, alongside Scottish lock Nathan Hines, Springbok prop Heinke van der Merwe and Isa Nacewa, the versatile Fijian back.

Among those expected to remain in Ireland are star backs Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan, O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy, Jonny Sexton and Eoin Reddan, and Test forwards Cian Healy, John Fogarty, Leo Cullen (injured), Trevor Hogan, Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings, Kevin McLaughlin and Rhys Ruddock.

Richie Murphy, Leinster's Skills and Kicking Coach, said: "The players who have played so far for us have been the younger guys, but they have had a lot of good experience.With the senior guys coming back into the squad over the next three or four weeks it will help cement down what we're trying to do and help give us a little bit more direction.It's a learning curve. We're trying to change a little bit in the way we're trying to play the game.

"We're in a situation where we're playing for points now so we have to do the business on Friday night."