STUART LANCASTER SAYS there’s ‘no reason’ why Leinster won’t unleash all five of their returning Lions in Friday’s Guinness Pro14 clash after they were declared available for selection.
Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong, Sean O’Brien, Jack McGrath and Robbie Henshaw will train in UCD this afternoon and are due to feature for the first time this season when Leo Cullen’s side return to the RDS after their two-week tour of South Africa.
Sexton has shaken off wrist and ankle issues while Henshaw (torn pectoral muscle), O’Brien (shoulder) and Furlong (thumb) have recovered from their respective injuries, with Lancaster, who returned home from South Africa early to work with the players, confident they’ll be fit and raring to go.
The availability of all five, subject to coming through today, Wednesday and Thursday unscathed, is a major fillip for the eastern province ahead of a crunch block of fixtures, which begins with the visit of Richard Cockerill’s side and includes games against Munster, Montpellier and Glasgow.
“They should be good to go as long as they get through today,” Lancaster said this afternoon.
“They’re desperate to get going, they’ve watched players who were on the Lions tour come back with their clubs and getting back into action but rightly so they’ve been rested.
“Now they’re ready to go, they’ve big games coming around the corner for us obviously and then November internationals. We’re very lucky really that the Lions players from Leinster contributed massively to the series. Robbie was unlucky with his injury but they were key players weren’t they. If they’re key for the Lions, they’re key for us.
“It’s massive having them back but it’s not to be underestimated the absence of Scott Fardy and Devin Toner in South Africa as well, so those two coming back in as well. It’s a positive.”
When asked if Leinster would include all five in Friday’s matchday squad, Lancaster added: “That’s up to Leo, we’ve got to get through today but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t.”
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Back and ready to go: Sean O'Brien (wearing Richardt Strauss' t-shirt). Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Isa Nacewa will, however, miss Friday’s game as he awaits the result of a scan on the calf injury he sustained in last week’s disappointing defeat to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Leinster captain was among the first group of players to return from South Africa last night — the others are due into Dublin this afternoon — and is now a doubt for the game against Munster at the Aviva on 7 October.
“He got a kick on the calf in the lead up to the incident, that’s probably a bigger contributing factor,” Lancaster said, when asked if three long-haul flights contributed to his injury.
“He’s had a scan last night and will get the results today. Usually with these things it’s a couple of weeks minimum, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that we get him back right for Munster. We’ll know more by the close of play.”
Luke McGrath, who returned from South Africa early, and Fergus McFadden will be assessed by the Leinster medical staff as the week progresses after picking up arm and hamstring injuries respectively.
James Ryan (foot) will definitely miss the round five game against Edinburgh while there was no update on Rob Kearney (hamstring), Dan Leavy (ankle), Jamie Heaslip (lower back), Richardt Strauss (knee), Tom Daly (knee), Peadar Timmins (quad) or Garry Ringrose (shoulder).
Lancaster, meanwhile, expressed his frustration at the performance in the shock defeat to the Cheetahs on Friday having watched the game from at home in Dublin.
Stuart Lancaster speaking to the media at UCD. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
The senior coach flew back to Ireland last Wednesday to begin preparations for Edinburgh with the players who didn’t travel and says he expects a reaction from them this week.
“Strange and frustrating in equal measure,” he said of watching from afar.
“Disappointing performance there’s no doubt about it, we lost the physical battle. As defence coach I was frustrated we conceded so many points, it hasn’t happened in a while so I expect a reaction this week.
When asked if it would have been more benefit to stay with the squad rather than come back to Ireland, he added: ”At the end of the day, it’s down to the players on the field and you can’t make them defend. They need to come with the right mindset, and the Cheetahs had a very aggressive one and we didn’t. The damage was done in the first 60.”
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Five Lions set to return for Leinster in Friday's clash with Edinburgh
STUART LANCASTER SAYS there’s ‘no reason’ why Leinster won’t unleash all five of their returning Lions in Friday’s Guinness Pro14 clash after they were declared available for selection.
Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong, Sean O’Brien, Jack McGrath and Robbie Henshaw will train in UCD this afternoon and are due to feature for the first time this season when Leo Cullen’s side return to the RDS after their two-week tour of South Africa.
Sexton has shaken off wrist and ankle issues while Henshaw (torn pectoral muscle), O’Brien (shoulder) and Furlong (thumb) have recovered from their respective injuries, with Lancaster, who returned home from South Africa early to work with the players, confident they’ll be fit and raring to go.
The availability of all five, subject to coming through today, Wednesday and Thursday unscathed, is a major fillip for the eastern province ahead of a crunch block of fixtures, which begins with the visit of Richard Cockerill’s side and includes games against Munster, Montpellier and Glasgow.
“They should be good to go as long as they get through today,” Lancaster said this afternoon.
“They’re desperate to get going, they’ve watched players who were on the Lions tour come back with their clubs and getting back into action but rightly so they’ve been rested.
“It’s massive having them back but it’s not to be underestimated the absence of Scott Fardy and Devin Toner in South Africa as well, so those two coming back in as well. It’s a positive.”
When asked if Leinster would include all five in Friday’s matchday squad, Lancaster added: “That’s up to Leo, we’ve got to get through today but there’s no reason why we shouldn’t.”
Isa Nacewa will, however, miss Friday’s game as he awaits the result of a scan on the calf injury he sustained in last week’s disappointing defeat to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The Leinster captain was among the first group of players to return from South Africa last night — the others are due into Dublin this afternoon — and is now a doubt for the game against Munster at the Aviva on 7 October.
“He got a kick on the calf in the lead up to the incident, that’s probably a bigger contributing factor,” Lancaster said, when asked if three long-haul flights contributed to his injury.
“He’s had a scan last night and will get the results today. Usually with these things it’s a couple of weeks minimum, we’ll keep our fingers crossed that we get him back right for Munster. We’ll know more by the close of play.”
Luke McGrath, who returned from South Africa early, and Fergus McFadden will be assessed by the Leinster medical staff as the week progresses after picking up arm and hamstring injuries respectively.
James Ryan (foot) will definitely miss the round five game against Edinburgh while there was no update on Rob Kearney (hamstring), Dan Leavy (ankle), Jamie Heaslip (lower back), Richardt Strauss (knee), Tom Daly (knee), Peadar Timmins (quad) or Garry Ringrose (shoulder).
Lancaster, meanwhile, expressed his frustration at the performance in the shock defeat to the Cheetahs on Friday having watched the game from at home in Dublin.
The senior coach flew back to Ireland last Wednesday to begin preparations for Edinburgh with the players who didn’t travel and says he expects a reaction from them this week.
“Strange and frustrating in equal measure,” he said of watching from afar.
“Disappointing performance there’s no doubt about it, we lost the physical battle. As defence coach I was frustrated we conceded so many points, it hasn’t happened in a while so I expect a reaction this week.
When asked if it would have been more benefit to stay with the squad rather than come back to Ireland, he added: ”At the end of the day, it’s down to the players on the field and you can’t make them defend. They need to come with the right mindset, and the Cheetahs had a very aggressive one and we didn’t. The damage was done in the first 60.”
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fit and ready to go Guinness Pro14 Jack McGrath Johnny Sexton Leinster pro14 robbie henshaw