LEINSTER HAVE BEEN handed a boost ahead of their Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Leicester with the return to full training of hooker Rónan Kelleher and lock Ryan Baird.
Leo Cullen’s men will meet the Tigers on Saturday at Welford Road in Leicester in what is an eagerly-anticipated heavyweight European clash.
Kelleher flew out with Leinster for their two-week URC tour of South Africa a fortnight ago but returned home early after picking up a shoulder knock. The Ireland international has now recovered fully and is fit to feature against Leicester.
Second row Baird has been sidelined with a back injury since Ireland’s Six Nations campaign but is now also back in full training and clear to resume playing for Leinster.
Cullen will definitely be without experienced hooker James Tracy for the European quarter-final due to his neck injury, while back row Max Deegan is a doubt as he continues to have a shoulder issue assessed.
Leinster returned from their trip to South Africa following last Saturday’s defeat to the Stormers, although Cullen opted to leave all of his key front-liners at home in order to prepare for the Leicester clash.
Senior coach Stuart Lancaster led the sessions with the likes of captain Johnny Sexton and his fellow Ireland internationals back at Leinster’s training base in UCD over the past two weeks.
Leinster are now hopeful that those front-line players are fresh and perfectly prepared for the challenge of going on the road to Leicester.
Dave Kearney [hamstring] and Will Connors [knee] remain sidelined with their long-term injuries.
altogether now…….
TTTOOMMMMYYYYYY BBBOOOWWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
They had a phenomenal year? They lost the six nations to Tv3? He’s deluded
@Darragh Flynn:
Is that how you evaluate achievement? By who has the most money?
No and I’m a fan of a lot of sports, but losing rights of two of the biggest sports viewer pullers (RWC & 6N) to your national rival is certainly not an achievement. They’ll miss the viewer figures when they’re gone.
But hes obviously focusing on what coverage they have delivered on (thats what he was saying was excellent), not what they were outbidded on? Im not saying they WERE excellent but thought you were aimimg at the wrong point
Ireland beating the All Blacks was the sporting highlight of the year for me …. watched on an iPad then free on Eir then had to watch a montage the next week on RTE before the Canada game including fake commentary on the historic match they didn’t show …. load of shite
RTÉ’s soccer and GAA coverage is beyond sh!te. Same tired old muppets churning out the same crap year after year. I’d rather pay to watch decent coverage.
Ahhh…God love poor Ryle, he gets upset at a little criticism. Have to agree to with @Niall, the RTE soccer pundits plus the GAA football pundits are long overdue a shake up. The hurling pundits are the best of a bad lot. As for George Hook and his rugger buggers……???
@Niall McNamara:
pay to watch jaime redknapp or micheal owen? Every station has poor pundits(or ones you disagree with) but you’re doing a blanket statement which is idiotic. Hamann is probably the best pundit out there and where is he…..RTE
George retired – Shane Horgan, ROG and Brent Pope are all excellent
When it comes to GAA and Rugbaí. TG4 are streets ahead. If I heard Hugh Cahill commentating, I’d break my own rule and watch it on a Brit channel.
We should just give the award to everybody who played sport this year! Why narrow it down to one?
@Conor Paddingto:
Well that has to be the dumbest thing I have ever read.
@Just Some Guy: sarcasm frequently appears that way to the uninitiated. 8 nominees, no one there unjustly and an endless moan about who isn’t on the list. Silliness.
Up yours Ryle
He is the worst commentator of the whole lot including sky sports!!! How he has kept the job is amazing given the amount of people that have the same opinion….oh wait he gives himself the job as head of sport. What’s his KPI’s
Congrats to all nominated and all but only 2 people who should win this are Frampton or McGregor. Won world titles. Don’t think frampton has the support in Ireland to win a vote so McGregor it is. Will he turn up. Surprised McIlroy wasn’t nominated had a pretty good year but he did win it the other year so maybe they thought if nominated he would win it again. Though boycott of Olympics would have hit his popularity in public votes
So what was the criteria then?
Agree he’s deluded and interesting to see the wide spectrum of fans who think the same. They give no support to any LOI teams in Europe – Eir Sport stepped in and gave excellent coverage to Dundalk European adventure and id love them to get hold of the LOI and stick it on free to air
The only thing good about RTE’s lack of rugby coverage is that we don’t have to listen Ryle’s poor commentary too often. Usually turn sound down and listen to Michael Corcoran.
Sully