THE DARK CLOUD hanging over Leinster eased today with the news that hooker Richardt Strauss’s knee scare is not as bad as originally feared.

There were worries that Strauss had torn his anterior cruciate ligament when he crumpled to the ground and was substituted after just 11 minutes of Saturday’s 28-21 defeat to Clermont Auvergne.

But following scans yesterday, coach Joe Schmidt confirmed that the diagnosis was less severe medial ligament damage which should see Strauss back in action in approximately four weeks.

“It’s a heck of a lot better than the four months plus that it would have otherwise been,” Schmidt said.

The recovery timeframe also comes as a welcome boost to Ireland coach Declan Kidney who will want to have the South African-born front-row at his disposal when the Six Nations begins in February.

Leinster travel to Ravenhill on Friday evening for a Christmas inter-provincial against Ulster, who have a 100% record in the RaboDirect Pro12 with 10 wins from 10.

Isa Nacewa is a doubt for the trip north with deep bruising in his arm, while Schmidt expects flanker Shane Jennings to be fit for selection.

“Shane Jennings has a little bit of a facial injury that makes him look a little bit bizarre at the moment but that will actually settle down over the next two days, three days so he should be fully fit,” he said.

And there was better news on the injury front with long-term injury absentee Luke Fitzgerald nearing a return to action, while Brian O’Driscoll trained in the squad’s UCD session this afternoon.

“Earliest for Luke is a possible Connacht [29 December] and a probable Edinburgh [4 January],” Schmidt added.

“It’s great to see Brian O’Driscoll back on the field training with us. Rob Kearney is back on the field training with us next week. We need a couple of feel-good stories after the last two weeks so there is a bit of positivity in the camp.”

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