EVEN ALLOWING FOR an injury list which contains no fewer than seven internationals, Leo Cullen and the Leinster coaching team face a number of big selection calls ahead of their Champions Cup clash with Glasgow Warriors on Sunday [KO 1pm, Sky Sports].
The eastern province yesterday ruled Garry Ringrose (ankle), James Tracy (elbow) and Adam Byrne (knee) out of the round five clash at the RDS while it is ‘unlikely’ that Sean O’Brien will have recovered from hip stiffness to be available.
O’Brien, who said last week he was targeting Sunday’s game as his return date having been sidelined since the win over Exeter last month, visited a specialist yesterday and Leinster say they will provide a further update on his fitness on Friday pending the outcome of that assessment.
Stuart Lancaster downplayed concerns over the flanker’s fitness ahead of the Six Nations: “I don’t think the position has really changed. It’s a niggly hip injury which is a pretty important part of a back rower’s anatomy and if he’s struggling then we need to get it sorted for him really.”
Ringrose is, however, a serious doubt for Ireland’s championship campaign after undergoing ankle surgery yesterday. The 22-year-old, who is only just back from a five-month layoff, now faces another period of five to six weeks on the sidelines.
“Garry is actually very philosophical about it,” Lancaster said. “It’s not something that he could have controlled. He would have been frustrated with himself if it had been a soft tissue injury, where he hadn’t done his prep or warm-up work as well as he could have done. It’s just one of those things that happens in a contact sport like rugby. He’s quite philosophical.
“He’s in the meetings already and contributing, he had the operation yesterday and is here today so that’s typical Garry really. He’ll be back soon. He’ll miss this block but he’ll come back in the next block of Pro14 games and will still be there or thereabouts for the Six Nations.”
The timing of this latest injury setback, five games into his season and at the start of a crucial block of fixtures for both Leinster and Ireland, is cruel.
“It’s a shame for him but he’s a quality player and he definitely has youth on his side. He has a long career ahead of him. He was really beginning to find his feet again. It was just rotten luck.”
There was slightly more positive news on Tadhg Furlong, although the prop is awaiting further assessment on an elbow problem sustained against Ulster and didn’t partake in the full squad session at Donnybrook yesterday. Nor did Richardt Strauss, Michael Bent, Andrew Porter, James Ryan, Robbie Henshaw or Fergus McFadden.
Leinster are confident of having Furlong available for selection when Cullen names his team to face Glasgow on Friday lunchtime, but before then there will be a series of difficult selection meetings taking place.
Joey Carbery yesterday returned to full contact training and should he come through another session later in the week, is expected to be in contention again. That leaves Cullen with an array of options for the fullback position including the rejuvenated Rob Kearney, the in-form Jordan Larmour and Carbery.
James Lowe is also waiting to make his Champions Cup bow for Leinster having been added to the squad ahead of the round four fixture and is certainly pushing for inclusion, while Cian Healy’s return from suspension puts him in competition with Jack McGrath again.
The back row competition, as it always is, is fierce even with O’Brien, Rhys Ruddock and Jamie Heaslip on the sidelines.
“It’s a difficult one but we’re better off splitting it into a two-game selection because of the short turnaround,” Lancaster says. “Then we have to play in France [against Montpellier] on Saturday so the way in which we use the squad over the two games will be critical to our performances.
“As I said, there’s some difficult selection conversations but we don’t select in isolation. We need to select well for both games.”
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I’d be tempted to rest/bench a few guys this week. Glasgow are out of the competition and won’t be focusing on this game at all. We’ll probably need to win in Montpellier to make the top 2 seeds.
Healy Cronin Porter
Molony Toner
Leavy Murphy VDF
McGrath Sexton
Nacewa Henshaw
Lowe Kearney Daly
Byrne, McGrath, Bent, Fardy, Deegan, McCarthy, Byrne, Larmour
And for Monty:
McGrath Cronin Furlong
Fardy Toner
Leavy Conan VDF
McGrath Sexton
Nacewa Henshaw
Daly Kearney McFadden
Byrne, Healy, Porter, Molony, Murphy, JGP, Carbery, Larmour
@John Molloy: I don’t think Glasgow are just going to roll over in this match. They have a point to prove by winning at least one match
@John Molloy: absolutely no reason to rest anyone. The players were well managed over Christmas so we should be seeing2 full strength teams and nothing else. There’s a job to do and this game counts just as important as Mont.
@John Molloy: I disagree, go as strong as possible v Glasgow get as many points as we can on the board and see what we need for next week.
@John Molloy: go all out this weekend against Glasgow who have nothing to lose so are extra dangerous. Need a big performance on Sunday. A five pointer and a favourable result in Exeter this weekend could leave us top and un catchable.
@Ro Molloy: Hogg is one of over a dozen injuries Glasgow have, plus they’ve stated that they’ll be resting Russell and Gray. They will be sending over their seconds. They’ll still be a good side, but we can afford to rest a couple of guys with the short turn around and tough trip ahead. I reckon we can get the TBP with the team above.
@Chris Mc: by my reckoning we will need the win in Montpellier. Clermont, even with all their injuries, should secure the top seed spot with 2 TBP wins. I can’t see Munster getting 2 TBP wins in their remaining games but I can see La Rochelle do it. Away to a poor Ulster side that’s short on confidence and Home to Quins. Should be 10 points. That would put them in 25. So we’d need to target 26 to get a top 2 spot. That means 8 points.
@John Molloy: agreed Leinster need to make top 2 seeds otherwise 3rd seed will likely lose to Saracens who will finish 6th.
@John Molloy: by losing this match it could cost Leinster later on. They might not have a home quarter or semi.By drawing with castes last year we had to go to Clermont for the semis as they had more points in the group stages. We need a home quarter and semi. Just to rest a few players is ridiculous.This is the most important competition for Leinster.
If furlong isnt fit porter is more than capable. I think OLaughlin will step in for Ringrose. The back 3 is the only mystery. It all depends on how Leinster want to play. Theres 3 very attacking minded players in Lowe, Larmour and Daly and the 3 defensively minded players in kearney mcfadden and Nacewa. They went defensive vs Exeter and it worked, but was boring to watch. Be interesting to see who gets picked now
@Rudiger McMonihan: Fardy is now a mainstay, and JGP is very much the second scrumhalf, so he’ll be on the bench. That rules Lowe out I reckon. But what’s available in the back 3 is ample. McFadden is on some run of form, so I can see him starting. And then a fit Necewa and Kearney rarely get overlooked. I think Larmour has definitely put his hand up to jump to this level, but Glasgow can destroy you out wide, so maybe they’ll give his defensive positioning a few more work one before he’s called up. No matter what combination goes out, you’d be confident in their ability.
@Conor Paddington: The fact that lowe has been added and McCarthy subbed in all the interpros makes me think it could go either way with those two
@Rudiger McMonihan: yeah, not impossible. But I don’t really get the impression that Leo trusts McCarthy just yet. And that being so, it puts a lot of pressure on McGrath to not have JGP on the bench.
@Rudiger McMonihan: Nacewa defensive ? He’s a great defender but he’s lethal going forward . Kearney defensive ? Isn’t that his biggest flaw ? Defending the last man.. Maybe you mean they’re more reliable under a high ball but if that’s the case you should have said it
@Martin Quinn: yes definitely but that just goes to show that the description of them as ‘defensive ‘ is just wrong
O’Brien’s hip injury seems to be more serious than first thought. Going from a bit of stiffness to seeing a specialist is indeed worrying.
Interesting to see who will start at full back. I would like to see Larmour, but that is maybe heart above head. Glasgow’s back 3 cause trouble for back lines and today is maybe not the day.
Maybe a day for a solid positioned Kearney.