JAMES LOWE AND TADHG Furlong are close to making their returns for Leinster and could even feature in this weekend’s Champions Cup clash with Stade Français in Dublin.

31-year-old Lowe hasn’t played a game of rugby since Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to the All Blacks 13 weeks ago, having returned home to New Zealand for personal reasons following the tournament and then managed back towards full fitness by Leinster since.

Lowe was close to featuring in the clash with Ulster on New Year’s Day but missed a couple of fitness markers, meaning he and Leinster targetted this weekend’s meeting with Stade Français instead.

Ireland boss Andy Farrell would welcome the sight of Lowe back in action after his other first-choice wing, Mack Hansen, and Hansen’s possible replacement, Jimmy O’Brien, were both ruled out of the Six Nations, which gets underway on 2 February.

Furlong’s most recent outing for Leinster was six weekends ago and he has been out of action since following the death of his father, James, last month.

But the 31-year-old Wexford man has been back training with Leinster recently and is now close to making his return to match action.

Tadhg Furlong at Leinster training yesterday. Ben Brady / INPHO Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

“James trained both sessions last week and he was in the mix today so he is training,” said Leinster senior coach Jacques Nienaber yesterday.

“They are layering in his involvements and making sure that the volumes and metrics they look after are not over-exposing him because he comes from a low base having not played since the World Cup.

“As soon as we get the clear from them that they are happy, I’m sure he will be available for selection.

“Tadhg is the same. With his family reasons, he hasn’t been exposed to a lot of on-field training so he has been almost drip-fed into the system getting more and more and more exposure but he’s probably been more exposed to rugby over the last month than James would have been.”