JAMES RYAN’S RETURN to competitive rugby looks likely to be in an Ireland jersey after Leinster revealed the lock has suffered a training ground shoulder injury.
The province say the powerful second row will be out of action for 10-12 weeks after undergoing a procedure on a shoulder issue. That time-frame that will keep him out of not only Leinster’s remaining Pro14 fixtures – kicking off against Munster on 22 August, but also the Champions Cup quarter-final against Saracens.
If Leinster were to make it beyond the relegated English champions, Ryan would likely remain sidelined for the Champions Cup semi-final and final – eight and 11 weeks away respectively.
Ireland’s Six Nations campaign will resume against Italy on 24 October, just under 12 weeks from today.
Wing Adam Byrne is also due to have surgery and sit out the remainder of the 2019/20 season with a hamstring injury.
Better news comes in the form of Dan Leavy, who has resumed full training 16 months on from his horror knee injury during the Champions Cup quarter-final win over Ulster last year. James Lowe is also back in training after following guidelines on his return from New Zealand.
Peter Dooley is working his way back from a shoulder injury and is due to resume training in the fortnight ahead. Vakh Abdaladze suffered a recurrence of his back injury and will consult a specialist before deciding a rehabilitation programme.
Ryan Baird
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: itd be nice to see him actually start a few games alright and see if he can live up to the hype against decent opposition and Leinster still have Toner to fall back on if he doesn’t. Shame for Ryan, bad timing and all that but having Leavy back is very positive.
@Jim Demps: “live up the hype against decent opposition “. Jim please stop embarrassing yourself. Hes created his own hype with one of the best individual performances a forward has put on against a Glasgow team littered with international players.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: He played very well against them but I think Jim’s point is that to live up to everyone’s hopes he must show it in consecutive games against top opposition.
Longer term we need him & Thomas Aherne of Munster to deliver. Both have the physique and are clearly great athletes.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Exactly! Jim would be be jizzing himself if JR played in red.
Ryan, brilliant performances game after game, future Leinster and Ireland captain
@AJ McLaughlin: I feel like you got over excited yourself when you saw it was me and didn’t actually read what was said.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: one good game against Glasgow alright. He’ll have a chance to back it up now.
@Jim Demps: would you prefer we done a Munster and bought in 2 South African secondrows. This kid has talent and hopefully will become a decent player for us, he’s still a kid but had a really big game v glasgow so most of us will give him a bit of time.
I remember your lot thought Ian nagle was a cross between Paul O’connell and superman after one decent game so let’s wait and see.
@Chris Mc: don’t forget Peter Borlase after the Australia game.
@Jim Demps: what makes you think we give a flying fiddle what you and others feel about Baird?
@Phil Mc Donald: who’s we?
@James: dont forget Michael bent !
That’s a fairly big loss for 12 weeks.
That’s a big loss. Toner/Fardy is still a good pairing but considerably less dynamic. Will also mean we can’t bring Fardy off the bench.
I think Baird will see a lot of game time, which is one very big positive from this. Seemingly he has put on a few kilos over the last few months too.
Would be fascinating to see him go up against Snyman in a few weeks time.
@Oval Digest: Ross Moloney has had decent form lately and will also get game time. Doesn’t have the headlines like some others but I’d a fine secondrow. I think he’s about 27 and might just start dominating.
@Chris Mc: Yep he has had a really good season. Not sure he has the physicality for Itoje/Kruis albeit!
@Oval Digest: Probably not powerful enough for them yet but how he performs against them would be a good measure of where he is currently at. Fardy & Toner are both getting on so a younger more mobile SR might be the right call.
Ryan is a huge loss for that Saracens game.
@Oval Digest: Kruis has left Saracens. Gone to Japan. Would have been nice to see Ryan vs Itoje again though.
@TL55: Indeed. There are few locks capable of dealing with Itoje. Even Ryan struggled. Itoje’s a smart/wily player, as well as being hugely physical. Airways playing at the limits of legality (and frequently beyond) though mostly seems to get away with it). Really tough competitor.
@gpq: Pretty sure Kruis will finish out EPCR Season before going to Japan
That’s a disaster.
Beat Irish second row of the professional era.
@Robb Stark: haaaaaaaaaaa whooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooo!
The hyping of raw, neophyte Leinster talent into world beaters on this site is beyond laughable.
@David Finn: Care to give some examples in between your fits of laughter?
Baird looks like an excellent talent who put in a pretty incredible performance against Glasgow and has been mentioned by the likes of Murray K and Jackman as a potential Irish starter for the next RWC.
I don’t think anyone has called him a ‘world beater’ at all. But he’s clearly got huge potential.
Ryan is a big loss but plenty of decent cover in Fardy, Dev, Molony & Baird. Dooley could be a bigger loss. He was in good form earlier in the season. If Healy is with Ireland it leaves Leinster tight at LH with only Byrne & Milne. Now Bent could do a job there and perhaps Porter but Leinster may need cover there. Tighthead side might be a little thin too when Porter and Furlong are with Ireland.
He wouldn’t have been in the pro 14 anyway.