AS A HOST of front-line internationals were reduced to a watching brief during Leinster’s first squad session of the week yesterday, Stuart Lancaster conceded selection for Saturday’s inter-pro against Munster will be made with one eye on Europe.

After fielding a full-strength team in Galway last week, and the visit of Wasps to the RDS in Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup opener just around the corner, the province are expected to rotate their resources this weekend. 

Johnny Sexton and Rob Kearney sat out training at Donnybrook yesterday. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

Johnny Sexton, Rob Kearney, Josh van der Flier, Garry Ringrose and Tadhg Furlong were among those who sat out Monday afternoon’s session at Donnybrook, while Rhys Ruddock and Jordan Larmour are nursing hip injuries suffered in the victory over Connacht at the Sportsground.

Sexton has started the last three Guinness Pro14 outings and is expected be given the weekend off when Munster visit the Aviva Stadium, ahead of Leinster’s Pool 1 games against Wasps and Toulouse in the coming weeks.

The level of depth which exists in Leo Cullen’s squad means the eastern province will still be able to name a strong XV for the round six clash against Johann van Graan’s side [KO 6pm, eir Sport/Premier Sports], with Dan Leavy, James Ryan and Jack McGrath all back in contention.

One of the key considerations for Cullen and Lancaster is the five-day turnaround from the derby against Munster to the start of their Champions Cup defence, with Wasps visiting the RDS on Friday 12 October in the first game of the pool stages.

“Yeah, certainly the challenge that we have that others don’t is that we play Friday night, we kick off Europe with the Wasps game. That does have an effect,” Lancaster said.

“We play Saturday evening, Sunday we’ll be off but Monday where we would traditionally be quite quiet we will have to be a reasonably full training day. Tuesday we’ll be off and then we’ll go Wednesday and Thursday is captain’s run, Friday is the game.

“We’ll certainly have to manage the squad but I don’t want anyone to think we’re not taking the game seriously because it’s entirely the opposite.

“A pretty strong Leinster team will be put out and I imagine a pretty strong Munster team but I’d imagine both teams will have an eye on how many games they play this time of year with Europe coming around the corner.”

Even if Leinster shuffle their pack for their showdown with Munster, they will have international quality players to step in to virtually every position, with Robbie Henshaw, Andrew Porter, Sean O’Brien and Ross Byrne all in line for starts.

Fergus McFadden and Robbie Henshaw are due to be back this weekend. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

O’Brien’s return to fitness bolsters Leinster’s back row resources after the flanker came through his 50-minute comeback in Galway unscathed, while van der Flier has also hit the ground running after his long lay-off.

“Credit to Sean for all the work he has put in, but also the backroom staff who have done an incredible job really,” Lancaster continued. “Not just with him, but I mean Josh got the man of the match award [against Connacht] and rightly so.

“To have Josh and Seanie back is a massive boost for us because Dan Leavy should be up and running this weekend as well.

“For Seanie, in particular, it has been a long, long road for him and we put him on a bit earlier than we hoped against Connacht, but he came through fine. His presence, not just in the changing room, but on the field. You could feel and see his presence in the tackle area, his strength in the contact.

“For him there are another couple of levels he can go to, but it was a great start.” 

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