Leinster v Saracens

[mildlyinterested]

Luke McGrath (knee) is unlikely to feature again during the Six Nations. Leinster are however confident that the scrum-half will be fit in time for Saracens.

[mildlyinterested]

Rhys Ruddock is set to give Leinster a massive boost ahead of their Champions Cup quarter-final with Saracens, as the flanker is ahead of schedule in terms of his recovery.

Ruddock damaged his hamstring in the European clash in Exeter in December and initial fears were that he may miss the rest of the reason.

However, the 27-year old has responded well to rehab and is in line to make his return in a matter of weeks.

"Yeah, really good, I'm getting in towards the last stages of it where I can really start off on the intensity with the rehab and running and all the rest of it," Ruddock said.

"So far, so good. I'm kinda ahead of schedule. There are a few more boxes to tick before I am back training with the lads but I'm hoping I'm only a matter of weeks away, as opposed to months.

"I'm hoping I'll play some more rugby season anyway. I'm fully confident in that. It's just a case of whether thins continue to go as smoothly as they have so far.

"If that's that case, I won't be too far off, like I said a matter of weeks as opposed to months. Either way, I'm hoping to be back before the end of the season.

"Best case scenario would be mid to the end of March.

"We haven't really put an exact week on it because at the moment, I was initially to be back early April but I think I'll definitely achieve that. It's just sorta seeing if we can everything in order before then."

[Lar]

That's great news if true. Would love to think Rhys was in with a chance for the Saracens game but it seems amazing given the initial prognosis suggested he would miss most if not all of the rest of this season.

[Lar]

And about time we got some positive injury news. It all seemed to be going the other way since the start of the 6N.

[Oldschool]

Looks like he'll be back for the final at the very least.

[Oldschool]

And about time we got some positive injury news. It all seemed to be going the other way since the start of the 6N.

All we need now is for Isa to be fit in time for the Q/F.

[wixfjord]

Finally some positive injury news. Having Ruddock and SOB available for the QF would be absolutely huge. Could do with their power.

Both will need time against Ospreys the week before, so realistically they're aiming for that, which is 5 weeks away.

[TerenureJim]

Finally some positive injury news. Having Ruddock and SOB available for the QF would be absolutely huge. Could do with their power.

Both will need time against Ospreys the week before, so realistically they're aiming for that, which is 5 weeks away.

Don't forget Heaslip as well, that's a serious level of back row options to come back in

[curates_egg]

Johnny Sexton getting treatment on his back. Missed the captain's run today.
I really hope he is not getting ongoing treatment to play through an injury in the 6 Nations and then we get him back with an instruction to rest him.

[wixfjord]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

[deco]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

He didn't say that, but your naivety is staggering if you think that what he did say is isn't possible.

[wixfjord]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

He didn't say that, but your naivety is staggering if you think that what he did say is isn't possible.

I heard Philip Browne was the lad on the grassy knoll too.

[Grumpy Old Man]

England are confident Owen Farrell will be fit to face Scotland on Saturday despite the leg problem which has restricted his ability to train fully over the past 10 days.

Farrell has not participated in the squad’s more physical sessions since the hard-fought win over Wales but is expected to prove his fitness on Thursday before the team fly north.

The England management are insisting all will be fine even though the Lions midfielder once again played a reduced part in Tuesday’s training watched by the visiting football coaches Stuart Pearce, Hope Powell and Mark Warburton. “Owen is good,” said Neal Hatley, England’s scrum coach. “He’s been doing an extra bit of reconditioning but he’s good to go.

“He’ll train with us on Thursday and has been involved with the group outdoors this week. It’s about doing what we need to do to get the individual specifically right for the weekend. If that means we tailor what we do in the training then we do it to make sure we hit the ground running. We have a clean bill of health so everyone is available for selection.”

[curates_egg]

England are confident Owen Farrell will be fit to face Scotland on Saturday despite the leg problem which has restricted his ability to train fully over the past 10 days.

Farrell has not participated in the squad’s more physical sessions since the hard-fought win over Wales but is expected to prove his fitness on Thursday before the team fly north.

The England management are insisting all will be fine even though the Lions midfielder once again played a reduced part in Tuesday’s training watched by the visiting football coaches Stuart Pearce, Hope Powell and Mark Warburton. “Owen is good,” said Neal Hatley, England’s scrum coach. “He’s been doing an extra bit of reconditioning but he’s good to go.

“He’ll train with us on Thursday and has been involved with the group outdoors this week. It’s about doing what we need to do to get the individual specifically right for the weekend. If that means we tailor what we do in the training then we do it to make sure we hit the ground running. We have a clean bill of health so everyone is available for selection.”

Some balance then.
Main difference: RFU tells Sarries not to play Farrell, Sarries tell the RFU to drop the 'r' and give him a cortizone shot.

[curates_egg]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

He didn't say that, but your naivety is staggering if you think that what he did say is isn't possible.

Not only is it possible, it has happened before with other high profile players: played through injury for Ireland and then returned unavailable to Leinster at key periods of the season.

I get that some people don't mind that, or think it is an acceptable sacrifice to a greater cause. So, I get where the ad hominem comes from. And, I guess for Johnny himself, it is the choice he would make. Either way, it is the reality of how rugby is organised in Ireland, so we've just got to accept it.

Now, there's a good chance the Johnny injury is a case of head games with the Welsh. However, based on past experience, there is an equally good chance he is playing for Ireland with a (managed) injury. In the latter scenario, there is a chance he won't be returned fit to Leinster.
I'll be touching would every time he tackles tomorrow either way.

[paulmpb]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

He didn't say that, but your naivety is staggering if you think that what he did say is isn't possible.

Not only is it possible, it has happened before with other high profile players: played through injury for Ireland and then returned unavailable to Leinster at key periods of the season.

I don’t think anyone would argue with that, curates. The derisible part of your last post was “with instruction to rest them from the IRFU”.

Players will play through injuries during important games if they can get away with it. Leinster don’t rest their injured internationals because of orders from above, they do it because the player pushed themselves when they wanted to and now they can’t anymore. The IRFU boogeyman stuff needs to stop.

[Xanthippe]

We’re not going to get an instruction to rest Johnny Sexton for a feckin Euro QF.

Come on dude your paranoia and confirmation bias around the big bad IRFU running down Leinster is a bit ridiculous.

He didn't say that, but your naivety is staggering if you think that what he did say is isn't possible.

I heard Philip Browne was the lad on the grassy knoll too.

So that's Johnathan in the squad photo which was taken at the beginning of the Captain's Run; with ball in hand during the run and at the kicking session at the end of the run.

He did have some work done on his back (possibly to loosen him up) during the warm up for the session but there's no way anyone could say he missed the Captain'sRun

[D4surfer]

Gibson-Park hobbled off a few minutes after coming on last night. Lowe and Fardy are probably going to be involved anyway. I thought Nick McCarthy had a fantastic game.

[LeinsterLeader]

Did anybody see Luke Mcgrath at the game last night? Hobbling pretty bad with his leg braced up. I know looks can be deceptive on these things but it was hard to figure he'll be ready to go in 5 weeks

[artaneboy]

Did anybody see Luke Mcgrath at the game last night? Hobbling pretty bad with his leg braced up. I know looks can be deceptive on these things but it was hard to figure he'll be ready to go in 5 weeks

Yeah. I know it’s difficult to make judgments from layman’s observations, but he wasn’t moving or looking like a man that’s ready to be back anytime soon.

McCarty was the real MOTM last night. His pass isn’t quite as quick or accurate as JGPs- but he offers a lot around the field. A sort of hybrid of the best of both the senior candidates.

With McGrath doubtful, I would definitely have played Jamison against Saracens- even at the sacrifice of Lowe or Fardy. But if JGP is out too, well that choice is made for us, and we can be some way assured that Nick seems to be rapidly closing the gap in the other SHs.


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