News article – Style E 5663

…Munster captain Anthony Foley and coach Declan Kidney at Tuesday’s press conference…

Denis Leamy has a “better than 50-50 chance” of playing for Munster in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Perpignan, according to coach Declan Kidney.

Ireland back row Leamy, who damaged his ankle in the Triple Crown win over England last Saturday week, was back training with the Munster squad yesterday, but only jogging.

Kidney, speaking to the press, said: “Denis will be given every chance to prove his fitness. He jogged reasonably well at training earlier, but there is a big difference between jogging and taking a full part in a session so we’ll do a test at some stage on Thursday or Friday to see where he’s at.

“At the moment, we’d say he had a better than 50-50 chance of making it. Overall, we had a good session (this morning), there are always guys with a few aches and pains, but there was nothing that would rule anyone out for Saturday.”

…Declan Kidney – in the spotlight…

Kidney rates Perpignan, who currently sit fourth in the French Top 14 Championship after last weekend’s defeat of Bourgoin, highly.

The Corkman said: “We’ve been over to see them – when they lost to Stade after having a man sent off after 20 minutes, and when they beat Toulouse at home – and, of course, we’ve studied them on video.

“They have a huge physical presence, probably greater even than that of Sale, and their speed and acceleration at the break off a free kick, penalty, a mark or a 22 is very impressive. The game can be going at one pace and then all of a sudden, they’ll shoot into overdrive and if you’re not sharp, they’ll get by you.”