The Leinster squad trained in UCD yesterday ahead of Sunday’s European Champions Cup Pool 2 clash away to Castres Olympique, and head coach Matt O’Connor had encouraging news on the injury front.
There were no new injuries from the game against Wasps and while some players involved sat out the session on Tuesday, all were back training by yesterday.
The injured quartet of Shane Jennings (hamstring), Dan Leavy (knee), Dave Kearney (knee) and Jordi Murphy (shoulder) all took to the pitch as their recovery from their respective injuries stepped up a gear.
Indeed, Jennings, Leavy and Kearney may even be considered for selection as early as next week if training goes well and there is no adverse reaction.
There was also positive news for Cian Healy and Sean O’Brien as they both started their rehabilitation programmes this week in the gym from hamstring and shoulder operations. Both players are not expected back until the new year but both operations were a success and the injuries are healing well.
Luke Fitzgerald, who was on the bench against Wasps, has taken a full part in training this week and is again available for selection this weekend.
Finally, both Mike Ross and Rob Kearney have returned to training this week having had to withdraw from the squad to play Wasps late last week with minor groin and back issues. A final decision on their involvement will not be made until later in the week.
Speaking ahead of the Champions Cup clash with Castres on Sunday, the province’s scrum coach Marco Caputo (pictured above) said: “French teams are significantly better at home than they are on the road. Castres have only won three matches (this season), all of those matches they’ve won have been at home.
“One of those matches was against Grenoble, who are currently sitting fifth in the Top 14, and they put 50 points on them. I’d say Castres at this moment in time are probably a 20-point better side playing at home.
“We’ve previewed their performances both on the road and at home and it’s significantly evident that they are a much better team at home.”
He added: “Castres are a team that are extremely confrontational, they’re an aggressive team. We know that French teams, particularly when they’re playing at home, will come at us through their forwards, through their scrum, through their lineout, with their driving maul.
“The crowd comes into play if they get a little bit of ascendancy there, which brings the referee into play. It’s a completely different game that we’re preparing for, a different mindset.
“We’ve really got to roll up our sleeves, get our hands dirty this weekend and we’re preparing for a hugely confrontational game.”
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