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O'Driscoll suffered a head injury for Ireland two weekends ago. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Injury Update

Leinster 'optimistic' O'Driscoll will play against Northampton

Matt O’Connor’s squad is looking in good health ahead of the crucial Heineken Cup clash in Franklin’s Gardens.

LEINSTER ARE OPTIMISTIC that Brian O’Driscoll will be fit to play against Northampton Saints in their Pool 1 Heineken Cup clash this weekend.

There are no major injury concerns following the province’s five-try 36-19 win over the Scarlets on Saturday in the RaboDirect Pro12. Forwards coach Greg Feek says the decisions to remove the likes of Martin Moore, Shane Jennings and Gordon D’Arcy were not great cause for concern.

In fact, the former All Black feels that his side are in good health.

I think we’re not looking too bad. There’s a couple of things that cropped up today, but we’ll find more out tomorrow. At this stage, we’re not looking too bad.

“A couple of guys who came off on the weekend were a little bit precautionary. Rather than take the chance [against the Scarlets], we had guys who could come on and do a job. So, things aren’t too bad.”

Tight-head prop Moore was withdrawn in the first half of the Pro12 encounter after being winded at the scrum which led to a penalty try for Leinster, but is fit to train fully this week.

Ireland internationals O’Driscoll, Isaac Boss, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip, Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney, Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien and Devin Toner all re-joined the squad for this afternoon’s session at UCD.

There will naturally be concern over O’Driscoll, given the apparent severity of the concussion he sustained against the All Blacks two weekends ago, but Feek says Leinster are confident

Drico’s going to go through his protocols. Unless they [the medical staff] said today, ‘He’s gone’, I’d be really optimistic.”

“Obviously today he’s back running around and we’ll follow those protocols – we have to – to the tee. Then we’ll see how he goes, but we’re reasonably optimistic how he’s looking. Hopefully he can have a run out this week.”

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