HIS BROTHER MAY not be fit enough to return to first team action this weekend, but Dave Kearney is chomping at the bit to be involved for Leinster.
Following a year which proved a breakthrough for the Louthman, his hip injury at the end of last season made him one of a number of outrageously talented players spending more time with the physio than the coaches.
The province were deprived of a valuable utility back when he was needed most.
Early last week Joe Schmidt, had earmarked the 23-year-old for a role with Leinster A in Pontypridd on Saturday, instead he travelled further on west as first team cover in Llanelli.
With Jonathan Sexton having played three consecutive matches, Schmidt will probably take account of the player management scheme and rest some front-line players. That means a likely switch back to number 10 for Ian Madigan leaving Kearney able to get a run in his favoured fullback role against Cardiff Blues at the RDS this Saturday.
Ordinarily, players would defer to a coach’s ultimate control over the team-sheet. Kearney could not disguise his excitement, checking himself mid-sentence while saying:
“I’m delighted to be back training this week. It was a tough three or four months. I’ve been out since June so it gets frustrating when you start watching games and you can’t play. I’m back now so, I don’t know if I’ll get a run at the weekend, but hopefully I do.”
With Declan Kidney naming his international squad for November today, this international window will come too early for Kearney and he reiterates his desire to play this Saturday rather than holding out hope for a surprise phone-call from the Corkman.
“I haven’t really thought about (Ireland caps) that to be honest. I’m just focused on getting back and getting a bit of game time under my belt. Hopefully I can do that this week.”
Despite their poor early-season form, Saturday’s opposition, Cardiff Blues provide as good of a shop window as any Pro12 team can.
Their back-line contains three members of Wales’ Grand Slam winning side. And the soft-spoken Kearney’s voice raises with anticipation as he lists off the names in a side he says were ‘unlucky’ to lose both Heineken Cup fixtures in the last fortnight; Alex Cuthbert, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny and Lloyd Williams.
“So, they’re always tough to handle and they’re going to be looking for a win and nothing else.”
-Additional reporting by Niall Kelly
