LEINSTER MAN JAMES Lowe remains a doubt for the start of Ireland’s Six Nations campaign in just over three weeks, with the left wing yet to return to training with his province.

Lowe has been sidelined with a calf injury since Ireland’s final autumn Test against Australia on 30 November and while several other Leinster men have resumed training following recent injuries, the powerful wing remains out of action.

With Ulster man Jacob Stockdale, who started on the left wing against Fiji in November, also still out with a hamstring injury, Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby will be considering his options in the number 11 shirt ahead of the Six Nations opener against England on 1 February.

“He’s still away from team training at the minute but hopefully to reintegrate soon,” said Leinster attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal of Lowe yesterday.

“I’m not sure how long ‘soon’ is but he’s not training with us at the minute.”

Bleyendaal said it would be weeks, rather than months, before Lowe was back in team training and while the Leinster coach is hoping the 32-year-old wing will be fit for Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, that remains in doubt.

“I’m hopeful, yeah, but again I haven’t seen him training with us ball in hand, so.”

The outlook is far more positive for tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong, who hasn’t played any rugby since October due to a hamstring injury.

Furlong was with Ireland for their November campaign but didn’t feature in their four games and though he has yet to make his Leinster comeback, the Wexford man is now back training with the team.

Leinster have yet to rule Furlong in or out of this weekend’s Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle, but Bleyendaal stressed that the province won’t rush Furlong back before he’s ready.

Tadhg Furlong has returned to Leinster training. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

The 32-year-old hopes to feature in the Six Nations for Ireland.

“It is my understanding that he is working back to a timeline around then,” said Bleyendaal.

“We obviously want him playing for Leinster and that’s his goal in the meantime, to try and get on the field before the Six Nations period, but we’re not rushing him or putting pressure on him. He’s out on the field now so that is the next step in his progress.”

Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan has also returned to some on-field training with Leinster for the first time since his ACL injury during last summer’s tour of South Africa.

While Bleyendaal didn’t reveal a target date for Sheehan’s return to playing but it will be a huge boost for Leinster and Ireland.

“I’m not sure on the timeline but it is really great to have Dan back on the training field and integrating with those forwards unit sessions and open-field running,” said Bleyendaal.

“It’s exciting but we’re not putting pressure on him about returning to 15-on-15 type training.”

Leinster confirmed yesterday that Hugo Keenan, Ciarán Frawley, Jack Conan, Max Deegan, and Thomas Clarkson are all back from injury and available for the clash with La Rochelle on Sunday.

That surely meant a few tough selection calls for the Leinster coaching staff this week for the visit to Stade Marcel Deflandre.

“It’s a great time of year to have those problems, to get guys back, more guys available, there’s a selection headache for coaches but it’s a good one to have, so we’ll see where we end up,” said Bleyendaal.

“It’s good to have them back on the field, getting the ball in their hands and getting those combinations again because we need the whole squad.”