LEINSTER SAY THAT Dan Sheehan, James Lowe, and Will Connors are all stepping up their rehabilitation from injury this week and could even be in contention for a return in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash with Bath.
The positive update on Sheehan and Lowe is also a major boost for Ireland, with interim head coach Simon Easterby naming his Six Nations squad tomorrow.
It looks increasingly likely that Sheehan and Lowe will be fit for the start of the Six Nations against England in three weekends.
It remains to be seen if they feature for Leinster against Bath at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Hooker Sheehan has been sidelined since last summer when he injured his ACL during Ireland’s tour of South Africa, while Lowe hasn’t played since Ireland’s November Tests campaign due to a calf issue.
Openside flanker Connors hasn’t featured for Leinster since the end of November but is now nearing his return to action.
Wing Jordan Larmour is unavailable for the Bath clash after suffering a hamstring injury in training last week, while fellow wing Tommy O’Brien remains a doubt after being withdrawn from the starting XV to face La Rochelle last weekend as “a precaution,” according to Leinster.
As with Lowe, Sheehan, and Connors, Leinster say O’Brien will be further assessed as this week continues.
In another big boost for Ireland, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Ciarán Frawley came through their returns to action against La Rochelle unscathed.
Leinster reported that Rob Russell, Liam Turner, James Culhane, and Michael Milne all remain sidelined due to injury.
Hopefully the trio make it! They are an integral part of our Six Nations squad. Keep it up lads!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: lowe and Dan are part of the 6 nations squad but connors is nowhere near that squad. Hodnet, timoney, pendergast are all way ahead of him. Not to mention with conan going to 8 we have doris who can play 7 as can POM. Infact I’d rather see Scott penny get time for leinster than will.
@chris mcdonnell: I completely agree. I’d ate my own underpants if Connors is named tomorrow
@Niall Boyle: hopefully those pants are in better condition than the pair I wore on Sunday
@Niall Boyle: I’ll hold you to that
@chris mcdonnell: with the best will in the world POM cannot play 7 in the 6 Nations.
Hope they don’t rush Sheehan back this Saturday. 50 mins against the Stormers on the 25th of Jan and then into the 6 nations squad. Connors now needs to stay fit for the rest of the season if he wants to ever make an Ireland squad, at nearly 29 time is running out
Lowe is too slow. Osborne a better long term bet.
@conor carroll: Osbourne isn’t a wing, he can do the job but he’s a 12 or 15. Lowe being “slow” didn’t stop him being named in the world XV this year or being one of our best performing players.
@conor carroll: not on the wing he isnt,hes not a winger and it showed on sunday,great 12 and 15,lowe though offers far more on the left wing,breaks tackles,carries,big left boot and has vastly improved his defence,also always goes hunting for the ball and gets stuck in to mauls and excellent under the high ball,pace is not everything.
@conor carroll: Interesting statement. If you actually watched rugby you’d see that Lowe is probably quicker than Osborne in a foot race. Osborne has many, many strengths. Pace isn’t one of them.
@conor carroll: Nash is the pace merchant played all the 6 nations last year
Honestly, is Lowe still a starter for Leinster? I just really can’t see how you leave out Jamie Osborne even if he was rusty on the wing at the weekend, like his skill level for that try was ridiculous. He also has just a big left boot as Lowe.
@Eoin H: lowe is the left winger for both ireland and leinster.
@Eoin H: Osborne isn’t a winger and should only be playing there in a pinch. Lowe is also the better player generally right now
@Gary D: He definitely isn’t the better all round player generally, no way
@Eoin H: Well he has been a starter for the last 7.5 years. And he was a starter right up until his injury. Osborne is far far better utilised at 12 or 15. Let’s just play lads in their correct positions.
@Eoin H: I partially agree with you. Osbourne has an ability to hold on to passes that others would knock on and is too good to leave out of the team. Lowe is a try scoring machine as well though so not sure I’d leave him out either. I’d probably play Osbourne at 12 and leave Henshaw on the bench for impact