LEINSTER SAY TIGHTHEAD prop Tadhg Furlong and second row Ryan Baird hope to step up their training load this week as they continue to recover from a calf issue and an adductor strain, respectively.

Ireland international Furlong has yet to play since rugby’s restart in August and missed out on the two Six Nations fixtures over the past fortnight.

The 27-year-old was initially sidelined with a back issue but Leinster then reported he had sustained a calf injury.

While Leinster’s latest update does not include a timeframe for Furlong’s return to action, it is positive news that he is now set to step up his training load.

It’s a similar story for 21-year-old Baird, who made a superb impact for Leinster in recent months and was named in Ireland’s squad only to suffer that adductor injury and miss the two recent games.

The explosive second row will hope to get back in action over the coming weeks and make his Ireland debut but Leinster have not specified a return date.

Hooker Sean Cronin is the third man looking to step up his training load with Leinster, having been sidelined with a minor thumb injury in recent weeks.

Leinster have also reported that Cian Kelleher came through his return from a hamstring injury against Glasgow Warriors on Monday night unscathed, while Rory O’Loughlin completed his comeback from a calf issue without any side effects.

Garry Ringrose [jaw], Max Deegan [knee], Jordan Larmour [shoulder], Vakh Abdaladze [back], Conor O’Brien [hamstring], and Adam Byrne [hamstring] all remain out of action.