UPDATED 14.00
FRONT ROW DYNAMO Cian Healy looks set to miss out on Leinster’s opening European ties, and possibly Ireland’s autumn tests, after injuring his hamstring in a Leinster training session yesterday.
Leinster coach Matt O’Connor was waiting for a definite layoff time but said the rampaging wrecking ball would be sidelined for at least four weeks. At one stage, O’Connor called the injury a ‘significant tear’ but Leinster will also welcome the return of Jack McGrath, who O’Connor expects to be back next week.
“Cian unfortunately strained his hamstring in training.,” O’Connor said.
“There was nothing in it. He is looking at a significant layoff and Jack is very, very minor because he just got a bang on his calf. He should be back in the mix next week.
“We just need to wait to get a little more information back from the specialist and we should know more later today. It could be longer than that [3-4 weeks] because it was a significant tear of his hamstring so we will have to see.”
It means Healy, 26, will likely miss out when Leinster begin their European Champions Cup campaign against Wasps on 19 October and travel to Castres a week later.
If the medical prognosis is any worse, Healy might not be fit for Ireland’s first November test against South Africa. They also play Georgia and Australia this autumn.
Sean O’Brien is also someone whose participation in Leinster’s early European encounters is in doubt, but the Leinster coach remains optimistic that the flanker will return sooner rather than later.
“Sean picked up a bang on his ankle and had a minor arthroscopic procedure to clear it out and he is hopefully not too far away,”
