LEINSTER HOPE THAT injuries to a handful of their Irish internationals will clear up in time for Friday’s derby date with Connacht.
Joe Schmidt’s men continued their strong start to the RaboDirect Pro12 last weekend as a Brendan Macken double and a third try from Jonny Sexton gave them a 22-16 win at home to Edinburgh.
Macken started the game on the bench but the youngster swung a tight game in Leinster’s favour when he came on to replace the injured Gordon D’Arcy midway through the first half.
D’Arcy was subbed off after sustaining a blow to the ribs but the Ireland centre is expected to be fit for the trip to the Sportsground this weekend.
Sexton (forearm) and Shane Jennings (illness) were both substituted in the second half as precautions and should be available when Schmidt announces his matchday squad on Thursday.
Scrum-half Eoin Reddan was originally named in the starting XV against the Warriors but withdrew before kick-off and was replaced by John Cooney.
Leinster confirmed today that Reddan’s no-show was due to a minor quad strain which will be monitored by the province’s medical team this week.
Meanwhile, bumps and bruises from the weekend’s Pro12 games have led to a number of changes in the Ireland training squad which meets up in Carton House this week.
D’Arcy, Reddan, Munster duo Ronan O’Gara (leg) and Simon Zebo (ankle), Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick (knee) and Connacht’s Mike McCarthy (calf) have all been excused from the squad.
D’Arcy’s absence means a call up for uncapped Munster centre James Downey while Ian Madigan, Paul Marshall, Ronan Loughney, Devin Toner and Craig Gilroy come in to fill out the remaining places.
