LEINSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that Jamie Heaslip’s shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared, with the number eight likely to return for the Champions Cup clash against Castres on 17 January.
Heaslip was replaced after 27 minutes of Leinster’s win over Ulster on Saturday afternoon, his first in-game injury since December 2010.
However, the Ireland international is recovering with characteristic ease and may even be available for this weekend’s Pro12 clash away to Cardiff Blues.
The news comes as a relief to Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt too, with Heaslip such a vital component of the national team.
“Jamie got a bang on his shoulder,” said Leinster assistant coach Marco Caputo this afternoon.
It’s been scanned and there’s nothing significant there that is worth further investigation, so we’re hopeful that the healing or medicinal powers that he seems to have get him through and he’ll be available. It’s business as usual.”
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Caputo said Leinster have a “level of comfort” at number eight due to the form of Jack Conan this season, and admitted the province may look to rest Heaslip ahead of back-to-back European fixtures against Castres and Wasps.
“We could do. Obviously the two Champions Cup games are fairly important for us, but also we’ve got to be mindful that we’ve got to keep building the momentum this weekend against Cardiff. It’s a bit of a balancing act.”
Injuries to Heaslip are a rare sight. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, tighthead prop Marty Moore is expected to be part of the Leinster matchday 23 in Cardiff, having recovered fully from shoulder surgery.
Caputo stated that 23-year-old “probably could have played at the weekend [against Ulster] at a pinch,” but Leinster erred on the side of caution. Moore’s return after 12 weeks out will be a boost for the province and Ireland.
Ben Te’o came through a short stint off the bench against Ulster to prove his fitness, and Caputo hinted that the former rugby league player will be more involved at Cardiff Arms Park.
“I guess the biggest thing for Ben is getting the ghosts out of his head,” said Caputo of the centre, who fractured his forearm on his Leinster debut in October. “He got five or six minutes but carried the ball a few times.
He’s another one that’s going to push himself forward for the matchday 23. If we do go with Ben, it’ll be a unique experience for him starting in an away match against Cardiff on the synthetic pitch.
“It’s something he’s not experienced before, but at this stage of the season if we’ve got fresh bodies there and they’re available, we’ll include them.”
Caputo also revealed that Leinster are hopeful of having Shane Jennings back this weekend in Cardiff, after the 33-year-old pulled out of the Ulster clash with hamstring tightness.
Ben Te'o [left] came through his short spell against Ulster unscathed. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Having spent 12 weeks out with an injury to the same hamstring earlier this season, Jennings had felt it prudent not to push the muscle too far.
“He felt that if he kept going he was putting himself at risk of re-injuring the hamstring,” explained Caputo, “so he actually made the call himself that he didn’t feel right to play and, in hindsight, probably did the right thing.”
Eoin Reddan and Rob Kearney both came through a full programme of training last week and are available once again.
Rarely gets taken off. He really is an exceptional athlete when you consider his stats in terms of injuries sustained V’s minutes played + tackle count.
Heaslip is a naturally big lad, I think this probably leaves him less at risk of injury than players who maybe have to work a bit harder to pack on muscle.
@Rochelle- Heaslip has an extremely attritional and physical style of play, throws himself around the place with great abandon.
I honestly think Marty Moore will go on to be a John Hayes/Adam Jones type prop and be on the scene for a long time great to see him back as Ross looks fatigued.
I’m a bit shocked by the questioning of Hayes, who was immense.
Hayes often held a scrum with 3 pushing against 8.
If EOS had chosen a tight head second row (Bob Casey), then Hayes might now be remembered as the best tight head of his time.
But with the Bull as our rock, the coaches chose athletes, rather than strong men, as second row & no 8 and our back rows learnt meerkatting rather than scrummaging.
Hayes was a pure Legend.
Alan.
Good to have Moore back, been a big loss at the scrum this season for us. With the likes of Moore, Te’o, O’Brien, Healy, etc coming back hopefully the second half of the season will see us finish strongly in the lesgue, although we are only 4 points off top spot. Good timing for Ireland too with lads coming back from injury too.
Whats the news on Healy and SOB? They are back training but how close to match time are they? Here’s hoping they get the luck they deserve and stay injury free.
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Rarely gets taken off. He really is an exceptional athlete when you consider his stats in terms of injuries sustained V’s minutes played + tackle count.
He’s very good at minding himself on the pitch.
Heaslip is a naturally big lad, I think this probably leaves him less at risk of injury than players who maybe have to work a bit harder to pack on muscle.
@Rochelle- Heaslip has an extremely attritional and physical style of play, throws himself around the place with great abandon.
I honestly think Marty Moore will go on to be a John Hayes/Adam Jones type prop and be on the scene for a long time great to see him back as Ross looks fatigued.
James, hopefully he will be a lot better than John Hayes.
Ah come on he did a job when tight heads were a real issue for Munster and Ireland he’s also a Lion.
Well said James, and Gary, as a Lion he destroyed The Beast in the scrum where the Raging Bull Vickery was taken apart.
Eh what? Think yo’ure remembering that incorrectly!
Adam Jones came in for Vickery in the 1st test and started the second.
Hayes played 15 minutes or so against the Beast at the end of the third test, after Vickery atoned for himself!
I’m a bit shocked by the questioning of Hayes, who was immense.
Hayes often held a scrum with 3 pushing against 8.
If EOS had chosen a tight head second row (Bob Casey), then Hayes might now be remembered as the best tight head of his time.
But with the Bull as our rock, the coaches chose athletes, rather than strong men, as second row & no 8 and our back rows learnt meerkatting rather than scrummaging.
Hayes was a pure Legend.
Alan.
Good to have Moore back, been a big loss at the scrum this season for us. With the likes of Moore, Te’o, O’Brien, Healy, etc coming back hopefully the second half of the season will see us finish strongly in the lesgue, although we are only 4 points off top spot. Good timing for Ireland too with lads coming back from injury too.
Whats the news on Healy and SOB? They are back training but how close to match time are they? Here’s hoping they get the luck they deserve and stay injury free.
Last I heard they could be back for leinsters away game to wasps, but I’m not too sure
Healy expected back for 2nd euro game but SOB expected to miss out on both but expected to be back after that