Gordon D'Arcy professed himself satisfied after getting through unscathed in his comeback game following a hamstring injury at Donnybrook last night. D'Arcy, lining out at full back, played for an hour of Leinster's 16-12 defeat to Celtic League leaders the Neath/Swansea Ospreys.
"It was good. The whole thing felt fine," D'Arcy enthused. "I'm now dashing off to have it checked over fully (at Citywest). Hopefully, we can work on it for the rest of the week."
The player's optimism will be heartening for Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan, who hopes to include D'Arcy in the Ireland team to face France in the Six Nations Championship match at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
Nevertheless, on the pitch D'Arcy wasn't quite his usual, outgoing self, and there was one particular moment in the second half when he seemed primed to test the hamstring fully but declined to run flat out, choosing to pass instead.
It's not yet a foregone conclusion that he will make the Ireland team for the first time since he damaged the hamstring against Italy on the opening weekend of the Six Nations.
Leinster also welcomed back another injury victim at Donnybrook, flanker Keith Gleeson. Coincidentally, he replaced D'Arcy, which forced a reshuffle.
Gleeson played the last 20 minutes, having recovered remarkably quickly from a badly broken leg.
The news wasn't so good from Munster's Celtic League game on Saturday evening, with full back Christian Cullen suspected to have damaged shoulder ligaments.
The New Zealander could be doubtful for the Irish province's European Cup match against Biarritz in San Sebastien on Sunday, April 3rd.
Cullen will have an MRI scan this morning to determine the extent of the damage, and Munster coach Alan Gaffney will be hoping that the player's left shoulder - his right shoulder was the one that required the operation when he arrived in Ireland - is just badly bruised.
Donncha O'Callaghan, David Humphreys and Eric Miller all came through the tsunami appeal game between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at Twickenham without serious injury.
