MAGNERS LEAGUE:THE SUGGESTION that Shane Horgan could be available for Sunday afternoon's Magners League game against the Dragons at Rodney Parade following a two-month injury hiatus with a damaged knee represents a huge fillip as Leinster prepare for two potential season-defining matches.
On Saturday week Leinster travel to Thomond Park to take on Magners leaders Munster and the following Saturday host the Leicester Tigers in a Heineken Cup quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium. If Horgan manages some game time in the Principality this weekend and comes through unscathed then he could make the match squad for the interprovincial.
He was in great form prior to his injury and though it would be foolish to expect him to immediately continue in that vein he may have a playing role over the next fortnight. In his absence David Kearney has grasped his opportunities – scoring four tries, a mark for the tournament on which he is joined by the outstanding Isa Nacewa and Horgan – while so too has Niall Morris.
It seems unlikely Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy, both of whom racked up 400 and 375 minutes respectively across five matches in the recent Six Nations Championship, will be asked to travel to Wales so Eoin O’Malley and Fergus McFadden are likely deputies. Luke Fitzgerald is another option and he would appreciate some pitch time.
According to Leinster, Leo Cullen, Eoin Reddan and Jonathan Sexton are set to be included but Shane Jennings (ankle), Andrew Conway (ankle) and Shaun Berne (Achilles) are doubtful. Sexton and secondrow Devin Toner will win their 50th caps for the province if they play on Sunday.
The exertions of Seán O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip against England could allow Leinster coach Joe Schmidt to plump for Kevin McLaughlin, Dominic Ryan and Rhys Ruddock in the backrow. Ryan in particular would cherish an opportunity to return to a ground and avenge last year’s hammering at the hands of Sunday’s opponents.
“The Dragons are a very good team and though we actually beat them over here, they’re different at home. I personally made my debut (for Leinster) against them last year and we were absolutely thumped over there in Rodney Parade. It’s coming to the business end of the season now and we have to win every game in the Magners League. You can’t really afford to slip up, so it’s going to be a big game. In the past there might have been an impression it was one of the easier games, but our approach is that it’s one of our toughest games. It was magical to watch the Ireland game at the weekend, seeing how they beat England and you do take inspiration from that; especially when you see an Irish team bringing that kind of physicality to a game.
“That Irish spirit, which people talk about, it’s always there and has to be drawn on so when we have the internationals back we’ll see the kind of strength that we have.”
Ryan is well aware the competition for places in the backrow demands that every opportunity is grasped. “At the moment with Jamie (Heaslip) and Seanie (O’Brien) out and Rhys (Ruddock) involved with the Ireland set-up as well, you have three quality internationals there. And with Kev (McLaughlin) and Jenno (Shane Jennings) as well, the competition is huge at the moment.”
