Leinster are yet to make a decision on the fitness of Garry Ringrose and Jimmy O’Brien while Cian Healy has now emerged as an injury doubt ahead of this weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final clash with La Rochelle.
The province will once again be without secondrow James Ryan as he continues his recovery from arm surgery.
Ringrose (shoulder) and O’Brien (neck) both missed Saturday’s victory over Leicester Tigers while Healy, a substitute in that game, limped off before the end with a leg injury. Alongside Charlie Ngatai (calf), the trio require further assessment before their availability for the weekend is determined, the province has said.
However, scrumhalf Luke McGrath, who missed out on Saturday after suffering a head injury the week prior against the Bulls, has gone through his return to play protocols and is now available. Robbie Henshaw (head), Hugo Keenan (hip), Ciarán Frawley (foot) and Andrew Porter (shoulder) all came through Saturday’s game unscathed having recovered from their own injuries prior to that game.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
Connacht arrive to Aviva with strong team and high hopes
Fantastic Farrell hat-trick snatches win for Munster over 14-man Ulster
Irish Times Sportswoman of the Year Awards: ‘The greatest collection of women in Irish sport in one place ever assembled’
Leinster line out against Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle side for the fifth time since 2021 on Saturday night at the Aviva Stadium (5.30pm). In last year’s final at the same venue, the French side came out on top, matching their title victory from 2022. In December, Leinster travelled to the Stade Marcel Deflandre and beat La Rochelle for the first time in a 16-9 victory.
- Join us for The Irish Times Inside Politics podcast live in Belfast on April 10th
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
