Rugby: Leinster's thumping at the hands of Connacht last week has done more than dent the pride of the European champions, who were today counting the physical cost of bad night out at the Sportsground.
Gordon D’Arcy and Rob Kearney were both forced from the field during the 34-6 defeat in Galway and their injuries, ribs and back respectively, make them “major doubts” for another derby game at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (6.30pm).
They have until Friday afternoon to prove their fitness to face Munster, though the shoulder injury suffered by South African secondrow Quinn Roux in the warm-up to the Connacht game, is expected to cost him his place.
Shane Jennings is over the worst of the ankle injury he sustained on the hour mark in Galway but he will take it easy this week, while Joe Schmidt will have Jamie Heaslip, Kev McLaughlin, Brian O’Driscoll, Eoin Reddan, Jonathan Sexton and Richardt Strauss returning to the panel this week.
It is “hoped” club captain Leo Cullen (arm) will also be in contention, though he may have to wait until next week, while scrumhalf Isaac Boss (arm) “is getting closer to a return to action”.
Cian Healy is expected to make his 100th Leinster appearance against Munster, while Heaslip’s next outing will be his 150th.
However, with Leinster sixth in the RaboDirect Pro12 after two defeats in five games, any personal landmarks will pale in significance to a valuable win against their biggest rivals.
