Following on from their defeat to Connacht in the Sportsground last Friday, when Shane Jennings sustained a hamstring injury within seven minutes of appearing as a second-half replacement, Leinster have confirmed that their experienced flanker will be sidelined for "three to four weeks".
It is unfortunate timing for player and province alike given the 33-year-old was making his 199th appearance for Leinster and will thus have to bide his time before joining the select band of players to have reached 200 caps.
This is particularly true given the absence over the last couple of weeks of Sean O’Brien due to a shoulder injury since his sole appearance of the season in the defeat away to Glasgow, and is likely to mean more opportunities for Dominic Ryan.
Prior to hosting the Cardiff Blues at the RDS on Friday and with Munster next in line at the Aviva on Saturday week, the province yesterday reported that “everyone else came through the (Connacht) game relatively injury free apart from a few minor bumps and bruises.”
“There was positive news with regard to Dave Kearney who continues to rehabilitate from his knee injury. Dave took to the pitch yesterday for the first time and is making good progress although he is still some weeks away from joining the rest of the squad.”
Like the Munster pair of Donnacha Ryan and Keith Earls, despite last season's remarkable recovery from a heart problem, Richardt Strauss is another who has yet to be available to Joe Schmidt in his time as Ireland coach, having won the last of his four caps on the north American tour of 2013.
No ill effects
But Leinster confirmed the hooker “has suffered no ill effects from his first contact sessions last week and is also stepping up his rehab this week from his hamstring injury.”
Meanwhile Connacht face one of the other two sides to have won all three games to date on Friday night, namely Glasgow in Scotstoun, and report that Willie Falloon and winger wing Niyi Adeolokun both returned to training on Monday after being forced off against Leinster.
Their South African winger Danie Poolman also resumed training after recovering from the illness that kept him out of Friday's game while another wing, Tiernan O'Halloran, will undergo surgery on a troublesome knee today. The 23-year-old is expected to be sidelined for a further three to four weeks.
