Garry Ringrose aiming for Champions Cup return in December

Garry Ringrose is targeting Leinster's opening Champions Cup game on the second weekend in December as his comeback date following the broken jaw he received against Italy in Ireland's penultimate 2020 Six Nations just over a fortnight ago.

“Yeah, I’m definitely targeting that. I’ve seen the surgeon regularly, every week or two-week intervals. Obviously it’s under review and it will be monitored how I progress but that would definitely be the target.”

The 25-year-old is recovering from an operation after the freakish if nasty looking injury he sustained as a result of colliding with the knee of Edoardo Padovani as he attempted a charge down.

Ringrose admitted that the Georgia game on Sunday, November 29th, or Ireland’s final game of the Autumn Nations Cup a week later is likely to come too soon for him.

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“I don’t know is the honest answer, I’m going to review with the surgeon. Certainly at the moment it doesn’t look likely but the reason why I’m going back each week is to review things and see how things progress on that front so.

“I don’t think anything is every completely written off. I’d be hopeful and I’d love that to be the case. I’m not going to lie to you and say that it is because it mightn’t be as well. So I’m not really too sure but at the moment it’s not likely.”

Ringrose underwent the operation just over two weeks ago and has only begun some bike-riding this week.

“Because of the nature of the break, getting a couple of screws and a plate in to lock it up, and have it stronger than before, the last two weeks have been pretty much letting that heal. The surgeon was recommending for me to do as little as possible, literally turning over on a bike, going for walks, that was about the extent of it, certainly for the two weeks. During lockdown it was not like I was doing much more than that anyway.

“Thankfully I’m through that two-week period now and can get back into slightly more intense training, obviously not contact quite yet, a few more weeks to go on that front. But, yeah, a bit more intense physical training can kick on from next week onwards.”

He’s also been restricted to a “monotonous” liquid diet since the operation.

“I’ve had my mum (Anne) and my girlfriend (Ellen) looking after me on that front, as regards soup and blended-up meals, so I’m trying to get inventive. But it’s been monotonous enough, a few protein shakes, lentil soups, vegetable soups, chicken soups, pretty much anything I can stomach, get it into me so I don’t lose weight.

“I’ve injured my ankle and my shoulder but it kind of feels a bit detached from when it’s your face. Certainly those initial days post-op I didn’t have the biggest of appetites but then once I got over that and the anaesthetic is out of the system I started to be a bit more lively and then it was a race to get the calories up so I’ve a good few people in my corner who are helping me on that front.

"It is worth mentioning that Ruth (Wood-Martin) the IRFU dietician, was on to me straight away, getting together a meal plan and sending me care packages and stuff that I can eat and keep the calories up, and Dan Davey (performance nutritionist) as well in Leinster."

Ringrose and Aviva were launching a competition giving supporters the chance to sing Ireland’s Call alongside the Irish Rugby team before they take on Wales in the first match of the Guinness Series, this Friday 13th November.