Cian Healy likely to miss out on rest of Leinster’s season

Ireland and Leinster prop Cian Healy may not play again this season due to a succession of niggling injuries. Healy, who did not take part in Leinster's defeat to Ulster last weekend in Belfast, has ongoing issues with his neck and knee that have thrown his participation in Leinster's final league matches into doubt.

Healy last played for Leinster against Edinburgh on April 15th. He would also have been expected to be one of Ireland’s front-line players in the forthcoming tour to South Africa. However, Leinster cannot put a precise date on when he will again be available to play.

Irish flanker Josh van der Flier is also an injury concern ahead of Leinster’s final league game against Treviso before the playoff matches begin. Van der Flier injured his ankle and has to wear a protective boot.

Luke Fitzgerald’s medial ligament strain completes a miserable weekend, although Seán O’Brien is making good progress.

"Cian came off the Six Nations, which is a long season, and there's a few niggles that need to be seen to so that he can return to playing the way he can," said Leinster assistant coach John Fogarty. "That's what's happening . . . looking into a little bit of knee and a little bit of neck stuff so that he can be firing on all cylinders.

“We don’t want to just keep trucking him. We want to make sure that those are resolved, so that he can be back to the way he can play. I think Cian is on board with that. That’s what’s happening . . . they are a recurring injury that need to be dealt with.”

Leinster could not say if Healy’s evaluation and ability to play could take him out of the three Test matches against the Springboks.

“That’s something for medics with Ireland, medics with Leinster, the coaching and the management,” Fogarty said.

Force in Europe

Injuries aside,

Johnny Sexton

said everyone from the chief executive down was responsible for Leinster sitting in their trough of gloom after Ulster’s 30-6 win. While they can still secure a home playoff semi-final with just Treviso this weekend remaining, the outhalf believes everyone needs to improve if the team is to become a force in Europe.

Leinster are third in the table with Connacht and Glasgow, who play each other in the final game, above them.

“It’s obviously got to be everyone, hasn’t it?” said Sexton. “Everyone’s got to look at themselves and see if what they’ve done over the last few months has been good enough.”

Sexton's comments also come in the wake of Cian Kelleher opting to play for Connacht next season. There was nobody available at yesterday's press conference to explain how reported protocols over the move were broken. The 21-year-old Kelleher, who has had just one start with Leinster this season, had agreed a development contract with Leinster.