Rhys Ruddock returns to Leinster training but won’t feature in remaining games

Leinster winger Luke Fitzgerald should be back in contention for Ireland's pre-World Cup test matches in August and September, with the province saying his shoulder rehabilitation will rule him out for less than 12 weeks.

Fitzgerald has undergone surgery to repair a tear to the labrum in his left shoulder, sidelining him for Leinster’s remaining two Pro12 games.

On Wednesday morning the province confirmed the injury which had been reported on Tuesday morning by The Irish Times; "As confirmed by Leo Cullen yesterday Luke Fitzgerald has undergone surgery on his left shoulder and will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks."

Meanwhile Rhys Ruddock returned to the training pitch this week as he steps up his injury recovery but "he is not in consideration for either of the two games over the next two weekends," say Leinster.

Ruddock’s World Cup hopes were put in doubt last month by a recurrence of the arm problem which has sidelined him for all but two games since mid-December.

An Irish selection will play the Barbarians in Thomond Park later this month before four pre-World Cup tests; two against Wales and one against both Scotland and England. The first of which is against the Welsh on August 8th in the Millennium Stadium.

Leinster have also confirmed that Sean O'Brien, Mike McCarthy and Jimmy Gopperth all resumed training today having sat out yesterday's session with minor knocks. The trio are all expected to be fit for Friday's game against Benetton Treviso in the RDS.