Media report differs from the official line presented by Ireland’s Simon Easterby.
A player sitting out a training session in the week of big games is nothing new.
Rob Kearney has suffered from hamstring issues for the past two and a half years. At this stage, it is something he is used to managing.
Kearney may have been spared Wednesday’s training session at Carton House – as the Irish Independent report, this morning – but that was not what the media were told at yesterday’s press briefing.
Asked about the personnel for Wednesday’s morning session, Easterby replied, “Everyone trained apart from Sean [O’Brien]. He stood out of training today, so it was more precautionary than anything.
“We’ve got Friday and Saturday, because we’ve got a longer week this week we’re into the Sunday game. So we’re in a good place, we feel pretty comfortable.”
Either Kearney trained or he did not. It should be a simple matter.
However, in recent years, the smart question at Irish press conferences is now to ask if all players ‘trained fully’.
By merely taking part in a loosening jog around the pitch perimeter or undertaking some brisk stretching, the management can claim the Leinster fullback did indeed train.
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The likelihood is that Kearney’s training schedule is being carefully monitored. Kearney turns 30 in March and has been playing professional rugby for 11 seasons so may not need to take part in every session at this stage.
As Ireland lock Donnacha Ryan told us yesterday – “Your body is your business.”
At this stage, with three days until Wales take Ireland on in their Six Nations opener, it would help to know if Kearney trained, sat out the session or trained fully.
When contacted about Kearney this morning, an IRFU spokesperson told SportsJOE, “We do not comment on media speculation.”
