Injury worries beginning to ease as season nears must-win territory
Jamie Heaslip has handed Leinster coach Matt O’Connor a boost by proving his fitness ahead of the province’s Champions Cup date with Castres this weekend.
The Blues captain missed out on last Saturday’s trip to Cardiff after limping out of the home win over Ulster. Scrum coach Marco Caputo stated Heaslip would have played Cardiff ‘if it was a cup final’ but the province’s medical staff erred on the side of caution.
Heaslip told reporters, out at UCD this afternoon, ‘I’m good to go! I’m like Benjamin Button, getting younger. The wolverine blood kicked in.’
Heaslip’s return should see the forward retain the No.8 jersey with Jack Conan, who occupied the position against Cardiff, left to compete with Jordi Murphy and Dominic Ryan for the remaining back row slots.
Leinster find themselves level on 13 points with Harlequins in Pool 2, going into their final two games. Castres are already eliminated, following four successive defeats, so Heaslip and O’Connor will be targeting a bonus point win at the RDS.
