Leinster receive vital fitness boost ahead of Champions Cup final

This opens up a world of selection opens for Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster.

While Racing 92 will go into their Champions Cup final against Leinster without Maxime Machenaud, the Irish province are set to welcome back their primary scrum-half. Luke McGrath put his ankle to the test on the training pitches out at Leinster's UCD headquarters, last week, and he has hit every marker set out for him. The 25-year-old is back in contention, then, for the Saturday's final against Racing. McGrath had been rated as '50/50' for the cup semi-final against Scarlets but Leinster recognised pretty early in that week that he would not be ready. Jamison Gibson Park started at 9 with former Ireland U20 star Nick McCarthy deputising. McGrath should reclaim the starting scrum-half spot for this weekend and that may see Gibson-Park missing out on the final, with McCarthy on the bench. That would allow Cullen and Lancaster to bring Kiwi winger James Lowe back into the selection mix. Leinster, due to an EU work ruling, are only allowed play two of their contingent of three Aussies and New Zealanders. McGrath being fit gives his coaches more flexibility. Lowe would then push Isa Nacewa hard for a place on the left wing but his lacklustre defensive outing against Connacht, late last month, could see him named on the bench for the final.