The fitness of Luke McGrath may, not for the first time this season, have a knock-on effect across the squad.
The Leinster and Ireland scrumhalf made a return from injury to help the Blues see off Saracens in the Champions Cup quarter final but went over on his ankle in the second half. He has yet to play since.
McGrath, like Sean O’Brien, is listed as 50/50 to face Scarlets in this weekend’s semi final. If he plays, so will James Lowe and Scott Fardy.
If not, Jamison Gibson Park may be drafted in at No.9 and either Lowe or Fardy will miss out. It is all down to Kiwis, Aussies and European employment laws but, simply put, 3 into 2 won’t go. Asked how closely Fardy and Lowe are monitoring McGrath’s fitness, the Australian remarked:
“We’re making sure he’s not doing anything wrong. We’re looking after him and carrying him to his car, and everything! Making sure he’s fit.”
The McGrath fitness and selection quandary were hot topics on the latest episode of The Hard Yards [from 13:00 below] and Lowe may the unfortunate one to miss out.
Former Munster and Ireland centre James Downey believes the tough call, if McGrath is not passed fit, must go Fardy’s way. He commented:
“I know Lowe makes some spectacular plays and he’s great to watch, entertainment-wise, but what Fardy brings to Leinster means you can’t drop him. You can’t.
“The battle up front is too big to lose. You’re on the wing as well [if you are Lowe], and you can be a game-winner but if you have an international back row like Fardy, who can also play second row, it’s huge.”
“Hardy has stepped up an awful lot recently and he’s a big game player. He knows what it takes and I’d certainly have him in there, as harsh as it sounds.”
Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster says coaches and medics, and McGrath himself, will know who’s in and who is most likely out by Tuesday afternoon. Whatever the dice lands, there are some big calls to be made.
