Leinster are remaining coy on whether or not they will unleash new signing Jordie Barrett for his debut in this Sunday’s Investec Champions Cup meeting with Bristol Bears.
The New Zealand international arrived at the province last week after the conclusion of his international season with the All Blacks.
While Barrett took part in the Leinster warm-up before Friday night’s BKT URC win away to Ulster, the centre is still working his way back from a minor knee injury which he suffered in New Zealand’s defeat to France on 16 November.
The 27-year-old had his first full session with the team this afternoon at Leinster’s UCD base, and forwards coach Robin McBryde says they’re open to the possibility of playing him against the Premiership side this weekend.
“He hasn’t undergone all the protocols but it is one day at a time and we’ll just monitor how he progresses with a bit more intensity,” McBryde told RTÉ Sport.
“But he is looking good anyway. I’m sure he is a second row, looking at the size of him. He’s good.
“He knows a couple of people from previously with his New Zealand connection and Brian Colclough our analyst, they both went to the Irish game on Saturday, so he is getting plenty of welcome here.”
The province will be keen to get every game they can from the versatile back (above), who is only with them on a short-term deal until the end of the season, after which he will return to New Zealand with the Hurricanes.
And wing Jordan Larmour says he’s excited by the prospect of playing alongside the 68-cap All Black.
“He’s been great. First training today with everyone, so everyone has been trying to get him up to speed as quick as possible. He’s been doing really well,” Larmour said.
“He’s obviously an unbelievable player, he’s world class so it would be pretty cool, hopefully, to play a lot with him this season and learn from him through his experience, his knowledge and everything he’s done in the game.”
The province will be without Tadhg Furlong and Jamie Os𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧e for Sunday’s game at Ashton Gate.
Os𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧e remains sidelined with the hip injury he suffered during Ireland’s win against Fiji last month, while Furlong is still dealing with the hamstring problem which kept him out of all four of Ireland’s games.
But McBryde wouldn’t be drawn on how long either player will be out for.
“Again, it’ll be just seeing how they progress, making sure he’s right before he [Furlong] comes back. It’s unfortunate but just one step at a time. We’ll just measure it as and when,” he added.
The remainder of Leinster’s Ireland contingent will be available for the Champions Cup opener, including Ryan Baird, who has completed the return to protocols following a concussion suffered in the win over Argentina last month.
Will Connors is also ruled out this weekend, with the flanker picking up a hamstring injury in Friday’s win over Ulster.
With Ireland playing an extra game in the Autumn Nations Series, it meant Andrew Porter, Joe McCarthy (above), Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris are coming into the Champions Cup period off the back of four Tests in as many weeks.
But McBryde is confident Leinster wont suffer from Ireland’s big November schedule.
“It is important we manage each individual and look at those minutes they have played. It has been a big workload for a lot of those players. That will be taken into consideration when we are looking at selection. That being said, we are heading into Europe.
“It is a fine line between being battle-hardened and battle weary so we’ve got to make sure that we don’t put anybody at risk and just manage those players that have had a high workload in the last month.”
