Leo Cullen cautions on Jamie Heaslip availability

Leo Cullen has cautioned that the odds remain against Jamie Heaslip featuring for Leinster again this season.

The No.8 has been absent since injuring his lower back during Ireland’s Six Nations defeat to Wales.

That disc injury has since been treated with surgery and Heaslip has already returned to the gym to take part in some conditioning work.

A return to the training ground is another thing. Any involvement in Friday week’s Guinness PRO12 semi-final at home to Scarlets is out of the question and even a possible role in the final, should Leinster make it that far, is a long shot.

“It will be very, very tight,” said Cullen of a player who, fitness permitting, will likely tour Japan next month as Ireland captain in the Lions-enforced absence of Rory Best.

“We will see how he goes. It’s less likely than likely at the moment.”

Rob Kearney is also out of the picture for now, in his case with a knee injury that also required an operation, but Cullen has spoken of a “couple of guys coming back in for consideration” without naming specific names.

Sean O’Brien hasn’t played since tweaking a hamstring in the run-up to the Champions Cup semi-final loss to Clermont Auvergne while Sean Cronin (neck) and Robbie Henshaw (ribs) both suffered knocks in that Lyon loss.

Henshaw, at least, looks good to go after training in the run-up to the PRO12 loss to Ulster last week while Jonathan Sexton was also declared fit and ready for the run-in despite not having featured since the defeat in France just over a fortnight ago.

It’s been a tricky period these past few weeks. With a home semi-final long secured, Cullen has mixed and matched his players, always mindful of the fact that some need more game time and others require time out of the firing line.

Still, it has been a season of undoubted progress.

The number of tries scored has ballooned, and the style of play is a damn sight more pleasing on the eye than that dished up in Cullen’s first season in charge, but there is a realisation now that some reward is needed for their efforts.

Losing one semi-final has been disappointing enough but to come out the wrong side of another, or lose a second straight league decider, would make for a poor return for a side so well stacked with senior players and up-and-coming talents.

“Definitely,” said Cullen.

“It’s important we learn the lessons from losing that semi-final away from home and what sort of different challenges there will be playing at home. There’s a lot of positives when you think we’ve used 51 players, and a lot of 21 and 22 year olds have been in that 51.

“We are into knockout games now and we need to knuckle down.

“It’s a serious time of the year when there are always a few distractions so it is important we narrow our focus so that we can best prepare for this and deliver a positive performance.”