Dave Kearney fighting back after injury misery with Leinster
Of Leinster’s 26 games in league and Europe so far, the winger has featured in just six. A long-term ankle injury caused his absence for most of the other 20, then a troublesome toe issue nipped his comeback in the bud, and all this at a time when Leinster have been racking up cricket scores.
Kearney made 16 appearances last term when chances were at a premium. The province claimed just 59 tries in 32 games, a rate of 1.85 per game. The Louth back signed for just two of them. This term has been very, very different, with Leinster so far managing 116, or 4.45 per game.
Into the breach have come youngsters like Adam Byrne, who has bagged nine tries in 16 outings, and Rory O’Loughlin, still on the books with the academy, whose haul stands at eight in 18. It’s no wonder Kearney describes this as the “worst” season of his career.
“Yeah, we have been playing a good brand of rugby and our wingers have been getting a load of ball, scoring a lot of tries, a record amount. It gives me motivation to work harder, get back. While I haven’t been playing, the lads have come in and done a really good job, especially in the back three.
“That’s been the way Leinster has been since I have come through the academy. There has been serious competition, no matter what age you are, or where you are on the ladder. You are always competing with other players. It’s no different now.”
Leinster have surprisingly few injury concerns so deep into the campaign, though Jordi Murphy is a long-term loss and there is still no word on possible return dates for Rob Kearney and Jamie Heaslip.
Dave Kearney, Sean Cronin, and Rhys Ruddock all came through the two-point win away to Ospreys at the weekend on their returns from injury, while Byrne and Dominic Ryan are stepping up their recovery programmes as they near full fitness.
The main concern going into Saturday’s Guinness PRO12 meeting with Connacht in Galway and Sunday week’s Champions Cup against Clermont Auvergne in France is Jack Conan, who shipped a “bang to the neck” in Wales and who was undergoing assessment yesterday.
It’s an enviable roll call for Leo Cullen, as he plots a dual course for league and European honours and the Leinster head coach will have some difficult decisions to make as he weighs up the value of experience which some older players offer and the enthusiasm of the newer faces.
Fergus McFadden made a strong case for the former with his try against Wasps in the European quarter-final two weekends ago after his own lengthy absence and his selection for the Ireland squad at the end of the Six Nations demonstrated that Joe Schmidt values that sort of know-how.
Kearney will be hoping similar applies now.
“Yeah, the coaches know what I can do and what I can bring. It probably doesn’t mean too much if the lads who are there are playing well. You’ve got to work your way back into the team. You’re not going to be just handed the jersey, especially if lads are going well.
“If I was in someone’s position where I was playing and someone else was given a jersey straight after coming back from injury, I obviously wouldn’t be happy. I know that I have to fight to get a playing spot back and I know how difficult that is going to be.”
