Schmidt sweats as Munster eye up Ruddock

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is hoping Rhys Ruddock will decide to stay in Dublin as reports persist the young and versatile back-row plans a switch south to Munster.

Capped once for Ireland at senior level, Ruddock has featured 35 times for Leinster in the past three seasons but has found it difficult to dislodge the experienced triumvirate of Sean O’Brien, Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip and has started just twice in the Heineken Cup.

Just turned 21, he has captained the European champions in the absence of the front-line troops both this season and last. But he signed a one-year contract last summer when the club wanted him to pen a deal twice that length.