Leinster flanker thinks big after return to fold

With three starts this season, Leinster flanker Dominic Ryan is eager to make the most of the opportunities coming his way.

After displaying immense promise during the 2010/11 campaign under Joe Schmidt, when he contributed five tries from 23 appearances for the Blues, persistent injuries have hampered his progress in the interim.

With his contract running out at the end of the season, there is significant pressure on the 24-year-old to perform, but his short-term focus is to remain fit and available for selection.

“I just want to stay fit and be available for selection every week. That’s my shot-term goal and then if I can stay on the pitch and be injury-free, the rest should take care of itself. I’m just going to focus short-term at the moment and not worry about the contract,” Ryan remarked on Monday.

“The last time I got a decent run of games was three or four years ago. I played 25 games or so because I wasn’t injured for the whole season. I’m benefiting now from others having injuries and I’m ready to step up and ready to play. You don’t want your team-mates to get injured but it does give you a chance.”

Despite amassing 66 caps with Leinster, Ryan hasn’t featured at European level since the province’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against the Leicester Tigers back in April 2011.

This is something the Lansdowne man is keen to correct.

“I never had any doubt that if I stayed injury-free that I was going to be in contention for a starting place in the team. In terms of filling in for people, I don’t see myself as that player. I see myself as a starter.

“I know what I’m capable of doing once I’m fit.”