O’Malley hoping to return for Ospreys clash

Leinster’s long-term injury sufferer Eoin O’Malley is hopeful of making a return for the province in their RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium on Sunday (4pm).

Having just returned to action after a calf injury, O’Malley’s season came to an end against Glasgow Warriors last May when the centre suffered cruciate ligament damage.

The Old Belvedere man is one of several long-term injury absentees due to make a return for Leinster with Dave Kearney, Rhys Ruddock, Luke Fitzgerald and Seán O’Brien also on the mend.

After such a lengthy absence O’Malley is understandably eager to wear the blue jersey again he admits he needs some game time.

“I hopefully will be involved (against Ospreys), I’ve just go to get through the week,” he told LTV.

“It’d be great to be involved at the end of the week, it’s pretty exciting.

“The knee feels great so I just need to get a bit of sharpness in terms of rugby and get a ball in my hands again. Obviously the lads are playing pretty well so I’m just trying to fit in.”

After a somewhat underwhelming opening to the season, Leinster have bounced back with some impressive results and the European champions laid down a marker by running in nine tries against Cardiff Blues last weekend.

Pleased as he was to see his team playing so well, O’Malley believes the 59-point haul achieved against the Welsh outfit served as a reminder to him of the standard expected at the province.

“I knew I was hoping to come back this week and you’re watching a couple of tries being run in and suddenly you feel a bit further away and the lads look like they’re playing at a different level.”

Sunday’s encounter marks the sides’ first league meeting since the Ospreys denied Joe Schmidt’s men a league and European Cup double with a thrilling 31-30 victory in last year’s final at the RDS.

With Wales gearing up to face Argentina and Samoa and Ireland preparing for the visit of South Africa, Fiji and the Pumas both Leinster and the Ospreys will be missing several internationals.

The Irish outfit sit two just places ahead of the Ospreys in the league table but O’Malley knows the quality the defending PRO12 champions possess.

“I think the Ospreys are a good side and they’re playing well but we’ve a good group here as well. We’ll see how the week goes and who’s involved.

“I think both of us will be missing a few to the international camp but it should be a good game.”