Leinster say that Eire stars Johnny Sexton and Tadhg Furlong are anticipated to be match for the beginning of this season’s Six Nations Championship.
Sexton suffered a cheekbone damage in Leinster’s recreation towards Connacht on 1 January whereas Furlong has been out for over a month with an ankle downside.
Each will miss Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup recreation towards Gloucester.
However a Leinster assertion stated Sexton and Furlong are “anticipated to be again forward of the Six Nations”.
Eire, the world-ranked primary staff, go to Wales for his or her Six Nations opener on 4 February earlier than taking up France in Dublin seven days later in a recreation that some really feel may very well be a title decider, despite the fact that it can solely be spherical two of the competitors.
Sexton, 37, missed two of Eire’s three Autumn Nations Collection Exams this season due to damage and needed to endure a process final week on the cheekbone injury he sustained within the Connacht recreation on New 12 months’s Day.
The veteran fly-half has gained 109 Eire caps.
Leinster say British and Irish Lions prop Furlong has recovered from his ankle downside however suffered “a minor setback” in coaching final week when he picked up an unrelated calf damage.
The Irish province conclude their Champions Cup pool programme by internet hosting Racing 92 on 21 January after which face Cardiff within the United Rugby Championship the week earlier than the beginning of the Six Nations.
Like Furlong and Sexton, again Charlie Ngatai will miss Leinster’s recreation towards Gloucester after he suffered a hamstring damage in Saturday’s win over Ospreys.