LOWE AT MERCY OF OVERSEAS PLAYER RULE
JAMES LOWE could miss Leinster’s European Champions Cup semi-final clash with Scarlets as a result of the tournament’s ruling surrounding overseas players. Leinster are only permitted to select two players from New Zealand and Australia in their match-day 23, and with Luke McGrath continuing to struggle with an ankle injury, Lowe is the player likely to be sacrificed as back-up scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park and versatile lock Scott Fardy — who filled in at blindside in the quarterfinal defeat of Saracens — are both included in the squad. McGrath hasn’t played since going over on his ankle in the Saracens game, and senior coach Stuart Lancaster admitted yesterday that both he and flanker Sean O’Brien — who was withdrawn at half time in the weekend defeat to Benetton Treviso with a shoulder problem — look unlikely to win their race to be fit, with O’Brien’s chances rated as ‘50-50’. ‘He’s in a similar situation to Sean. On an upward curve but, again, the clock is ticking on that one,’ said Lancaster, who insisted that Gibson-Park is ready to step up at scrum-half, despite his lack of big game experience. ‘Luke’s a good player, but Jamison has been here for a year and a half now. He’s played in big games in Super Rugby, he’s played in big games for us and if Luke’s not available then this is Jamison’s time, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s ready to play to play at this level. ‘He’s got the ability to play at this level and this will be his first real opportunity to demonstrate that he can do that. ‘When he was in Super Rugby he didn’t really get a lot of game-time and I think he’s had a significant amount of game-time here over the last 18 months, and now is his time.’ There was better news surrounding long-term absentee Robbie Henshaw, who is available for selection after recovering from the shoulder injury sustained in the Six Nations win over Italy that threatened to end his season. Jack Conan, who hasn’t played since injuring his knee against the Ospreys on March 23, is also due to resume full training and is hopeful of being available for selection. ‘We just need to make the right decision and pick fit players because you can’t go into a game this size, in my experience, with players that aren’t quite 100 per cent,’ Lancaster continued. ‘When you consider how well Scott [Fardy] played with Jordi [Murphy] and Dan Leavy [in the back row], and Jack Conan back in the mix, then if you have fit players they are going to get the chance,’ he added.