Garry Ringrose remains “hopeful” that he will be fit and available for Ireland’s penultimate Guinness Six Nations game against England at Twickenham next Saturday week.
The Irish centre has missed the opening three wins of the team’s bid to retain their Six Nations crown and keep alive hopes of historic back-to-back Grand Slams due to a shoulder injury which he picked up in Leinster’s Champions Cup win away to Leicester over six weeks ago.
“It’s going well,” said Ringrose of his recuperation. “It’s obviously been tough, missing out on being available for the last three games but the rehab is progressing well and I’m hoping all going well to be available for the last two games.
“We have this week, the timing of the second down week is probably good to give an extra few days to hopefully get it right. That’s the plan, to be available.
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Asked how he sustained the injury, Ringrose said: “I’ve hurt that shoulder in the past but it was in the Leicester game where I picked up a couple of knocks on it. I was able to play the game through and only flagged it with the medics afterwards.
“It probably had some time for swelling and irritation to build up in the joint, and then a few things shut down that needed to get back firing again.
“Thankfully, the lads [medical team] have been all over it and helped me massively in the last couple of weeks and thankfully been able to stay in the environment with the guys and try and help where I can and train some weeks as well.
“From that perspective, it’s gone really well hopefully this week it goes well and be available for the last two.”
