Dave Kearney has had more than his fair share of injuries in his career but after coming through back-to-back matches against Edinburgh and the Ospreys in his first outings for nine months, at least the timing of his return could hardly have been better.
Having overcome an ankle injury at the start of the season, which he describes as pretty straightforward, the 32-year-old winger was afforded some game time in an 'A' friendly with Ulster last November only to suffer some back issues which became increasingly complex.
“I thought that was going to be only four to six weeks and then it turned out to be eight, 10, 12, and next thing you know you’re halfway through the season,” said Kearney.
“It’s great to be back in. You almost feel not really part of the squad in a weird way when you’re injured and out for so long. It doesn’t get any easier watching training or watching games, you want to be involved, but I got through the last two weeks, two back-to back games, which is good so hopefully I’ll get a few more now over the next few weeks.
“It’s obviously a good time to come back as well given there’s a few lads away in [Irish] camp et cetera. There are a few more opportunities which is a positive.”
Indeed, the previous disruptions this season mean that Leinster have another three games in this Six Nations window, beginning with the Lions at the RDS this coming Friday (kick-off 7.35pm), followed by away games against Benetton and Ulster (a potential summit meeting between the top two) over the ensuing two Saturdays.
With the two Munster games rearranged for Saturday, April 2nd at Thomond Park and May 21st/22nd at the Aviva Stadium, Leinster have only one more idle week pencilled in this season, on the final weekend of the Six Nations; something they hope will be the case until the middle of June.
“It’s a good time to come back in. Even when all of the games were being cancelled it was fine for me really. From a selfish point of view I was probably happy enough they were cancelled because it meant I could get back and there would be a few more games.
“I don’t think we had that many games previously scheduled during the Six Nations but the cancellations means there was a bit more game-time to be picked up during that period which was definitely a positive for me.”
This season has been in stark contrast to last season for Kearney, who started 19 of his 20 games for Leinster and completed 80 minutes in all bar two of them. But the enforced hiatus has made him appreciate playing again as much as ever.
“I obviously played a lot last season, and then if you get a layoff for a couple of weeks, it’s not the end of the world. It’s like, ‘I’ll miss a couple of games and I’ll be back’. But because this dragged out so long, you’re itching to go. You really miss it, and especially last year with Covid, I was playing with no crowds and that’s obviously different.
"The first game I played last week [Edinburgh], I hadn't played with a crowd since whatever it was, two years before that," said Kearney. In his previous game in front of a crowd was Kearney's hat-trick in the win over Glasgow was a little overshadowed by Ryan Baird doing likewise in the same match.
“That obviously brings that excitement too, and to be able to play again in the RDS with a good crowd there, it gets the buzz back. You’re like a young lad playing your first cap. You still get that buzz walking out at the RDS, which is great.”
Kearney is also in the unusual position of his games being analysed in the TV studio by his elder brother Rob, who said he’d have no qualms criticising his sibling, and Leinster’s next three matches are also on Premier Sports.
“He’s doing good. He’s enjoying it. It’s obviously good too when you have someone on the panel who is fresh out of the game, they bring different perspectives to analysing games that maybe other people might not see.
“He’s loving it and he’s been good so far. I don’t know if he said anything bad about me at the weekend or not, but I told him to take it easy on me anyway.”
