Garry Ringrose continues to hold out hope of being involved in this year's Six Nations Championship. The Irish outside centre, who was on the comeback trail following shoulder operations before damaging his ankle in Leinster's Pro14 game against Ulster, won't allow Ireland's campaign to become a distraction.
But he has not ruled out a run at some point before the final game away to England on St Patrick’s Day, a little over six weeks away.
After Ringrose was helped off the field, he had a procedure on his ankle and was subsequently diagnosed with syndesmosis – damage to a joint high in his angle. Team-mates Isa Nacewa, Josh van der Flier, Dan Leavy and Barry Daly have all suffered from the same condition, so the path towards recovery is well worn.
The elusive back, who recently turned 23-years-old, has not yet been able to run hard or sprint but is following a programme which could have him back on the paddock in two or three weeks.
Put hand up
"It's actually an efficient turn around injury, so we will still kind of play it by ear, week to week," says Ringrose. "Hopefully in the next two or three weeks I'll be back out running and put my hand up then for Leinster in the coming games."
It will be Leinster first but the Six Nations remains an optimistic possibility.
“Definitely is,” he says. “I’ll be keeping one eye on the Six Nations. I won’t get too distracted by it. I think the main thing for me is focus and get back for Leinster. I unfortunately haven’t played that many games this year and it’s pretty competitive in the backline, certainly in the centre so the next couple of games there is a window.
“A lot of the guys are at the Six Nations so I’ll be sticking my hand up to get picked then and anything that happens after that is out of my control.”
It is the first injury, or injuries, Ringrose has had to deal with after a blessed run of full fitness. Since his unavailability, Joe Schmidt has remastered the Irish centre positions with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw forging a partnership, as well as Jordi Larmour showing a willingness and ability to play around the backline.
Chris Farrell has also been given pitch time and impressed, the bulk and power of the 24-year-old from Belfast a counterpoint to the lighter, cutting play of the athletic Ringrose. Bad timing for the Blackrock boy.
“Yeah, it is the first time I’ve ever been injured. It’s tricky,” he says. “The timing is not great when you say it like that. There is always going to be competition, certainly in Ireland. That raises the standard of everyone around them so it is nothing but a good thing.
“There is a long list of guys there and you could put three or four back lines together there that would be worthy of playing in the big games.”
Tick the boxes
A 2014 nominee for the junior World Player of the Year award, Ringrose talks of team ethic and team performance. But it has been his individual brio and ability to move into the realms of a player who can do much more than tick all the boxes for the outside centre position that has seen him prosper.
Still, while he cautiously looks on, comfort is taken from older players returning from spells out and instantly find their footing.
"Looking at other guys like Rob Kearney who have been out with injury and even someone like Isa Nacewa, who has been out for a couple of weeks and he comes back better than ever," says Ringrose.
"So I try and copy and get advice off them. Someone like Jamie Heaslip as well . . . he kind of sets the example in terms of professionalism and recovery and even attitude around the place. Even trying to copy someone like him . . . hopefully, I won't lose too much ground."
If he is up and running in two weeks and playing in three or four, it gives a couple of weeks to capture the attention of Schmidt. By then Ireland could be pared to the bone with injuries or ready to face England in a grand finale of winner takes all. As ever, it is not always about what the returning player needs to do. But . . .
“Optimistically, hopefully get selected for the second half [of the Six Nations],” he says. Never anything but reasonable.
Garry Ringrose was speaking at the announcements of his partnership with PwC in their Dublin headquarters.
