Porter and Lowe miss Leinster's clash with La Rochelle due to injury

LEINSTER’S ANDREW PORTER and James Lowe have missed out on involvement in tomorrow’s Champions Cup clash with La Rochelle in Dublin due to injury.

Loosehead prop Porter suffered a calf injury in training yesterday, meaning he joins fellow loosehead Jack Boyle and tighthead duo Tadhg Furlong and Rabah Slimani on the sidelines this weekend.

Paddy McCarthy starts at loosehead for Leinster, with Thomas Clarkson at tighthead, while Jerry Cahir and Andrew Sparrow are set for their Champions Cup debuts off the bench against La Rochelle.

“Andrew was getting assessed today,” said Cullen. “You could see straight away towards the end of the session, so it was just one of those things, unfortunate incident. How bad exactly, that’ll be a bit clearer by next week, so just get it assessed.

“Not ideal, he obviously was due to be involved, so it was only late in the week.

“But yeah, the next man. It’s a great opportunity for Jerry and Andrew Sparrow, both potentially making their Champions Cup debuts, which is two great stories. Very, very different the two of them.

“Andrew has come through the academy and is still in the academy. Jerry’s come in on a trial period off the back of the AIL last year, such a fantastic story for him. That’s what the club should be about, isn’t it?

“You’ve Andrew Porter, who has come through the pathway all the way through to play for the Lions during the summer. But if he drops out, listen, it’s on to the start of someone else’s career at this level, so it’s great.”

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Slimani remains unavailable with the calf injury that ruled him out of last weekend’s win over Connacht at a late stage.

Ireland international Furlong, meanwhile, suffered a head injury in training late in the week before that Connacht game and is still out of action as a result.

“He [Furlong] took a pretty innocuous head knock in training, and that’s why he was out,” said Cullen.

“He’s going through the graduated return to play now, so he should be OK next week.”

The exciting JJ Kenny gets his Champions Cup debut on the left wing, with Lowe ruled out due to a neck injury.

Ireland international Lowe last featured for Leinster in their 27 December win over Munster at Thomond Park and Cullen is hopeful he will be back in action soon.

“His was an issue with his neck, so hopefully that settles down,” said Cullen, who was asked if it will be a short-term injury.

“Yeah, I think it will be,” replied Cullen.

The Leinster boss said outside centre Garry Ringrose and second row RG Snyman, who have both been sidelined since being forced off injury against Harlequins on 6 December, got through a return to training this week and should be ready for next weekend’s visit to Bayonne in the Champions Cup.

Fullback Hugo Keenan, who has yet to play this season having undergone hip surgery in the wake of last summer’s Lions tour, is back doing some training but remains short of full fitness. Keenan has been targeting a return before the Six Nations.

“Hugo did some rugby this week, which I was pleased to see,” said Cullen.

“He’s probably another few weeks. He just needs to get back to managing what it’s like playing again post-surgery. He’s had surgery on his hip, it’s just managing this scenario with his hip.

“He just needs to get back up and running, and what does that feel like post the surgery that he had. So, that’s going to take a few weeks, I think. Again, let’s assess him day by day. I think he felt OK when he trained. He trained yesterday, did some of the units, which is encouraging, so he’s slowly making his way back.

“Garry trained this week, so he’s pretty much good to go.

“RG trained this week, so again, he’s got through the week and he seems like he’s pretty much good to go now as well.

“But we just want to make proper calls at the start of the week, generally. As I said, Andrew Porter is a little bit different because that’s late in the week.”