Ryan return perfectly timed for Leinster title tilt

"Return from injury with no issue."

The line from today's medical update from Leinster that will have most pleased Irish rugby fans.

Missing from the province’s match-day squads since suffering a concussion in the Six Nations win over England on 12 March, James Ryan made a triumphant return to the field of play in Leinster’s Heineken Champions Cup victory against Leicester Tigers on Saturday.

The 25-year-old played 76 minutes and looked like he’d never been away, so pumped and primed was he for the occasion of taking on the Premiership leaders.

Making 12 tackles, three carries and winning a turnover, he was as strong in the loose as he was in the set-piece.

"It’s great [to have him back in the mix]," said assistant coach Robin McBryde when asked if the lock’s concussion history ever gave rise to concerns about a return to play this season.

"From the medical point of view we’ve been led by the experts.

"I thought he played really well. That was the best I’d seen him train leading up to the game; the ownership he took from a defensive lineout point of view, that came through.

"He had some great steals at the front that really got us out of a sticky situation.

"There has been a little bit more attention to detail in regards to individualising his programme, trying to make him move a little bit better so he doesn’t find himself in certain situations and in a bad body profile.

"He’s worked hard and it’s good to see the fruits of all that work come good, I’m really chuffed for him."

Leo Cullen's side face five-time winners and current champions Toulouse in the semi-finals in Dublin on Saturday (3pm) and having seen off Bath (109-27 over two pool games), Montpellier (89-7 at the RDS) and Connacht in the last 16 (82-41 on aggregate), the