Will Connors' rotten luck with injury has continued, with the news he's facing up to ten weeks on the sidelines.
Leinster confirmed on Monday that the flanker sustained a knee ligament injury in last month's United Rugby Championship defeat away to Cardiff.
Connors had only returned from an eight-month knee injury layoff in November's loss to Ulster at the RDS. In between, the 25-year old sustained a minor hamstring problem.
The latest blow ends any lingering hopes Connors could play himself back into Andy Farrell's thinking for the remainder of the Six Nations.
Prior to last year's knee injury, Connors played in nine Ireland tests between a try-scoring appearance against Italy in October 2020 and the Six Nations victory at Murrayfield in March of last year.
With a recovery time of eight to ten weeks, Connors is also unlikely to be available for Leinster's Heineken Champions Cup last-16 games with Ulster.
Leinster welcome Edinburgh to the RDS this weekend in the United Rugby Championship, and will probably do so without Joe McCarthy. He picked up a shoulder injury in his debut at Cardiff, and will be monitored as the week goes on.
Dave Kearney has returned to full training with the province, while Josh Murphy has recovered from a chest injury sustained in the Champions Cup win at Bath.
James Lowe (hamstring), Dan Leavy (wrist), Conor O’Brien (hamstring), Michael Milne (calf) remain long-term absentees.
