Ruddock desperate to prove his fitness for Leinster

The 24-year-old fractured his arm in the European victory against Harlequins at the Aviva Stadium in December but returned to full training this week.

Having started in Ireland's November wins against South Africa and Australia, Ruddock is now keen to prove his fitness with his province as Leinster look to gain a firmer foothold in the GUINNESS PRO12's play-off spots.

"I am dying to get going again and the recovery will certainly get easier from now on in," he told the Irish Independent.

"I hope that I get the chance to show that a few weeks out haven't hindered my performance levels and that I can take up where I left off.

"For me, it's great to have that focus of a game again, to have a date in my mind knowing that it is within touching distance. I want to prove myself again.

"It would be nice to run out in the RDS for my return game, hopefully against Dragons."

Leinster have reached the European quarter-finals in Ruddock's absence but have faltered slightly domestically, most notably in December's 28-13 defeat at Munster.

Ruddock is unconcerned by individual results however, instead focusing on the positive environment coach Matt O'Connor is developing at Leinster.

"We have an environment that is very driven and we demand high standards of each other so, believe me, there is no harsher critic than ourselves," he added.

"You will always have blips and off days like against Munster, but you back the environment that Matt has built in here and that we drive as players. We have an excellent culture and that too can act as a bit of a shield.

"We always emphasise this period in the season as being of critical importance. Last year during the four games of the Six Nations we won all the games.

"It gives an opportunity to the younger lads or those that haven't had much game time, to show what they can do and press their case."

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