Johnny Sexton's Leinster career could already be over but Robin McBryde believes he will come back firing for the Rugby World Cup in the autumn.
A Leinster statement released yesterday announced that Sexton's season was "likely" to be over after he undergoes surgery on the groin injury he suffered in Ireland's Grand Slam clinching victory over England.
Sexton, 37, has said that he will hang up his boots after the World Cup finals in France.
READ MORE: Johnny Sexton's Leinster career may be over as he goes under the knife tomorrow
However McBryde, a player and coach for Wales at several World Cups, doesn't see the setback affecting the veteran's chances of shining on the world stage.
"I don't think so because you've got your World Cup warm-up matches, everybody's in camp, everybody's encouraged to have a break at the end of the season," he said.
"In many ways, it could benefit Johnny that he's fresh, fit, and ready to go. Someone of his experience doesn't need game time, I think he'll get that in training.
"He's the utmost professional in terms of looking after his own game with the amount of kicking he does, his attention to detail, and I'm sure he'll get enough reps and he'll be back before you know it."
Nevertheless his absence is a blow to Leinster's hopes of winning the URC and the Champions Cup this season, having failed to capture either trophy last term in a rare campaign that ended without silverware.
The news is also being absorbed by his team-mates at the start of a pivotal week, with the Champions Cup last 16 clash with Ulster to come at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
Having said that, Sexton has only played five times for the Blues this season - and not since the New Year's Day clash with Connacht - with Ross Byrne growing in a leadership role in his absence.
"I'm not sure if he's been ruled out yet (for the season) but obviously the odds are stacked against him," said McBryde, the Leinster assistant coach.
"It would be great if he was back in time. It's just tough, you feel for him a little bit. When you're counting how many games you've got left, you just want everything to go right.
"It was pretty much a double-edged sword, I'd imagine, that last game against England, but there we are.
"He has been in rugby for long enough, he knows you've got to sometimes take the rough with the smooth so it's just a case of getting better as quickly as possible really with the World Cup looming.
"Hopefully, things will go to plan and he'll be fit and up and running for that. But I'm sure that winning a Grand Slam will make up for quite a bit of it."
McBryde expressed disappointment for Sexton that he has to go under the knife but added that his colleagues don't need the extra motivation to win for him.
"They're in a great place on the back of an outstanding Grand Slam and everybody's hungry," he said.
"Then you've got the World Cup around the corner, so it's a good time to be involved."
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