Leinster

Image source, Getty Images

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has recalled Harry Byrne at fly-half in one of seven changes for Friday's Investec Champions Cup trip to Leicester (20:00 GMT).

While Sam Prendergast started last week's opening pool win over Harlequins, Byrne is given the chance to impress on the European stage after catching the eye in three United Rugby Championship starts this season.

Coincidentally, Byrne's last Champions Cup start for Leinster was a 27-10 away win over Leicester in January 2024.

The 26-year-old, who spent part of last season on loan at Bristol, last started a Champions Cup game for Leinster in January 2024

Joining Byrne in the backline is All Blacks star Rieko Ioane, who is handed his first Leinster start after making his debut off the bench against Quins.

Ioane is partnered by the returning Robbie Henshaw in midfield, while James Lowe is fit to start on the left wing after recovering from a calf injury.

James Ryan is named in the second row after serving his suspension following a red card in Ireland's November defeat by South Africa, while there are two front-row changes as Tadhg Furlong and Ronan Kelleher replace Thomas Clarkson and Dan Sheehan at tight-head prop and hooker.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Ioane, Henshaw, Lowe; Byrne, Gibson-Park; P McCarthy, Kelleher, Furlong, J McCarthy, Ryan, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Sheehan, Boyle, Clarkson, Mangan, Deegan, McGrath, Prendergast, Frawley.

Image source, Getty Images

Ireland wing James Lowe has been passed fit for Leinster's Investec Champions Cup pool 3 match at Leicester Tigers on Friday (20:00 GMT), but Jordan Larmour has been ruled out.

Lowe missed Saturday's 45-28 win over Harlequins at Aviva Stadium with a calf problem, paving the way for Larmour to score two tries in a man-of-the-match display.

Second row RG Snyman (shoulder) and centre Garry Ringrose (cramp) are doubts for the trip to Welford Road, while back row Will Connors could return after recovering from an arm injury.

With Ringrose's availability uncertain, Rieko Ioane could make his first Leinster start after having replaced the Ireland international in the second half against Harlequins.

New Zealand international Ioane, who has joined on a short-term deal until the end of the season, marked his first appearance in blue with a try assist for Jimmy O'Brien.

Leinster said there were no further updates on Cormac Foley, Hugo Keenan, James Culhane, Jamie Osborne, Ryan Baird and Andrew Porter.

Image source, Getty Images

Leinster captain Caelan Doris says his side must raise their performance levels after they held off Harlequins to win Saturday's Investec Champions Cup opener at Aviva Stadium.

The four-time champions scored seven tries, but it was not all plain sailing as they were forced to finish strongly after a penalty try left the visitors just 24-21 down after 50 minutes.

"It's a bonus-point win, but performance-wise we're going to have to improve quite a bit going into Leicester away and as we get deeper into the tournament," Doris told Premier Sports.

"[There were a] few moving parts, not to make that an excuse, but we're going to need to improve as we go on."

Leinster's strong finish featured a try assist for New Zealand star Rieko Ioane, who made his debut for the Irish province after joining on a short-term deal until the end of the season.

Ioane was previously unpopular in Irish rugby circles because of a spat with former Ireland captain Johnny Sexton, but Doris says the 28-year-old has slotted smoothly into the Leinster environment.

"He's been great so far, he's fitted in pretty quickly," added Doris, who led Leinster in his first appearance for the province since May because of injury.

"It's tricky coming in and learning a new language in terms of all the play-calling and whatnot, but he's done a good job and he's one of us already."

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand international Rieko Ioane is set to make his Leinster debut off the bench in Saturday's Investec Champions Cup opener against Harlequins at Aviva Stadium (17:30 GMT).

The 88-cap All Black - a two-time World Rugby Player of the Year nominee - has joined the Irish province from the Blues until the end of the season.

Ioane - who can cover outside centre and the left wing - is part of a strong Leinster matchday squad as head coach Leo Cullen recalls his Ireland internationals after the autumn break.

Caelan Doris captains the side in his first Leinster appearance since May, having returned from a shoulder injury for Ireland last month. Jack Conan also makes his first Leinster appearance this season in a strong back row completed by former World Rugby player of the year Josh van der Flier.

Lock Joe McCarthy returns from a foot injury to partner South Africa international RG Snyman in the second row.

Ireland trio Thomas Clarkson, Dan Sheehan and Paddy McCarthy are named in the front row, with the latter making his Champions Cup debut.

Sam Prendergast and Jamison Gibson-Park are paired in the half-backs, while Jordan Larmour, Tommy O'Brien and Jimmy O'Brien make up the back three.

Andrew Porter (arm), James Lowe (calf) and Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) are not included.

Leinster have won four Champions Cup titles, the last of which came in 2018, while they lost three successive finals between 2022 and 2024.

Cullen's side thrashed Harlequins 62-0 at Croke Park in the round of 16 last season. Harlequins are currently eighth in the 10-team Prem.

Leinster: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, Ringrose, Frawley, Larmour; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; P McCarthy, Sheehan, Clarkson, Snyman, J McCarthy, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Boyle, Furlong, Mangan, Deegan, McGrath, Byrne, Ioane.

Image source, Getty Images

Jacques Nienaber insists he is enjoying his time as Leinster senior coach as he clarified comments he made in an interview last month.

Nienaber joined the Irish province in 2023 after leading the Springboks' triumphant Rugby World Cup campaign as head coach and recently extended his contract with the United Rugby Championship holders to the end of the 2026-27 season.

Speaking to SuperSport in the build-up to South Africa's November win over Ireland in Dublin, the 53-year-old said he is happy at Leinster, but misses working with the Springboks when asked about his longer term plans.

But speaking on Monday before Leinster's Investec Champions Cup opener against Harlequins, Nienaber said his comments were taken out of context.

"The whole interview was actually about my time in Leinster and my last two years here and I was very complimentary of Leinster. If you do the due diligence and do yourself the trouble of listening to the whole interview, you'll see the whole context," he said.

"The question was 'how's the job, how's your life in Dublin and I said we really enjoy Dublin. I'm starting my third year. I said at the start of your first year, you start to making friends with your neighbours and making friends in Ireland that you actually go on holiday with."

On life in Ireland, he added: "We really enjoy it. My daughter is over on holidays from South Africa and my son's got one more subject (exam) on 5 December and then he's joining us.

"We're getting the family together over Christmas time and we're really enjoying Dublin. We enjoy the club, I enjoy working with the players. There's a lot of stimulation."

Image source, Getty Images

Pressed on his quotes being taken out of context, Nienaber added: "I said my contract with Leinster is until the end of the 2027 season, so that's when my contract finishes.

"I think it's common knowledge, it's in the public domain, everybody knows that."

Nienaber also explained that Anthony Foley's death in 2016 taught him that plans can quickly change.

Nienaber was working alongside current South Africa boss Rassie Erasmus at Munster when head coach Foley passed away at the age of 42. Nienaber and Erasmus returned to South Africa in 2017.

"Then the question was 'what then?' and that's where the Anthony story come up," he added.

"I said 'I don't know, I can't tell you what happens then'. That is what I said. I can't tell you what's going to happen after that."

Nienaber says any decision about his future will be made with his family in mind as he explained his wife is not currently working as a physiotherapist in Ireland.

"I know that I'm the sole provider of my family.

"So if my contract with expires with Leinster, which I enjoy working with, which I love, which is why I extended my contract...if my contract finishes in June or July 2027, whatever is the best for me to provide for my family and that suits my family, I will definitely look at that because I have to provide for my family."

Image source, Inpho

Next five fixtures: Dragons (A), Harlequins (H, Champions Cup), Leicester (A, Champions Cup), Ulster (H), Munster (A)

Perhaps the big Leinster push is upon us. After a stuttering start to the season that yielded defeats by the Stormers, Bulls and Munster, the URC holders are tasked with reversing their fortunes with another Investec Champions Cup campaign beckoning.

And a growing injury list is not what Leo Cullen needed before Friday's contest with the Dragons at Rodney Parade (19:45 GMT).

Already without scrum-half Cormac Foley and Ireland full-back Hugo Keenan, Leinster confirmed long-term injuries for Ryan Baird and Jamie Osborne earlier this week, both of whom are doubts for the start of the Six Nations.

James Culhane is also out "for the next few months" with a knee issue while Will Connors is recovering from an arm injury, while Tommy O'Brien and Robbie Henshaw are also currently out.

Joe McCarthy looks set to be fit next week's Champions Cup opener against Harlequins, which will be the lock's first action of the season.

And there is naturally a great deal of intrigue over Rieko Ioane's arrival. The hugely experienced All Blacks star has joined the province until the end of the season and hopes to replicate his fellow countryman Jordie Barrett's impact for the Blues during the 2024-25 campaign.

It is an unexpected new chapter for Ioane, who cemented himself as one of the most unpopular figures in Irish rugby after clashing with Johnny Sexton.

If he can go one better than Barrett and propel Leinster to their first Champions Cup title since 2018, it would complete a remarkable turnaround for the two-time World Rugby Player of the Year nominee.

Image source, Inpho

Leinster are without their frontline Ireland internationals for Friday's United Rugby Championship game against Dragons at Rodney Parade (19:45 GMT), but Josh Ericson is set to make his debut from the bench.

Back row Ericson, who joined the Leinster academy earlier this month, has been named as a replacement for tomorrow night's game.

Head coach Leo Cullen has made 12 changes to the side from their URC win over Zebre last month, with only fly-half Harry Byrne, centre Hugh Cooney and wing Joshua Kenny retained.

RG Snyman, who won his 50th international cap for the Springboks against Ireland last week, is named among the replacements alongside the uncapped Ericson.

Max Deegan will captain the side from number eight, with Alex Soroka and Scott Penny named on the flanks.

Leinster are without Tommy O'Brien, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, Ryan Baird, Will Connors, James Culhane, Joe McCarthy, Cormac Foley and Hugo Keenan because of injury.

Ireland captain Caelan Doris, fly-half Sam Prendergast and first-choice props Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong are among the players rested after the Test window.

Leinster are also without the suspended James Ryan.

The URC holders have lost three of their opening five games, while Friday's opponents are without a win so far this season.

Leinster: O'Brien; Kenney, Cooney, Frawley, Larmour; Byrne, Gunne; Boyle, McCarthy, Clarkson, Deeny, Mangan, Soroka, Penny, Deegan (capt).

Replacements: McKee, Cahir, Slimani, Snyman, Ericson, McGrath, Tector, Moloney

Image source, Inpho

James Ryan has been handed a three-week suspension after the red card he was shown during Ireland's 24-13 defeat by South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday was upheld by an independent disciplinary committee.

Second row Ryan's yellow card for a high hit on Malcolm Marx in the early stages of the loss to the Springboks was subsequently upgraded to a 20-minute red card.

The independent committee determined that by applying World Rugby's sanctioning provisions, a mid-range entry point of six weeks was appropriate.

That has been reduced to three weeks, however, in light of Ryan accepting the red card, his clean record and other mitigating factors.

The sanction could be further reduced to two weeks should Ryan complete World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme as a substitute for the final week of his suspension.

That option is aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues which contributed to the incidence of foul play.

As it stands, Ryan is ruled out of Leinster's United Rugby Championship game against Dragons this weekend and the Investec Champions Cup matches at home to Harlequins on 6 December and away to Leicester Tigers on 12 December.

Image source, Inpho

Ryan Baird and Jamie Osborne are major doubts for the start of Ireland's 2026 Six Nations campaign because of injury.

Versatile forward Baird, who was forced off in Ireland's 24-13 defeat by world champions South Africa on Saturday with a leg injury, will be out for "up to three months", according to his club Leinster.

Speaking after the loss to the Springboks, Ireland boss Andy Farrell said Baird - who started all four autumn Tests - suffered a suspected fractured tibia.

Osborne is facing a four-month spell on the sidelines with the shoulder injury he sustained in Ireland's win over Japan.

Ireland begin their Six Nations campaign with a trip to holders France on 5 February.

In their squad update, Leinster also confirmed wing Tommy O'Brien, who suffered a head injury against South Africa, and centre Robbie Henshaw (hamstring) will also miss Friday's United Rugby Championship match away to Dragons.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen will also be without Will Connors and James Culhane, who picked up arm and knee injuries respectively in Leinster 50-24 victory over Zebre last month.

There is good news for Cullen and Farrell, however, with lock Joe McCarthy entering the final stage of his rehabilitation from a foot injury he sustained during the first British and Irish Lions Test against Australia in July.

Leinster said he will "be further assessed as the week continues" but added there are no further updates on the fitness of Cormac Foley (calf) and Hugo Keenan (hip).

Image source, Inpho

Former Ireland and Munster back Andrew Conway had "hard conversations" with Joe Schmidt when making the switch from Leinster to Munster.

The 34-year-old, whose career ended in 2023 because of a knee injury, had made 42 appearances for his home province at the time when offered a contract with fierce rivals Munster.

Although he had been invited to the Munster Academy as a teenager when leaving Dublin's Blackrock College, Conway at that stage opted to stay at home.

However, speaking to The Ireland Rugby Social podcast, he felt eventually making the switch to Thomond Park in 2013 was the "best decision" he made in his career despite how his then provincial coach Schmidt heard the news.

"I trust my intuition and just felt it was the right thing to do, even though it was the hard thing to do," he said.

"I signed the contract on the Thursday and Joe had rang me an hour after I had signed it, saying 'don't sign anything but come in and talk to me on Saturday'. I didn't have the forethought to say I'd signed so just said 'yeah, grand'.

"On Friday, I went over to London to a football match with a couple of mates and came back the worse for wear on the Saturday. My agent had rang and said Gerry Thornley (of The Irish Times) knew about me signing and it was going into the paper, so Joe would have known.

"I went in and got the head eaten off me, but a few hours later I find out why he was so annoyed - Johnny Sexton had signed for Racing and it was coming out, so my thing was small fish."

In the podcast, Conway talks about his 10 years at Munster where he made 150 appearances for his adopted province.

Knee injuries would hamper his Ireland career as he missed out on two Grand Slams, a winning tour to New Zealand and the 2023 World Cup, something he described as "horrific", but Conway takes a philosophical view of his career.

"I'd love a few more medals and caps, but have a mentality where I don't think about what I didn't achieve or don't have.

"I'm more focused on the positives. Maybe it's a bit idealistic, but it's the truth."

Image source, Inpho

Luke McGrath says Leinster owed their fans an improved performance as they shook off a sluggish start to the season to thrash Zebre in Dublin.

The United Rugby Championship holders came into Saturday's Aviva Stadium game on the back of three defeats in four, including last week's heavy loss to rivals Munster at Croke Park.

But despite handing out six debuts in a team shorn of their Ireland contingent, they overcame a spirited first-half showing from Zebre to score eight tries and seal a 50-26 win.

"It was such a tough week, especially after last weekend," captain McGrath told Premier Sports.

"We felt we owed it to our fans to put on a better performance and we're really pleased we were able to do that."

The scrum-half added: "It was far from perfect.

"There was so much inexperience in there, so much excitement before the game, so I'm happy for those six guys and thankfully we made it a good bonus-point win, something we haven't been amazing at this season."

Image source, Inpho

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has included five uncapped players in his matchday squad for Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against Zebre at Aviva Stadium (17:30 BST).

Full-back Hugo McLaughlin and prop Jerry Cahir make their debuts from the start, with prop Alex Usanov, fly-half Caspar Gabriel and hooker Bobby Sheehan - British and Irish Lions and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan's younger brother - named on the bench.

With 22 Leinster players on Ireland duty, Cullen has made 14 changes from last week's dispiriting 31-14 defeat by rivals Munster at Croke Park, with Max Deegan the only player retained.

Joshua Kenny earns his first start on the right wing after making his debut off the bench against the Sharks a fortnight ago, with Andrew Osborne on the left.

Experienced scrum-half Luke McGrath captains the side as Harry Byrne returns at fly-half.

France prop Rabah Slimani starts at tight-head while Springbok second row RG Snyman is on the bench.

URC holders Leinster have lost three of their first four URC games.

Leinster: McLaughlin; Kenny, Cooney, Tector, A Osborne; Byrne, McGrath; Cahir, McKee, Slimani, Deeny, Mangan, Deegan, Penny, Culhane.

Replacements: B Sheehan, Usanov, Sparrow, Snyman, Soroka, Connors, Gunne, Gabriel.

We've launched our new rugby podcast - the Ireland Rugby Social - with Ireland legend Conor Murray joining Gavin Andrews every week to dive into the sport's biggest stories.

Each episode will be released on Tuesday on BBC Sounds.

Who do you want to hear from on the podcast?

Send us your suggestions here.

Watch former Ireland star Conor Murray chat to his Ireland Rugby Social co-host Gavin Andrews about the launch of their new podcast on BBC Sounds.