Munster sign Milne and Barron from Leinsterpublished at 19:24 29 January
19:24 29 January
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Michael Milne and Lee Barron will join Munster at the end of the season
Munster have announced the signings of Leinster front-rowers Michael Milne and Lee Barron on two-year deals.
Loose-head prop Milne, 25, and hooker Barron, 23, will switch Irish provinces at the end of the season.
Milne has scored 12 tries in 47 appearances for Leinster since making his debut as an Academy player in 2019.
He represented Emerging Ireland in 2022 and has twice been called up to train with the Ireland senior squad.
Barron represented Ireland at Under-20 level and contributed three tries in 22 appearances since making his bow for Leinster against the Sharks in 2022.
He has spent the past five years at Leinster and scored one try in six appearances so far this campaign.
Versatile Academy prop Kieran Ryan, who has played for Munster 11 times, will move up to a development contract next year and will progress to a senior contract for 2026-27.
Sheehan scores twice as Leinster beat Stormerspublished at 19:10 25 January
19:10 25 January
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Dan Sheehan had missed the start of the season with a knee injury
Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan scored twice on his return from injury as Leinster defeated the Stormers 36-12 in Dublin.
Sheehan was making his first appearance of the season after sustaining a knee injury in Ireland's summer tour of South Africa.
After taking a lead through Ross Byrne's early penalty, Leinster's first try came when Andrew Osborne raced over in the corner after being fed by Jordie Barrett.
The Stormers responded when Ben Loader scampered over out wide but the hosts had the final say in the half.
After a lengthy delay to treat the injured Luke McGrath, who gave the thumbs up after being stretchered off, Leinster struck with the clock in the red as Sheehan rounded off a flowing move in the corner.
After an error-strewn start to the second half, New Zealand centre Barrett spotted a gap to slide over the line in the 59th minute, and Byrne added the conversion.
Sheehan secured the bonus point four minutes later when he gathered James Lowe's cross-field kick to score unchallenged.
Lowe, who was also making his return from injury, had a try disallowed but wing Osborne, brother of Ireland international Jamie, grabbed his second score of the game as he intercepted the ball on the Stormers line before diving over to touch down.
The Stormers grabbed a consolation through back row Evan Roos but could not stop Leinster's winning run this season.
Leo Cullen's side are unbeaten in 10 matches in the United Rugby Championship and topped Pool B in the Investec Champions Cup with four wins from four matches.
Sheehan and Lowe will now link up with Simon Easterby's Ireland squad in Portugal before the start of the Six Nations.
Leinster: H McErlean; A Osborne, L Turner, J Barrett, J Lowe; R Byrne, L McGrath; J Boyle, D Sheehan (capt), R Slimani; R Snyman, B Deeny; A Soroka, S Penny, M Deegan.
Replacements: J McKee, P McCarthy, R McGuire, D Mangan, J Culhane, W Connors, C Foley, C Tector.
Stormers: W Gelant; B Loader; R Nel, J Roche; L Zas; M Libbok, P de Wet; A Vermaak, J Dweba, N Fouche; JD Schickerling, R van Heerden; D Fourie (capt), B-J Dixon, E Roos.
Replacements: A-H Venter, B Harris, F Malherbe, S Moerat, M Theunissen, P de Villiers, H Jantjies, W Simelane.
Sheehan leads Leinster on return from knee injurypublished at 12:34 24 January
12:34 24 January
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Dan Sheehan is a leading contender to go on this summer's British & Irish Lions tour
Dan Sheehan will captain Leinster in Saturday's United Rugby Championship game against the Stormers (17:00 GMT) on his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
It will be the Ireland hooker's first appearance of the season, having suffered the injury during Ireland's defeat by South Africa in July.
Winger James Lowe is also restored to the line-up after recovering from the calf problem that has kept him out since Ireland's win over Australia in November.
Sheehan and Lowe are due to link up with Ireland's Six Nations squad at their training camp in Portugal on Sunday.
Back row Will Connors is named among the replacements having also recovered from injury.
With the bulk of his squad already in Ireland camp, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has been forced into making wholesale changes to the side that beat Bath in the Champions Cup last weekend.
However, prop Jack Boyle - the only uncapped player in Ireland's Six Nations squad - starts while Cullen has been able to retain seasoned internationals Rabah Slimani, Jordie Barrett and RG Snyman.
Table-toppers Leinster have won all 13 of their games in the URC and Champions Cup this season. The Stormers are 10th in the URC with four wins and four defeats and were knocked out of the Champions Cup last weekend.
Leinster: H McErlean; A Osborne, L Turner, J Barrett, J Lowe; R Byrne, L McGrath; J Boyle, D Sheehan (capt), R Slimani; R Snyman, B Deeny; A Soroka, S Penny, M Deegan.
Replacements: J McKee, P McCarthy, R McGuire, D Mangan, J Culhane, W Connors, C Foley, C Tector.
Ireland duo Sheehan and Lowe closing in on returnspublished at 15:12 14 January
15:12 14 January
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Dan Sheehan (left) and James Lowe are key players for Ireland
Ireland have received a boost on the eve of their Six Nations squad announcement with Leinster confirming that Dan Sheehan and James Lowe are nearing a return to action.
Hooker Sheehan, 26, has not played since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury during Ireland's defeat by South Africa in July.
New Zealand-born wing Lowe, 32, has been out since Ireland's Autumn Nations Series win over Australia on 30 November with a calf problem.
In an injury bulletin issued on Tuesday, Leinster said both players may feature in Saturday's Champions Cup match against Bath at Aviva Stadium.
Ireland back row Will Connors is also in contention, having been sidelined since the end of November.
Fit-again international trio Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Ciaran Frawley all came through Sunday's win at La Rochelle without injury.
Having already qualified for the last 16, Leo Cullen's side - who have won all 12 of their games this season - are looking to seal top spot in Champions Cup pool 2 when they welcome Premiership leaders Bath to Dublin on Saturday (17:30 GMT).
Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby names his Six Nations squad on Wednesday.
Barrett replaces injured O'Brien for Leinster against La Rochellepublished at 11:08 11 January
11:08 11 January
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Barrett starts at full-back for Leinster at the Stade Marcel Deflandre
Jordie Barrett has been drafted into Leinster's team to face La Rochelle in the Investec Champions Cup on Sunday after an injury to Tommy O'Brien.
O'Brien picked up an injury in Friday's captain's run and will not travel to France for the game at the Bristol Bears in December.
The change has forced Leo Cullen into a backline reshuffle with New Zealand international Barrett starting at full-back.
Jimmy O'Brien will move to the right wing and Jamie Osborne will shift to left wing.
Ciaran Frawley has taken Barrett's place amongst the replacements and is in line for his first appearance since he was withdrawn at half-time with a back injury against Bristol Bears in December.
Leinster, who last won the European title in 2018, are unbeaten in this season's Champions Cup and in the United Rugby Championship.
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle have also won both of their European matches with Bath and Bristol to top Pool 2 on points difference ahead of Leinster.
Replacements: G McCarthy, Porter, Silmani, Snyman, Conan, McGrath, Byrne, Frawley.
Furlong returns for Leinster against La Rochellepublished at 14:42 10 January
14:42 10 January
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Tadhg Furlong last featured for Leinster in October because of a hamstring injury
Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong will make his first appearance for Leinster since October in Sunday's Investec Champions Cup game with La Rochelle.
Furlong, who missed Ireland's autumn internationals with a hamstring injury, will make his 150th appearance for Leinster, a landmark that will also be reached by scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
Leinster, who last won the European title in 2018, are unbeaten in this season's Champions Cup and in the United Rugby Championship.
Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle have also won both of their European matches with Bath and Bristol to top Pool 2 on points difference ahead of Leinster.
La Rochelle, who defeated Leinster in the 2022 and 2023 finals, are missing experienced forward Will Skelton though injury as O'Gara names a 7-1 split on the bench.
Leinster have made just one change to their back line from December's win over Munster as Gibson-Park comes in for Luke McGrath at number nine.
Furlong and Cian Healy join Ronan Kelleher in an all-Ireland front row while Caelan Doris captains the team from number eight.
Thomas to miss Leinster game after picking up banpublished at 17:49 2 January
17:49 2 January
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Image caption,
Teddy Thomas in action for La Rochelle during their Champions Cup quarter-final defeat by Leinster at Aviva Stadium in April
La Rochelle back Teddy Thomas has been ruled out of his side's Investec Champions Cup game against Leinster in France on 12 January after receiving a suspension for an incident in a Top 14 game.
The 31-year-old France international was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Clermont Auvergne's Theo Giral in a meeting between the sides before Christmas.
Thomas was subsequently cited and banned for four games.
As well as missing the European encounter with Leo Cullen's side, he will also sit out Top 14 matches against Toulouse and Toulon and the Champions Cup pool game away to Benetton on 18 January.
Leinster twice defeated La Rochelle in Europe last season on their way to the Champions Cup final, once in the group stage and then in the quarter-finals.
Both sides have won their opening Pool 2 matches in this year's competition, accumulating nine points apiece in the process.
Leinster are undefeated in 11 outings in all competitions this season so far thanks to nine straight wins in the United Rugby Championship and two to begin their campaign in the Champions Cup. La Rochelle sit sixth in the Top 14 table.
A statement read: "Teddy Thomas was found responsible for dangerous play and more particularly for charging or bringing down an opponent carrying the ball without attempting to grab that player. A suspension of six weeks was the entry point.
"After taking into account the aggravating circumstance (disciplinary record), the sanction was increased by one week.
"After taking into account mitigating circumstances (recognition of the facts, conduct before and during the hearing, expression of remorse), the sanction was reduced by three weeks.
"Consequently, Thomas is suspended for four weeks. As of January 2, and taking into account the schedule of Stade Rochelais matches, Thomas will be free to play from January 27."
Leinster start Prendergast but Crowley out for Munsterpublished at 12:45 26 December 2024
12:45 26 December 2024
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Irish rugby fans will not be treated to an intriguing fly-half duel between Leinster's Sam Prendergast and Munster's Jack Crowley with the latter set to miss Friday's United Rugby Championship interpro at Thomond Park (19:35 GMT).
Prendergast and Crowley have been battling for the Ireland 10 jersey with each player starting two of last month's Autumn Nations Series matches.
But while Prendergast, who was preferred for Ireland's two most recent wins over Fiji and Australia, starts for Leinster, Crowley has been ruled out because of Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] player management guidelines with Billy Burns named to start.
Crowley's absence is a further blow for Munster interim head coach Ian Costello, who is without several players amid a mounting injury list.
Earlier this week, Thaakir Abrahams (shoulder), Craig Casey (knee) and Jean Kleyn (thigh) were ruled out for approximately four months while Alex Nankivell (hamstring) is also unavailable.
In addition, Peter O'Mahony (calf contusion), Conor Murray (elbow) and Jack O'Donoghue (shoulder) have failed to regain their fitness in time for Friday's game.
Munster make seven changes from their win over Ulster in Belfast. Tadhg Beirne returns as captain, with Rory Scannell, Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan, Dian Bleuler, Oli Jager and Alex Kendellen also recalled.
Fit-again Jamie Osborne Ireland back returns for Leinster after missing the last three games with the groin injury he sustained on international duty last month.
His inclusion is one of 11 changes made by head coach Leo Cullen, who has recalled Ireland internationals Prendergast, Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose to his backline after last week's win over Connacht.
Ronan Kelleher, Gus McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris are reinstated to the Leinster pack, but New Zealand international Jordie Barrett has not been included in the 23.
Springbok lock RG Snyman, who left Munster to join Leinster last summer, is also missing from Cullen's matchday squad.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, John Hodnett, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O'Connor.
Leinster: Jamie Osborne; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O'Brien; Sam Prendergast, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Ronan Kelleher, Rabah Slimani; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Lee Barron, Andrew Porter, Cian Healy, Brian Deeny, Scott Penny, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Jordan Larmour.
Ireland and Leinster centre Henshaw signs new IRFU dealpublished at 10:29 23 December 2024
10:29 23 December 2024
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Robbie Henshaw started in three of Ireland's Autumn Nations Series matches in Dublin
Ireland and Leinster centre Robbie Henshaw has signed a two-year contract extension with the IRFU until the 2027-28 season.
The 31-year-old is one of five players alongside Conor Murray, Cian Healy, Iain Henderson and Peter O'Mahony to have won five Six Nations titles with Ireland.
Henshaw has won 77 Test caps in green since making his debut against USA in 2013, scoring 10 tries in that time.
He started all three Tests for the British and Irish Lions on their 2021 tour to South Africa and has played 95 times for Leinster, scoring 100 points.
"It is a great boost to secure my long-term future with the IRFU and I am delighted to get this deal concluded ahead of a busy period - it is a huge privilege to play rugby in Ireland because we are so well looked after, from coaching, facilities, sports science and player management perspectives," said Henshaw.
"It's also an incredibly competitive place to play rugby, and, even though we have enjoyed some success in recent years, there is great hunger within Irish Rugby to continue driving forward. I believe that my best days are to come and I am excited to continue my journey here in Ireland."
IRFU performance director David Humphreys praised Henshaw's contribution to Ireland stretching over a decade.
"Since breaking into the senior international squad 11 years ago, Robbie has been a consistent presence in one of the most competition areas of the Irish backline. Robbie is a consummate professional and a popular figure who continues to set the bar high.
"His performances during the recent Autumn Nations Series suggest that there is even more to come and I am delighted that he will continue his playing career here in Ireland and with Leinster."
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