Ireland prop provides injury boost for Leinster ahead of Munster showdown

Leinster loosehead Ed Byrne has returned to full training this week ahead of their clash with United Rugby Championship winners Munster at the Aviva Stadium.

With fellow props Cian Healy and Michael Milne still out, the six-cap Ireland international has recovered from a hamstring injury to relieve some pressure on head coach Leo Cullen amid a mini propping crisis.

The URC league leaders confirmed in an injury update on Monday that Milne will be further assessed later this week as he returns from a shoulder injury and Healy will also step up his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury. Meanwhile the 30-year-old Byrne will be available for selection in the URC for the first time this season.

Elsewhere in the squad, there are no updates on Tommy O’Brien (ankle), Cormac Foley (shoulder), John McKee (hamstring), Luke McGrath (knee) and Alex Soroka (foot).

This fixture is already one of the most fiercely contested derbies in the league, and it will only go up a notch this season with Munster taking the field on Saturday as champions.

Leinster welcomed back a number of their Ireland internationals last week as they smashed the Scarlets 54-5, as Cullen probably wanted to have his squad firing on all cylinders for Munster's visit this week.