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Leinster hit by several injuries ahead of crucial Toulouse test

11 Jan 2019

Ireland and Leinster outhalf Johnny Sexton (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Leinster have been dealt a blow with several of their front line players absent for their crunch Heineken Champions Cup clash with Toulouse.

The defending champions must secure a win to give them a chance of finishing top of pool 1. They currently trail the French club by two points.

But Leinster will have to do without their talismanic outhalf Johnny Sexton, with Ross Bryne slotting in at 10.

The backline has also been shorn of Ireland duo Robbie Henshaw and Rob Kearney. In the pack second row Devin Toner also misses out.

Jordan Larmour starts in the number 15 jersey with Adam Byrne on the right wing and Dave Kearney on the left.

Rory O’Loughlin and Garry Ringrose are again the centre partnership having played together in the Munster game over Christmas.

In the half backs Luke McGrath is partnered with Ross Byrne.

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The front row sees Cian Healy, Seán Cronin and Tadhg Furlong scrum down with Scott Fardy and James Ryan behind in the engine room.

The back row features captain Rhys Ruddock, Josh van der Flier and Jack Conan at No. 8.

On the bench Conor O’Brien is in line to make his European debut having impressed over the last few months in the Guinness PRO14.

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Jordan Larmour (31)
14. Adam Byrne (46)
13. Garry Ringrose (58)
12. Rory O’Loughlin (52)
11. Dave Kearney (128)
10. Ross Byrne (60)
9. Luke McGrath (105)
1. Cian Healy (200)
2. Sean Cronin (164)
3. Tadhg Furlong (94)
4. Scott Fardy (33)
5. James Ryan (24)
6. Rhys Ruddock (153) CAPTAIN
7. Josh van der Flier (69)
8. Jack Conan (83)

16. James Tracy (81)
17. Ed Byrne (34)
18. Andrew Porter (43)
19. Ross Molony (76)
20. Max Deegan (No 8)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (63)
22. Noel Reid (111)
23. Conor O’Brien (10)

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Comments on RugbyPass

IkeaBoy 10 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Japan were joyful to watch in the 2015 RWC. World rugby rewards them with playing SA and SCO on a 4 day turn around.

They were probably the form team of the 2019 RWC by the end of the pools stage. Their running game was ridiculous.

They've dropped the ball since I think. They are now prioritising their league and the money streams. Eddie Jones hardly helps either.

Yeah Fiji have a lot to fight against. The day that team regularly becomes an 80 min team, the world order will change. They simply don't produce average athletes.

63 Go to comments

AllyOz 15 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Does this slow the development in some key positions. I imagine it must be difficult for the strength based positions (locks and props particularly) to build up and maintain muscle strength and weight without a set rest period. I can remember as a (fairly low grade) player that it took a long time in pre-season to build 3 - 4 kg of muscle and I would generally lose that amount of weight (up to 5 kg) across the season. I am sure the fitness science and S & C blokes are a lot better in their prep than in my day and also that the players are a lot more dedicated than I was, but strength training generally requires and element of rest & recovery to be most effective.

63 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 16 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Yeah they were in serious trouble at the time from what I read of it. Very, very dicey times.

I would only get on board with the RC changes if it genuinely brought Fiji, Samoa and Tonga into the light. I've doubts. Even the proposed Nations Cup seems purely to ring fence the world order of rugby.

I agree on Georgia but more for form. They missed their chance. It's peaked.

You could argue that by the time Italy finally joined they'd already peaked. They were a proper, serious outfit in the 90’s but by the time they joined their moment had passed.

63 Go to comments

AllyOz 19 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Why do you think it is involvements Nick, rather than minutes. I thought teams could rest some of there bigger names by giving them bench time, just using them for 20 at the end or only 50 at the start? Or is this trying to take into account travel and training loads as well?

63 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 20 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

Agree completely with that. There are some cracking stadiums knocking around Europe. Plenty of modest 20k capacity ones that are well located in the cities and would look brilliant when full and televised.

I wasn't at the recent IRE V Georgia game but I was in that stadium a few years back. It has it's charms.

Nobody wants to say it but regular games against tier 2 nations to get back in the winning habit is what Wales need at test level. A second division 6N would be just the ticket for that.

63 Go to comments

Over the sideline 21 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I know many seem to keep this line of thinking but do a lot of top players play in France?

No ABs do, very few Wallabies do, no English or Irish do as their national selection policy doesn’t allow it, and do Scotland and Wales select from OS?

I do know that Nonu plays in it tho.

Probably a number of PI nations players do and that is a problem for those nations around getting released for tests.

Saffa's would be the main non French players who still also play tests I’d imagine.

The actually study of the comps make-up would be interesting.

63 Go to comments

IkeaBoy 26 minutes ago

Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us