Leinster head coach Leo Cullen is expected to keep a host of frontliners on the bench for Sunday’s Champions Cup opener with Bristol at Ashton Gate.
The province welcomed 19 players back from Ireland duty earlier this week and, mindful of a six-day turnaround to their European clash with Clermont at Aviva Stadium,
Cullen may manage the workload of his returning stars in the coming weeks. The international trio of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Jamie Osborne will miss the trip to face Pat Lam’s side, who are currently second in the English Premiership standings, after they picked up injuries during the autumn international series. Tadhg Furlong and Will Connors are also sidelined but Ryan Baird is back in the frame for selection after the Leinster flanker sustained a concussion while on Ireland duty in November.
BKT United Rugby Championship, Hive Stadium, Edinburgh 20/9/2024 Edinburgh vs Leinster Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Pic: INPHO/Craig Watson
New Zealand midfielder Jordie Barrett is poised to make his Leinster debut and may feature among a stacked bench of seasoned campaigners including Caelan Doris.
Cullen has a big call to make at out-half with Sam Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley and the Byrne brothers all vying for the No10 slot.
The visitors are set to face one of England’s form sides, ably led by the head coach who guided Connacht to Pro12 glory in 2016 before making the switch to Bristol.
Pat Lam the Bristol Bears director of rugby issues instructions during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby first semi-final match between Wasps and Bristol Bears. Pic: David Rogers/Getty Images
‘This is as good as it gets,’ said Lam on Thursday
‘The Champions Cup is somewhere where we aspire to be, and to be here and play Leinster with their unbelievable history is the type of rugby we want to be involved in.
‘This is the best prepared we have come into Champions Cup rugby. I have been blessed to win the Premiership and European Cup as a player. The stakes are higher [in the Champions Cup] and your reputation as a club can be made or lost in that competition.
‘This is the biggest stage in northern hemisphere rugby.’
Munster Rugby Women’s Squad Training, 4G Pitch, UL, Limerick 27/9/2023 Academy Manager Ian Costello. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady
Munster interim head coach Ian Costello, meanwhile, is poised to name the province’s strongest line-up of the season.
Captain Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Peter O’Mahony are all back in the selection mix having returned from Test duty while Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly and Thaakir Abrahams will also feature in a strong matchday squad to face Stade Francais at Thomond Park tomorrow evening.
Meanwhile, Leinster and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan is targeting a return to action in the New Year.
Sheehan has been out of action since he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Ireland’s first Test against South Africa in Pretoria in July. However, the 26-year-old, who was one of the form hookers in the world prior to his injury setback, is hoping to put himself back in the frame for six Nations selection next month.
Leinster and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan is targeting a return to action in the New Year. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
‘Hopefully into the new year.
It might take a month or two, but that’s what I’m sort of aiming at,’ he said.
‘I’d love to get a good chunk of the season, see how we go. I’ve been conscious not to put a timeframe on it, because then it would be tempting to rush back, and it’s very much a week-to-week thing.
‘In terms of the knee, it’s coming along very nicely. Emma Galvin, my physio, has worked hard to get me to a good spot. I haven’t had one setback yet, so hopefully in the new year I can get kicking.
‘I don’t want to rush it at the same time, it’s quite tempting, especially after the last month watching the lads out there playing big games. You’re like “I really want to get back”, but I’ll make sure I’m 100 per cent right, and that’s when I’ll go back.’
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