Leinster vs Munster

ISSUE 13 | LEINSTER RUGBY OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
LEINSTER
VS
munster
SAT 21 st MAY
AVIVA STADIUM
KO 7.15PM

Newstead Building A,
UCD,
Belfield,
Dublin 4
#LEIVMUN
The Line up
Telephone:
012693224
Fax:
012693142
E-mail:
information@leinsterrugby.ie
www.leinsterrugby.ie
6
24
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
President: John Walsh
Chief Executive: Michael Dawson
Honorary Secretary: Stuart Bayley
Honorary Treasurer: Michael McGrail
RUGBY MANAGEMENT
Head Coach: Leo Cullen
Senior Coach: Stuart Lancaster
Head of Rugby Operations:
Guy Easterby
Assistant Coach: Robin McBryde
Backs Coach: Felipe Contepomi
Kicking Coach: Emmet Farrell
Contact Skills Coach: Denis Leamy
14
PROGRAMME CREDITS
Editorial Team: Marcus Ó Buachalla,
Ryan Corry & Paul Cahill
Advertising: Gary Nolan
Design: Julian Tredinnick,
Ignition Sports Media
Photography: Sportsfile
Chief Steward: Sword Security
Ambulance: St. John’s Ambulance
Medilink
Event Control & Safety Services:
Eamonn O’Boyle & Associates
57
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STAY
CONNECTED
& KEEP
UP-TO-DATE
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 3

john walsh welcome
PRESIDENT, LEINSTER RUGBY 2020/22
A week after Leinster’s Heineken
Champions Cup semi-final win over
Toulouse, we extend a warm welcome
to rugby fans to the Aviva Stadium
for this evening’s rescheduled
Round 15 fixture in the United Rugby
Championship.
It features the defending
champions and current league
leaders Leinster on 62 points and
the second-highest ranked team
in rivals Munster on 56 points
(incidentally the same number
of points as South African teams
the Cell C Sharks and the DHL
Stormers).
This game also marks our final game
in this phase of this new and exciting
international competition and it will have
a bearing as to which clubs will have
home or away fixtures in the final stages
of the competition.
The strength and quality of Irish rugby
is reflected in the fact that three of the
top eight clubs in the 16 United Rugby
Championship clubs are Ulster (11 wins),
Munster (11 wins) and Leinster (12 wins).
In relation to our win over Toulouse we
want to acknowledge the tremendous
and spectacular support that the team
was given by the ‘sea of blue’ at the
Aviva.
We thank all the 42,000 fans who
created a magnificent atmosphere. The
Official Leinster Supporters Club have for
many seasons played an important role
in the success story of Leinster at home
and abroad and we thank all the OLSC
Committee members and volunteers for
their commitment to the team. We hope
to see and hear that ‘sea of blue’ on
Saturday, 28 May, at the iconic Stade
Velodrome in Marseille when we play
La Rochelle in the final of the Heineken
Champions Cup.
In what was a short turnaround from our
win in Leicester, the Leinster marketing
and ticketing team’s effort was truly a
magnificent one to sell 42,000 tickets in
five days so we thank all involved.
The local derbies between our provincial
sides no matter at what level are eagerly
awaited by all rugby fans and indeed
all players look forward to that extra
spice that these events generate. No
doubt the impending Ireland tour to New
Zealand will be a factor as players seek
performances that will guarantee a seat
on the plane.
A special welcome to our visitors Munster
and their supporters, Munster President
Sean McCullough, the officers of the
Munster Branch, head coach Johann Van
Graan, players and management team.
While we may be rivals on the pitch,
we at Leinster, continue to work with our
colleagues in Munster, Connacht, and
Ulster for the sustained development
of the game at all levels on this island
and share many common goals and
objectives and long may that be so.
As we approach the final months of the
season, Leinster Rugby wishes to thank
and acknowledge the contributions that
departing players have made to our club.
Leinster Rugby will bid farewell to Devin
Toner (a record 279 Leinster caps), Seán
Cronin (204 Leinster caps), Dan Leavy
(79 Leinster caps) who are all retiring.
Joining the Connacht squad are Peter
Dooley (103 Leinster caps), Adam
Byrne (65 caps), Josh Murphy (60 caps)
and David Hawkshaw (11 caps). Also
departing are Rory O’Loughlin (96 caps)
and Jack Dunne (20 caps) who are
joining Exeter Chiefs. We wish all the
very best in their future endeavours.
I would also like to take this opportunity
to wish Felipe Contepomi well on his
return back home at the end of the
season. The opportunity to coach your
country is one too good to turn down but
what a legacy he will leave on this club
as a player and now as a coach. You
will always have a warm welcome here
Felipe, safe home and thank you.
The Energia All-Ireland League has
this season resulted in three individual
Leinster Clubs (Clontarf, Blackrock and
Enniscorthy) winning three of the five
titles that were up for decision in what
has been a most competitive and exciting
league programme.
A total of 18 out of the 50 AIL clubs are
Leinster-based while there are five Leinster
women’s teams playing in the Energia
Women’s All-Ireland League which
currently consists of 10 clubs. The AIL
fixtures received excellent coverage from
4 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

all the participating clubs who promoted
the games on their multiple media
platforms which continue to develop and
produce quality content.
I also wish to remind you that the Leinster
Rugby charity partner for the month of
May is CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young)
and I would like to thank the team in
BearingPoint for bringing them back to
the table having previously been partners
of ours back in 2015 and last year.
I would strongly recommend to all that
you log on to their website and make
yourself fully aware as to the impact
that this disease and condition can
have on your life and on the lives of
your treasured loved ones. CRY was
established in 2002 and continues to
do amazing work in the diagnosis and
management of the cardiac condition.
Make yourself aware and log on to
www.cry.ie for further information. The
CRY HELPLINE is Freephone Republic of
Ireland 1800 714 080, Northern Ireland
00 44 8006 40 62 80, and you can
email info@cry.ie.
On a related topic Leinster Rugby’s
‘Operation Life Saver’ has highlighted
to all the Leinster-based clubs the
importance of having a defibrillator
(AED) in their grounds in order to deal
with emergencies. Furthermore, we have
highlighted the need for clubs to have in
place effective emergency protocols, as
well as full awareness of Eircode location.
On completion of this Leinster project
our clubs will be linked to the National
Emergency Operations Centre and
National Ambulance Service in order
that we can provide the best possible
outcome in these emergency situations.
Two hugely worthwhile and visible
campaigns that I would urge you all to
support.
Enjoy the game and the next few weeks.
These are the games and the occasions
that we have missed so much over the last
two years!
John Walsh
President Leinster Rugby 2020-2022
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 5

Leo Cullen
head Coach Welcome
Good evening
to you all
and a warm
welcome to
Johann van
Graan and his
Munster team
to the Aviva
Stadium for
tonight’s
game.
The action is coming thick and
fast, and it has been amazing to
witness the display of red and
blue at this ground over the past
couple of weeks. These games
are always a reflection of the
passionate support behind both
of our teams and that’s something
we never take for granted. Long
may it continue.
Thankfully, we have managed to
secure top spot in the United Rugby
Championship. However, we know it is
very tight with a lot of teams still in with a
shout of securing a home play-off spot, so
tonight promises to be a keenly contested
game. The addition of the South African
teams has added a whole new dynamic,
not just on the pitch but in terms of travel,
logistics and squad management.
Meanwhile, even though we are involved
in a European final next week, we also
have a quarter-final to play the week
after (we hope to see you all there!).
That’s a challenge that will require focus
and renewed energy. The last round of
the regular season will no doubt throw up
a few surprises as everyone battles it out
for the top seedings.
Many thanks to the 42,000-plus
supporters who turned out last week to
create another Leinster ‘Sea of Blue’ at
the Aviva. It was truly remarkable to get
such a big crowd in just five days of ticket
sales (well done Claire, Niamh and all
the team in what was a massive effort
behind the scenes).
I know it’s a big ask and a significant
expense, but we hope to see as
many familiar faces as possible in
Marseille next Saturday.
Our supporters definitely
made a difference
last weekend. The noise and colour
throughout the match gave us all a big lift
and I want to say a special thanks to the
OLSC for their efforts over the last few
weeks, both here and on the road.
On this, the last game in our regular
season, I also want to thank the team’s
sponsors, especially Bank of Ireland. We
know it has been a challenging couple of
years for all organisations but your faith
and backing makes a huge difference
to the running of this team. We certainly
couldn’t do what we do without you.
Felipe’s announcement this week that
he will be returning to Argentina really
drove home the point that every season
is unique; there is always some personnel
movement and no two groups are ever
exactly the same. That’s just the nature of
our game.
It’s not just Felipe who will be moving
on at the end of this season; we’ll be
saying goodbye to a number of players
and staff members, and I’d like to take
this opportunity to wish them all the very
best. We are lucky to have had so many
outstanding individuals feeding into the
group dynamic over many years, and we
thank them all for their efforts.
The last few weeks have required huge
commitment from absolutely everybody
in the group, and we are still standing
and fighting on all fronts. That in itself is
a tribute to the hard work that goes on,
both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
We’re in for another battle this
evening. I hope you enjoy the
game, and the exciting few
weeks that lie ahead – the
games can’t come quick
enough!
Leo
6 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Many thanks to the 42,000-plus
supporters who turned out last
week to create another Leinster
‘sea of blue’ at the Aviva.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 7

carla
delaney
DIRECTOR, BANK OF IRELAND AREA EAST
A very warm welcome back to Aviva Stadium for the
last time this season! And what a season it has been
at this home, away from home, of Leinster Rugby.
We have seen some breath-taking
displays in European competition
in the Aviva Stadium this season,
not to mention in the URC at the
start of the season against the
Bulls, and now we welcome the
Red Army from Munster for one
last battle at Lansdowne Road this
season.
The performance last weekend against
Toulouse certainly whets the appetite
for the game this evening and with
a European final only around the
corner, in addition to the United Rugby
Championship play-offs, the Leinster
players will look at this as an opportunity
for some of them to lay down a marker
ahead of the knock-out games to come.
As we all know, after this weekend, its
knock-out rugby all the way until June 18.
A condensed run of high-stakes matches
that certainly narrows the focus!
Well done to both Jimmy O’Brien,
who won his 50th Leinster cap against
Toulouse in the European semi-final,
and also well done to Leo Cullen on the
occasion of his 200th game as Leinster
Rugby head coach today.
A coaching career that commenced
against Edinburgh Rugby, and has
taken in the highways and the byways
of European rugby ever since, has led
Leinster Rugby to unprecedented success
since Leo took over in 2015. Thank
you Leo for all that you have done and
achieved so far and here’s to many more
big days ahead.
Thank you also to Felipe Contepomi
who announced this week that he will be
leaving the club at the end of the season.
As a player and as a coach over many
years, he brought great joy to all of us
supporters. Safe home Felipe and best of
luck with Argentina.
Players too will exit stage left over the
coming weeks and we, in Bank of Ireland,
would like to thank all the players that
pulled on a Leinster jersey for the men’s
team and the women’s team this season.
You may never fully understand the great
joy that you give to supporters but you
genuinely do, and we very much thank
you for it. We wish you all the very best
of luck as you embark on your next rugby
adventures.
As proud sponsors of rugby in all four
provinces, Bank of Ireland will always
remain on the fence for days like today!
But I would like to wish all the players
a safe and sporting game, and the
supporters a great day out.
May the best team win and good luck
to both in the coming weeks in the URC
play-offs.
CD
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 9

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Did you
know?
• Leinster have lost their
last two United Rugby
Championship matches, both
in South Africa, at the Cell C
Sharks and the DHL Stormers
and have not lost three in
a row in the United Rugby
Championship since 2008.
• Leinster’s only defeat in
their last twenty-three
visits to Aviva Stadium in
all tournaments was 17-25 to
Saracens in the Quarter Final
of the European Champions Cup
in September 2020.
• Munster have lost just one
of their last four United
Rugby Championship matches:
19-34 to today’s opponents,
Leinster, in Limerick on 2
April.
• The Munstermen have already
visited Aviva Stadium this
season drawing there 24-all
with Toulouse three weeks ago
in the European Champions Cup
Quarter Final but going out of
the competition on a penalty
shoot-out.
• Leinster have lost just
one of their last eight
encounters with their
fiercest rivals: 3-27 at the
RDS Arena in the Rainbow Cup
last April.
• Munster’s only victory in
their last twelve visits
to Aviva Stadium to face
Leinster was 34-23 in October
2014.
COMPARISON
Overall URC head-to-head record:
Played 44, Leinster won 29, Munster won 15.
Last 3 URC results
2 Apr - Munster (A) W 34-19 2 Apr - Leinster (H) L 19-34
23 Apr - Sharks (A) L 23-28 22 Apr - Ulster (A) W 24-17
30 Apr - Stormers (A) L 13-20 29 Apr - Cardiff Rugby (H) W 42-21
URC 2021/22
1ST - W12 D0 L5 - 62PTS
2ND - W11 D0 L6 - 56PTS
WLWWLL (18pts)
URC form
LLWLWW (16pts)
Top try scorer
6 - Scott Penny, Max Deegan 7 - Simon Zebo, Craig Casey
Top points scorer
109 - Ross Byrne 95 - Ben Healy
Date Venue L M Leinster scorers Munster scorers
Sat 28 Dec 19 Thomond Park 13 6 Ross Byrne(C/2P) Ed Byrne(T) JJ Hanrahan(2P)
Sat 22 Aug
20
Aviva Stadium 27 25 James Lowe(T) Ross Byrne(P) Cian Healy(T)
Garry Ringrose(T) Johnny Sexton(3C/P)
Andrew Conway(2T) Keith Earls(T) JJ
Hanrahan(2C/2P)
Fri 4 Sep 20 Aviva Stadium (SF) 13 3 Ronan Kelleher(T) Johnny Sexton(C/2P) JJ Hanrahan(P)
Sat 23 Jan 21 Thomond Park 13 10 Ross Byrne(C) Jordan Larmour(T) Johnny
Sexton(2P)
Tadhg Beirne(T) JJ Hanrahan(C/P)
Sat 27 Mar
21
RDS Arena (TF) 16 6 Jack Conan(T) Ross Byrne(C/3P) Joey Carbery(2P)
Sat 2 Apr 22 Thomond Park 34 19 James Lowe(2T) Ross Byrne(C/4P) Garry
Ringrose(T) Jimmy O’Brien(T)
Damian de Allende(T) Joey Carbery(C/4P)
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 13

14 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

scott
penny
Scott Penny
is still just
22 years of
age.
It seems like
he’s been
around a lot
longer given
he already
has 40
appearances
for the
province
under his
belt, not to
mention his
22 tries in
those games.
the big interview
BY RYAN CORRY
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 15

However, it’ll come as a surprise
to many to learn he has yet to
make an appearance in the
Heineken Champions Cup despite
being named to start against
Montpellier in December as the
contest was later cancelled and
the home side were awarded a
five-point win.
So, last week, as Leinster Rugby took on
Toulouse at Aviva Stadium, he held a
watching brief within the ground after a
week where he will have done his best
impressions of Rynhardt Elstadt, Francois
Cros or Anthony Jelonch.
But the day itself is one of those, in
Penny’s opinion, that sees all of the hard
work pay off.
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen that kind
of atmosphere in the Aviva and that much
energy,” he says.
“Hopefully we’ll see that again tonight.
We were just preparing the lads to the
best of our ability. We always talk about
being brothers here and how, if you’re
not involved, you’re preparing the team in
the best way you can.
“Basically, it was about learning off the
Toulouse plays and trying to play their
way during the week to get the lads used
to it, just in the general loose off-loading
style.”
This time around, Penny will get the
chance to lead the line, slotting into
the number seven shirt for just his third
appearance against provincial rivals
Munster.
He started in the 27-3 reverse at the
RDS Arena in last season’s Rainbow Cup
competition and had a four-minute cameo
in December 2019’s 13-6 win for Leinster
at Thomond Park.
“I’ve only played against them twice. The
Rainbow Cup over a year ago was the
last time. It was a tough fixture,” he adds.
“We had a similar enough team to what
we have out tonight, and they were pretty
much full strength. They got the upper
hand with the physicality with a few of
us coming back having not played for a
few weeks which is a similar scenario to
this game.
“They’re big rivals for us. Anytime we
play them, no matter what it is, we’re very
motivated. You want to put your hand
up for selection for next week and then
the quarters, semis and hopefully a final
coming up then as well.
“Everyone’s motivated and we’ve seen
during the week, we’re very up for it. A
lot of people haven’t played in a while,
maybe since South Africa, so we’re all
fired up and ready to go.”
Not playing since the tour to South Africa
is something he has to contend with
himself, starting both of those games and
even being on-field captain for a spell
after Rhys Ruddock was replaced.
16 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

It was a really good
opportunity for them
to get comfortable in
the environment and
you saw it in their
performances.
And despite losing by a converted try
or less in both of those games, Penny
outlines the level of belief that it has
instilled in the wider squad and some
of the fresher faces from the Academy
who were experiencing their first taste
of the Senior game in such a difficult
environment.
From training in the sweltering sun
to playing games in the midst of
never-ending rain against seasoned
Springbok internationals, it threw
everything at Leinster’s young touring
squad.
And, despite the losses, it was
job done. The losing bonus points
clinching top spot in the Conference
and a home route to the final should
Leinster get there.
“It was a great experience. We were so
disappointed not to get a win over there
but when we went over, the job was to
secure first place before the end of the
season which we did by getting two
losing bonus points,” Penny explains.
“Especially in the Sharks game, we felt
we had an opportunity to win towards
the end of the game and we didn’t. But, I
think it’s great learning that, in those big
games, that we are still in it. It’s just those
small errors – a knock-on on the line,
getting held up or whatever, they’re the
winning and losing of it.
“And, you’re spending a lot more time
with people that you wouldn’t normally
have spent too much time with before
then. You’re with each other all day,
every day for the guts of two weeks so
you build these connections.
“We visited Robben Island, Table
Mountain, a few of the lads went fishing.
It was a great trip. It was pretty flat out,
it was a normal work week while we
were there too though, training and gym
sessions. And with the heat, you would
be fairly tired in the evenings after 20
degrees all day.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 17

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“There were lads who were getting
their first chance to play for Leinster,
like John (McKee), (Brian) Deeny,
getting their first cap and being
surrounded by the environment for the
whole week with small breaks in the
evening.
“It was a really good opportunity
for them to get comfortable in the
environment and you saw it in their
performances.”
Another of those young players given
the chance to showcase his ability was
Alex Soroka, Player of the Match in the
defeat to DHL Stormers.
In his post-match interview, the Clontarf
man spoke about the criticism of the
chosen squad and widely-held opinion
that they would simply be fodder for
the southern hemisphere sides when
they arrived in Durban and Cape
Town.
And Penny elaborates on Soroka’s
points. Despite defeat, it was the
unspoken motivation to hold their
own, show exactly why they are in the
position they are in by going toe-to-toe
with fancied home teams.
“We didn’t talk about it as a group but
we knew that most people probably
didn’t have faith in us down there.
We’re all good athletes, we’ve all
trained together week in, week out for
the last year.
“We knew we had the capability
to go down there and put on a
performance. And you’ll always see
that with Leinster teams, even when the
internationals are away, we’ll still have
good performances in us. We had
confidence that we could go down to
South Africa and get two wins.”
While it wouldn’t work out like that, it
was still job done. And done well.
So, once again, as the flanker said,
motivation will be high this weekend as
the southern neighbours sit in the red
corner at Aviva Stadium.
Tensions are always high between the
provinces and with a home quarterfinal
within Munster’s grasp, Penny and
Co will be hoping to put that out of
arm’s reach.
While Munster have suffered some
injuries in the pack, Penny states that
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 19

preparation and application will remain
the same for him regardless of who
stands opposite him.
“There are some injury concerns for the
Munster back row but they’re all pretty
much the same type of player, they go
very hard at the ball, they’re very direct
ball carriers,” he says.
“No matter who it is, you have to treat it
like it’s an international forward in front
of you whether that’s Peter O’Mahony or
Alex Kendellen.
“You have to try and use the footwork
around them and get over the gainline.
In defence then, you have to smash them.
They’re going to run directly at us so
you have to be prepared to stand up for
yourself.”
That ball-carrying aspect is something
that the former St Michael’s College
student has earmarked as an area for
improvement in his own game.
There’s no doubting his work-rate, ability
to tackle or knack for scoring tries, but
making the next step in his career will
come from building on those strengths.
It helps that he has someone like Denis
Leamy, one of Ireland’s greatest backrowers,
offering him guidance along the
way.
“I need to offer myself more in carrying.
It’s something Josh (van der Flier) did last
season. He really upped his ball-carrying
game and there’s a reason now that
he’s been selected as Players’ Player of
the Season at the Rugby Players Ireland
awards this week.
“Coaches always like to have a good
ball-carrying seven as well as the other
natural attributes of a seven – chop
tackle and poach specialists.
“It’s such tough competition here in the
back row, the starting back row here is
the starting back row for Ireland.
I always do
some extras
with him,
he’s always
giving us cues
and tips that
he learned
from his own
incredible
career in the
game.
20 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

“You want to get into those big games
and that comes from making a name for
yourself in training, show the coaches that
you’re training consistently well.
“I work pretty closely with Leams. I always
do some extras with him, he’s always
giving us cues and tips that he learned
from his own incredible career in the
game.
“Especially the young lads, he’s always
looking to give them a hand when
anything’s asked of him or going through
training with them.”
“And then when you’re given those
opportunities, you’re not slipping up on
that chance.”
The next one of those opportunities is
tonight – an interprovincial in front of
35,000 people at Aviva Stadium.
While the minds of some supporters may
have been on the planes, trains and
automobiles-type journey that they may
need to figure out to find their way to
Marseille next weekend, in and around
the team HQ in UCD, all focus was purely
on Munster and a strong finish to the URC
Conference.
“Since we got the win against Toulouse
last weekend, people have been
really excited but our focus has been
solely Munster this week,” Penny says
assertively.
“I think, now that we’re here at this part of
the season, everyone is dialled in.
“Everyone knows what is at stake and you
could see last week how clear the detail
is. Those extra meetings on the small
detail can lead to a big performance.”
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 21

Action
replay 40 17
LEINSTER RUGBY
Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien, Garry
Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw (Ciarán
Frawley 65), James Lowe; Johnny Sexton
(68), Jamison Gibson-Park (68); Andrew
Porter (Cian Healy 68), Rónan Kelleher
(Dan Sheehan 47), Tadhg Furlong
(Michael Ala’alatoa 17); Ross Molony,
James Ryan (Joe McCarthy 76); Caelan
Doris, Josh van der Flier (Rhys Ruddock
72), Jack Conan.
SCORERS
Tries: James Lowe (2), Josh van der Flier,
Hugo Keenan.
Cons: Johnny Sexton (3), Ross Byrne.
Pens: Johnny Sexton (3), Ross Byrne.
SATURDAY, 14 MAY
AVIVA STADIUM
ATTENDANCE: 42,076
HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP
TOULOUSE
Thomas Ramos; Juan Cruz Mallía, Pierre
Fouyssac (Zack Holmes 62), Pita Ahki
(Martin Page-Relo 67), Matthis Lebel;
Romain Ntamack, Antoine Dupont;
Cyril Baille (Rodrigue Neti 52-70),
Julien Marchand (Selevasio Tolofua
52), Dorian Aldegheri (David Ainu’u
56); Rory Arnold (Thibaud Flament 56),
Emmanuel Meafou (Joe Tekori 62);
Rynhardt Elstadt, Francois Cros, Anthony
Jelonch (Peato Mauvaka 52).
SCORERS
Tries: Antoine Dupont.
Cons: Thomas Ramos (2).
Pen: Thomas Ramos.
22 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

They’re the
special moments
that you get,
the honour of
representing
this team. We’ll
have a group of
players that
will get to
run out here
against Munster
and hopefully
we’ll have a big
turnout again
and then we
turn the page to
Marseille.
Leo Cullen
With the form
he’s been in, and
when I saw the
red scrum hat, I
just thought: ‘Get
the ball to the
red scrum hat’.
Johnny Sexton on his set-up for Josh van
der Flier’s try
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 23

From the sidelines
to the engine room
Women volunteering
in rugby
BY BARRY LAMBKIN
Across the season, we have been
highlighting the commitment and
contribution made by women to
the effective running of our clubs.
Now, as we look back on another
wonderful season we would
like to take this opportunity to
highlight four more women who
have stepped up and made a
significant difference in their clubs
by volunteering with energy and
purpose.
Like all of our contributors, Enniscorthy
RFC’s Samantha Wafer had her first
experience of club life as a parent on the
side line. Her sons were playing minis
rugby at the club and a request came
from the house committee for parents to
help out with the organisation of blitzes.
Samantha put her hand up to help one
week and she has been involved in
various roles ever since then.
Samantha says that she has always been
encouraged and supported by other
club members and that this has made
it easy to stay involved. She points out
that like with all aspects of life there are
challenges around working with other
strong-minded people and long-serving
Kathy Cranny
Samantha Wafer
volunteers who aren’t as open to new
ideas as they might be but that at the end
of the day everyone always puts the club
first and they find a way to enjoy working
together to achieve their common goals.
When we asked her about her proudest
moment as a volunteer Samantha said:
“I managed the U-18 girls’ team. At the
end of the season, we had a bit of a get
together where the girls and parents were
invited for a cup of tea and treats.
“The coaches thanked me for the work
I had done behind the scenes and the
parents are still texting to see if I am
going to be involved this year. Just
hearing the words and praise spoken by
the coaches, parents and girls touched
me deeply.”
Dundalk RFC is another club that has
always encouraged women to get
involved and supported them when they
have brought new ideas to the table. Two
such women are Kathy Cranny and Mary
Murdock whose stories merge when they
came together to run an incredible event
at their club.
Mary first became involved in 2005
when her eldest son took up rugby. Like
Samantha, she found herself on the
side line but wanted to contribute to the
team. She began taking photographs at
games, helping with the half-time water
breaks and organising parties for the
kids. Committee members at the club
noticed her enthusiasm and approached
her to become more involved as they
recognised her talents and since then she
has served as an Executive Committee
member as well taking on roles in
fundraising, PR, events and youths rugby.
Kathy’s pathway was similar to Mary’s.
She always got involved with any
activities that her kids took part in and she
wasn’t long on the sidelines at Dundalk
RFC when former Chairman Larry Steen
recognised her potential and asked her to
join the club’s committee.
Kathy recalls how proud she felt at being
24 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Mary Murdock
asked. “He had great belief that I could
fulfill the role of Honorary Secretary at
Dundalk RFC. It was a great honor to
be asked and while I was delighted I
was unaware of the role or workload
involved.
“After a chat with my family and of
course my employees, Denis and Bridget,
I decided I would take on the role for one
year! I’m still here many years later but
am enjoying every moment of it. It’s good
to give something back.”
For both of these Dundalk women
though, their proudest moment came
from being involved in events that both
supported families in the club who had
been bereaved through tragedy and also
raised vital funds for important charities.
Kathy told us, “One of my proudest
moments has been the confidence in me
and trust afforded to me by the Executive
Committee to lead out on Dundalk RFCs
strategy to tackle breast cancer with the
hosting of the “No High Tackles, Just
High Heels” ladies event in February of
this year.
It was a celebration of Dundalk RFC
Ladies and those who have lost their
battle to breast cancer and those still
fighting the disease. This is a first for a
rugby club backed both by Leinster Rugby
and the IRFU. Its seeds were planted by
our “Think Pink For Caroline” event in
2019 to remember Caroline Gray, the
late wife of our senior player, Jonathon,
and mummy to Alex and Georgia who
sadly lost her battle with breast cancer
at age 27 which started our association
with the National Breast Cancer Research
Institute.”
That sense of family at her club is also
what encouraged Cill Dara RFC’s PRO
Bernadette Prendergast to become
involved. She describes herself as
someone who is naturally shy but she has
pushed herself out of her comfort zone so
that she can be a part of the excitement
of matchdays at the club.
That sense of pushing yourself is
something that means a lot to Bernadette
and a quality that she admires in rugby
players of all ages. She tells us that this is
something that really rubbed off on her
son who has special needs after he had
been made to feel like a valuable part
of a youths team who made him their
mascot. Seeing them working together
to achieve the goals and pushing
themselves as individuals is something
that Bernadette tells us that she believes
played a huge part in her proudest
moment.
“On his first holy communion day, with
the aid of a walker, he stood up from
his wheelchair and walked up to the
altar to receive his communion. It took
every single strand of energy, stamina,
endurance, and determination for him
to do this. The same qualities that apply
to most things in life, especially sporting
activities. Qualities that were without
doubt influenced by the support and
the positive actions of the players and
Berndaette Prendergast
volunteers that he witnessed from the
underage team in Cill Dara.”
More and more, we are seeing our clubs
encouraging women to take on roles
where they can make a real difference.
The energy that new volunteers bring to
every aspect of club life makes the club a
more enjoyable place for every member
and the new ideas that these skilled
volunteers bring create new possibilities
and encourage even more volunteers to
become involved.
Samantha, Mary, Kathy and Bernadette
would all like to encourage anyone
who would like to be a part of the buzz
at their club to reach out to someone
on the club’s committee and tell them
that you would like to contribute. More
importantly, they would like for more and
more committee members to recognise
the potential of the parents on the
sidelines and offer them an easy way to
become involved.
Everyone here at Leinster Rugby applaud
these four women and every woman
who has done their bit to make rugby the
most welcoming and inclusive sport in our
wonderful province. Thank you to each
and every one of you.
If you are
interested in
taking up rugby
or you would like
to follow our
updates, check out
our social media
channels:
Leinster Women’s Rugby
LeinsterWomensRugby
@LeinsterWomen
womenspro@leinsterrugby.ie
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 25

HERE’S TO BEING SHOULDER
TO SHOULDER AGAIN

SHOP THE 2021/22 LEINSTER RUGBY RANGE NOW,
EXCLUSIVELY AT LIFE STYLE SPORTS
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 27

leo
the lion’s
kids
corner
IN A BLUR!
Can you name this
leinster player?
spot the difference!
Can you find all six?
ANAGRAMS
Can you un-jumble the names of these academy players?
FRILLED
MOON CAR
I BEEN SO
MAJOR
how did you do?
IN A BLUR?
HUGO KEENAN
ANAGRAMS
NIALL COMERFORD
JAMIE OSBORNE
ZOOMED IN!
TOMMY O’BRIEN
zoomed in!
WHo is this leinster
player having an
extreme close-up?
28 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

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solutions for office,
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AZTO
with
MAX DEEGAN
A – Action: If you could be a superhero,
which would you be?
Thor
B – Boyhood: Who was your favourite
sporting idol growing up?
Ronaldo
C – Childhood: What is your favourite
childhood memory?
Going to the 2009 Grand Slam in
Cardiff with my dad
D – Dish: What’s your go-to pre-match
meal?
Carbonara
E – Education: What was your favourite
subject in school?
Maths
F – Film buff: What’s your favourite film?
Harry Potter
G – Groove: Who is the best dancer in
the squad?
Ed Byrne
H – Holiday: What’s your favourite
holiday destination?
Mexico
I – Inside: Who is the worst to sit beside
in the dressing room?
Ed Byrne smells
J – Joker: Who is the funniest in the
squad?
Michael Bent will never be matched.
K – Kick-off: What’s your favourite time
of the day to play a match?
5pm
L – Languages: How many languages
can you speak?
Six
M – Music: Your favourite artist?
Arctic Monkeys
N – Number: Do you have a lucky
number?
Nope
30 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

O – Others: What’s your
favourite sport outside of rugby?
NFL
P – Pal: Who is your best mate in
the squad?
Devin Toner
Q – Quirky: Who has the most
interesting fashion sense?
Adam Byrne
R – Red Carpet: Who is the most
famous contact in your phone?
Michael Bent
S – Superstitions: Do you have
any matchday routines?
Take a nap before the game!
T – Trim: What’s the worst
haircut you’ve ever had?
Shaved head
U: Under pressure: Who in the
squad would be the best in a
bad situation?
Will Connors
V – Verified: How often do you
use social media?
Every few hours!
W – Worst fear: What are you
most scared of?
Illuminati
X – X-ray: Have you ever broken
any bones?
Never
Y – Youth: Where did you grow
up?
Stillorgan
Z – Zoo: What’s your
favourite animal?
Gorilla
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 31

THE SPIRIT OF
UNITED RUGBY
CHAMPIONSHIP.
Enjoy responsibly
DISCOVER THE SPIRIT WITHIN |
#SAVOURTHEMOMENT

Stillorgan-Rathfarnham RFC
growing with
new home
ground
Stillorgan-
Rathfarnham
RFC have
been very
busy in 2022
and the year
will get
busier!
The 22/23 season marks the clubs
50th Anniversary but on the pitch
Stillorgan-Rathfarnham hit new
milestones with growth in girls’
rugby teams and phenomenal
growth of the minis section.
Summer 2022 will now see
eight years of hard work finally
come to fruition when Stillorgan-
Rathfarnham RFC open their new
home ground, Heavy Technology
Park, on Tibradden Road,
Rathfarnham.
The vision dream of Heavy Technology
Park was born after the club were given
short notice that the club pitch had been
sold. Stillorgan-Rathfarnham were at a
crossroads. It was either look for a new
base and see if the club could survive or
attempt to go out on their own with a new
facility. Stillorgan-Rathfarnham formed
a strategic committee, and the club are
ready to move to their new home.
The new facility will open with:
• Three natural grass rugby pitches
• Two pitches with match-standard
floodlights
• Pathways and spectator fencing
• Changing facilities
•100-space car park and utilities
connections
The new ground will meet the demand
from the phenomenal growth in the
club’s underage sections. The club is now
fielding teams with both girls’ and boys’
teams.
• Over 200 minis in 2022 season
• Establishment of underage rugby
structure
• Second year of growth in girls’ rugby
teams
• Three adult teams
Stillorgan-Rathfarmham RFC will officially
open Heavy Technology Park on
September 10, 2022, and will mark the
50th Anniversary with a Gala Dinner in
April 2023.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 35

leinster
squad
2021/22 season
Vakh Abdaladze #1263
PROP
DOB: 06/02/1996
HEIGHT: 1.88m
WEIGHT: 121kg
Michael Ala’alatoa #1301
prop
DOB: 28/08/1991
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 127kg
7
CAPS
Ryan Baird #1278
LOCK
DOB: 26/07/1999
HEIGHT: 1.98m
WEIGHT: 113kg
8
CAPS
Adam Byrne #1213
WING / FULL BACK
DOB: 10/04/1994
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 98.18kg
1
CAP
Ed Byrne #1222
6
CAPS
Harry Byrne #1280
2
CAPS
Ross Byrne #1236
13
CAPS
Thomas Clarkson #1285
PROP
DOB: 09/09/1993
HEIGHT: 1.8m
WEIGHT: 114.09kg
FLY HALF
DOB: 22/04/1999
HEIGHT: 1.9m
WEIGHT: 95kg
FLY HALF
DOB: 08/04/1995
HEIGHT: 1.9m
WEIGHT: 92kg
PROP
DOB: 22/02/2000
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 118kg
36 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Jack Conan #1223
27
CAPS
7
CAPS
Will Connors #1264
9
CAPS
Sean Cronin #1202
72
CAPS
Max Deegan #1256
1
CAP
NO. 8
DOB: 29/07/1992
HEIGHT: 1.93m
WEIGHT: 114.09kg
BACK ROW
DOB: 04/04/1996
HEIGHT: 1.96m
WEIGHT: 100kg
HOOKER
DOB: 06/05/1986
HEIGHT: 1.78m
WEIGHT: 103.18kg
NO. 8
DOB: 01/10/1996
HEIGHT: 1.93m
WEIGHT: 110kg
Peter Dooley #1230
Caelan Doris #1268
17
CAPS
Jack Dunne #1276
Ciaran Frawley #1265
PROP
DOB: 04/08/1994
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 117kg
BACK ROW
DOB: 02/04/1998
HEIGHT: 1.93m
WEIGHT: 107kg
LOCK
DOB: 21/11/1998
HEIGHT: 2.03m
WEIGHT: 120kg
FLY HALF
DOB: 04/12/1997
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 98kg
Tadhg Furlong #1220
PROP
DOB: 14/11/1992
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 125kg
57
CAPS
13
CAPS
Jamison Gibson-Park #1247
SCRUM HALF
DOB: 23/02/1992
HEIGHT: 1.75m
WEIGHT: 80kg
17
CAPS
David Hawkshaw #1290
FLY HALF / Centre
DOB: 03/07/1999
HEIGHT: 1.75m )
WEIGHT: 85.91kg
Cian Healy #1142
PROP
DOB: 07/10/1987
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 116.82kg
116
CAPS
2
CAPS
Robbie Henshaw #1251
57
CAPS
9
CAPS
Dave Kearney #1158
19
CAPS
Hugo Keenan #1253
20
CAPS
Ronan Kelleher #1277
18
CAPS
CENTRE
DOB: 12/06/1993
HEIGHT: 1.9m
WEIGHT: 99.09kg
WING / FULL BACK
DOB: 19/06/1989
HEIGHT: 1.8m
WEIGHT: 90kg
FULL BACK
DOB: 18/06/1996
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 91.82kg
HOOKER
DOB: 24/01/1998
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 105kg
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 37

Jordan Larmour #1258
30
CAPS
Dan Leavy #1231
11
CAPS
WING
DOB: 10/06/1997
HEIGHT: 1.78m
WEIGHT: 90kg
FLANKER
DOB: 23/05/1994
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 105.91kg
for full squad profiles
please click here
James Lowe #1262
12
CAPS
Nick McCarthy #1241
Luke McGrath #1206
19
CAPS
Michael Milne #1279
WING / FULL BACK
DOB: 08/07/1992
HEIGHT: 1.88m
WEIGHT: 105kg
SCRUM HALF
DOB: 25/03/1995
HEIGHT: 1.8m
WEIGHT: 84.09kg
SCRUM HALF
DOB: 03/02/1993
HEIGHT: 1.75m
WEIGHT: 84.09kg
PROP
DOB: 05/02/1999
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 115kg
Jimmy O’Brien #1272
Conor O’Brien #1260
Josh Murphy #1261
Ross Molony #1233
LOCK
DOB: 11/05/1994
HEIGHT: 1.96m
WEIGHT: 113kg
FLANKER
DOB: 17/02/1995
HEIGHT: 1.98m
WEIGHT: 110kg
CENTRE
DOB: 06/02/1996
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 100kg
CENTRE
DOB: 27/11/1996
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 88kg
Tommy O’Brien #1283
Rory O’Loughlin #1248
1
CAP
Scott Penny #1271
Andrew Porter #1246
43
CAPS
CENTRE
DOB: 28/05/1998
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 95kg
CENTRE
DOB: 21/01/1994
HEIGHT: 1.88m
WEIGHT: 94.09kg
FLANKER
DOB: 22/09/1999
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 104kg
PROP
DOB: 16/01/1996
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 114.09kg
38 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Garry Ringrose #1237
42
CAPS
Rhys Ruddock #1167
27
CAPS
James Ryan #1259
43
CAPS
Johnny Sexton #1127
105
CAPS
14
CAPS
CENTRE
DOB: 26/01/1995
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 96kg
BACK ROW
DOB: 13/11/1990
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 113.18kg
LOCK
DOB: 24/07/1996
HEIGHT: 2.03m
WEIGHT: 115kg
FLY HALF
DOB: 11/07/1985
HEIGHT: 1.88m
WEIGHT: 90kg
Dan Sheehan #1286
HOOKER
DOB: 17/09/1998
HEIGHT: 1.91m
WEIGHT: 110.91kg
7
CAPS
Devin Toner #1128
LOCK
DOB: 29/06/1986
HEIGHT: 2.11m
WEIGHT: 127kg
70
CAPS
James Tracy #1211
HOOKER
DOB: 02/04/1991
HEIGHT: 1.83m
WEIGHT: 106kg
6
CAPS
Josh van der Flier #1228
FLANKER
DOB: 25/04/1993
HEIGHT: 1.85m
WEIGHT: 103kg
40
CAPS
Coaching
Staff
2021/22 season
LEO CULLEN
HEAD COACH
STUART LANCASTER
SENIOR COACH
ROBIN MCBRYDE
ASSISTANT COACH
FELIPE CONTEPOMI
BACKS COACH
EMMET FARRELL
KICKING COACH AND
LEAD PERFORMANCE ANALYST
GUY EASTERBY
HEAD OF RUGBY OPERATIONS
DENIS LEAMY
CONTACT SKILLS COACH
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 39

We always strive to be
A beat ahead
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RUGBY
YOU KNOW BETTER
BECAUSE YOU GET
Official Media Partner of Leinster Rugby

THANK YOU
TO OUR CLUBS
Leinster Rugby wish to acknowledge the 72 rugby
clubs across the province for the excellent
contribution in promoting the domestic game by
way of their social media platforms, in particular
over the last 18 months as we all strived to deal
with and come through the Covid pandemic.
Who would have envisaged this
time last year that we would get
to complete a full season across
all levels of our domestic game.
The Leinster Branch domestic
rugby personnel along with the
many volunteers on various
committees strived tirelessly
as always to ensure that all
competitions were completed
successfully. They are to be
congratulated and thanked for
their hard work.
The dedication and expertise by Lisa
Doyle and the communications team in
the Branch office in promoting the club
game through Leinster’s media channels
are greatly appreciated by all involved
with domestic rugby.
However, without the commitment and
buy-in by all in our rugby clubs across
the 12 counties post pandemic, this
past season would not have been the
wonderful success that it was.
None more so than the very noticeable
increase of the use of social media
platforms by all clubs in promoting
events and matches across all levels
of the game. This proved to be a vital
way of connecting and reaching out to
club members and players especially
during lockdown and it is great to see
there has been little let up in the amount
of use on these outlets since rugby
resumed.
The number of club rugby video clips
and the promotion of upcoming games
being shared is increasing and the
standard of content is ever improving
and as a result it means our club game
is reaching a far wider audience.
Also, a lot of clubs are live-streaming
matches now allowing members who
cannot attend or living abroad the
ability to watch their clubs in action.
This again is a wonderful and new
innovation and initial concerns that
it might keep club members from
attending in person has not happened.
Indeed, regular notifications of
upcoming fixtures on social media has
no doubt led to the increased number in
attendances seen at club matches over
recent months.
Club websites are another outlet that
has seen increased usage as clubs
continue to improve the quality of
content.
As a result of all this increased media
activity by our clubs our domestic game
is reaching wider audiences which will
in time only prove to be beneficial to all.
Congratulations and sincere thanks to
all 72 clubs, and keep up the posting
and sharing.
John Walsh
President Leinster Rugby
Jacinta O’Rourke
Chair of Domestic PR Committee
PS - Clubs can avail of the Leinster
domestic website with good news stories
by forwarding articles to: stories@
leinsterrugby.ie or by contacting a
member of the Domestic PR Committee
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 43

BEARINGPOINT INTRODUCES
LEINSTER RUGBY TO
THE METAVERSE
BearingPoint,
the official
innovation
partner of
Leinster
Rugby, has
hosted a
milestone
event
showcasing
the
capabilities
of metaverse
technology
for the
Leinster Rugby
sporting
community.
In a multi-location demonstration
of BearingPoint’s virtual reality
(VR) and innovation capabilities,
they have unveiled their shared
ambition with Leinster Rugby. The
metaverse is a digital environment
where you can work, collaborate,
meet friends and have fun, and
Leinster Rugby is looking to lead
the way for the future of sport in
this digital world.
Business partners, media and Leinster
Rugby players Jamison Gibson-Park,
Will Connors and Hugo Keenan were
in attendance through virtual reality
technology in four locations across Europe
including the BearingPoint offices in
Dublin, London, and Paris as well as the
Leinster Rugby club facilities in University
College Dublin.
Showcasing the convergence between
the physical and digital worlds through
cutting-edge technology, guests at the
event entered the metaverse and went on
a journey from the BearingPoint offices
in Paris and finished with a pitchside
experience and presentation in a VRbuilt
Aviva Stadium developed by the
BearingPoint team.
BearingPoint is planning to play a central
role in leveraging its VR expertise to
enable Leinster Rugby to further engage its
fans through immersive experiences and to
explore the wider commercial possibilities
and potential this technology has in the
sporting world.
Speaking at the launch, Gillian O’Sullivan,
Country Leader for BearingPoint Ireland
said: “Today we unveiled our plans to
lead Leinster Rugby into the metaverse.
It is a very exciting day for us as their
innovation partner and we are committed
to leading them on this journey.
“The power of virtual reality is enormous,
and we wanted to show how this
technology can expand businesses and
experiences. What better way to do it
than by bringing Leinster Rugby into the
metaverse.”
BearingPoint’s vision and commitment to
leading Leinster Rugby on this journey
were set out by their immersive experience
expert, Eric Chevallet at the event.
Speaking at the launch, Eric Chevallet,
Head of Immersive Labs at BearingPoint
said, “At BearingPoint, we are an
innovative company that is ahead of
the curve with regard to metaverse
technology and more broadly with virtual
reality technology.
“The potential for businesses in the
metaverse is endless, and we are
delighted to be working with Ireland’s
leading sports franchise making this first
move today.”
44 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Kevin Quinn, Head of Commercial and
Marketing at Leinster Rugby who attended
the event said, “At Leinster Rugby, we’re
always striving to improve, to nurture
and drive the pursuit of excellence in
everything we do both on and off the
pitch. This exciting initiative is a significant
and strategic business and brand building
opportunity for us at Leinster Rugby.
He added: “By entering the metaverse
with BearingPoint’s support, we are
broadening our horizons to identify new
digital commercial opportunities and
working to develop immersive rugby
experiences that provide our community
with new ways to experience rugby, follow
their teams and interact with our brand.
“We have a passionate, engaged and
growing supporter base and we’re excited
to work with our innovation partner,
BearingPoint, to explore new ways to
improve how we communicate and
engage with them.”
The event provided valuable learning
opportunities for attendees to experience
first-hand the benefits and potential of the
metaverse.
Interest in the metaverse has grown
exponentially in the past year which is
causing businesses to rethink and change
how they can engage more effectively
with users online.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 45

compiled by stuart farmer
media services limited
Leinster Player
Statistics
SQUAD
CAP
NO
DEBUT
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR
App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts
SINCE LAST TRY
CAPS
VAKH ABDALADZE 1263 2 DEC 17 0+5 1 5 0+4 1 5 0+1 - - 0+17 2 10 0+16 2 10 0+1 - - 2 -
MICHAEL ALA'ALATOA 1301 25 SEPT 21 12+10 2 10 11+4 1 5 1+6 1 5 12+10 2 10 11+4 1 5 1+6 1 5 10 WS 7
RYAN BAIRD 1278 27 APR 19 5+4 1 5 4+3 1 5 1+1 - - 17+19 7 35 15+14 7 35 2+5 - - 4 IR 8
LEE BARRON 1308 23 APR 22 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - -
ADAM BYRNE 1213 29 DEC 12 6+2 4 20 6+2 4 20 - - - 55+10 24 120 45+10 18 90 10 6 30 5 IR 1
ED BYRNE 1222 9 FEB 14 7+7 2 10 7+5 2 10 0+2 - - 26+58 12 60 26+45 11 55 0+13 1 5 1 IR 6
HARRY BYRNE 1280 28 SEPT 19 6+4 - 12 6+4 - 12 - - - 20+14 6 166 20+13 6 161 0+1 - 5 13 IR 2
ROSS BYRNE 1236 4 SEPT 15 13+8 3 157 11+3 2 109 2+5 1 48 83+42 9 807 69+21 4 580 14+21 5 227 8 IR 13
THOMAS CLARK-
1285 29 AUG 20 3+4 - - 3+4 - - - - - 5+12 - - 5+12 - - - - - - -
SON
JACK CONAN 1223 20 FEB 14 9 2 10 3 - - 6 2 10 89+25 25 125 62+15 16 80 27+10 9 45 7 IR 27
WILL CONNORS 1264 9 FEB 18 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 18+7 2 10 17+7 2 10 1 - - 12 IR 9
TIM CORKERY 1298 12 MAR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - -
CHRIS COSGRAVE 1305 26 MAR 22 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - -
SEAN CRONIN 1202 28 OCT 11 3+6 3 15 3+6 3 15 - - - 123+81 45 225 79+60 28 140 43+19 16 80 3 IR 72
MAX DEEGAN 1256 3 DEC 16 7+11 6 30 7+7 6 30 0+4 - - 42+41 24 120 39+29 22 110 3+12 2 10 4 IR 1
BRIAN DEENY 1306 23 APR 22 2 - - 2 - - - - - 2 - - 2 - - - - - - -
PETER DOOLEY 1230 31 OCT 14 3+7 - - 3+7 - - - - - 43+60 5 25 41+54 5 25 2+6 - - 18 -
CAELAN DORIS 1268 28 APR 18 12 2 10 5 2 10 7 - - 44+8 7 35 31+6 5 25 13+2 2 10 9 IR 17
JACK DUNNE 1276 16 FEB 19 2+3 - - 2+3 - - - - - 4+16 - - 4+16 - - - - - - -
CORMAC FOLEY 1299 24 APR 21 1+2 - - 1+2 - - - - - 1+3 - - 1+3 - - - - - - -
CIARAN FRAWLEY 1265 17 FEB 18 12+6 2 31 10+2 1 26 2+4 1 5 29+24 6 174 26+16 4 158 3+8 2 16 7 -
TADHG FURLONG 1220 1 NOV 13 9+1 2 10 3+1 - - 6 2 10 82+42 10 50 45+34 3 15 37+8 7 35 3 IR 57
JAMISON GIBSON-PARK 1247 2 SEPT 16 8+4 4 20 3+2 - - 5+2 4 20 57+56 21 105 47+30 14 70 10+26 7 35 3 IR 17
MARCUS HANAN 1295 19 FEB 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - - -
DAVID HAWKSHAW 1290 2 NOV 20 0+3 1 13 0+3 1 13 - - - 0+11 2 27 0+11 2 27 - - - 2 -
CIAN HEALY 1142 5 MAY 07 4+10 2 10 3+5 2 10 1+5 - - 160+85 29 145 93+53 15 75 65+31 13 65 5 IR 116
ROBBIE HENSHAW 1251 8 OCT 16 8 4 20 3 1 5 5 3 15 64+1 15 75 28 6 30 36+1 9 45 2 IR 57
DAVE KEARNEY 1158 16 MAY 09 3+1 1 5 3+1 1 5 - - - 150+23 52 260 124+16 45 225 25+6 7 35 2 IR 19
HUGO KEENAN 1253 5 NOV 16 13 5 25 6 1 5 7 4 20 40+3 9 45 28+3 5 25 12 4 20 1 IR 20
RONAN KELLEHER 1277 22 FEB 19 8+2 4 20 2+2 3 15 6 1 5 28+7 13 65 16+5 11 55 12+2 2 10 6 IR 18
JORDAN LARMOUR 1258 2 SEPT 17 9 6 30 6 4 20 3 2 10 61+10 25 125 37+7 18 90 24+3 7 35 1 IR 30
46 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

SQUAD
CAP
NO
DEBUT
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR
App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts
SINCE LAST TRY
CAPS
TEMI LASISI 1304 12 MAR 22 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - -
DAN LEAVY 1231 31 OCT 14 4+3 - - 4+3 - - - - - 47+32 17 85 39+22 13 65 8+10 4 20 8 IR 11
JAMES LOWE 1262 2 DEC 17 10+2 13 65 5+1 3 15 5+1 10 50 62+2 47 235 39+1 28 140 23+1 19 95 1 IR 12
JOE MCCARTHY 1303 29 JAN 22 5+2 - - 5 - - 0+2 - - 5+2 - - 5 - - 0+2 - - - -
NICK MCCARTHY 1241 19 DEC 15 3+7 1 5 3+7 1 5 - - - 9+37 5 25 9+31 5 25 0+6 - - 6 -
LUKE MCGRATH 1206 5 MAY 12 12+9 1 5 10+4 1 5 2+5 - - 114+58 40 200 79+47 32 160 35+11 8 40 6 IR 19
JOHN MCKEE 1307 23 APR 22 2 - - 2 - - - - - 2 - - 2 - - - - - - -
MICHAEL MILNE 1279 28 SEPT 19 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 1+16 2 10 1+16 2 10 - - - 15 -
MARTIN MOLONEY 1300 24 APR 21 2+4 - - 2+4 - - - - - 2+5 - - 2+5 - - - - - - -
ROSS MOLONY 1233 20 FEB 15 17+3 1 5 10+3 - - 7 1 5 81+55 5 25 72+40 4 20 9+15 1 5 13 -
JOSH MURPHY 1261 3 NOV 17 7+4 - - 3+4 - - 4 - - 49+11 5 25 44+10 4 20 5+1 1 5 20 -
JAMIE OSBORNE 1294 30 JAN 21 10+2 - - 10+2 - - - - - 12+6 1 5 12+6 1 5 - - - 13 -
CONOR O'BRIEN 1260 3 NOV 17 1 - - 1 - - - - - 17+7 6 30 17+6 6 30 0+1 - - 10 -
JIMMY O'BRIEN 1272 23 NOV 18 14+1 8 42 8 3 17 6+1 5 25 40+10 15 79 32+9 9 49 8+1 6 30 5 -
SEAN O'BRIEN 1297 12 MAR 21 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - - -
TOMMY O'BRIEN 1283 20 DEC 19 6+6 3 15 6+4 3 15 0+2 - - 10+11 6 30 10+9 6 30 0+2 - - 2 -
RORY O'LOUGH-
1248 2 SEPT 16 8+1 1 5 8+1 1 5 - - - 72+24 22 110 65+16 19 95 7+8 3 15 3 IR 1
LIN
MAX O'REILLY 1291 2 JAN 21 2 - - 2 - - - - - 8+1 1 5 8+1 1 5 - - - 8 -
SCOTT PENNY 1271 23 NOV 18 10+1 6 30 10+1 6 30 - - - 33+7 22 110 33+7 22 110 - - - 2 -
ANDREW PORTER 1246 2 SEPT 16 10+1 3 15 4+1 2 10 6 1 5 38+50 14 70 27+31 10 50 11+19 4 20 5 IR 43
GARRY RINGROSE 1237 12 SEPT 15 13 2 10 6 2 10 7 - - 97+2 29 153 58+1 18 98 39+1 11 55 5 IR 42
RHYS RUDDOCK 1167 6 DEC 09 13+7 1 5 12+3 1 5 1+4 - - 156+52 12 60 118+34 10 50 37+16 2 10 14 IR 27
ROB RUSSELL 1302 3 OCT 21 2+2 - - 2+2 - - - - - 2+2 - - 2+2 - - - - - - -
JAMES RYAN 1259 2 SEPT 17 5 - - 3 - - 2 - - 49+6 3 15 25+1 1 5 24+5 2 10 15 IR 43
JOHNNY SEXTON 1127 27 JAN 06 7+2 - 87 2+1 - 22 5+1 - 65 155+27 26 1594 89+20 13 855 64+7 12 708 22 IR 105
DAN SHEEHAN 1286 23 OCT 20 4+9 7 35 3+3 4 20 1+6 3 15 7+19 13 65 6+13 10 50 1+6 3 15 6 IR 7
ANDREW SMITH 1292 2 JAN 21 - - - - - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - -
ALEX SOROKA 1296 28 FEB 21 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 2+2 - - 2+2 - - - - - - -
DEVIN TONER 1128 27 JAN 06 6+7 - - 6+4 - - 0+3 - - 212+67 4 20 146+46 4 20 63+21 - - 62 IR 70
JAMES TRACY 1211 4 NOV 12 7+5 4 20 7+4 4 20 0+1 - - 64+77 18 90 57+48 17 85 7+29 1 5 5 IR 6
LIAM TURNER 1287 23 OCT 20 - - - - - - - - - 4+2 - - 4+2 - - - - - - -
JOSH VAN DER FLIER 1228 11 OCT 14 12+1 7 35 5+1 1 5 7 6 30 87+24 18 90 50+18 8 40 37+6 10 50 1 IR 40
KICKING
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR OVERALL
SUCCESS
RATE
C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG ATT Career
%
- - - HARRY BYRNE 66.67% 6 - - 6 - - - - - 59 6 58 5 1 1 83 78.31%
ROSS BYRNE 86.49% 50 14 - 33 11 - 17 3 - 246 89 1 187 61 1 59 28 - 428 78.27%
CIARAN FRAWLEY 100.00% 3 5 - 3 5 - - - - 54 12 - 51 12 - 3 - - 80 82.50%
DAVID HAWKSHAW 66.67% 4 - - 4 - - - - - 7 1 - 7 1 - - - - 12 66.67%
JIMMY O'BRIEN 100.00% 1 - - 1 - - - - - 2 - - 2 - - - - - 4 50.00%
GARRY RINGROSE - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - 4 - - - - - 6 66.67%
JOHNNY SEXTON 84.78% 30 9 - 8 2 - 22 7 - 264 301 11 128 171 7 129 126 4 706 80.03%
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 47

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ig picture
14 May 2022
Leinster supporters before the
Heineken Champions Cup Semi-
Final match between Leinster and
Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium in
Dublin.
50 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 51

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Old Belvedere announce
partnership with
Homeless Period Ireland
Old Belvedere Women’s
Rugby are proud to announce
a partnership with Homeless
Period Ireland. The Old Belvedere
women’s team will display the
logo of Homeless Period Ireland
for the 2022 season and beyond.
The aim is to promote awareness for
period poverty and to encourage period
positivity in today’s society.
“Old Belvedere women’s rugby is
delighted to support the important work
that Homeless Period Ireland is doing to
provide feminine hygiene products and
promote awareness of how this issue
affects the dignity and comfort of those
experiencing homelessness and other
barriers to accessing period products.
“Our team has provided practical
support for the charity through collections
and donations for the past several years
while also raising awareness by proudly
wearing the Homeless Period Ireland
logo on our jerseys,” said Yvonne Nolan,
Director of Rugby at Old Belvedere RFC
Claire Hunt, CEO of Homeless Period
Ireland added; “Homeless Period Ireland
is a volunteer-run initiative. The aim of the
initiative is to get period products to those
in need but also to raise awareness to the
issue of period poverty.
“Sport has a massive platform, which
can be used to start a conversation
about periods in a space that you would
never expect! A huge thank you to Old
Belvedere women’s rugby, it is an honour
to have our logo emblazoned on the Old
Belvedere jersey. This sends out a very
positive message to both fans in stadia
and players.”
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 53

offical leinster supporters club
And so with the high and the success of our European semi-final
victory last week, our 2021/22 rugby journey will now roll on for
the next three weeks at least (with hopefully another two after
that!). The focus for today is back on URC action and a return to
the Aviva as we once again welcome another red army, that of our
interprovincial rivals, Munster, for this rescheduled fixture.
So much has been written about
these two sides and their many,
many head-to-heads down
through the years that you might
be forgiven for thinking this is
just another routine run of the
mill game, however thankfully
you’d be wrong! Whilst we
have secured a home quarterfinal
for the weekend of June 4,
Munster will be looking to secure
as many match points as they
can today given that the three
teams in second, third and fourth
positions of the URC are all on 56
points and so they’ll no doubt be
desperate to stay in the top four
so that they won’t have to travel
for a quarter-final.
The last fixture for Munster in the Aviva
Stadium was a mere two weeks ago
when their supporters met with the other
red army of Toulouse in the Heineken
Champions Cup quarter-final. Victory
on that day went to the French and well
we know what happened to them last
weekend, however given that Munster
have had an extra week to prepare for
this fixture, you can be sure that they will
be primed and ready to overturn Leinster
at every opportunity and so this is once
again sure to be an exciting game of
rugby from start to finish.
Leo, Stuart and Co took a welcome
opportunity to get some of the extended
senior squad some game time last Friday,
as ‘A’ head coach Simon Broughton
selected a number of the players as part
54 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Leinster
Munster
1st Position 2nd
L W W L L URC Form L W L W W
511 Points Scored 499
69 Tries Scored 63
7,253 Metres Gained 5,590
251 Points Conceded 306
28 Tries Conceded 30
2,440 Tackles Made 2,317
89% Tackle Success 89%
Ross Byrne (109) Leading Points Scorer Ben Healy (97)
Scott Penny (6) Tries Scored Simon Zebo (7)
Max Deegan (73) Successful Carries Gavin Coombes (61)
Rhys Ruddock (22) Defenders Beaten Mike Haley (24)
of his team that faced a University Student
Selection in Energia Park. Michael Milne,
Jack Dunne, Martin Moloney, Ryan Baird
and Vakh Abdaladze were just some of
the names who featured and this is sure
to be a welcome boost to Leo and the
entire squad as they work to what is a
very important game both today, and in
France next week!
Our form coming into this game reads as
having lost our last two however those
fixtures were away from home down in
South Africa and it was a very youthful
Leinster team who travelled. Whilst the
results might not have been what the
players themselves wanted, those two
losing bonus points they secured ensured
our place as the top seed in the URC and
thus the all-important home quarter-final
so it was an excellent result that they
returned home with.
These fixtures are always tense affairs
and we expect no different this week
but what we do know as evidenced in
the past weeks both home and away is
that we can come away with the victory
when we need it most when the crowd
is behind the team and let’s make sure
today is no different. We want to wrap up
the pool stages on a high so let’s ensure
we get the job done today!
As always we’re thankful for the support
we as a committee get from Leinster
Rugby, Bank of Ireland, Laya (for our
wonderful TRY/clap banners, and all
our other sponsors and as always we
encourage you to show your support
through our social media channels.
Be loud, be true, be blue
Yours in Rugby,
Your OLSC Committee

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LEINSTER
SUPPORTERS
CLUB
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Leinster Rugby
thriving in Nairobi
Paula Cullen and
three friends,
Adrienne Keeley
(Wicklow),
Catherine Nolan
(Carlow) and
Irene Plunkett
(Castleknock)
have spent the
last 15 days
working at the
street boys
rehab centre
in the Mukuru
slums.
Among the many things they
achieved for the boys during their
stay included a day at an animal
sanctuary in National Park, an
afternoon swimming and a school
sports day.
However the highlight of their trip had
to be the centre’s residents competing at
a tag rugby tournament in the heart of
the Ngong Hills about two hours outside
Nairobi, a most remote area.
The centre had three teams entered,
U-14s with the name Carlow, U-16s with
the name Blackrock and U-16s called
Leinster.
The U-14s won their section and the two
U-16s got to the final with the B team
beating the A team in their group. It was
as good as it gets with huge excitement
among the boys who had all played four
matches each to make the finals.
This could not have happened without
the support of Leinster Rugby who have
generously supplied the boys kits while
we were honoured to meet the vice
chairman of Kenya Rugby Union, Kombo
Mwalimu who had scouts present on the
day.
We had another success when one of
‘our boys’ was offered a place at a rugby
boarding school about an hour outside
Nairobi.
This is a huge achievement for Mukuru
Promotion Centre as these homeless boys
wouldn’t even have known the shape of a
rugby ball three years ago.
We must thank all at Leinster including
many supporters who donate towards the
expenses of coaches, hiring of buses and
general expenses in running this rugby
project.
Thank you to all for your continued
support and best wishes to Leinster for the
remainder of the season.
Paula Cullen and friends and the boys
at MPC rehab centre.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 57

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GETTING
We check social media
for the latest views
and thoughts across
SOCIAL
the 12 counties
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 59

Try Leinster’s Next Big Dish
from Mao At Home today

Virtual Mascot
Alex
Traynor
Age: 8
School: Willow Park Junior School
Class: Second Form
Hobbies and Interests: Rugby, football,
playing drums and piano
Favourite Player: James Lowe
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 61

WHERE ARE
THEY NOW?
STEPHEN KEOGH
THEN: Stephen
Keogh won
85 caps for
Leinster over
five seasons
between 2006
and 2011.
NOW: He is
Head of Retail
Sales for
the south
and west at
New Ireland
Assurance and
married to
Niamh with
three children
Mollie (8),
Frankie (5) and
Zoe (3).
62 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Stephen Keogh was one of them.
You know the type, a hard-nosed Limerick
man steeped in the best traditions of
Munster rugby which amounts to a blood
and guts approach to this game for
warriors.
Back in 2006, the back-row forward
crossed the great divide in order to
bring some of that meanness into a
Leinster pack of forwards that seemed
demoralised.
“I was playing with Bruff RFC, but my
school St Munchin’s was affiliated to
Shannon where Colm Tucker Senior, who
unfortunately passed away, was very
good to me in school. I lived out in the
country and he used to drop me to the
bus. So, naturally, Shannon was always
in my mind to settle into as my club.
“The world was a much bigger place
back then,” he recalls.
“When you travelled to play in
Clongowes or Blackrock - they were the
two big schools in Leinster at that stage - it
just felt like a different place. You had that
bitterness even then, going up to try and
win in those places.”
When school was done and a degree
pocketed from UCC, Keogh returned
home to the bosom of all-conquering
Shannon.
Stellar form for the club led to 54
Munster caps between 2003 and 2006,
marking Stephen as one of the up-andcoming
forwards in Irish rugby at the age
of 23.
“At one time, it was one culture versus
another culture. Dublin was moving
ahead in relation to the Celtic Tiger.
Limerick and Cork were that bit
behind.
“It was a clash of two different cultures.
You had that between Ireland’s two best
provinces and one of them, Munster, was
the best in Europe.
“You always look over the wall at what
the neighbour has and Munster had
Heineken Cups when Leinster didn’t.
“Then, there was the importance of Irish
selection. When you throw all of that
together, sparks are going to fly and they
did back then.
“But, it was great. The public bought into
the rivalry and the atmosphere was all
the better for it.”
However, Stephen decided to take the
unusual move of signing for Leinster, just
weeks before sitting on the bench for that
epic 2006 Heineken Cup semi-final in
which Munster won the day once again.
“While I had played a lot for Munster,
I was ahead of the curve in my
appearances because there had been
a spate of injuries that opened up game
time for me.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 63

“I just got a phone call from Michael
Cheika. Eric Miller was moving on and
Victor Costello was gone. They needed a
back-rower to come in.
“I looked at it and decided there was a
spot there at Leinster to start regularly in
the Heineken Cup. I signed in March.”
It was a smart move given the resources
in that area for Munster, the list including
Anthony Foley, Alan Quinlan, Eddie
Halvey, Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Jim
Williams and Stephen.
“The reaction in Munster was fine. It was
no problem at all. The lads were grand.
There was no issue,” says Stephen.
“Even at that stage, rugby was treated
as a business as well as your passion.
The lads knew it was a good business
decision for me, a good rugby decision
for me to move. They understood it.”
It was the possibility of becoming more
relevant on Heineken Cup days that
made it a relatively easy decision for the
impatient loose forward.
“I think the Leinster lads would openly
say this, there was a vast contrast in the
two teams at that stage, especially up
front.”
In the summer of 2006, the challenge
was to leave that hatred behind and to
embrace those who once were enemies.
“When you move somewhere, you’ve got
to buy into it,” he adds.
“It’s not really about the colour of the
jersey. It is not about the place. It is
about teammates. At the end of the day,
everyone’s the same. They all want the
same things.
“When you are involved in rugby,
generally, people will have the same
motivations, the same common goals.
Once you buy into those, the men around
you become your friends. And you
would do anything for your friends, your
mates. Those friendships were created in
Leinster.”
Those bonds remain.
“Who am I closest to from the group? It
is not like the schoolyard thing where: ‘I
don’t want to say who my best friend is’,”
he laughs.
“We had a reunion in 2019, 10 years
after the first Heineken Cup. It was just
great craic, like we had never left.
“It is only when you leave the game that
you realise what a time you had. I urge
any player now, to savour it. You will
never have that time again.”
When the 2006/07 fixture list came out,
Stephen would have been excited to see
where and when Munster would come.
He still remembers where he was when
Michael Cheika rang on a Thursday
afternoon to let him know he wouldn’t be
starting in that first derby.
In 2008, there would be another chance
to exorcise demons and it came on a
miserable, wet day at Musgrave Park
when Stephen returned from a broken
hand in a 10-3 win in Cork, giving
Leinster much-needed confidence.
“I am not saying it turned the tide. But,
it was one of those wins that helped
along the way, especially for the type
of day it was, lashing rain in the muck in
Musgrave.
“My only memory is of Denis Leamy, my
great friend, giving me a dig and pulling
the jersey over my head, so I couldn’t see
where I was going for 30 seconds. There
was just good niggle to that game.”
When you make the change from red to
blue, you discover that the hype of hate
built up around the contrast in cultures is
not real.
64 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

“You grow up with the common belief
in Munster, albeit wrongly, that Leinster
players are all posh and what have you.
You just find out that they are normal
people. They are the very same as you.
“I wasn’t long up in Leinster when I did a
press conference. I was asked a simple
question: ‘Did you notice any differences
between Munster and Leinster?’”
“I said: ‘The only thing I can’t get my
head around is that there are so many
takeaway coffees up in Leinster.’”
There was a headline in the newspaper
the next day: “I’m not here for the
coffee.” To this day, the boys in the
WhatsApp group will hit him with “I’m not
here for the coffee”.
“Looking back now, I am as long out of it
as when I was playing it. They were great
times, just great craic.”
The dream of making a difference for
Leinster in the Heineken Cup never truly
materialised, Rocky Elsom arriving in
2008 to be the missing piece in that
jigsaw.
“They obviously felt they needed quality
in the position I was in and that leads to
you asking questions about yourself.
“I was a good Magners League player.
I had two seasons of starting regularly
in the Heineken Cup and then dropping
down to be a squad player.”
When Rocky left, Kevin McLaughlin
and Seán O’Brien came on the scene.
In Ireland, there are always back row
players coming on the scene.
“Only the world-class players reach the
top of the game. I wasn’t world-class.
Therefore, I didn’t reach the top. And
that is okay. I have no hassle with
that.”
It wasn’t too long before Stephen
had had enough of the professional
environment.
“People think professional rugby is
great. And it is. It is also very frustrating.
Whether you are a good player, or not,
or fully-committed, or not, holding a
tackling bag is not easy.
“Everyone knows if you are doing a
good or bad job as a professional rugby
player because all they have to do is
read the teamsheet.
“You are constantly explaining yourself.
People are asking you, are you injured?
No. Why aren’t you playing? The coach
didn’t pick me.
“I just got sick of it. I could have gone to
Italy or France. For me, there are other
things in life outside of rugby.”
That meant the beginning of a second
career in 2011.
A degree in Economics from UCC led
to a future in finance with New Ireland
Assurance, working his way up that
particular ladder to become Head of
Retail and Sales in April.
“It is important to join the right company.
That happened to me. They never treated
me as an ex-rugby player. I never had to
do any rugby-related stuff for them.
“I came in on merit and they helped me
to build a career. That is really important.
I fell on my feet that way.”
Stephen cited determination, clear goals,
clear plans, clear strategies as some of
the building blocks that translate from
rugby into the workplace.
“You don’t learn management when you
are a professional sportsman because
you are mostly worrying about yourself,
doing your part.
“You don’t have to motivate people
because they are already motivated. You
learn how to be part of a team.”
In red and blue.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 65

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Delvin RFC 60s/70s
Players Get Together
BY CAROLINE MCFADDEN
L-R Eamon Cooney,Bill Douglas, Donal
Henderson, Jim Walker, Christy Lynch,
Gordon Henderson & Alec Smyth
The Neptune Hotel in Bettystown
was the place back in the 1960s
and 1970s where the ex-Delvin
RFC club entertained their visiting
teams following their games at
their then grounds in Butlin’s
Mosney. They also celebrated New
Year’s Eve with their famous ‘sold
out’ New Year’s Eve Dinner Dances
in the hotel.
Those great bygone days were relived
recently when the club’s players of that era
once again gathered to celebrate another
momentous occasion, the 60th anniversary
of the club winning the Leinster Provincial
Towns Cup back in 1962.
The captain of that famous team, Mr
Billy Reynolds, was in attendance along
with another member of the team, Hugh
Cumisky. Others such as Derek Little, Niall
Delaney and Peter Barry, who were on
the periphery of the team, were also in
attendance.
Perusing old times
in the Drogheda
Independent
Whilst the get together did celebrate
the 60th anniversary of that great
achievement, it wasn’t confined to that
year and was expanded to include
members and players who played with the
club throughout the 60s and early 70s.
An informal lunch was organised and
there was a great response from those
who lined out or supported the club
throughout that period. Pictures of the ‘62
final were on view as well as page cuttings
from the Drogheda Independent which
drew great attention from the gathering.
There was also a book profiling the club’s
history, written by former club President
and player, Jim Walker, for the nostalgic
gathering to peruse.
As the afternoon wore on, stories were
once again retold, embellished and
friendships were rekindled following many
years since meetings had taken place
between many of those who attended.
The Winning Captains, Seamie
Briscoe McGowan Cup ‘77 &
Billy Reynolds PTC ‘62
There was a splendid surprise when
an anniversary cake was baked and
produced for the occasion by Karen
Hammond which was certainly eaten with
great nostalgic taste by everybody.
The club was founded in the early 1950s
by Des Scaife and played out at the
Butlin’s Holiday Camp in Mosney. Their
playing base comprised of players mainly
from north County Dublin and east Meath.
Ten years after Delvin RFC was founded,
they managed to win the prestigious
Leinster Provincial Towns Cup in 1962
and their only other senior success was
the North-East Area LB McGowan Cup
in 1975/76. The captains of both these
sides, Billy Reynolds and Seamie Briscoe
respectively were present at the gathering.
The winning Delvin Leinster
PTC Team from 1962
Team Mates From ‘62 Billy Reynolds
& Hugh Cumiskey
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 67

Referees
Corner
BY DAN WALLACE
Welcome to another edition of Referees Corner and a warm
welcome to Frank Murphy, today’s match referee and his team.
Frank is a former rugby player. Originally from Cork, Murphy
played for his native province of Munster before moving to the
English side Leicester Tigers, with whom he won a Premiership
title, and then finished his career with Connacht, another
Irish province, making over 100 appearances for the side.
He began refereeing in the
All-Ireland League in 2015,
progressing to referee in the
British and Irish Cup later that
year. He began refereeing at
international level in 2016 and
has taken charge of games in
the European Nations Cup. In
November 2016, Murphy took
charge of his first PRO12 game,
and has since gone on to referee
in the Challenge Cup at European
level.
We’re wrapping up our 2021/22
season in Referees HQ and it has been
fantastic to see so many competitions
back in full swing and see our referees
back on the pitch. Referees play a
central role in our game and we are
justly proud of how we have conducted
ourselves and our contribution to rugby
in Leinster this season.
We had a tricky but successful season
with our trial referees. We ran one
new member workshop on October
30, with the attendance of 25 recruits.
In total, a record number of 36 trial
members passed trial matches and
attained full membership during the
season. Compliments are due to a
number of individuals for their hard
work with our trial referees in achieving
these outstanding results. The next
new recruits’ workshop will be held on
Saturday, August 27. Details further on.
This season, we also launched a new
programme of mentoring with IRFU
guidance. Norman Carter took on the
role as head of mentors and recruited
approximately 40 active and former
referees to act as mentors. Training
was provided by the IRFU, and as a
result, almost 70 referees have received
mentorship during the season.
​Do you want to explore a new way to
be involved in the game next season?
Leinster Rugby Referees are inviting applications
for their next New Referees Course which will
take place on 27 August. Visit the website…
And drop Sean Gallagher an email for
more information…
68 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

During the season, head of evaluation
Jim Breen and his sub-committee
deployed approximately 25 evaluators.
These evaluators are responsible for
assessing our referees in the field
and recommending promotions and
demotions amongst other things. In
total we completed well over 300
evaluations, covering our own referees
and also covering National Panel
Referees and IPAS Referees. In all
almost 200 individual referees were
evaluated, a great return.
Under the guidance of Barry O’Keefe,
using a combination of ref cam and
attendance at matches, we deployed a
number of coaches who issued almost
50 coaching reports. This is significantly
more than previous years. Coaching
and evaluating differ greatly. Coaching
focuses more on observing the referee
and giving them a couple of items to
work on over the following weeks.
A referee development team of six
individuals, directed by Steve Griffiths,
run the activities of our development
group. The development group is made
up of referees that we see as having the
skill and ability to move to the top level
of refereeing in Leinster and onwards
to perhaps the National Panel. This
group and the work coming from it,
involves a serious commitment on their
parts to allow them to become the best
they can be as referees. The group for
the season consisted of nine referees,
three of whom were in IPAS. All three
IPAS members performed very well
throughout the season, as a result of
which Robbie Jenkinson has already
been promoted to the National Panel,
and Katie Byrne has already refereed
at AIL level.
Our area representatives are one of the
cornerstones of our association. Their
level of commitment and work rate can
never be overstated. A massive thank
you for all the work they put into their
areas, especially youth and underage
games!! Also many thanks go to
Hayley White in our Administration
office, who makes sure everything runs
smoothly.
For the first time in two years, we
were able to hold our annual dinner.
Held in Lansdowne FC on April 9, a
fabulous night was had by all. Over
130 attendees and expertly organized
by Barry Dempsey and his team. The
presidents from both the IRFU and the
Leinster Branch were in attendance. A
full set of awards being handed out on
the night.
Harry Ardle Award to
Keith Spendlove
Alain Rolland Award to
Mitch Enderby
Terry Doyle Award to
Coolmine RFC
Denis Collins Award to
Robbie Jenkinson
Lifetime Achievement Award to
Peter Donnelly
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 69

ank of ireland
MATCHDAY MINIS
West Offaly Lions
Front Row: Ellie Flynn, Senan Dunne, James Darcy, Cian
Dunican, Cathal Molloy, Ultan Keeneghan, Clyde Buckley,
Jessica Coffey, James Guinan, Noah O’Duffy.
Back Row: Jason Mullen, Hayley Delaney, Emily Lynam-
Carroll, Alex Foley, Kayleigh Berry, Callie Hennessy,
Jasmine McIntyre, Will Browne, Dylan Buckley, Adam
Delaney.
Ardee RFC
Back (left to right): Killian McShane, Paddy McArdle, Adam
Malone, Turlough McCague, Jake Steel, Daniel Malone,
Charlie Murray, Jeremiasz Michalski, Pat Smith, Shea
Campbell, Noel Malone (Coach)
Front (left to right): Jack Gillick, Shea Devlin, Connor
Kiernan, Connor Grimes, Odhran Carrlon, Michael Tighe,
Noah Taaffe, Jay McHugh, Sean Madden.
Managers: John Mullen, Frances Pillion.
Old Belvedere RFC
Players: Alex Rochford, Ben Glynn, Bobby Callanan,
Cameron Wallace, Charlie Reynolds, Chris Comer, Danial
Kennedy, David Kelly, Donnacha Cosgrave, Freddie Moore,
Jack Moyles, Jack O’Rourke, James O’Reilly, John Gunne,
Kyle Calvert, Lewis Murphy, Mark Bryson, Mark McNally,
Nathan Keogh, Robin Elliott
Coaches: Colm Bryson and Alan Wallace
Athy RFC
Players: Cailan O’Shaughnessy, Charlie Rafferty, Charlie
Price, Cian Maher, Conor Brophy, Conor Dooley, Cormac
Kerrigan, Donnacha Conway, Eoghan Kavanagh, Finbar
Purcell, Harry Walsh, Henry Hovenden, Jack Farrell, Jerry
Davis, Mark Boyle, Max Hogan, Oscar Byrne, Saran Buttle,
Senan Mulqueen, William Cassidy
Coaches: Brian Kerrigan, Eric Conway, Mark Price,
Niall Walsh, Paddy Byrne, Steve Mulqueen
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 71

TO MAXIMISE YOUR SPORTS AND EXERCISE
PERFORMANCE THROUGH NUTRITION
Optimum Nutrition and Leinster Rugby have partnered to help share good nutrition tips throughout
the season to help you achieve your performance goals. Here are some simple tips and things to
remember to help maximise your performance and help you recover quickly to come back stronger.
Protein Rich.
Protein provides your muscles with
the building blocks to repair & grow.
Carb-Up.
Carbohydrate foods are king as they
power high intensity play.
Fuel-Up.
Consume the majority of your
carbohydrates around training to
support fuelling and recovery.
Recover.
Quality rest & nutrition between
training sessions is the key to
recovery. Remember to:
Repair with protein,
Refuel with carbohydrate,
Rehydrate with fluid.
Hydrate.
Dehydration can lead to a drop in
exercise intensity & can impact your
decision making. Drink 2-3 litres of
fluid each day to ensure hydration.
Game Day.
To fuel performance on the field,
consume a large carbohydrate rich
meal 2-3 hours before kick-off, i.e.
chicken & pasta, turkey bolognaise
wraps.
Get 20% off all Optimum Nutrition products
using code Leinster20 on optimumnutrition.ie

KNOWING WHAT ADVICE TO TAKE
IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS GAME.
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OFFICIAL LEGAL ADVISOR
Beauchamps LLP | Riverside Two | Sir John Rogerson’s Quay | Dublin 2 | D02 KV60

Leinster Rugby charity partner
Cardiac Risk in
the Young
THE FIELDS OF
LANSDOWNE
ROAD.
When it
comes to
selecting her
favourite
Lansdowne
Road memory,
Orla Foley
has a few to
pick from.
Orla’s brother Anthony Foley
Ireland’s debut in 1995, when
he scored a consolation try
against England, came close, but
she quickly plucked for a game
almost a decade later.
“Ronan O’Gara’s try… the Heineken Cup
semi-final against Leinster in 2006, that’s
my favourite game,” she smiles.
“I was in Glasgow watching his Ireland
debut in 1995 on the TV, so the 2006
game has to be the best memory.”
Orla is quick not to rub salt in the wounds
of the opposition who welcome Munster
to Dublin today though. “I support all four
provinces, really! I find I can’t be shouting
for them in green, and not when they’re
playing for their provinces… I like to see
all the provinces do well.
“I’ll never forget how Leinster wore
Number 8 shirts in 2016 after Anthony
died (due to Sudden Cardiac Death) and
brought a Munster jersey into the dressing
room. That was the day of the funeral and
looking at it on TV was unreal. Leo Cullen
always speaks so well of Anthony and so
fondly too, and that means the world.
“I’ll never forget either, how Johnny
Sexton - after he scored that famous
drop goal against France to win the Six
Nations - sent his jersey to Anthony’s boys
with a beautiful letter. The rugby family
in Ireland,
from Ulster, Connacht, Leinster and
Munster has a special connection. You
get to meet people from all walks of life
and I’ve been given lovely memories of
what Anthony meant to many over the
past few years.”
The last time Orla was in the Aviva
Stadium, it was to hear Hermitage Green
singer, and former Munster player, Barry
Murphy launch his song ‘Alone You
Stand’, in tribute to Anthony Foley to raise
vital funds for CRY Ireland, Mid-Western
Cancer Foundation and the children’s
charity CARI.
But she won’t walk down Lansdowne
Road today, instead she’s cycling in
France as part of her fundraising ‘Orla’s
Wild Ways’ tour that began almost two
years ago when she cycled the coast of
the Wild Atlantic Way.
Orla’s Wild Ways is in memory of
Anthony Foley, and has raised over
€30,000 already for three charities
including Leinster’s charity partner
for May, CRY Ireland (Cardiac Risk
in the Young / CRY), which facilitates
free access to cardiac assessment and
provides free support and counselling
services for families that have been
affected by the loss of someone to
Sudden Cardiac Death.
“I was only in Dublin a couple of weeks
ago to get my own heart check - I do it
every few years because of history in the
family,” Orla said.
“CRY has a new centre in Dublin, with
a helpline that wasn’t there for us - it’s
lovely that it’s there for others now, the
helpline really goes that extra mile.
“Everyone has access to this service for
free, which is amazing. And it covers all
32 counties - just like rugby, there’s no
north and south separation, everyone has
access.”
You can
still make a
donation to
Orla Foley’s
Wild Ways
Cycle
For more
information
about CRY,
please go to
cry.ie
74 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

ABOUT CRY
CRY in Ireland was founded in
March 2002 by parents Michael
and Marie Greene who had
experienced the effects of sudden
and unexplained death within
their families.
We are a self-supporting registered
Charity. We are therefore dependent
on fundraising activities and donations
to help us provide access for families in
Ireland, north and south, bereaved by
the sudden cardiac death (SCD) of a
young person, or who are affected by,
or at risk from inherited conditions that
cause SCD.
TEXT CRY TO
50300
TO DONATE €4
Texts cost €4.00 CRY Ireland will
receive a minimum of €3.60 Service
Provider: LIKECHARITY.
Helpline: 01 4819311
Our
Programmes
CRY facilitates free cardiac
assessment at the centre at
Tallaght University Hospital,
for families who have lost a
young person through SCD or
SADS (Sudden Arrhythmic Death
Syndrome), or who are affected
by, or at risk from inherited
conditions that cause SCD.
CRY supports research into the prevention
of sudden cardiac death.
CRY also offers emotional support
to families, bereaved through SCD
through the CRY Helpline a freephone
service available 7-9pm Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 10am-12pm Wednesdays and
4-6pm Sundays.
FREEPHONE:
Republic of Ireland:
1800 714 080
Northern Ireland/UK:
00 44 8006
40 62 80
Looking for a
challenge?
Join Team CRY and help us raise
funds this September as we walk
the Camino Portuguese from Tui
to Santiago de Compostela.
Take part in the VHI Mini Marathon on
June 5th and consider supporting CRY
and the families affected by SCD
To join our fundraisers, please email:
info@cry.ie
@CRYIre
For more see our website
www.cry.ie
@cryireland @cry.ireland
Proudly supported by BearingPoint.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 75

opposing view
7 May 2022
Munster supporters celebrate
a second half penalty during
the Heineken Champions Cup
Quarter-Final match between
Munster and Toulouse at Aviva
Stadium in Dublin.
76 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 77

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Head Coach
Johann
van Graan
South African Johann van Graan
joined Munster in November 2017
from his role as forwards coach
with the Springboks.
Prior to that he had enjoyed success with
the Bulls in Super Rugby, working as both
their forwards and attack coach.
He is due to sign English Premiership club
Bath at the culmination of the current
season.
Captain
Peter O’Mahony
Flanker Peter O’Mahony made
his Munster at Ravenhill against
Ulster in January 2010 as an
Academy player.
Awarded a senior contract ahead of the
2011/12 season, he has since gone on
to be named the province’s captain after
Doug Howlett’s departure in 2013.
He has played 159 times for Munster
as well as amassing 84 Ireland caps to
date.
munster squad
FORWARDS
THOMAS AHERN
LOCK
STEPHEN ARCHER
PROP
DIARMUID BARRON
HOOKER
TADHG BEIRNE
LOCK
SCOTT BUCKLEY
HOOKER
CHRIS CLOETE
FLANKER
GAVIN COOMBES
NO. 8
JACK DALY
FLANKER
MARK DONNELLY
PROP
JOHN FORDE
LOCK
JAMES FRENCH
PROP
JOHN HODNETT
FLANKER
CIAN HURLEY
LOCK
JASON JENKINS
LOCK
ALEX KENDELLEN
FLANKER
DAVE KILCOYNE
PROP
JEAN KLEYN
LOCK
KEYNAN KNOX
PROP
JEREMY LOUGHMAN
PROP
CONOR MOLONEY
FLANKER
KEVIN O’BYRNE
HOOKER
LIAM O’CONNOR
PROP
EOIN O’CONNOR
LOCK
JACK O’DONOGHUE
FLANKER
DANIEL OKEKE
NO. 8
PETER O’MAHONY
FLANKER C
JACK O’SULLIVAN
NO. 8
JOHN RYAN
PROP
ROMAN SALANOA
PROP
NIALL SCANNELL
HOOKER
RG SNYMAN
LOCK
JOSH WYCHERLEY
PROP
FINEEN WYCHERLEY
LOCK
BACKS
GROUP
TONY BUTLER
FLY-HALF
PATRICK CAMPBELL
FULLBACK
JOEY CARBERY
FLY-HALF
CRAIG CASEY
SCRUM-HALF
ANDREW CONWAY
WING
LIAM COOMBES
WING
ETHAN COUGHLAN
SCRUM-HALF
NEIL CRONIN
SCRUM-HALF
JACK CROWLEY
FLY-HALF
SHANE DALY
WING
DAMIAN DE ALLENDE
CENTRE
KEITH EARLS
WING
CHRIS FARRELL
CENTRE
JAKE FLANNERY
FLY-HALF
SEAN FRENCH
CENTRE
MATT GALLAGHER
FULLBACK
DAN GOGGIN
CENTRE
MIKE HALEY
FULLBACK
BEN HEALY
FLY-HALF
CONOR MURRAY
SCRUM-HALF
CALVIN NASH
WING
ROWAN OSBORNE
SCRUM-HALF
PADDY PATTERSON
SCRUM-HALF
RORY SCANNELL
CENTRE
JONATHAN WREN
FULLBACK
SIMON ZEBO
WING
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 79

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Club in Focus
ROSCREA
RFC
Roscrea is
a county
Tipperary
town with a
rugby club
holding
Leinster
status. It
has long
celebrated
an
interesting
relationship
with
Ireland’s
biggest
provincial
rivals.
82 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

“It started as a club playing
in Munster competitions and
migrated to Leinster due to the
grounds being across the border
in Offaly. We were admitted into
the Leinster League and we have
stayed there,” says Club President
Terry Farrelly.
“I became a member 35 years ago and I
haven’t been able to escape since.”
At one point, in the 1970s, it is
understood there was a movement within
the club to switch to Munster as the club’s
new pitches were inside the Tipperary
border. This was quickly subdued by an
IRFU promise to reduce or even wipe out
tickets for Ireland’s internationals.
The desire to switch provinces came from
the fact that the majority of the Roscrea
players and supporters were and are
Munster supporters.
In 1978, one of the members of the
club, Seamus Dennison, who played
for Garryowen at the time, was on the
Munster team that beat the All Blacks.
“There are certain members of the club,
who are staunch, staunch Leinster. There
are certain members of the club, who are
staunch, staunch Munster,” says Terry.
“The breakdown of the membership is
probably close to two-thirds Munster and
one-third Leinster.”
They are drawn from counties Laois,
Offaly, and Tipperary within about a
12-mile radius, taking in Offaly’s Shinrone
and Coolderry, Laois’ Borris-In-Ossory
and Rathdowney and Tipperary’s
Roscrea, Cloughjordan and Moneygall,
a village divided between Offaly on one
side of the main street and Tipperary on
the other.
“We have very few Leinster season ticket
holders. We have a lot more Munster
season ticket holders. That is really down
to geography,” he adds.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 83

“For example, I had a 10-year ticket to
Munster and I could pop in the car and
be in my seat in Thomond in 45 minutes
whereas it would take the guts of two
hours to make it to the RDS.”
It would lead an objective observer to
presume a siege mentality has set in
over the decades, a sort of outsiders’
perspective.
“No, I wouldn’t say that. It is quite a
trek for many of the provincial clubs, like
Longford, Wexford, Mullingar, to make it
to Dublin,” notes Terry.
“But, in recent years, the provincial
clubs are providing a much higher
representation to Leinster. For example,
Peter Dooley is from up the road in Birr.
His father Gerry would have been a mad
Munster supporter.”
The nearest Leinster club Birr has
amalgamated with Roscrea at the youth
level to play together as the Roscrea and
Birr Ravens, a union born out of necessity
for the boys and girls in the area.
“We don’t have the numbers we used to
have at underage from U-14 up. While
the bigger clubs prospering might be the
ones closer to Dublin, the provincially
peripheral clubs are finding it difficult.
“There are healthy numbers at minis.
But, there is a fall-off from U-14 upwards
with some of the boys going to school as
day-boarders at CCR (Cistercian College
Roscrea), a short walk from the club
grounds.
“Consequently, at U-14, U-15, U-16,
and U-18, we are joined up with Birr
for boys and girls, training and matches
alternating between the clubs.”
The rise in popularity of girls’ and
women’s rugby has injected a different
kind of excitement and given the club
another level of interest from the outside.
“The number of girls at the club is almost
as many as the boys. In the minis, we
could have 120 boys and 100 girls.
The importance of the girls cannot be
overestimated.”
There is also the view that the club has
to reach out as more than just a place to
play rugby given the competition from
various sports and organisations.
“We are trying to develop the club as
a community facility. My thoughts are:
‘If we don’t do that, we won’t survive’,”
warns Terry.
“We have to be more than a club
providing men’s rugby. We are
diversifying. That process has started
already.
“The girls were the start of it. We have
people with disabilities in the club as
associate members, coming from St
Anne’s, the special needs school here.
That is another step in the right direction.
We have to encourage everyone to
come in.
“At one stage, there were four senior
men’s teams at the club and no
underage. Now, it is an underage club
with one senior team.”
At present, Roscrea is in the middle of an
application for planning permission to
upgrade many of the facilities that have
aged since the 1970s.
Floodlights, changing facilities accounting
for the rise in the numbers of girls,
wheelchair access, and a walking track,
designed to encourage locals to come
into the club, are all part of the plan.
“From a personal point of view, the
challenge is to manage the interests of all
the people in the club from minis, girls,
adults, so that they all get a fair shake.”
It means a considerable amount of time
84 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

given over in a voluntary capacity as
many as six to eight hours a week.
“Sadly, for some of the older members, it
is a fundraising thing, trying to keep the
club going for everyone.
“Every administrator in every rural club
would understand. Everyone wants free
jerseys. Nobody wants to pay for them.”
Pulling on the maroon and white shirt
is about generating a sense of identity,
coming together from different counties,
even different provinces, to play for the
same goal.
“Legendary Liverpool manager Bill
Shankly once said, to paraphrase,
‘Football is not life or death. It is much
more important than that’.
“The same goes for rugby, in this regard.
When something is important for a
10-year-old, it is everything to them. It is
also important for his or her parents and
grandparents whereas it is not as big a
deal for a senior player.
“We have to do everything we can to
show all the people of Roscrea and the
surrounding area how important they are
to us and how important the club is for
the whole community.”

joe
McCarth
THE ACADEMY
INTERVIEW
BY PAUL CAHILL
As the final whistle
blew last Saturday
at Aviva Stadium, Joe
McCarthy celebrated
with his teammates as
Leinster Rugby reached
their sixth Heineken
Champions Cup final
in front of more than
42,000 supporters.
But, just three years earlier,
McCarthy was a fifth year student
watching the very same fixture
from the stands with his younger
brother.
For many of us, that 2019 semi-final
against Toulouse seems like only
yesterday, but the Academy second
row – who only last month signed his first
senior contract – has been on quite a
journey since then.
As the 2021/22 season was getting
underway, McCarthy didn’t have the
lofty ambitions of featuring in a Heineken
Champions Cup semi-final.
The extent of his ambitions, was just trying
to get fit.
“I was coming back from an injury at the
start of this season,” says the 21-year-old.
86 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

y
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 87

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“I missed the Irish U-20s through injury,
and I was out for all of pre-season.
“So, I was just hoping to try and get back
playing as many games as possible.
Whether that was with Trinity in the
Energia All-Ireland League or wherever, I
just wanted to play and try to improve.”
As McCarthy entered his second year in
the Leinster Academy, he got his first run
out of the season in November 2021 at a
wet and blustery Banbridge Rugby Club
for Leinster ‘A’ against Ulster ‘A’.
“I felt a bit off after not playing for quite
a while. But, after coming through that ‘A’
game I got a good run of matches with
Trinity.
“I managed to play five or six full games
in a row. I started to feel back on track
after getting a few 80 minutes in the
AIL. I definitely improved through those
games.”
McCarthy may not have known it then,
but that period with Dublin University
Football Club under Tony Smeeth made
him battle hardened and gave him the
match fitness required to kick on with
Leinster.
“The AIL has been really important this
year. We know the Leinster coaches
watch all of the games too. It’s been a
great springboard for players.”
With most Leinster Academy players
playing with their AIL club, there have
been some huge battles on show each
weekend, and McCarthy has been in
some big tussles.
“I remember we played Clontarf. They
had Martin Moloney, Alex Soroka and
David Hawkshaw. Plus a lot of lads who
would have played with Leinster at some
stage or age grade. Lots of quality.
“On our Trinity team we had Jack Dunne,
Thomas Clarkson, Lee Barron, Liam
Turner, Rob Russell, Max O’Reilly and
myself . So, it was a really competitive
game. Those games are such a high level
that you really feel match fit when you get
back to Leinster.”
After a consistent run of games with
Trinity, McCarthy was given the news that
every Academy player hopes for; that
he would be making his Leinster senior
debut.
“A lot of the internationals had gone
away, so you’re kind of hoping you might
get an opportunity, but you’re still not
really sure, because there’s still loads of
really good players around.
“It was a Monday morning, and I had
played with Trinity the week before. I
was in the gym and I got a tap on the
shoulder to say that I would be playing
in the game away to Cardiff. I was
pretty shocked to hear that and I was just
delighted really.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘Don’t look
so shocked!’. It was hard to go back to
weights after that.”
Having found out early in the week that
he would be involved, the McCarthy
family had time to make their way over to
Cardiff for the game.
But, even if they had been given little
notice, they would have found a way to
Cardiff Arms Park.
“My parents and my brother Andrew go
to all of my games, no matter where they
take place. As soon as I told them that I
was playing, they started booking flights
straight away.
“It was nice to have my mum and dad
and my brother in Cardiff that night. It
was special.”
It helps that the McCarthy household is
rugby mad.

We joke about it at home that
Andrew has more Leinster gear
than me! He’s fully dressed in the
right colours for every game.
Joe (senior) and Paula McCarthy have
three rugby mad sons.
Our Joe is in the middle. Paddy is the
youngest and was one of the standout
players on this year’s victorious Blackrock
College Senior Cup team.
But, Joe admits that their older brother,
Andrew, is by far the biggest rugby fan in
the house.
“He plays with the Seapoint Dragons,
which is their special needs team. He
absolutely loves it, and he just loves
going to watch games.
“He’s a big Blackrock College fan. He
would always be coming into me and
Paddy telling us that we have to beat
Michael’s in the Schools Senior Cup!
“He’s a big Leinster fan too, so I know
he loves seeing Paddy and I playing
in Energia Park or in the RDS. We joke
about it at home that Andrew has more
Leinster gear than me! He’s fully dressed
in the right colours for every game. He
probably takes some of my gear too.”
So while McCarthy may have burst
onto the scene this year with Leinster
Rugby, getting his first run out at Aviva
Stadium last Saturday, he wasn’t the first
McCarthy to play on the hallowed turf.
“Andrew has played in Aviva Stadium a
couple of times at half-time during Leinster
games. It would be cool if we got to play
on the same day. But, Andrew definitely
played there before I did!”
After travelling to Cardiff for Joe’s debut,
the McCarthys had another day out a
few weeks later as he was named to
start his first home game alongside Devin
Toner against the Emirates Lions.
“That was my first time playing in the
RDS, so it was really cool. All of my
family were there.
“It was really special, because obviously
for my first cap away to Cardiff we lost
the game. So we could enjoy the postmatch
a bit more after getting the win.
“We put in a pretty good performance
against the Lions, who were a really
big, tough team. It was actually really
satisfying. It’s definitely one of the
highlights of my year.”
There was an interesting contrast when
the Leinster team was announced for that
Lions game. The second row consisted of
the clubs most experienced player and
one of the youngest players.
90 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

“It was just quite funny when the team
was announced and the second row had
274 caps. It was my second and Dev
had 272!”
As McCarthy starts his journey in
professional rugby, Toner is winding
down his, after announcing that he will
retire at the end of the season.
But, McCarthy is keen to learn as much
as he can from the most-capped Leinster
player.
“Dev is class. Whenever you play with
Dev you’re quite confident because he is
a real calm guy and you can see that he
knows exactly what he’s doing.
“It’s kind of crazy to think how many caps
he’s got, because it’s such a big deal
getting your first one, and he’s nearly
got 300. He has so much experience of
playing in the biggest games and World
Cups.
“He’s always giving younger players
little tips and he puts a lot of confidence
in you.”
As the season moved along, McCarthy
continued to hit new milestones.
In March, he played three more senior
games, including his first two interpro
fixtures at a packed Kingspan Stadium in
Belfast and the Sportsground in Galway.
“You hear a lot that interpro games are
another step up in intensity. I definitely
found that it was another step up,
especially when you know the players a
bit more than against other teams.
“The travelling Leinster fans were class
and they really got behind the team.
They really are the games you want to
play in.”
Earlier this month, McCarthy made
another huge stride in his rugby journey
by making his European debut away to
Leicester Tigers.
“It was a really cool experience. Playing
in a European quarter-final is the type of
game you dream of playing in as a kid.
Especially somewhere like Welford Road.
“When you’re younger, that is
somewhere you associate with big
European games. There’s a lot of
history there.
“The whole experience of
travelling over and then
seeing the stadium. It’s an
old school stadium with
those changing rooms, but
it has a big capacity, and
you can really feel the crowd
on top of you. So it was a
great experience.”
While McCarthy has taken
each new experience in his

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stride, even he was a little taken aback
at the prospect of facing the five-time
European Champions, Toulouse.
“I remember in 2019, I went to Aviva
Stadium with my brother, Paddy for the
semi-final against Toulouse. I was in fifth
year in school and Paddy would have
been in second year.
“So, it was quite surreal to come on
against them last week, considering I was
watching that fixture in the stands a few
years ago.
“Toulouse always have some big names
and French internationals involved. I
remember my brother saying it was
surreal that I was playing against them.”
McCarthy’s fine form has been rewarded
with a senior contract which begins next
season.
But, he knows that there’s no time to
reflect on his achievements just yet.
“You have to make sure you kind of
stay on top of your stuff because there’s
probably a bit more expectation on you
as a senior. You’re just trying to make
sure you just keep the foot on the pedal
really.”
There were plenty of ‘pinch me’ moments
for McCarthy this season, but getting
a call up to the Irish Six Nations camp
was certainly another big moment for the
former Blackrock College student.
“After I played the Ulster game, I got a
call to come in and train and see what
the setup was like. I certainly wasn’t
expecting it because I had just played
four games for Leinster.
“I learned so much while I was there.
How professional the players were in
their preparation, and you could see that
it was another step up again.
“But being in that environment, I really
enjoyed it. I trained there for the week
and learned from all of the coaches.
“I chatted to Paul O’Connell a lot while I
was there. We spoke about how to plan
your day and how you can get better. I
tried to soak up as much as I could.”
As we enter the business end of the
season, McCarthy is keen to contribute.
“There are a lot of big games coming
up and I’ll be aiming to just try and put
my hand up to try and get involved in as
many of those as possible. They’re the
kind of games you dream of playing in.
“Hopefully, I can just put my best foot
forward in training or whatever games I
may get selected for.”
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 93

Leinster Rugby Academy
Year Three 2021/22:
Leinster Rugby Academy
Year two 2021/22:
Second Row
Brian Deeny #1306
DOB: 02/03/2000
HEIGHT: 1.99m WEIGHT: 121kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (8 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (2 caps)
Did You Know: Brian played youth rugby with Wexford
Wanderers RFC. He got his first Irish cap playing for
Ireland Under-18 Sevens. Brian played midfield for
his school St Peter’s College in Gaelic football and
reached the All-Ireland Colleges Final in 2017. He is
currently studying Science in Trinity and lives in Abbey
House B&B, Wexford. Instagram: brian_deeny
wing
Niall Comerford
DOB: 06/04/2000
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 86kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20
Did You Know: Niall played both hurling and Gaelic
football with Kilmacud Crokes for 14 years. He also
represented Dublin in Gaelic football in the U17
Leinster Championship. He is currently studying
Commerce in UCD.
Instagram: niall_c123
Cormac Foley #1299
DOB: 24/10/1999
HEIGHT: 1.81m WEIGHT: 88kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (9 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (4 caps)
Marcus Hanan #1295
DOB: 03/10/2000
HEIGHT:1.8m WEIGHT:110.91kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (2 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (3 caps)
Scrum Half
Did You Know: Started playing rugby with Greystones
RFC when he was nine. Growing up, Cormac did a lot
of show jumping and he is now studying Economics and
Finance in UCD.
Instagram: cormacfoley6
prop
Did You Know? Marcus is from Clane in Kildare and is the
youngest of three. His dad went to the High School and then
played rugby in Old Wesley before coaching back at Clane
RFC. Marcus has Italian connections on his mother’s side with her
father, Luigi Rea, being from Italy. Marcus is studying Business
Management in Griffith College. Instagram: @marcus_hanan
Back Row
Martin Moloney #1300
DOB: 19/10/1999
HEIGHT: 1.88m WEIGHT: 99kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (5 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (7 caps)
Did You Know: Martin played hurling for Kildare and
played GAA and basketball for his secondary school,
Knockbeg College, and local GAA club, St Laurence’s.
He played his youth rugby with Athy RFC. He is now
studying Business and Law in UCD, He also enjoys
working on the family farm. Instagram: martin_moloney
Second Row
Joe McCarthy #1303
DOB: 26/03/2001
HEIGHT: 1.95m WEIGHT: 119kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (7 caps)
Did You Know: Joe started playing rugby with Blackrock
College RFC at the age of six before moving to
Willow Park and then Blackrock College. He was also
on the Blackrock swim team for five years. He’s currently
studying Global Business in Trinity College Dublin.
Instagram: joetmmcc
Second Row
Charlie Ryan
DOB: 03/02/1999
HEIGHT: 2.01m WEIGHT: 115kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (15 caps)
Did You Know: Charlie played youth rugby at Blackrock
College RFC while also attending the school since
Senior Infants. He captained Ireland to the U20 Grand
Slam in 2019 and again for the U20s World Cup. His
friends call him Chuck! He is currently studying Business
and Legal Studies in UCD.
Instagram: chuck_ryan5
hooker
John McKee #1307
DOB: 15/02/2000
HEIGHT: 1.82m WEIGHT: 105kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (12 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (2 caps)
Did You Know: John grew up in Belfast going to school
at Campbell College where he won a Senior Cup. He
was involved with Ulster at age grade level until moving
to Dublin after school. He also has multiple medals
from Northern Irish Schools Judo competitions.
Instagram: johnmckee_
Centre
Liam Turner #1287
DOB: 14/07/1999
HEIGHT: 1.73m WEIGHT: 91kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (10 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (6 caps)
Did You Know: Liam started to play rugby at the age
of six at Blackrock College RFC. He later joined
Blackrock College and was part of the 2018 Senior Cup
winning team. He was also part of the Ireland U20 team
that went on to win the 2019 Grand Slam. Liam currently
studys BESS in Trinity College. Instagram: liamtn123
Centre / Full Back
Jamie Osborne #1294
DOB: 16/11/2001
HEIGHT:1.93m WEIGHT:96.82kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (18 caps)
Did you know? Jamie is studying commerce in UCD. His
grandad, Paddy Osborne, was a horse trainer in Naas,
while his dad played rugby all throughout his life and
his mum played hockey. Other than rugby, Jamie loves
all sports especially soccer, GAA and NFL. Jamie is
currently in a house with fellow Leinster Academy players
Brian Deeny, Martin Moloney and Max O’Reilly.
Instagram: @jamieosborne01
94 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

Seán O’Brien #1297
Lee Barron #1308
Back Row
DOB: 31/07/2000
HEIGHT: 1.90m WEIGHT: 103kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (3 caps)
Did You Know: Seán started playing rugby at age
six with Greystones RFC where he played up until Under-13.
He then played on the Junior and Senior Cup
teams in Blackrock College. He is currently studying
Economics and Finance in UCD
Instagram: seanobrien456
Hooker
DOB: 15/02/2001
HEIGHT: 1.91m WEIGHT: 108kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (2 caps)
Did You Know: Lee played golf growing up in the
Castle Golf Club and in the end was playing off a
handicap of eight. He has family roots in Carlow but
went to school in Dublin and attended St Michael’s College.
As well as rugby with his school, he also played
GAA and even lined out in Croke Park.
Instagram: @lleebarron
Max O’Reilly #1291
Chris Cosgrave #1305
Full Back
DOB: 26/02/2000
HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 86kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (9 caps)
Did You Know: Max is currently in his third year of
Business and Management in DIT. His preferred sport
was soccer until about the age of 15, which he had
played at centre midfield with Enniskerry FC for over 10
years and also for Wicklow.
Instagram: max_oreilly
full back
DOB: 24/07/2001
HEIGHT:1.83m WEIGHT:85kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (2 caps)
Did You Know: Chris is a member of UCD RFC, where he
is also an Ad Astra scholar studying Agricultural Science.
His athleticism is best highlighted by his feats in the field
of Athletics with All-Ireland honours to his name in both
the 4x100m relay and the Discus. Before the UCD and
St Michael’s College days, he played at a young age
with Old Belvedere RFC. Instagram: @chriscosgrave1
Andrew Smith #1292
Mark Hernan
DOB: 21/07/2000
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 91kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps) &
Leinster Rugby (2 caps)
DOB: 04/07/2000
HEIGHT: 1.88m WEIGHT: 99kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (1 cap)
Back Three
Did You Know: Andrew is currently studying Quantity
Surveying and Construction Economics in TUD. In
2019, he won the Leinster Schools Senior Cup with St
Michael’s College. Andrew also played Gaelic football
with his local club - Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA Club.
Instagram: andrew.sm1th
Flanker
Did You Know: Mark was coached by Ross Molony,
Josh Murphy, Ross Byrne and Nick McCarthy when in
St. Michael’s College. His grandfather Fergus O’Brien
was Lord Mayor of Dublin and his father, Ray, played
for Connacht seniors and Ireland u25s.
Instagram: @mark_hernani
Alex Soroka #1296
Temi Lasisi #1304
Back Row
DOB: 19/02/2001
HEIGHT: 1.95m WEIGHT: 104.5kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (7 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (4 caps)
Did You Know: Alex’s family moved to Ireland from
Ukraine shortly before his birth. He was born in Cork
before moving to Dublin.
Instagram: alex._.soroka
prop
DOB: 09/05/2001
HEIGHT: 1.78m WEIGHT: 115.8kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (1 cap)
Did You Know: The TUD Mechanical Engineering
student originally picked up the oval ball in Enniscorthy
before later moving to Lansdowne FC. Temi rose
through the ranks in the Youths system, his first outing
with the province came at U-18 level against Northampton.
He also describes himself as a ‘competent
pianist’. Instagram: @lasisi.temi
Leinster Rugby Academy
Year one 2021/22:
Scrum half
Ben Murphy
DOB: 23/04/2001
HEIGHT: 1.75m WEIGHT: 80kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps)
& Leinster Rugby (1 cap)
Did You Know: Ben played all different sports growing
up including football, GAA and golf and won an 800m
gold in the U-14 East Leinsters. He is studying economics
in UCD. Ben’s father Richie played for Leinster
Rugby and has coached at all levels of the game and is
the current Ireland U-20s head coach. I
nstagram: @ben._murphy01
Jack Boyle
DOB: 10/03/2002
HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 106kg
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (9 caps)
Rob Russell #1302
DOB: 13/01/1999
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 90kg
HONOURS: Leinster Rugby (4 caps)
Prop
Did You Know: Jack’s father, Herbie, and uncles, Colon
and Eric, all represented Old Wesley rugby club for
years. His cousin Stephen Boyle also represented the
Leinster Rugby youths. Jack is currently studying for a
Commerce Degree in UCD.
Instagram: @jackboyle1
Full Back / Wing
Did You Know: Rob is currently in his final year of
Business and Management in DIT. He started playing
rugby at the age of five with Wanderers RFC. He also
played football up to minor level with Kilmacud Crokes
and it took priority over rugby until he left school.
Instagram: @robrussell7
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 95

Date
25/09
03/10
09/10
16/10
22/10
27/11
03/12
11/12
1/12
1/01
22/01
29/01
11/02
19/02
25/02
05/03
12/03
26/03
02/05
08/04
15/04
23/04
30/04
07/05
14/05
KO/
Result
W
31-3
W
7-6
W
43-7
Opposiotion Venue 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 2
URC VODACOM
BULLS
URC DRAGONS
Aviva
Stadium
Rodney
Parade
URC ZEBRE RDS Arena J O’BRIEN
KEENAN O’LOUGHLIN RINGROSE FRAWLEY LOWE
SEXTON
3C 1P
MCGRATH
PORTER
1T
SHEEHAN
KEENAN RUSSELL RINGROSE C O’BRIEN O’LOUGHLIN R BYRNE GIBSON-PARK PORTER SHEEHAN
A BYRNE
2T
OSBORNE
FRAWLEY
W
50-15 URC SCARLETS RDS Arena KEENAN LARMOUR RINGROSE FRAWLEY
1C
W
31-15
URC GLASGOW
Scotstoun
Stadium
KEENAN
1T
A BYRNE
1T
L
10-20 URC ULSTER RDS Arena J O’BRIEN A BYRNE HENSHAW
1T
W
47-19 URC CONNACHT RDS Arena KEENAN LARMOUR 1T RINGROSE
1T
W
45-20 HCC BATH Aviva
Stadium
L
0-28
W
89-7
W
64-7
L
29-27
W
26-7
W
29-7
W
21-13
HCC MONTPELLIER
GGL (Altrad)
Stadium
KEENAN
1T
HCC MONTPELLIER RDS Arena KEENAN
HCC BATH
URC
CARDIFF
RUGBY
Recreation
Ground
Cardiff Arms
Park
LARMOUR
1T
LOWE
RINGROSE FRAWLEY LOWE
FRAWLEY
HENSHAW
LARMOUR RINGROSE FRAWLEY
LARMOUR
LOWE
LOWE
1T
H BYRNE
SEXTON
1C 1P
R BYRNE
4C 1P
R BYRNE
1C 1P
H BYRNE
5C
R BYRNE
5C
MCGRATH
GIBSON-PARK
MCGRATH
E BYRNE
1T
PORTER
1T
HEALY
CRONIN
1T
KELLEHER
1T
KELLEHER
1T
MCGRATH E BYRNE TRACY
MCGRATH
GIBSON-PARK
2T
HEALY
PORTER
- - - - - - - - -
KEENAN
1T
LARMOUR
1T
LARMOUR
1T
RINGROSE
RINGROSE
FRAWLEY
HENSHAW
J O’BRIEN
1T
J O’BRIEN
4T
J O’BRIEN A BYRNE 1T OSBORNE FRAWLEY O’LOUGHLIN
URC EDINBURGH RDS Arena OSBORNE T O’BRIEN O’LOUGHLIN FRAWLEY KEARNEY
URC OSPREYS RDS Arena J O’BRIEN
URC
EMIRATES
LIONS
W
17-61 URC BENETTON Stadio
Monigo
L
13-18 URC ULSTER Kingspan
Stadium
W
45-8
LARMOUR
1T
OSBORNE H BYRNE KEARNEY
RDS Arena O’REILLY T O’BRIEN OSBORNE H BYRNE
J O’BRIEN
2T 1C
URC CONNACHT Sportsground J O’BRIEN
W
34-19 URC MUNSTER Thomond
Park
LARMOUR
1T
KEARNEY
1T
OSBORNE H BYRNE T O’BRIEN
J O’BRIEN A BYRNE O’LOUGHLIN OSBORNE T O’BRIEN
KEENAN
W
26-21 HCC CONNACHT Sportsground KEENAN
1T
W
56-20 HCC CONNACHT Aviva
Stadium
L
23-28
L
13-20
W
23-14
URC
CELL C
SHARKS
URC
DHL
STORMERS
HCC
LEICESTER
TIGERS
Jonsson
Kings Park
Green Point
Stadium
Mattioli Woods
Welford Road
W
40-17 HCC TOULOUSE Aviva
Stadium
21/05 19:15 URC MUNSTER
00/05 19:15 HCC Xxxxx
Final
fixtures and
results 2021/22
Aviva
Stadium
Xxxx
Stadium
T O’BRIEN
2T
J O’BRIEN
1T
OSBORNE
RINGROSE
1T
FRAWLEY
1T
HENSHAW
J O’BRIEN RINGROSE HENSHAW
KEENAN J O’BRIEN RINGROSE
COSGRAVE
T O’BRIEN
1T
OSBORNE
HENSHAW
2T
FRAWLEY
2C 3P
O’LOUGHLIN
1T
LOWE
2T
LOWE
2T
LOWE
4T
O’REILLY A BYRNE OSBORNE O’LOUGHLIN RUSSELL
KEENAN J O’BRIEN RINGROSE
KEENAN
1T
HENSHAW
1T
J O’BRIEN RINGROSE HENSHAW
R BYRNE
1T 7C
SEXTON
5C
R BYRNE
3C 2P
R BYRNE
3C
R BYRNE
3C 1P
R BYRNE
3C
R BYRNE
1T 7C
R BYRNE
1C 2P
R BYRNE
1C
R BYRNE
1P 4C
SEXTON
1C 2P
SEXTON 6C
GIBSON-PARK
1T
MCGRATH
PORTER
PORTER
1T
SHEEHAN
1T
KELLEHER
1T
KELLEHER
KELLEHER
MCGRATH E BYRNE CRONIN
N MCCARTHY
1T
MCGRATH
E BYRNE
HEALY
1T
TRACY
TRACY
N MCCARTHY E BYRNE TRACY
MCGRATH
DOOLEY
CRONIN
2T
MCGRATH DOOLEY TRACY
MCGRATH DOOLEY TRACY
GIBSON-PARK E BYRNE TRACY
MCGRATH HEALY SHEEHAN
GIBSON-PARK
1T
PORTER
KELLEHER
O’LOUGHLIN H BYRNE N MCCARTHY PORTER MCKEE
LOWE
LOWE
2T
FRAWLEY
2P
SEXTON
2P 2C
SEXTON
3C 3P
FOLEY
E BYRNE
1T
MCKEE
GIBSON-PARK PORTER KELLEHER
GIBSON-PARK PORTER KELLEHER
96 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

3 4 5 6 7 8 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
ALAALATOA MOLONY J RYAN RUDDOCK
VAN DER FLIER
1T
ALAALATOA MOLONY RYAN RUDDOCK VAN DER FLIER
ALAALATOA BAIRD TONER LEAVY
FURLONG MOLONY RYAN
DORIS
2T
PENNY
1T
VAN DER FLIER
DORIS
DEEGAN
1T
RUDDOCK
CONAN
FURLONG MOLONY BAIRD DORIS LEAVY CONAN
TRACY
1T
E BYRNE HEALY BAIRD DEEGAN GIBSON-PARK
R BYRNE
1T 1C
TRACY E BYRNE HEALY BAIRD LEAVY N MCCARTHY C FRAWLEY
KELLEHER
1T
SHEEHAN
2T
SHEEHAN
1T
DOOLEY HEALY MOLONY DEEGAN N MCCARTHY
HEALY
1T
ALAALATOA BAIRD RUDDOCK MCGRATH
SEXTON
4C
R BYRNE
3C
OSBORNE
S PENNY
[UNUSED]
RUSSELL
T O’BRIEN
E BYRNE ALAALATOA TONER RUDDOCK GIBSON-PARK OSBORNE VAN DER FLIER
FURLONG MOLONY TONER LEAVY PENNY RUDDOCK CRONIN DOOLEY ABDALADZE DEEGAN CONNORS N MCCARTHY H BYRNE T O’BRIEN
ALA’ALATOA
BAIRD
1T
TONER
RUDDOCK
1T
VAN DER FLIER
DORIS
1T
KELLEHER PORTER ABDALADZE J MURPHY
DEEGAN
1T
N MCCARTHY
R BYRNE
1C
T O’BRIEN
FURLONG
1T
MOLONY BAIRD RUDDOCK
VAN DER FLIER
1T
DORIS SHEEHAN HEALY ALAALATOA TONER DEEGAN MCGRATH J O’BRIEN T O’BRIEN
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FURLONG
MOLONY
1T
J MURPHY
DORIS
VAN DER FLIER
2T
CONAN
2T
SHEEHAN
2T
HEALY
ALAALATOA
1T
RUDDOCK DEEGAN MCGRATH
SEXTON
5C
LOWE
1T
ALAALATOA MOLONY MURPHY DORIS
VAN DER FLIER
1T
CONAN
SHEEHAN
1T
HEALY ABDALADZE BAIRD DEEGAN GIBSON-PARK
R BYRNE
2C
FRAWLEY
1T
ALAALATOA TONER J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK CONNORS PENNY 1T TRACY 1T DOOLEY ABDALADZE MOLONY DEEGAN N MCCARTHY H BYRNE T O’BRIEN
ALAALATOA MOLONY J MURPHY MOLONEY
ALAALATOA MOLONY BAIRD MOLONEY
ALAALATOA
1T
PENNY
1T
PENNY
1T
DEEGAN
1T
CRONIN
DOOLEY
ABDALADZE
1T
TONER SOROKA MCGRATH H BYRNE RUSSELL
DEEGAN CRONIN DOOLEY CLARKSON DUNNE RUDDOCK N MCCARTHY A BYRNE
TONER J MCCARTHY J MURPHY LEAVY RUDDOCK CRONIN DOOLEY CLARKSON DUNNE DEEGAN MCGRATH A BYRNE
CLARKSON MOLONY J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK PENNY
ALAALATOA MOLONY J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK PENNY
ALAALATOA MOLONY J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK PENNY
DEEGAN
1T
DEEGAN
1T
DEEGAN
1T
TRACY
2T
LOWE
1T
PENNY
1T
E BYRNE ALAALATOA TONER LEAVY FOLEY O’LOUGHLIN KEARNEY
CRONIN LASISI CLARKSON TONER LEAVY N MCCARTHY HAWKSHAW MOLONEY
CRONIN E BYRNE CLARKSON J MURPHY MOLONEY N MCCARTHY
HAWKSHAW
1T 4C
ALAALATOA TONER DUNNE DORIS VAN DER FLIER CONAN SHEEHAN HEALY FURLONG MOLONY MURPHY MCGRATH FRAWLEY DEEGAN
FURLONG MOLONY J MURPHY DORIS VAN DER FLIER CONAN TRACY E BYRNE ALAALATOA TONER DEEGAN GIBSON-PARK
FURLONG
1T
MOLONY J MURPHY DORIS VAN DER FLIER CONAN SHEEHAN E BYRNE ALAALATOA TONER RUDDOCK MCGRATH
CLARKSON DEENY DUNNE RUDDOCK
PENNY
1T
R BYRNE
1P
R BYRNE
2C
COSGRAVE
FRAWLEY
FRAWLEY
DEEGAN BARRON DOOLEY ALAALATOA J MURPHY SOROKA FOLEY HAWKSHAW MOLONEY
CLARKSON J MURPHY DEENY SOROKA PENNY RUDDOCK BARRON MILNE ABDALADZE DUNNE S O’BRIEN N MCCARTHY
FURLONG MOLONY RYAN DORIS
FURLONG MOLONY J RYAN DORIS
VAN DER FLIER
1T
VAN DER FLIER
1T
CONAN SHEEHAN HEALY ALAALATOA J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK MCGRATH
CONAN SHEEHAN HEALY ALA’ALATOA J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK MCGRATH
H BYRNE
1C
R BYRNE
1P
R BYRNE
1C 1P
MOLONEY
T O’BRIEN
FRAWLEY
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 97

matchday
Squads
officials
Jordan Larmour
Rob Russell
Jamie Osborne
Ciarán Frawley
Rory O’Loughlin
Harry Byrne
Cormac Foley
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
FULL BACK
RIGHT WING
OUTSIDE CENTRE
INSIDE CENTRE
LEFT WING
FLY HALF
SCRUM HALF
Mike Haley
Andrew Conway
Chris Farrell
Dan Goggin
Keith Earls
Joey Carbery
Conor Murray
REFEREE:
FRANK MURPHY
(IRFU, 62ND COMPETITION GAME)
ASSISTANT REFEREE
PETER MARTIN (IRFU)
ASSISTANT REFEREE
OISIN QUINN (IRFU)
TMO:
BRIAN MacNEICE (IRFU)
Ed Byrne [C]
Seán Cronin
Thomas Clarkson
Joe McCarthy
Josh Murphy
Ryan Baird
Scott Penny
Max Deegan
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
LOOSE HEAD PROP
HOOKER
TIGHT HEAD PROP
SECOND ROW
SECOND ROW
BLINDSIDE FLANKER
OPENSIDE FLANKER
NUMBER 8
Josh Wycherley
Niall Scannell
John Ryan
Jean Kleyn
Thomas Ahern
Fineen Wycherley
Alex Kendellen
Jack O’Donoghue [C]
John McKee
Peter Dooley
Cian Healy
Devin Toner
Alex Soroka
Ben Murphy
David Hawkshaw
Adam Byrne
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
REPLACEMENT
Diarmuid Barron
Jeremy Loughman
Keynan Knox
Jason Jenkins
Jack Daly
Craig Casey
Ben Healy
Rory Scannell

At Sword we know how important the Game is.
We know how important your memories are ....so relax
and enjoy yourself, you're in safe hands.
LEINSTER RUGBY FANS .... Secured by the team at Sword
Dublin: 01-6688220
info@swordsecurity.com
www.swordsecurity.com
Securing Sports Fans around the World.

Parting Shot
Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
100 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

14 May 2022
James Lowe of Leinster celebrates after scoring his side’s first try
during the Heineken Champions Cup Semi-Final match between
Leinster and Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 101