The cipher for Leinster’s anxiety was Gordon D’Arcy, the 82-cap Ireland centre who played his entire career for Leinster, amassing 257 appearances for the province, which is the second-highest in its history.
D’Arcy said this week that Leinster’s quest for a fifth European champions star alongside another URC title is draining them. This attack of the jitters from Leinster supporters coincided with their team’s URC minitour of South Africa backfiring in a way that few expected.
In the past Leinster’s reserve strength has enabled them to make radical changes to starting line-ups, and still have a second-string side capable of beating most opponents.
It therefore came as a shock when a Leinster match 23 featuring current and former Irish internationals was trounced 44-12 by the unfancied Lions in Johannesburg last weekend.
Their Ireland Test roll-call included Cian Healy, Ciaran Frawley, Harry Byrne, and Luke McGrath. It also consisted of experienced former international back-rower Rhys Ruddock, fringe Test men Ed Byrne and Max Deegan, and other internationals, including one-cap Springbok lock Jason Jenkins, New Zealand and NZ Maori centre Charlie Ngatai, and Samoa tighthead Michael Ala’alatoa.
This story is from the April 28, 2024 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the April 28, 2024 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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