Good news for Sharks and Stormers as Leinster reveal squad
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: Leinster are sending a mostly second-string squad on a two-week tour of South Africa in the United Rugby Championship.
Just six of the 23-man matchday squad that started against Connacht on Friday are included in the 31-man squad to play two URC games in the coming fortnight.
Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Michael Ala’alatoa, Josh Murphy, Rhys Ruddock and Ciaran Frawley are the only survivors from the Champions Cup Round of 16 second leg at the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland internationals Porter and Kelleher are both returning from injury and in need of game time.
Ruddock will captain the side which will play the Sharks at the Kings Park and a week later, in Cape Town, the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium.
Lock James Ryan – who was concussed during the Six Nations game against England after colliding with Charlie Ewels – is not included in the squad.
It will be the first time that Leinster will have played either side.
Leinster are in first place with three rounds remaining before the quarterfinal line-up is announced, while both South African sides are vying for a berth in the top four of the United Rugby Championship table.
The Sharks are currently in sixth position with nine wins from 15 games in the United Rugby Championship, and they are a point behind the Stormers in fifth, also with nine wins from 15 games played.
So far just one European-based URC side has claimed a victory on South African soil in the inaugural season. Mike Blair Edinburgh bagged a 21–5 victory over the Sharks.
Leinster's travelling squad: Ed Byrne, Peter Dooley, Michael Milne, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, John McKee, James Tracy, Vakh Abdaladze, Michael Ala’alatoa, Thomas Clarkson, Brian Deeny, Jack Dunne, Josh Murphy, Martin Moloney, Rhys Ruddock (captain), Seán O’Brien, Scott Penny, Max Deegan, Alex Soroka, Cormac Foley, Nick McCarthy, Harry Byrne, David Hawkshaw, Tommy O’Brien, Rob Russell, Ciarán Frawley, Rory O’Loughlin, Jamie Osborne, Adam Byrne, Chris Cosgrave, Max O’Reilly.
Source: @leinsterrugby & Kim Ekin (@RugbyPass)