Ulster Rugby vs Leinster

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CLUB STATS
//Location
Dublin, Ireland
//Founded
1879
//Ground
Royal Dublin Society Arena
//Capacity
18,000
//Next Game
Edinburgh Rugby (A)
Fri 4th Sep 15, 19:35
STAFF
// Coach
Leo Cullen
// Captain
Jamie Heaslip
CONTACT
Newstead Building A,
UCD, Belfield
Dublin 4
T +353 1 269 3224
F +353 1 269 3142
E
TICKET OFFICE
T +353 1 223 5103
On the playing side back came
Johnny Sexton and Isa Nacewa
from sabbaticals abroad, while
second row Mick Kearney joined
from Connacht and Ian Hirst and
Royce Burke-Flynn joined from the
amateur ranks and indeed from the
same club, Clontarf.
Another to return was defence
coach Kurt McQuilkin who had
previously served in a similar
position under Michael Cheika and
was part of the back room team that
brought a first ever Heineken Cup
to Leinster.
John Fogarty, has also come
on board as scrum coach and
his name will be familiar to
supporters in Munster, Connacht
and Leinster having had spells
in all three provinces as a player.
Like McQuilkin, Fogarty was also
a part of that 2009 Heineken Cup
breakthrough playing hooker on
that fateful day.
Of course, the majority of those
same eight weeks have been spent
with only a fraction of the playing
staff available to Cullen and his
coaching team, as the rest of the
players prepare for the Rugby World
Cup with Ireland which is now only
weeks away.
That has afforded the Academy
players and indeed the younger
Senior squad members an
opportunity to impress upon the
coaching staff just what they have
to offer in the blue of Leinster.
Some of the Academy names will
be familiar to rugby supporters
in general having performed well
for the Irish U20s over the last
few seasons. The likes of Nick
McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Garry
Ringrose, Cian Kelleher, Billy
Dardis, Peter Dooley and Ross
Molony have all performed well at
U20s level but will now be hoping to
seize the moment in the absence of
so many Leinster players due to the
World Cup.
Similarly new recruits to the Senior
squad like twins Bryan and Ed
Byrne, Dan Leavy, Cathal Marsh,
Gavin Thornbury and Josh van
der Flier have already made their
debuts and will be looking to kick
on this season.
The pre-season schedule has
already included open training
sessions in Edenderry and Skerries
and after this evening’s game
against Ulster, Leo Cullen’s men
face Moseley RFC in the final pre-
season game at home next Friday
in Donnybrook.
Leinster begin the Guinness PRO12
season on Friday 4th September
with an away trip to Edinburgh.
Leinster Rugby are just through their eighth week of pre-
season training under the stewardship of head coach Leo
Cullen and like all teams it has been a case of getting to
know the new faces while also getting to grips with the
new voices from the side of the pitch.
TONIGHT’S OPPOSITION
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