LEINSTER HAVE ADDED three players, including Rhys Ruddock, to their Champions Cup squad ahead of next month’s quarter-final showdown with Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.
The eastern province qualified for the last eight as top seeds after six pool wins from six, and host the defending European champions in Dublin on Easter Sunday, 1 April [KO 3.30pm, BT Sport].
Ruddock has been sidelined since suffering a serious hamstring injury in the win over Exeter Chiefs in early December but has been registered by Leinster as part of the Additional Player allocation for the knockout stages.
Academy scrum-half Charlie Rock and prop Vakh Abdaladze have also been added to Leo Cullen’s panel, with clubs permitted to register three extra players to supplement their existing squad.
Speaking last month, Ruddock was hopeful of being back for the visit of Saracens and certainly with the loss of Josh van der Flier for the rest of the season and Sean O’Brien’s limited game time, Leinster will be keen to have the flanker available for selection.
The province are confident they will have Luke McGrath back for the last eight tie but have moved to cover themselves in that position with the addition of Rock to the squad, as Nick McCarthy may be asked to deputise for Jamison Gibson-Park to allow Leinster include both Scott Fardy and James Lowe in their matchday panel.
Meanwhile, Munster have added Dan Goggin (centre), Jeremy Loughman (prop), Jack Stafford (scrum-half) to their squad for the quarter-final clash with Toulon at Thomond Park on Saturday 31 March [KO 3.15pm, Sky Sports].
Johann van Graan’s side face Edinburgh in their refixed Pro14 fixture tomorrow evening, before facing Scarlets and then Toulon in Limerick.
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Ahead of their Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester, Connacht have registered Cormac Brennan, Andrew Browne and Conan O’Donnell.
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Leinster add injured Ruddock to Champions Cup squad ahead of Saracens
LEINSTER HAVE ADDED three players, including Rhys Ruddock, to their Champions Cup squad ahead of next month’s quarter-final showdown with Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.
The eastern province qualified for the last eight as top seeds after six pool wins from six, and host the defending European champions in Dublin on Easter Sunday, 1 April [KO 3.30pm, BT Sport].
Ruddock has been sidelined since suffering a serious hamstring injury in the win over Exeter Chiefs in early December but has been registered by Leinster as part of the Additional Player allocation for the knockout stages.
Academy scrum-half Charlie Rock and prop Vakh Abdaladze have also been added to Leo Cullen’s panel, with clubs permitted to register three extra players to supplement their existing squad.
Speaking last month, Ruddock was hopeful of being back for the visit of Saracens and certainly with the loss of Josh van der Flier for the rest of the season and Sean O’Brien’s limited game time, Leinster will be keen to have the flanker available for selection.
The province are confident they will have Luke McGrath back for the last eight tie but have moved to cover themselves in that position with the addition of Rock to the squad, as Nick McCarthy may be asked to deputise for Jamison Gibson-Park to allow Leinster include both Scott Fardy and James Lowe in their matchday panel.
Meanwhile, Munster have added Dan Goggin (centre), Jeremy Loughman (prop), Jack Stafford (scrum-half) to their squad for the quarter-final clash with Toulon at Thomond Park on Saturday 31 March [KO 3.15pm, Sky Sports].
Johann van Graan’s side face Edinburgh in their refixed Pro14 fixture tomorrow evening, before facing Scarlets and then Toulon in Limerick.
Ahead of their Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester, Connacht have registered Cormac Brennan, Andrew Browne and Conan O’Donnell.
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