JAMES LOWE WILL be available to make his European Champions Cup debut for Leinster when they take on Exeter Chiefs at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Kiwi scored two tries against Benetton Rugby in his first appearance for the province in the Guinness Pro14 earlier this month, but he wasn’t registered for Sunday’s impressive European win against Exeter at Sandy Park.
However, Lowe will be available to Leo Cullen for this weekend’s visit of the English champions to Dublin. It was confirmed this afternoon that the wing/full-back is one of Leinster’s 41 registered players for the round-four clash, taking the place of Rhys Ruddock in a squad which will be trimmed to 23 for matchday.
Leinster’s in-form flanker had to be replaced in the early stages of Sunday’s win in Exeter due to a hamstring injury. The Evening Herald today reported that Ruddock has suffered a grade-three hamstring tear, causing concerns that he could be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile, Australian international hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau will be available for Leicester Tigers when they bid for revenge against Munster at Welford Road on Sunday. The veteran Wallaby recently signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Matt O’Connor’s side, who lost 33-10 at Thomond Park last weekend.
Leicester have also added young English lock Joe Maksymiw to their squad, with Jake Kerr and Dan Tuohy subsequently being deregistered.
I thought we could only have two non European players? So how is Lowe replacing Ruddock? Surely he would have to replace Fardy or Gibson Park
@Sam Harms: 2 in the matchday squad im guessing
@Rudiger McMonihan: Wonder if it will be Fardy who will be sacrificed then as Gibson Park is needed.
@Sam Harms: Why is he needed? McCarthy is as good as him.
@Sam Harms: Zero chance of Fardy being left out.
@Rudiger McMonihan: I know but is he ready for a big European game? Ideally McGrath would just play the full 80 mins
@Sam Harms: Hed be a sub. Its not like theyre getting him to start. Hes 22 now as well. At what point do they start playing him?
@Rudiger McMonihan: I’d like to see him play because I think he’s got alot more potential than Gibson Park just don’t know if Cullen will go for it in such a big game.
@Sam Harms: Fardys recent parenthood may be a factor , I read somewhere that this can mean a change of status . Wouldn’t bet my house on it though .
@Limón Madrugada: I think he can just apply for citizenship sooner if he wants to but not 100% sure. What Rudiger McMonihan said is right, can only have two in the match day squad so one of the three will miss out.
@Sam Harms: Yeah well i dont think having a kid gets you citizenship any faster. I think its only if you marry an irish person and even then, its not right away
@Rudiger McMonihan: I didn’t think that was the case just something I saw someone else mention. Either way he isn’t excluded because his child was born here
@Sam Harms: I spoke to Eoin Reddin about the Leinster scrum half situation. He said Gibson Park as sub has alot to offer. Reckons the young third choice scrum half is not ready to play at European level. All that said I’d love to see Lowe involved.
@Rudiger McMonihan: wouldn’t dismiss Gibson-Park so quickly. He is in good form this season and has 4 tries in 9 appearances. Nick McCarthy is a promising young player but he hasn’t started a game for Leinster this year.
Yes but at 22years old isnt it bad that he hasnt? And im not saying anyone is a bad player, i just said that hes “as good as him”
But didnt munster have kleyn cloete and marshall?
@Kieran Dunphy: South Africans are not included in the 2 player rule
Well they wont be dropping Fardy any time soon so im guessing McCarthy is the player to gain from this
@Rudiger McMonihan: That’s exactly what I thought. Great for him to get some time in a match like this. Hopefully we have a bit of a gap by the time he’s needed.
Great news. Makes for an interesting selection this weekend. Kearney, Nacewa, McFadden and Larmour all played very well against Exeter.
@EK: I’d say Nacewa might be rested he didn’t look 100% by the end on Sunday
Not sure about this rule. Toulon had 2 kiwis and 2 Argentinians in their squad his weekend and when Leinster played them before they had 4 kiwis, 2 Australians and an Argentinian
@Léon D’Arcy: Off the top of my head I remember Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and Ma’a Nonu all starting against Leinster a couple of years ago and Fernandez-Lobbe I’m pretty sure was involved too. Is it a new rule?
@Paddy O’Brien: Chris Masoe and Rudi Wulf as well, the rule was in place even then
Fantastic
I really don’t get this Euro Cup registration …can someone pls explain 2 me the registration of only 2 Kiwis/Aussies in Euro Cup games. Because Toulon played Hayman, Ali Williams, Giteau and Mitchell v Leinster in 2015
https://www.ultimaterugby.com/match/rc-toulon-vs-leinster-rugby-at-stade-v%C3%A9lodrome-19th-apr-2015/5753/lineup
Help
@Marcodub: interesting. Just checked all 4 are born in NZ/Australia. Shouldn’t be allowed then I thought
From what i read it is that Leinster could only register 3 players from now until the end of the pool stages. One of whom had to be a front-row player. With Ruddock out, it opened up a vacancy. I don’t think it was originally about foreign players. Look at Ulster, they had Leafano, Piatau and Herbst starting v Quins.
@Johannes: Lealiifano has Samoan heritage and Piatau has Tongan heritage I think. It’s possible either/both of them have citizenship of those countries and could be registered as such. Herbst is from SA who have an agreement with the EU and so is exempt.
@Johannes: Herbst is South African, the non European rule doesn’t apply to them
@Sam Harms: thanks for the clarification. I suppose at the end of the day, it’s exciting that Lowe will be lining out this weekend in some shape or form
Its nothing to do with non European players. Leinster were keeping their powder dry last week.
A European Player is:
1)A national of an EU nation or State which the EU has entered into an agreement with(such as Cotonou Agreement which includes SA& Pacific Nations)
2)A national of a state whose national federation or union is a member of rugby Europe
3)a player who has completed 36 months consecutive residence in the country which has jurisdiction over his club
4)Eligible to play for the 15 a side or 7 a side senior team of a federation or nation that is a member of Rugby Europe.
Players with dual passports for example Piatau (NZ/Tonga) would not class an a non European player.
Basically EU Law does not allow them to discriminate based on nationality, the same as any other workplace. Which must put into question the IRFU policy on NIQs. Just a thought.
@Rugby Guru: If the NIQ rule is discriminatory then all international sport is discriminatory, as the rule is for provincial teams that provide players to the national team
@Rugby Guru: sorry you must be wrong..Toulon played Hayman, Ali Williams, Giteau and Mitchell v Leinster in 2015.. non had dual citizenship
https://www.ultimaterugby.com/match/rc-toulon-vs-leinster-rugby-at-stade-v%C3%A9lodrome-19th-apr-2015/5753/lineup
@Rugby Guru: sorry Giteau and Hayman has been in France for more than 3 yrs at the time
@Marcodub: Both of Ali William’s parents are English so presumably that accounts for him.
@Rudiger McMonihan: incorrect, check out the Bosman ruling, limits on foreign players for the good of the national team are not a valid reason to discriminate based on nationality as there is no reason that Irish players cannot play in any of the other professional leagues in the EU (Remember when Irwin,Keane,Giggs used to count as foreigners in the CL, the Bosman ruling changed this).
The selection of the national team is protected under a ‘specificity of sport’ exemption, as it is a purely sporting rule.
Football has had to deal with this for years, rugby has got away with it so far as no one has challenged the rules in court.
1. McGrath
2. Tracy
3. Furlong
4. Toner
5. Fardy
6. O’Brien
7. Van der flier
8. Conan
9. McGrath
10. Sexton
11. Lowe
12. Henshaw
13. Ringrose
14. McFadden
15. Kearney
@Gustave H: Wonder if Adam Byrne will be back this weekend and take Fergus’ spot
@Gustave H: unless he’s injured Healy is starting.
@Chris Mc: we’ll see
@Gustave H: I hate to go on about it, but id rather see Ryan, Byrne and Larmour starting. They arent gonna be competing to get into the world cup squad in 1.5 years if they dont get more game time for leinster now.
@Rudiger McMonihan: Ross Byrne who’s never been in an Ireland squad, should start ahead of Johnny Sexton in this game so he can gain some experience of a big game for a World Cup the year after next?
I don’t agree, not even a tiny little bit.
@Gustave H: Adam Byrne. I didnt think I needed to clarify that… Sexton is world class. You dont drop a world class player in an important game. Porter needs gametime too, but im not gonna suggest Furlong get dropped anytime soon
@Rudiger McMonihan: Aha, hands up on that one!
Polota-nau is rubbish too , interesting to see if the munster lads can back it up next week
@DJamie Dunne: They will of course, leicester are crap.
Damn shame for Ruddock, hopefully he’s fit again before the 6 Nations, he deserves a shot there.