LAST UPDATE | 5 May 2024
IRELAND INTERNATIONAL FORWARD Ryan Baird has agreed a new contract with Leinster, the province announced on Sunday morning.
Leinster have also confirmed that Academy prop Jack Boyle has signed his first senior deal with the province.
Winger Tommy O’Brien has also signed a new contact.
Barid, 24, has been in Leinster’s senior squad since graduating from the Academy in the summer of 2020, and agreed his most recent contract extension in 2022.
As per usual in relation to contract news, Leinster did not release any details on the length of Baird’s new deal.
Baird played the full 80 minutes on Saturday as Leinster held on in a nervy finale for a 20-17 win against Northampton to book their place in the Champions Cup final.
The highly-rated Boyle has featured nine times in the URC this season, having made his Leinster debut against the Dragons in February of last year. The 21-year-old had recently been linked with both Ulster and Munster.
The loosehead was part of the Ireland U20s team that won a Grand Slam in 2020, having also played in the 2021 U20 Six Nations.
O’Brien, 25, has made 32 appearances for the province since debuting in 2019.
He’s featured six times in the URC this season and also played twice in the Champions Cup pool stages.
Additional reporting from Ciarán Kennedy.
Surprised it wasn’t a central contract. He’s an immense player. Glad a little though as Leinster have so many of them
@S. Hurley: why would he get a central contract, he is a squad player who has only started games against weak teams.
@John Buckley: he’s a great player with a lot of potential. Good enough to start for Ireland
@S. Hurley: if he was he would be starting. When first choice players like Crowley, Lowe, Hansen and McCarthy are not getting a central contract; Baird should certainly not get one. Dorris has only just got one.
@John Buckley: he is by far the best 6 in the country and will hold the shirt for the next 10 years.
2 great reasons for a central contract.
@S. Hurley: not a chance Baird gets a CC but his next one, presumably in 2026, might be. He needs to be an Irish regular for that to happen, though.
@Oran Burns: if he was, he would starting for Ireland. With Dorris at 8, Glesson will be Irelands future 6. Also, they are not great reasons for a central contract. If that was the criteria, Crowley and Hansen would get one and Lowe & Dorris would have one years ago. Then, the IRFU would be looking for a bailout
@S. Hurley: Needs to take the 6 shirt from POM before a CC could be considered. Also, I think if a player is pushing for a central contract, he should be told to accept a provincial contract now and the promise of a central contract next time. It is much easier to do that at this stage rather than trying to downgrade a player in a few years due to form or if the IRFU start running out of money.
Is Scott penny going to ulster too
@Gary Galligan: Why do you ask?
@Gary Galligan: are you asking me?
@Gary Galligan: Deegan I thought?
Is Jack Boyle a serious prospect for Ireland? We need someone coming up.
@Sam Bingham: yeah hes Porters back up by 2027
Can’t understand why Boyle was mentioned regarding Ulster or Connacht. He is going to be back up to Porter very soon, playing for a world class team.