Leinster looking at two ex-players to fill void left by injury crisis

Leo Cullen has been busy hitting the phones since being left with only one fit, recognised loosehead following Saturday evening’s Champions Cup quarter-final victory over Sale Sharks.

Cullen had already ruled Jack Boyle and Paddy McCarthy out for the rest of the season, and with Andrew Porter battling for fitness, Alex Usanov lasted just four minutes on his Champions Cup debut before twisting an ankle.

That left Jerry Cahir, who was working as a sales accelerator for Vodafone before being signed as short-term cover in September, as his only fit loosehead ahead of Friday’s two-hour drive up the M1 and A1 to face Ulster.

“It’s something that’ll probably be rattling around my head for the next couple of days. There are a few things that could play out. It might give some younger guys an opportunity, which is good, but it’s a tricky time,” said Cullen on Saturday.

There has been speculation that Cullen could press hooker Ronan Kelleher into action as an emergency loosehead, or even move Tadhg Furlong or Thomas Clarkson across the front row if he cannot bring anyone in.

It is understood that former Ireland international Ed Byrne, who made 106 appearances for the club, has spent the last couple of seasons playing for Cardiff and could be returning to Dublin on a short-term loan to help out his former club.

Byrne ended a 490-day wait for a first-team appearance for Cardiff following a serious calf injury, and then a hamstring problem, when he played against Benetton in the Challenge Cup round-of-16 defeat two weeks ago.

Leinster have also been linked with a move for another former star, Peter Dooley, who made a century of appearances before leaving for Connacht four years ago.

Dooley has played another 62 times for Stuart Lancaster’s side and is thought to have been lined up for a return to Leinster this summer, but they could be trying to bring that forward given the extent of their injury problems.