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Leinster to lose two players to Connacht - report

Adam Byrne of Leinster celebrates after scoring his side's third try with team-mate Jimmy O'Brien (Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)

Leinster are set to lose two players to provincial rivals Connacht – according to reports.

According to former Leinster hooker Bernard Jackman speaking to The42.ie, Ireland winger Adam Byrne and loosehead prop Peter Dooley are set to swap the blue of Leinster for the green of their Western rivals.

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Byrne – the higher profile of the pair – this season battled back from a near two-year injury absence from the sport. It was only last October that Byrne made his return after a number of significant injuries, playing his first game for Leinster since December 2019 when he started against Munster.

The fleet-footed winger will be hoping for more game time and a chance to add to his sole Ireland cap which came in 2017. Such was Byrne form for Leinster that year, that Will Greenwood named him as a potential British & Irish Lions bolter.

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The 6’3, 98kg winger has scored 24 tries in 63 appearances for the province.

Meanwhile, Offaly native Peter Dooley is also apparently heading west. A concerted No.8 Dooley has made 99 appearances for the province, scoring 5 tries in the process.

A provincial stalwart,  the 6′, 118kg front-rower made his debut in 2014 for Leinster and has featured regularly in the United Rugby Championship for the RDS-based side.

The pair’s move, should both go ahead, will have been sanctioned by IRFU performance director David Nucifora, Irish rugby head of recruitment and player resources.

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SK 43 minutes ago
How Ireland can upset the odds in Paris: Big match preview part two

Ireland need to keep the ball for long periods even if it goes against their current Leinster identity. This is their bread and butter against France. If they can stress test the French defence for long periods of time they will tire out. Ireland cannot afford to just build 90 rucks in a game. They need to build well in excess of 100 and they need to get 55-60% lightning quick ball at least. They need to force France to make at least 150-200 tackles and force them to defend multiple phases of attack. They need to play quickly at lineout, get the ball away from the base at scrum time and keep the French forwards under the pump. They cant play from everywhere but once it gets to their own 10 metre line they need to keep the ball and avoid the kick unless its to expose space with a kick chase or a 50-22. I dont rate the French bench, hell the Ireland bench doesnt look so great itself but if they can survive the first 60, deny France set piece and aerial dominance and move their forwards around they can win this. For France they need to establish dominance at set piece, make a mess of the Irish lineout, dominate the air waves and score off turnover ball using fast breaking backs like LBB and Ramos. They need to put Prendergast under pressure and smash the Irish front row. If they can make a mess of the Irish ruck speed they will also win but what we cant have is both teams pussyfooting around in a cagey affair putting the ball up constantly in a snooze fest with Ireland playing some Leinster garbage and France doing what they are comfortable doing. That only ends one way, a France win and Thursday night wasted for a rugby hungry audience. If we want a game on Ice we will watch the Winter Olympics thank you very much.

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