Nick McCarthy is only 20 games into his senior Leinster career but the St Michael’s and UCD scrum-half has already managed to figure in some of the more unlikely storylines emanating from the club in his short time.

Munster’s planning for a Zebo-less future has solidified with new contracts for Andrew Conway and Stephen Fitzgerald confirmed and a first start of the season for the latter in this evening’s Guinness PRO14 trip to Cardiff Blues.