New year — same old Leinster?

Leinster didn’t even need to send out their first team to do this damage — Cullen made 13 changes to the side that hammered Northampton Saints last week in the Champions Cup

Leinster should have centre Joe Tomane available for selection once again, as their pool-defining double-header with Northampton Saints approaches in the next fortnight.

Fergus McFadden, who suffered an elbow injury in training, is unlikely to make the European clash with Benetton on November 16

Leinster are calling this block of Guinness PRO14 games ‘Own the Jersey’ – and Caelan Doris intends to do so with the No 8 shirt.

The full-back's contract expires in November after the Rugby World Cup.

He will miss the Heineken Champions Cup final against Saracens as well as the rest of the Pro 14 campaign.

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has revealed he was “gutted” when he lost out on the Connacht job to Pat Lam in 2013.

Rory Best is winning his race to lead Ulster out for the last time at home and play in Saturday's PRO14 play-off against Connacht, but Jacob Stockdale will miss out.

Ulster beat Leinster 14-13 in the Guinness PRO14 derby clash at Kingspan Stadium.

The promotional posters for this game pitted Iain Henderson and Jacob Stockdale against Jamison Gibson-Park and Adam Byrne.

Both Leinster and Ulster have named their teams ahead of their clash tomorrow at the Kingspan stadium.

Benetton Rugby earned a 27-27 Guinness PRO14 draw with Leinster in Dublin as Tommaso Allan landed the levelling conversion of Fijian winger Iliesa Ratuva's last-minute try.

Some of their frontline players may have their feet up this weekend, but for those Leinster players in the RDS tonight, there’s a priceless opportunity to top up their credit with coach Leo Cullen.

Leo Cullen has named his team for Leinster's PRO14 clash with Benetton at the RDS Arena tomorrow night.

CJ Stander is back in the Munster team for tomorrow's Pro 14 match against Zebre at Thomond Park.

Munster fans may watch tonight’s PRO14 clash between Edinburgh and Leinster with more intensity than supporters of the visiting side at Murrayfield.

Fergus McFadden says Joe Schmidt is still the best man to turn around Ireland’s recent poor form.

Cheetahs prop Ox Nche has received an eight-week ban for his head hit on Leinster's Fergus McFadden.

The 23-year-old Springbok was sin binned at the time but referee Nigel Owens decided not to send him off.

If the Cheetahs thought they might get an easy run out against Leinster during the Six Nations, the South Africans were sadly mistaken.

So, no Jonathan Sexton to set the tone and dictate the tune.

These are the four spine-tingling moments of 2018 that will live long in the memory of Donal Lenihan

Leinster forwards coach John Fogarty has described the upcoming interpros as “a defining part of our season.”

Johann van Graan has a career in diplomacy if the coaching thing doesn't work out.

Scarlets held on to win an intense, hard-fought Guinness PRO14 clash against champions Leinster at Parc y Scarlets.

Fergus McFadden says he’s ready to assume the responsibility that’s involved with being a placekicker for Leinster.

Leinster’s defence of their Champions Cup title is set for an early boost with the expected returns from injury of an influential back row trio comprising of Sean O’Brien, Josh van der Flier, and Dan Leavy.

Stuart Lancaster has backed his Leinster double winners to lay down a big marker for Ireland’s World Cup hopes next year when they take on Australia over three Tests this summer.

Taking and giving a five or 10-metre pass is a fundamental part of the game yet the skills required to deliver under pressure are often overlooked, writes Donal Lenihan.

Keith Earls, named by his peers last night as Zurich’s Irish player of the year, is aiming to cap a memorable season by accounting for Leinster’s European champions and claiming a first trophy for Munster since 2011.

Twelve Ireland internationals are among the 21 Leinster players who have signed new contracts for next season.

Donal Lenihan examines the decisive factors today at the San Mamés Stadium

In the No 11 shirt, the present and the past. In the No 14 shirt, the present and the future.

Leinster will match Toulouse’s record of four European Cup titles if they can account for Racing 92 in Bilbao tomorrow. Brendan O’Brien examines why, six years after the third of their Heineken Cup titles, the province is again on the verge of something big

Stuart Lancaster has joined the public chorus of voices calling for Joey Carbery to stay at Leinster.

Anyone questioning Leinster’s credentials as firm favorites for Champions Cup honours this season must have been won over, even before half time on Saturday such was their complete dominance in all facets of play over the opening 40 minutes.

Leinster’s journey back to the summit of European club rugby is not yet complete but it is worth pointing out just how far they have already covered in such a short space of time as they contemplate the final step in Bilbao.

Mark McCall looked back with pride on Saracens’ two-year reign as European titleholders but admitted his side’s grip on the Champions Cup was dislodged by a better Leinster team.

Munster have received a boost ahead of their Champions Cup quarter-final against French heavyweights Toulon as injury doubts Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway have been declared fit.

Leinster started the season with 14 players who could conceivably feature in their back row and yet they badly need three of their most prominent practitioners to return to fitness in time for Sunday’s European quarter-final against Saracens.

OSPREYS 32 LEINSTER 18: Leinster limped back into Dublin late on Saturday night having fluffed their lines in their dress-rehearsal for the Champions Cup quarter-final with Saracens and licking their wounds after a mauling by the Ospreys.

Maybe the most remarkable thing about Rob Kearney’s new IRFU contract, confirmed yesterday along with extensions for Irish team-mates Rory Best and Iain Henderson, is the lack of discussion that has shadowed its signing.

There are also three new faces on the bench from the win over Wales.