Donal Lenihan: Saracens may break up squad, but players’ mettle is beyond question

Saracens will be visiting clubs such as Ealing Trailfinders, Ampthill, and Hartpury RFC in the Green King IPA Championship next season, writes Donal Lenihan.

As the Leinster squad disembarked from their charter flight from Treviso on Saturday night, Leo Cullen and Stuart Lancaster must have wondered what state their leading players will be in when they next get to influence them on the training pitch.

For the next eight weeks, the Leinster management will have no impact or influence on the core of their squad, 19 of whom — including development players Ryan Baird, Will Connors, and Harry Byrne — are now ensconced in Andy Farrell’s Ireland camp. That’s a full team and half a bench.