Champions Leinster aiming to build on Academy success

IT MAY have taken Michael Cheika four seasons to build a squad capable of attaining Heineken European Cup glory, but the structures and foundations appear to be in place within the province to build on that success.

The Leinster Academy might not receive the same credit for producing from within as its Munster equivalent, but of the 22 listed in the match programme on Saturday, three were recent graduates of that system.

Match-winner Johnny Sexton, loose-head prop Cian Healy and impact replacement Seán O’Brien are all products of a system set to unload more Leinster senior stars in the coming seasons.