McFadden starts from scratch back on home patch

If pre-season training is a bit like going back to school, it was fitting that Fergus McFadden was continuing his Leinster preparations on the pitch where it all started a little more than 15 years ago.

The RaboDirect Pro12 and Amlin Challenge Cup champions were at Cill Dara yesterday, which is nestled on the edge of the Curragh, where McFadden grew up.

So while he was concentrating on impressing new head coach Matt O’Connor, he was enjoying seeing some familiar faces too.