O’Connor confident Leinster will hold star duo

Leinster have belatedly confirmed Seán O’Brien’s French fact-finding mission but continue to proclaim their confidence that both the Carlow flanker and Jamie Heaslip will be with the province next season.

O’Brien was, according to different sources, either in Nice watching Toulon defeat Cardiff or in Toulon itself over the weekend where he was given a tour of the club’s home ground and training facilities.

Either way, with Heaslip also being buttered up by French clubs this week there is an understandable fear that one or both may be lost to the Top 14 even if such leaked club visits are now an accepted part of the game at contract time.