Josh van der Flier backs academy kids to fill void left by departing Leinster stars

Another battle to keep their Ireland internationals may have been won by Leinster with the news that Sean O’Brien is staying around, but the loss of Ben Te’o to Worcester Warriors announced earlier yesterday is yet more proof that the international war is being lost.

It is a depressing state of affairs that the one-time European market leaders will in the summer lose its best performing foreigner to a club languishing third from bottom in the Aviva Premiership — even allowing for how it furthers his Test ambitions with England.

With apologies to Alan Hansen, Leinster are going to have to look to the kids.