Leinster face near-empty stadium for Dragons clash

There is bound to be an eerie atmosphere at Lansdowne Road on Sunday when the Newport-Gwent Dragons and Leinster will run out to a largely empty stadium on the last Celtic League weekend before the Six Nations takes over the rugby calendar.

The eleven Leinster-contracted players involved with Ireland reported to base yesterday afternoon and Declan Kidney will go with most of them in a bid to make up for last week’s loss to The Borders.