Strength in depth helps Leinster to avoid drop off in performance

Stuart Lancaster with Dan Leavy during Leinster training yesterday at the RDS.

The names tripping off Stuart Lancaster’s tongue as he was running through Leinster’s back-row options for Friday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final with Munster simply highlighted the extraordinary depth of talent at his and Leo Cullen’s disposal on any given weekend.

Multiply the same effect through virtually every department in the Leinster squad and their feat of winning 23 consecutive games since May 2019 should really come as no surprise at all. Throw in the imminent availability of a fit-again Dan Leavy to the back row, lock James Ryan and prop Tadhg Furlong, announced on the day Munster said RG Snyman was heading for knee surgery this week and it helps to underline the extremely challenging nature of the Reds' return trip to Dublin.