James Ryan: 'It’s probably not too healthy to be checking cases on the news every night'

James Ryan makes a break during Leinster's PRO14 win over the Dragons at the RDS Arena. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Since the resumption of professional rugby on these shores in the middle of August, Leinster and Ireland second row James Ryan has been doing his best to step away from the news cycle surrounding Covid-19.

Despite a recommendation by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) that Ireland switch to Level Five of the Living with Covid plan — which would have brought a nationwide halt to sport across all codes in the country — the Government has instead opted to move the remaining 24 counties onto Level Three alongside Dublin and Donegal.