Cullen praises Osborne and Byrne as Leinster get off the mark to claim first win of season

Following back-to-back reversals at the hands of the Stormers and the Bulls on a recent mini tour of South Africa, the URC’s defending champions secured a first victory of the 2025/26 campaign.

PRAISE: Leinster head coach Leo Cullen sang the praises of Jamie Osborne and Harry Byrne after his side earned their first win of the new United Rugby Championship season in emphatic style against the Sharks at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

United Rugby Championship: Leinster 31 Sharks 5

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen sang the praises of Jamie Osborne and Harry Byrne after his side earned their first win of the new United Rugby Championship season in emphatic style against the Sharks at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

One of six players from this summer’s British & Irish Lions squad to feature on the night, the versatile Osborne got the ball rolling in an eventual bonus point triumph for Leinster with a deadlock-breaking try on the stroke of 10 minutes. Byrne, meanwhile, was starting in the blue of the eastern province for the first time since returning from a six-month loan spell at Bristol Bears and his assured performance at out-half earned him the official player of the match award at Irish Rugby HQ.

“I thought he [Osborne] was good, looked sharp. Took his try well, good in the air. I think he's a threat, so it was a positive performance for him. Jamie's amazing because he's got great versatility for teams,” Cullen remarked after Saturday’s game.

“I don't think any of us are 100% sure where he'll end up playing. He’s at 15 at the moment. I thought he looked like a dangerous threat on the ball the whole time. He's very good aerially and great kicking game as well. So that was a solid first outing for him.

“Harry was great, wasn't he? He's here beside me, so I have to say nice things about him, don't I! Listen, I think it was a good experience overall, wasn't it? For you to go away and come back. It's just a fresh outlook there, which is great. Delighted for Harry to go well today because he's put in a ton of work over the course of pre-season.” 

During his post-match press conference in the Aviva, Cullen didn’t rule out the prospect of Caelan Doris and Joe McCarthy being named in Ireland’s squad for the forthcoming November internationals on Wednesday – despite both players being sidelined with respective shoulder and foot injuries for an extended period of time.

A number of those who are expected to be part of Andy Farrell’s plans for that particular window are also set to come back into the Leinster frame for this weekend’s clash with Munster at Croke Park, but Cullen will have been satisfied with the performances delivered by those he selected on Saturday.

After Osborne chased down James Lowe’s delicate kick into the opposition ‘22’ to register the home team’s maiden try of the contest, Jimmy O’Brien and Josh van der Flier (who was captaining Leinster for the very first time) also crossed the whitewash in fine style during the second quarter.

The Sharks finally responded with an intercept try from Ethan Hooker just shy of the half-hour mark, but Leinster nevertheless brought a convincing 21-5 cushion into the interval.

Following back-to-back reversals at the hands of the Stormers and the Bulls on a recent mini tour of South Africa, the URC’s defending champions were well on their way to securing a first victory of the 2025/26 campaign.

They had a bonus point within their sights on the resumption and with just under nine minutes gone in the second half, Max Deegan claimed their fourth try when he feigned a pass out wide to Lowe before proceeding to race over the line in fine style.

While Leinster didn’t quite pose the same attacking threat after the break as they had in the opening period, replacement hooker Gus McCarthy did round off the scoring when he seized upon an overthrow from a Sharks line-out to dot down for his side’s fifth try of the action.

LEINSTER: J Osborne (J Kenny 70); J O’Brien, R Henshaw (H Cooney 48), C Frawley, J Lowe; H Byrne, F Gunne (L McGrath 60); P McCarthy (J Boyle 50), R Kelleher (G McCarthy 50), T Furlong (T Clarkson 50); B Deeny (D Mangan 60), R Baird; A Soroka, J van der Flier (J Culhane 71), M Deegan.

SHARKS: E van der Merwe; E Hooker, J Julius, L Am (F Venter 64), M Mapimpi; J Smith (S Masuku 50), J Hendrikse (R Braude 50); S Matanzima (D Bleuler 62), F Mbatha (B Mbonambi 53), R Dreyer (V Koch 48); V Tshituka, M Orie; P Buthelezi (T Mavasere 71), M Tshituka (B Hlekani 62), N Hatton.

Referee: C Evans (WRU).