Gibson Park plays big brother to Ireland's rival 10s

Saturday at GAA headquarters looks likely to be the first time Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley compete on opposite sides in the same game and Gibson-Park has been impressed with how the pair have grown as players and leaders.

Leinster players from left, Scott Penny , RG Snyman and Jamison Gibson-Park arrive before a Leinster Rugby squad training session at Rosemount in UCD, Dublin. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

It’s already 11 weeks since the British and Irish Lions wrapped their summer tour with that third Test defeat to the Wallabies in Sydney. Eight of Leinster’s 14-strong contingent haven’t been seen since.

That’s going to change for more than a few of them this Saturday when those fit enough to feature will join the half-dozen already back in action when the province faces Munster at Croke Park in a URC derby.