Deegan and Byrne ruled out with concussion as Leinster prepare to face Sharks

Leinster will be without back-row Max Deegan and fly-half Harry Byrne for Saturday’s URC tour fixture against the Sharks at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban, after both players sustained concussions during the province’s 27-26 defeat to the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday. Head coach Leo Cullen confirmed the pair will undergo graduated return-to-play protocols and are unavailable for selection.

The defeat in Johannesburg was a difficult start to Leinster’s title defence. Scrum-half Fintan Gunne starred with a first-half hat-trick to put Cullen’s side 19-17 ahead at the break, but the Lions battled back through Erich Cronje’s second try, Chris Smith’s boot and a late Kelly Mpeku score. A Dylan McNeice yellow card left Leinster with 14 men in the closing stages, though Stephen Smyth crossed late to secure a losing bonus point.

The injury picture in the touring squad is broader than just the two concussion cases. Scrum-half Cormac Foley is stepping up his return to training after a calf injury, while Josh Ericson is being further assessed following a neck complaint sustained in the same match.

Leinster also confirmed there are no new updates on a longer list of absentees: Jack Boyle, RG Snyman, Caelan Doris, Paddy McCarthy, Jamison Gibson-Park, Jordan Larmour (calf), Diarmuid Mangan (foot) and James Culhane (hamstring) all remain under monitoring.

The Sharks fixture represents Leinster’s second and final match of their South Africa tour, and the defending champions will need to regroup quickly if they are to avoid back-to-back defeats on the road.