NIENABER: TRAINING A REAL JUGGLING ACT

THERE has been an unusual degree of cloak and dagger surrounding the squad Leinster have taken to South Africa for their opening URC doubleheader.

- By DEREK FOLEY

It is not quite that they jetted out for games with Stormers and Bulls having been ferried in blacked out transport to unmarked aircraft in the dead of night.

But there has been a deal of fencing and parrying from Leo Cullen last week in Greystones and Jacques Nienaber in Cape Town this week with regard to just who will lineout given none of their 2025 Lions tourists are available.

Intelligence gathering suggests Jamie Osborne had traveled, that Luke McGrath will skipper the side while an injury update and bulletin from Cape Town suggested backs Jordan Larmour, Robbie Henshaw and forwards Will Connors, Brian Deeny and Scott Penny were ready to go.