Max Deegan and Harry Byrne are unavailable for Leinster’s URC Round Two encounter with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday (5.30pm Irish time).
Deegan captained the province in their season-opening 27-26 defeat to the Lions in Johannesburg but didn’t return to the pitch after coming off for a head injury assessment in the 59th minute. Byrne came off the bench to replace outhalf Caspar Gabriel with half an hour remaining.
The experienced pair sustained concussions and are now going through the graduated return-to-play protocol, ruling them out of the fixture at Hollywoodbets Kings Park.
Gabriel (20) is expected to start at outhalf for the second consecutive weekend after an assured display on his full first-team debut. He linked well with halfback partner Fintan Gunne, who scored a first-half hat-trick as Leinster collected two valuable losing points courtesy of Stephen Smyth’s late try.
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Head coach Leo Cullen will wait on Josh Ericson, the 22-year-old backrow who also impressed as a starter on Saturday but requires further assessment after suffering a neck injury.
Cormac Foley is available for selection again after recovering from a calf injury. The 26-year-old scrumhalf spent the second half of last season on a short-term contract with Ospreys.
Leinster says there is no further update on a number of injured players, namely Jack Boyle (Achilles), RG Snyman (knee), Caelan Doris (foot and knee), Paddy McCarthy (foot), Jamison Gibson-Park (groin), Jordan Larmour (calf), Diarmaid Mangan (foot) and James Culhane (hamstring).
