LEINSTER HAVE ADDED three players, including Rhys Ruddock, to their Champions Cup squad ahead of next month’s quarter-final showdown with Saracens at the Aviva Stadium.
The eastern province qualified for the last eight as top seeds after six pool wins from six, and host the defending European champions in Dublin on Easter Sunday, 1 April [KO 3.30pm, BT Sport].
Ruddock has been sidelined since suffering a serious hamstring injury in the win over Exeter Chiefs in early December but has been registered by Leinster as part of the Additional Player allocation for the knockout stages.
Academy scrum-half Charlie Rock and prop Vakh Abdaladze have also been added to Leo Cullen’s panel, with clubs permitted to register three extra players to supplement their existing squad.
Speaking last month, Ruddock was hopeful of being back for the visit of Saracens and certainly with the loss of Josh van der Flier for the rest of the season and Sean O’Brien’s limited game time, Leinster will be keen to have the flanker available for selection.
The province are confident they will have Luke McGrath back for the last eight tie but have moved to cover themselves in that position with the addition of Rock to the squad, as Nick McCarthy may be asked to deputise for Jamison Gibson-Park to allow Leinster include both Scott Fardy and James Lowe in their matchday panel.
Meanwhile, Munster have added Dan Goggin (centre), Jeremy Loughman (prop), Jack Stafford (scrum-half) to their squad for the quarter-final clash with Toulon at Thomond Park on Saturday 31 March [KO 3.15pm, Sky Sports].
Johann van Graan’s side face Edinburgh in their refixed Pro14 fixture tomorrow evening, before facing Scarlets and then Toulon in Limerick.
Ahead of their Challenge Cup quarter-final against Gloucester, Connacht have registered Cormac Brennan, Andrew Browne and Conan O’Donnell.
Champions Cup
ASM Clermont Auvergne
- William Hutteau (scrum half), Dorian Laverhne (outside half), Beka Kakabadze (prop)
La Rochelle
- Charles Bouldoire (full back/wing), Arthur Retière (scrum half), Kamailele Tufele (prop)
Leinster Rugby
- Vakh Abdaladze (prop), Charlie Rock (scrum half), Rhys Ruddock (back row)
Munster Rugby
- Dan Goggin (centre), Jeremy Loughman (prop), Jack Stafford (scrum half)
Racing 92
- Ole Avei (hooker), Ibrahim Diallo (back row), Leonard Paris (centre)
RC Toulon
- Dave Attwood (second row), Malaki Fekitoa (centre), Jean Baptiste Gros (prop)
Saracens
- Blair Cowan (back row), Titi Lamositele (prop), Jack Nay (back row)
Scarlets
- Jake Ball (second row), Phil Price (prop), Tom Varndell (wing)
Challenge Cup
Brive
- Francois Da Ros (hooker), Damien Lagrange (back row/second row), Retief Marais (back row)
Cardiff Blues
- Rhys Carre (prop), Ben Murphy (second row), Harri Millard (centre)
Connacht Rugby
- Cormac Brennan (centre/wing), Andrew Browne (second row/back row), Conan O’Donnell (prop)
Edinburgh Rugby
- Jordan Lay (prop), WP Nel (prop), Duncan Weir (outside half)
Gloucester Rugby
- Gareth Evans (centre), Matt Scott (centre), Henry Walker (hooker)
Newcastle Falcons
- Nili Latu (back row), Evan Olmstead (back row/second row), Scott Wilson (prop)
Pau
- Quentin Lespiaucq (hooker), Julien Pierre (second row), Julien Tomas (scrum half)
Stade Francais Paris
- Willem Alberts (back row/second row), Ramiro Herrera (prop), Laurent Sempéré (hooker)
