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On the plane

Leavy in Leinster squad for South Africa as Cullen includes six academy players

The flanker is named in the province’s 27-man panel for their trip to Port Elizabeth.

DAN LEAVY HAS been included in Leinster’s squad for Sunday’s Guinness Pro14 game against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth as he bids to get minutes under his belt ahead of Ireland’s November internationals.

The flanker, who was included in Joe Schmidt’s squad but didn’t travel to Chicago for this weekend’s clash with Italy, will instead head for South Africa with the eastern province this evening. 

Dan Leavy Leavy will be on the plane to South Africa this evening. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Leavy made a delayed return this season following a minor shoulder procedure and then was forced to withdraw from Leinster’s opening Heineken Champions Cup pool fixture against Wasps with a tight calf.

Having played just 165 minutes this term, including 80 in Treviso last weekend, Leavy is named in Leo Cullen’s 27-man travelling party for Sunday’s round eight clash at the Madibaz Stadium [KO 12.45pm, eir Sport/Premier Sport].

The 24-year-old, capped 10 times at international level, will hope to come back into contention for Argentina’s visit to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 10 November.

Leavy is one of eight internationals in Leinster’s squad, with Michael Bent, Scott Fardy, Joe Tomane, James Tracy, Dave Kearney, Adam Byrne and Rory O’Loughlin providing experience in an otherwise youthful panel.

Cullen has included six academy players with the likes of Ciaran Frawley, Hugh O’Sullivan and Conor O’Brien in line for further game time, while the uncapped trio of Jimmy O’Brien, Scott Penny and hooker Ronan Kelleher are also called up.

Leinster, four points clear of Scarlets in Conference B, are bidding for their sixth straight Pro14 victory of the season while the Kings are sitting bottom of the standings with just one win from their first seven outings.

Backs: Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park, Dave Kearney, Hugo Keenan, Conor O’Brien, Jimmy O’Brien, Rory O’Loughlin, Hugh O’Sullivan, Noel Reid, Joe Tomane.

Forwards: Vakh Abdaladze, Michael Bent, Bryan Byrne, Ed Byrne, Max Deegan, Peter Dooley, Caelan Doris, Scott Fardy, Mick Kearney, Rónan Kelleher, Dan Leavy, Ross Molony, Josh Murphy, Scott Penny, James Tracy. 

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