The starting XV that took to the field in Ireland’s Grand Slam clinching win over Wales on Saturday will not be available for their provinces in the Magners League at the weekend. The league resumes on Friday evening when Glasgow Warriors host leaders Munster and Connacht also make the trip to Scotland to face Edinburgh.
Michael Bradley’s side will not be affected but Munster will have to plan without props John Hayes and Marcus Horan, hooker Jerry Flannery, locks Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan and flanker David Wallace.
Halfbacks Tomás O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara are also given the weekend off.
Denis Leamy, who replaced flanker Stephen Ferris after just nine minutes, will be available for selection.
Leinster meet Ulster at the RDS on Sunday and will do so without Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll and number eight Jamie Heaslip.
Ferris’s dislocated finger rules him out of Matt Williams’s side but the Australian should be able to call on captain Rory Best, who was an unused replacement in Cardiff.
The provinces are expected to name their squads tomorrow.
