Leinster in rude health as they prepare to face Leicester

With the small matter of a Champions Cup quarter-final against Leicester Tigers penned in for Friday evening at the Aviva Stadium, Leinster’s players haven’t had a whole lot of time to celebrate last weekend’s triumph over Ulster. They’re in rude health, though, as they prepare for a repeat of last season’s quarter-final, which they won 23-14 at Welford Road.

Gerry Thornley talks to their senior coach Stuart Lancaster about the performance against Ulster and looks ahead to the Leicester game, Leinster likely to be without World Player of the Year Josh van der Flier, but hopeful of seeing Garry Ringrose and Caelan Doris return.

Disappointing as their Champions Cup exit was, Gerry reckons Ulster have cause for optimism when they resume their URC campaign, but worries for Munster ahead of their last two regular-season ties in the competition, fearing they could even miss out on making it in to next season’s Champions Cup.

Johnny Watterson takes a look at the form of Leicester outhalf Handrè Pollard, a World Cup winner with South Africa in 2019, ahead of Friday’s game, while Owen Doyle writes about the quality of refereeing in the URC, with more than a few of the officials needing “to start cutting the mustard”.

No more than Leinster, Mayo didn’t have the chance to make merry after their success last weekend, when they beat Galway in the Division One league final - they’re back in action next Sunday when they meet Roscommon in the opening game of the Connacht Championship.

Sean Moran looks at their prospects in a Championship that he says is wide open, and he also examines Clare’s hopes of getting the better of Cork next Sunday in the start of the Munster football Championship.

As the Republic of Ireland’s women’s team prepare for two friendlies away to the United States, who sit atop Fifa’s world rankings, Louise Lawless talks to one of the team’s newest recruits, Manchester United’s Aoife Mannion.

Nathan Johns, meanwhile, writes about the state of Irish cricket on the day the men’s team play their first test match in four years - they’re taking on Bangladesh in Mirpur as we speak - while Philip Reid has a chat with a confident-ish Shane Lowry as he prepares for this week’s Masters.

Telly watch: Cricket fans can watch Ireland’s test match against Bangladesh not on telly, but on Clubber.ie, while Sky will have coverage tonight of the Premier League clash between struggling minnows Chelsea and Liverpool (kick-off 8.0).