Rugby

Luke McGrath set to miss the start of Leinster’s Champions Cup campaign due to knee injury

Experienced scrumhalf is out for up to eight weeks due to a ligament issue

Leinster's Luke McGrath will miss up to eight weeks of action with a knee injury. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Leinster's Luke McGrath will miss up to eight weeks of action with a knee injury. Photograph: Nick Elliott/Inpho
Mon Oct 30 2023 - 16:00

Luke McGrath has been ruled out of action for up to eight weeks with a knee injury, Leinster have announced. The scrumhalf sustained the ligament issue during the province’s URC defeat to Glasgow in round one of the competition.

The injury will rule McGrath out of a number of vital fixtures for Leinster, including their interpro at home to Munster on November 26th, as well as the trip to Connacht a week later. McGrath also seems likely to miss the first two rounds of Champions Cup action in December as Leinster travel to La Rochelle host the Sale Sharks.

Leinster’s St Stephen’s Day trip to Thomond Park to take on Munster could also be in doubt for McGrath, depending on the speed of his recovery.

Elsewhere, hooker John McKee will miss this weekend’s match vs Edinburgh as he continues to struggle with a hamstring injury, meaning Clontarf captain Dylan Donnellan may well line out for Leinster again after being called in as cover last week.

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Cian Healy, Alex Soroka and Ed Byrne all remain unavailable while Michael Milne “continues his progress through the final stages of his rehabilitation from a shoulder injury,” according to the province.

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