Leinster Rugby received a major blow ahead of their crucial Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse as Ryan Baird has been ruled out due to injury. The 21-year-old lock has been impressive this season, emerging as a key player for the Irish province. His absence will be a significant loss for Leinster as they look to defend their Champions Cup title. In this article, we will take a closer look at the injury and its impact on the team’s chances in the semi-final.
Leinster Rugby have confirmed that Ryan Baird will not be available for their Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse on 29th April. Baird suffered a shoulder injury during the first half against Leicester Tigers and will be out of action for a few weeks as a result. Meanwhile, the province has given no indication over whether James Lowe and Josh van der Flier will be fit for the highly-anticipated clash between the four-time and five-time European champions.
Lowe will be assessed further this week as a result of the calf injury he picked up during Leinster’s 55-24 win over the Tigers in the quarter-finals. Van der Flier missed that match due to an ankle injury sustained during the last-16 win over Ulster. Leinster provided no further update on his condition, listing him among several other players for whom there were no further updates.
Those players include Johnny Sexton (groin), Jamie Osborne (knee), Rónan Kelleher (shoulder), Joe McCarthy (ankle), Cormac Foley (hamstring), Martin Moloney (knee) and Charlie Ngatai (hamstring).
Leinster will announce their squad for their upcoming two games in South Africa on Tuesday, ahead of their United Rugby Championship game against the Emirates Lions on Saturday 24th April. The game will kick-off at 3 pm Irish time and will be broadcast live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC TV.
As Ryan Baird is ruled out of Leinster’s Champions Cup semi-final against Toulouse, the team faces a tough hurdle in their aim to secure a spot in the final. The young lock’s absence will certainly be felt on the field, but the team will have to rally together and step up their game in his absence. With Leinster’s impressive track record and strong team spirit, fans can remain hopeful for a successful outcome in the semi-final. We wish Ryan Baird a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the field soon.