Milne and Boyle set to stay but several Leinster men joining other provinces

Leinster loosehead prop Michael Milne.

LEINSTER LOOSEHEAD PROPS Michael Milne and Jack Boyle look set to stay with the province into next season despite being linked with moves away.

It’s believed that 25-year-old Milne and 22-year-old Boyle have attracted strong interest from other provinces but as things stand, both looseheads are set to keep playing with Leinster beyond the summer.

Birr man Milne has made 37 appearances for Leinster and though he is thought to have been on Munster and Connacht’s radar, he is set to stay put.

Ex-Ireland U20s Grand Slam winner Boyle has made 11 senior appearances. It’s believed that Munster and Ulster are showing interest but Leinster are keen to retain Boyle, who they regard as a big prospect, and it’s understood his contract covers next season.

However, Leinster are set to bid farewell to one of their current loosehead props, with 30-year-old Ed Byrne expected to leave at the end of this campaign.

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The six-times capped Ireland international has been linked with Ulster, who have been looking for a signing at loosehead with Steven Kitshoff returning to South Africa and Eric O’Sullivan also possibly moving on. Munster have been assessing loosehead options with 35-year-old David Kilcoyne out of contract at the end of this season. It’s understood Munster have not been given IRFU approval to sign a non-Irish-qualified loosehead.

Byrne, who is a centurion for Leinster, has also attracted interest from the English Premiership.

Meanwhile, it’s understood that current Leinster academy tighthead prop Temi Lasisi will make a move to Connacht next season.

The 22-year-old Wexford man has made two senior appearances for Leo Cullen’s side but is set to continue his career with the western province after being overlooked for a senior deal in Leinster.

Lasisi’s fellow Leinster academy player, scrum-half Ben Murphy, could join him in moving to Connacht ahead of next season.

23-year-old Murphy has made 12 senior appearances for his native Leinster but is expected to switch provinces for the start of the 2024/25 season.

His younger brother, current Ireland U20s out-half Jack Murphy, is set to join Ulster this summer.

Like his older brother, Jack came through the Leinster underage pipeline, playing for Seapoint and Presentation College, Bray, but he is in line to link up with the northern province as he looks to build on his form for the Ireland U20s. Murphy’s father, Richie, is the current Ulster interim head coach.

Murphy may not be the only product of the Leinster pipeline making the move north, with fellow Ireland U20 caps Wilhelm de Klerk and Sam Berman, both centres, also expected to join Ulster ahead of next season.

Chris Cosgrave, the versatile outside back, is another man who may leave Leinster this summer after completing his time with the academy.

The 22-year-old has made seven senior appearances for Leinster, with five starts at fullback, but looks set to move on ahead of next season. Cosgrave has caught the eye of at least one other Irish province but there is also understood to be interest in him from abroad.