Early cross-provincial move for Leinster duo unveiled

Munster Rugby and the IRFU have confirmed that Michael Milne and Lee Barron have joined the 2023 URC champions on loan from Leinster until the end of the season ahead of their permanent moves to the province in the summer.

It was announced at the end of January that the pair had signed two-year deals with Munster, effective from the start of next season.

But loosehead prop Milne and hooker Lee Barron will now arrive this week ahead of schedule after Jeremy Loughman and Diarmuid Barron sustained injuries against La Rochelle and Bordeaux-Begles over the past fortnight.

Milne has scored 12 tries in 48 appearances for Leinster since making his debut as an Academy player in 2019 and has called some of his new Munster colleagues teammates before. He played schools rugby alongside Josh Wycherley and the duo won a Grand Slam with the Ireland U20s in 2019 along with Craig Casey and John Hodnett.

The 26-year-old represented Emerging Ireland in 2022 and has twice been called up to train with the Ireland senior squad.

Meanwhile, Barron has scored three tries in 23 appearances since making his Leinster debut as an Academy player against the Sharks in 2022. The 24-year-old has spent the past five years at Leinster, having come up through the ranks at Lansdowne RFC and St. Michael’s College.