Emerging Ireland have been dealt another injury blow with Connacht prop Jordan Duggan being replaced by Leinster's Alex Usanov the day before the squad embark for South Africa.
The Blitzboks have missed the Madrid semi-finals after failing to win any of their three pool matches.
With time up on the clock, Ireland trailed South Africa 19-21 at Madrid’s Civitas Metropolitano but initially had the ball at the wrong end of the field.
New Zealand have claimed a famous double on the SVNS Series for the second time in as many events.
Their team didn’t exist when David Nucifora pitched in Dublin in 2014 with a grand plan to get the Irish high performing across all levels of its programme.
The Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens squads have been confirmed for the inaugural HSBC SVNS Series leg in Dubai, marking the commencement of the 2024 season at The Dubai Sevens Stadium.
Ahead of the weekend's restart derbies in the Guinness PRO14, we run through the new arrivals and the departures at each Irish province since lockdown.
There wouldn't be much Guinness left in the keg if Leo Cullen was to serve up a pint of the PRO14 sponsor's brew to every player that has played a part in Leinster's campaign.
Leinster are set to give Wallaby powerhouse Joe Tomane his first start as a Leinster player against ProD2 opposition.