Will Connors ruled out until next season after knee surgery

Will Connors will miss Ireland's summer Tests at home to Japan and Canada in July as well as the remainder of Leinster's Rainbow Cup campaign after undergoing surgery on a knee issue and, according to the province, will be unavailable until pre-season.

It is an anti-climactic end to what has been a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old, who has been sidelined since winning his ninth cap in Ireland's penultimate Six Nations game against Scotland, having also scored two tries in a starring role against Italy in Rome a fortnight previously.

Connors’s Irish commitments and his ensuing knee issue have ensured that he hasn’t played for Leinster since their win over Munster in January.

Johnny Sexton’s season doesn’t appear to have too much rugby left in it either as things stand. Ahead of Friday’s game away to Glasgow, Leinster’s latest injury bulletin has said that their captain will “continue to develop contact in training and will be further assessed through the week”.

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Sexton hasn’t played since failing a Head Injury Assessment against Exeter Chiefs in the Champions Cup quarter-final in April, after which he was left out of the British & Irish Lions squad for their proposed tour to South Africa.

Scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park, who has been restricted to just the last four minutes of the Guinness Pro 14 final win over Munster since the Six Nations, will return to training this week after a prolonged hamstring injury and will be further assessed through the week.

On the plus side, Caelan Doris and Jimmy O'Brien came through the win over Ulster last time out after recovering from their hamstring and ankle injuries with no issues, and they will train as normal again this week.

Thomas Clarkson (hamstring), Ciarán Frawley (shoulder), Rhys Ruddock (calf), Harry Byrne (hamstring), Jack Dunne (ankle), Dan Leavy (knee), Adam Byrne (hamstring), Conor O'Brien (knee) and Max Deegan (knee) all remain sidelined.