Deegan ruled out of semi

Max Deegan will miss Leinster’s Investec Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon after a two-match suspension for his red card against Ulster. (rte.ie) The ban followed a 60th-minute incident in Leinster’s 29-21 United Rugby Championship win on Friday, April 17, when Deegan made contact with Ulster winger Werner Kok in the air. Referee Andrew Brace showed a yellow card, and the sanction was upgraded to red after an off-field review. (rte.ie) RTÉ reported that the judicial process set the offence at the low end, carrying a four-week entry point, then cut it by 50% because of Deegan’s apology, clean record and conduct, leaving a two-game suspension. He is now unavailable for Leinster’s trip to Benetton and the European semi-final at Aviva Stadium. (rte.ie) That removes a back-row option from Leo Cullen’s squad less than two weeks before Leinster host Toulon in Dublin on Saturday, May 2. The semi-final is scheduled for a 3 p.m. kick-off at Aviva Stadium. (the42.ie) Leinster were already waiting on the fitness of Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier, while Ryan Baird was unavailable when the ban was confirmed. Scott Penny, Alex Soroka and James Culhane started against Ulster, with Will Connors used from the bench and Jack Conan rested. (rte.ie) Deegan has played 19 matches for Leinster this season, according to RTÉ, including one start and five replacement appearances in the Champions Cup. Dan Sheehan also spent the final 15 minutes of the quarter-final win over Sale Sharks in the back row, giving Leinster another possible reshuffle. (rte.ie) The semi-final sits one round before the Champions Cup final in Bilbao on Saturday, May 23, with Leinster and Toulon on one side of the draw and Bordeaux-Bègles against Bath on the other. Leinster now head into that knockout week without Deegan available. (planetrugby.com)