Luke Fitzgerald

Conor McMe spotted in Dublin.

Or as Luke Fitzgerald likes to say, "I was talking to a guy from Argentina at the, at the gym."

[laughs]

"I won't say who it was."

L- Luke Fitzgerald's on a hell of a run of identifying people by not giving their names, but giving details.

[laughs]

You know? Like-

Though he does seem a little kind, you know, he's spiky enough because he was asked about Joey Carbery's return, and he just went back to Carbery leaving Leinster, and he said he was strong-armed to leave by somebody at the top.

Yeah.

Um, by the way, just to mention, on the left wing this week, Luke Fitzgerald was on, and so obviously again, the guys were talking about, it seems Konopaki is the chosen one.

And, and Luke, you know, he's just like, "Can we just hang on a second?" And obviously there's one name that he just can't shake, and I think a lot of, um, people in Irish rugby, Leinster rugby can't shake.

So here was Luke.

[laughs] Right at the end.

Medals on table.

Also, if any former Leinster or, or player or current employee see, uh, Luke Fitzgerald around the area and stop for a chat to him, obviously he will out you on air.

Yes, and that, that's why [laughs]

Rory, how are you? Good, thanks, Will.

Glad to be joined, as always, by Luke Fitzgerald.

Luke, how are things? Good, Will.

How are you? Doing very well, thanks.

A reminder that the Left Wing podcast is sponsored by Energia.

And I think Conte Pomi, like he is...

He did so much to cultivate the way Leinster played during his time playing there.

Luke can speak to him as a character and a former teammate.

I can understand how he would have been accepted so well by this forward pack in the immediate aftermath of Dan McFarlane who's let's face it a tough act to follow but my word hasn't he done well

absolutely we'll focus on the opposition Leinster you heard the Connacht team going in I'm sure that's what the big roar was as they went into the tunnel a little bit earlier than they might normally do on match day but that's all part of the razzmatazz of a final 10 minutes to go to kick off you'll hear a big cheer now as Leinster go in in a couple of seconds time but before they do I'm going to read out the team for Leinster changes two changes two key changes Rob Kearney at fullback Dave Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald are the wingers for Leinster here this afternoon in the centre is Ben Teo and Gary Ringrose the halfbacks will be Owen Redden and Johnny Sexton the front row Jack McGrath Richard Strauss Mike Ross Ross Maloney and Mick Kearney are in the second row Rhys Ruddock Geordie Murphy and Jamie Heaslip the captain makes up the back row Sean Cronin Peter Dooley Tye Furlong and Hayden Triggs are the forwards on the bench along with Jack Conan and the backs on the bench Luke McGrath Ian Madigan and Zane Kirshner Leinster are going to miss Devin Toner a bereavement in his family we pass on all our best wishes to him and it's dreadful to see they've had to adapt Ross Maloney comes in Toner's a huge loss first of all in the pack

No question about it.

He runs their line-out and he's their go-to man in times of trouble.

it's very hard to see what happened earlier there the ball went forward so I wonder why we didn't go back for the advantage there but in the end Connacht got the clearance kick and maybe that was as much an advantage as they would have got anyway line out to Leinster and it's turned over that's two dodgy line outs from Leinster one they survived with possession the second they've lost it here's McGinty now Connachan come out of their own 22 Robbie Henshaw Henshaw fixes the defender gives it to O'Halloran here's Matt Healy

Healy's away he's over halfway he's over the 10m line he kicks ahead and he's running after it Leinster scramble back into touch 5m from their own line fantastic

Excellent play by Connacht, trademark stuff, deep in their own territory, they realise there's a man available on the outside, Adrian McGinty threw a fantastic miss pass, all of 20 metres across the line, finds his man, it eventually gets into Healy's hands, he goes flying down the wing, puts in a chip kick and eventually Luke Fitzgerald scrambles across and brings it into touch, Connacht now attacking 5 metres from the Leinster line.

wonderful pass from McGinty alright in there just to whip that ball out and get them going line out to Connacht five metres from the line it's thrown towards the line Leinster got a hand on it Connacht has survived with possession with Marmion cleaning it up not clean but they have it in the 22 first attack for Connacht little bit of a leg drive now for Ali Muldowney in towards the post ball presents itself there can Connacht use it they do with a pick and go I think that's Loughney who's done that Connacht getting around it might well have been Jake Heenan actually Here's Dilan now.

We were so eager to talk the first test of Springboks versus the All Blacks.

But then I got to come and get me plea from a certain Luke Fitzgerald.

He was missing out.

He felt left out.