URC season preview - How are the provinces set for 2026/27?

I'm going to start with Leinster Johnny.

They're the defending champions and set up for a fascinating season with Leo Cullen in his final year as head coach.

Already, Leo has bristled at the suggestion that he would be a lame duck.

Maybe not even a suggestion he would be, but a question of how he would go about ensuring he isn't a lame duck.

He said he wouldn't be taking any bullshit, to use his own words, But it is something that has to be discussed.

We have seen this so many times, not just in rugby, but across the board in sport and in the wider world as well.

Someone going into their final year when they've made that announcement nice and early, obviously doing it for the right reasons and putting all the planning in place.

But it just sets up narratively a very interesting season.

Yeah, it's interesting to hear him kind of go down that kind of early.

So he's obviously trying to nail his colours to the mast at the start of the season to kind of prove a point.

But I suppose Leo, he's a competitor.

And I think it's one of those things that...

Europe, what a way for it would be for him to bow out if he was to manage to climb that European hill again.

That's the one thing they've been missing over the last number of years.

I suppose he wants to be a hold of the narrative as well from a media perspective.

You saw him last year where he probably was a bit kind of unlike Leo.

He's had a couple of jibes at other provinces and all that kind of stuff throughout last season.

And some funny altercations with Zeebo at times on the TV.

But yeah, I think he's just trying to get a hold of that public narrative to ensure that You know, people are aware that he's doubling down on this year.

He's going to push them really hard.

And then there's, I suppose, a level of professionalism needed within that is there.

And it is the same, you know, throughout careers when people were leaving, be it Leicester or be it Munster, that, you know, you have to kind of, you know, do what's really important now and play in the here and now.

And I think it's clear from Jack as well, given their kind of media presence last week, that they're going to go after it this year.

So a really positive start.

And they'll be the most affected by the Irish guys, obviously kind of lack of availability at times, given it's the lead up to a World Cup.