Leinster considering giving Caspar Gabriel a second run at No.10

Twenty-year-old Caspar Gabriel could be in line for a second start at No.10 for Leinster this Saturday against the Sharks.

This comes as Harry Byrne has been ruled out following picking up a concussion last week.

Leo Cullen could decide to start Sam Prendergast ahead of his 'scheruled' Week Three while Charlie Tector is another option.

But given Gabriel's strong showing on his debut last week, he may have claimed pole position.

An impressed Tyler Bleyendaal said of Gabriel against the Lions: "Caspar just got stuck into everything. I thought at the beginning of the match his defensive efforts were massive.

"Whether he was putting guys into space or he was having a crack at the line himself, there was a lot of positive moments.

"And then I guess that was balanced out in the errors but that is to be expected.

"It was a big match for him, a first start, in a competitive game and against the Lions at altitude."

Gabriel also appeared to work smoothly with scrum-half Fintan Gunne who scored a first-half hat-trick.

"I thought the two of them put us into great positions and it was a game we probably could have won if we had been more accurate.

"With Caspar, he is just being himself first and foremost, so he is not trying imitate anyone's style or way of behaving.

"So he brings his own personality to it which is different from some of the others.

"I thought Fintan had a lot involvements, good positive moments for us, and finished off a few of those tries."

Max Deegan also sustained a concussion last Saturday and must go through the graduated return-to-play protocols which makes them unavailable for this Saturday.

"Max and Harry will be a big loss but for the next man up it is an opportunity.

"These young guys we have here are committed to everything, it is exciting to see them play.

"Overall we are pretty disappointed with the result last weekend but we will take some good learnings from that."

The Sharks were expected to go well last season but finished 10th, eight points away from a play-off spot.

They opened this campaign with a win, however, defeating the Ospreys 41-24 in Durban.

Bleyendaal continued: "Sharks are powerful in the collision and they are powerful in the set-piece.

"They have a lot of pace in the whole team not just the back-line."

Leo Cullen has already indicated he will bring in four international players for their first game of the season, against Sharks.

He was coy about naming them but Ronan Kelleher or Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong or Thomas Clarkson are thought to be in the frame.

Josh Ericson suffered a neck injury against Lions and is unlikely to be available this weekend.

Cormac Foley will step up his return to play and integration into training.

The longer-term injury list features Jack Boyle (Achilles), RG Snyman (knee), Caelan Doris (Foot & Knee), Paddy McCarthy (foot), Jamison Gibson-Park (groin), Jordan Larmour (calf), Diarmaid Mangan (foot), James Culhane (hamstring).