Dublin University Football Club (DUFC) Men’s Liam Turner, Jack Dunne and Michael Silvester will be on the matchday squad for tonight’s Leinster’s Pro14 clash against Zebre at the RDS.
Turner, who is making his senior debut for Leinster tonight, will be starting at outside centre while Dunne and Silvester have been selected for the bench.
Turner was captain of the Blackrock College rugby team in 2018, leading them to their 69th Leinster Senior Schools Cup title.
Turner was also one of the six DUFC players to be part of the Ireland under-20 squad that secured the 2019 championship after a 26-17 victory over Wales. Turner scored two tries over the campaign.
At the start of last season, Turner was invited into the Ireland Men’s Sevens programme after his talent caught the attention of Irish Rugby Football Union Director of Sevens and Women’s Rugby Anthony Eddy.
At just under five-foot-seven and weighing about 105kg, Turner’s combined offensive skills and defensive strength has made him a highly ranked prospect in Irish Rugby. Comparisons have been made to fellow legendary Blackrock backs Brian O’Driscoll and Gary Ringrose.
Both Silvester, who plays full-back, and Dunne, who is a lock, have made appearances for Leinster in the past.
Silvester, who is in his third year at the Leinster Rugby Academy, has also represented Ireland at multiple Junior World Championships and under-20s Six Nation tournaments.
Dunne has also been part of the Ireland under-20s Six Nations squad as well as the 2018 World Rugby under-20 Championship. Last summer he was promoted to a senior contract with Leinster Rugby.
Going into the match tonight, Leinster currently sit atop Conference A with two wins in their first two matches played. Zebre sit last having dropped their first two matches of the competition.
Meanwhile, DUFC’s season has been put on hold after recent government restrictions ceased all sports fixtures barring certain elite and professional sport teams. DUFC had got off to a rapid start having won the first five matches of their campaign.
In their last game before matches were postponed, DUFC beat Terenure College RFC 36-31 in a thrilling comeback, marking their third win of the Energia Community Series.
