NEWS ROUND-UP:LEINSTER SECONDROW Trevor Hogan has been forced to retire from the game because of a knee injury. The 31-year-old Tipperary native, who was capped four times for Ireland over a seven-year professional career, has finally had to give way following medical advice.

Hogan first played with Munster, before moving to Leinster in the 2006 season, and was part of the squad that won the Magners League in 2007-08 and the Heineken Cup the following year.

Injury hampered his involvement with Leinster this season, and his last game was against Dragons in November. In all, he made 59 appearances for the province, on top of 57 for Munster.

“It’s been a tough battle over the last couple of seasons with my injury, but after my last game the problem worsened to the point where I couldn’t continue,” Hogan said in a statement yesterday.

“It is never an easy thing to accept, but I’m thankful for all the support from my team-mates and the medical management over the past few years. It was an honour to play for Leinster.”

On a more positive track, Tullow flanker Seán O’Brien continued his rise in the game when he was named Leinster’s Player of the Month for December.

The backrow is not yet sure where he will start against Saracens on Saturday, with Jamie Heaslip struggling with injury, but he expects to play against an English Premiership team ready to roll out a physical game even though they are out of contention in the pool.

“I think that this week we are going to have to be very mentally strong,” said O’Brien

“They are going to come over here and try to beat us, so we are going to have to have our minds right and stick to the game plan. It’s not a game to try anything fancy. We just have to win.”