LEINSTER EXPECT to have tickets available for public sale ahead of tomorrow week's Magners League final against the Ospreys at the RDS. The Welsh franchise was entitled to an allocation of 5,000 tickets but a spokesperson for Leinster confirmed they had requested just 2,500.
The day before their semi-final against the Glasgow warriors at the Liberty stadium the Ospreys had sold just shy of 4,000 tickets with the eventual attendance a little over 7,000. The capacity at the RDS for the Magners showpiece will be 20,000.
Season ticket holders with Leinster were given primacy to purchase final tickets - up to 5pm yesterday - but that privilege is likely to be extended to the general public on Monday morning through traditional outlets including Ticketmaster, the Leinster shop and Spar in Donnybrook.
The tournament organisers are expected to confirm the final will be refereed by England's Chris White. An experienced Test match official and one of the Northern Hemisphere's leading referees he has previously presided over three Heineken Cup finals (2003, '05, '06).
Meanwhile, former Leinster hooker Brian Blaney will join London Irish during the summer. The 28-year-old played with Terenure College last season but has agreed to step back into the professional ranks by joining the Exiles.
Blaney made 71 appearances for Leinster after joining them in 2003 and scored five tries. He has been capped by Ireland A and prior to that Ireland Schools and is the youngest of four brothers who all excelled at the sport, including playing underage representative rugby for Ireland.
James wore the blue of Leinster and the red of Munster, Dermot, a flanker and the only non-hooker in the quartet, lined out for UCD while David is currently trying to help Bristol qualify for Guinness Premiership status is a two-leg play-off with Exeter. Bristol lost the first leg 9-6 and will hope to overturn that deficit at the Memorial ground next Wednesday.
London Irish were looking to recruit a hooker following former Springbok Danny Coetzee's decision to retire. Blaney admitted: "I am delighted to be joining such an exciting team as London Irish next season. The club has a great reputation in Ireland and I look forward to following in the footsteps of some of the great Irishmen who have played for the club."
Blaney's arrival at the Madejski provides a second Irish-born player to the roster alongside club captain Bob Casey. Head coach Toby Booth added: "We are very pleased Brian will soon be a London Irish player. He is a very experienced and tenacious hooker who will complement our current squad perfectly. Competition for places is paramount in our squad to sustain levels of performance and Brian will continue our strength and competiveness in the hooker position."
Former Munster prop Timmy Ryan will be hoping to make the Toulon match-day squad for Sunday's Amlin Challenge Cup final against Cardiff in Marseilles. Ryan joined the French Top 14 club last summer and was on the bench for the semi-final win over Connacht.
BRIAN BLANEY
Age:28
Position:hooker
Representative honours:Ireland A, Ireland Schools
Height:1.88m (6' 2")
Weight:103kg (16st 2lbs).
