Irish rugby suffered a major loss on Tuesday after it was confirmed Leinster flanker Dan Leavy has been forced to retire with immediate effect due to a long-standing knee issue.
Leavy, 27, made his senior debut in October 2014 and made 79 appearances for his province, including seven outings in this season's United Rugby Championship. He also earned 11 caps for Ireland (all wins) and was part of the 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam-winning side, where he played every minute of their final four games.
The back-row talisman has announced he's been advised by medical professionals to retire as a result of the catastrophic knee injury he suffered against Ulster in March 2019. Leinster legend Brian O'Driscoll told Mirror Sport Leavy was "showing all the capabilities of someone that would be a great for Ireland," a sentiment with which many fans who had watched the player at his peak would agree.
