Leinster vs Edinburgh

It was the back rower’s first
appearance since suffering an
horrific ACL injury in October the
previous year when, to many, he
appeared to be at the peak of his
powers.
Prior to the shutdown of sport in early
2020, his stunning form for Leinster
Rugby had carried him into Andy Farrell’s
Ireland squad and seen him get his first
international cap in the Guinness Six
Nations.
While the most unforeseen of
circumstances would halt that, the knee
injury would extend Deegan’s lay-off
while the game continued without him.
“Last year was really tough, getting
injured early and not getting back until
the start of this year. It’s such a long-term
injury and every week you just want
to be out there playing with the lads.
It’s just great to be back. There was
a bit of a slow start to the year with
how my knee was reacting to being
back training but it’s feeling really
good now and I’ve been feeling
really good on the pitch too,” he
explains.
“It was such an odd one. I was playing
and really happy with how it was going
and then the pandemic kicks in. We get
back then and I play two games and do
my ACL. It’s not the best luck but that’s
the way sport is, isn’t it?
“And the way times were with Covid,
I’m just really happy to be back playing.
We’ve a really good team this year and
I’m happy to be involved in it so now
I’m looking forward to pushing on and
hopefully winning a few trophies at the
end of the year.”
On the night Deegan’s injury occurred,
Dragons were the opposition, a team
that has accidentally been linked with the
former St Michael’s College man as long
as he has been around the professional
game.
December 3, 2016, as a 20-year-old,
Deegan came off the bench to make
his Leinster Rugby debut in a home win
against the Welsh side.
He’d also make his first start for the
province at Rodney Parade in September
the following year before, in the reverse
fixture, scoring his first try in Leinster
colours.
His luck with Dragons took a turn on
that night in October 2020 but now
the hope is that the latest marker is
the start of a reverse in fortune again
– his first competitive start since that
night came at Rodney Parade earlier
this season.
However, he acknowledges that there
was and is some work still left to done.
“That’s a weird one. My mates always
allude to it about anytime we’re playing
Dragons that I’ll be playing. It’s a funny
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