For long time Ireland and Leinster full back Rob Kearney, the start to this season has been hampered by injury issues and it'll be a few weeks before he makes his return to action. 

The Louth native was in provincial and international team-mate Sean O'Brien's neck of the woods in Tullow as Bank of Ireland and Leinster announced an extension to their sponsorship deal. 

Our own Oisin Langan caught up with him and they started off by touching on the injury issues that have affected him.

"The body's been okay, it's been better," he said.

"I picked up a little hamstring niggle there two weeks ago against Cardiff in the RDS. Yeah, listen it's frustrating but hopefully I'll get back into the field in three to four weeks."

For Kearney though, injury has been something to regularly contend with over the last two seasons or so.

"I have been unlucky. The last two years particularly have been pretty tough to deal with at times," he admitted.

"The first week, 10 days are pretty grim, you're in a low enough place but then you pick yourself back up again. You've got some positivity back in the head, you get rehabbing and I suppose it just shows as players how much we enjoy going out and playing at the weekends, winning with your team-mates and putting on either an Ireland or Leinster jersey, that you go through that much hardship and injuries and mental battles to keep coming back to get the opportunity to keep playing."   

Bank of Ireland and Leinster Rugby have today announced a five year extension of their sponsorship through to the 2023 season. 

The event was held in Tullow RFC, Tullow are the current holders of the Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns Cup.

In addition to exclusive branding of all playing and training kits for the Leinster Rugby professional team, the sponsorship continues to encompass all Leinster rugby activity right through to grassroots community, schools and club level