Paul Boyle: 'I'm the best version that I've ever been'

Paul Boyle has made his list, but doesn't need to check it twice.

In 101 games for the province, the 27-year-old knows there’s just a short group of Connacht’s regular opponents who he’s yet to get a win against.

Saturday’s opponents Leinster are one of those. And while the Wexford man admits there is an added personal desire to beating this weekend’s opponents, it has nothing to do with him being a Leinster native.

"The thing that incentivises me about playing Leinster is that I'm yet to beat them," Boyle said, ahead of Saturday’s Interpro at Aviva Stadium.

"I was meant to be involved in the one during Covid [in 2021] but I was a close contact with all the stuff going on, so I didn't get to be involved.

"So any team that I play that I haven't beaten yet is always added motivation.

"There's a couple of South African teams away from home [I haven't beaten], but Leinster is the one that really sticks out in that department."

That victory Boyle missed out on in 2021 against Leinster at the RDS is the province’s only win in this fixture since April 2018, while they have lost on each of their last four away trips to Dublin by between 26 and 36 points.

Leinster are unbeaten in nine games in all competitions so far this season, with a 33-12 win against Connacht in Galway among those victories for the league leaders.

The province have earned a reputation for having a stingy defence so far this year, giving up an average of just 12 points per game under senior coach Jacques Nienaber.

"It's really impressive in your face, obviously, with the kind of South African influence," Boyle (above) said of the Leinster blitz.

"But, again, we've kind of focused on how our attack can exploit that and, obviously, if the team is coming flying at you,