Leinster have boosted their front-row options by signing former Munster tight-head prop Ciaran Parker on a short-term loan from the Jersey Reds.

The reigning Guinness PRO14 champions required prop cover following recent injuries suffered by Tadhg Furlong and Vakh Abaladze.

Irish-qualified Parker, who was capped by England at under-20 level, played in the Heineken Champions Cup for both Sale and Munster before leaving Thomond Park last summer to move to Jersey.

"For a young man Ciaran already has good experience across the Premiership and the Guinness PRO14," Blues boss Leo Cullen told Leinster's website about their new arrival.

"We feel that he will give us a good option at a time when we are going to be under pressure with players away with Ireland and just the nature of the schedule we have ahead of us.

“I’d like to thank Jersey Reds for their help in making this move work and Ciaran himself and we now look forward to welcoming him to the club and to seeing how he can contribute in the coming weeks and months.”

Cullen's also revealed that Roman Salanoa had agreed to stay at Leinster before opting to make the switch to Munster this summer.

"He told me he was staying, I took him for his word but the contract wasn't signed. I'm not sure what pressure he was under in the background but it left us compromised".

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