Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

[Jackass]

I'd be more than happy to see him start with Toner or Browne in a couple of PRO12 games, and coming off the bench in others, but I think Browne and Toner need game time together, plus lets not forget that there will almost certainly be a medical joker coming in, who will get game time too, but I would be extremely uncomfortable with Flanagan anywhere near a Heineken Cup knock-out squad.

The Leinster v Tolouse semi last season was of a higher standard and higher intensity and quality of rugby than just about any international match you'll see in Lansdowne Road any time soon. Flanagan, for all his promise, would be decimated in a game like that.

I'd rather McLoughlin as second row cover on the bench, but there's issues with the scrum when he's in the second row.

Toner needs to step up big time now. He's the man who's around here long term, and with the given events, he's now our most senior second row operator, and he needs to take the bulls by the horn.

In terms of leadership, Healy, Ross, Strauss as well as Heaslip, who will presumably be captain in Leos absence, will have to up their physicality and bossiness a hell of a lot.

Jennings was vice captain under Cheika (as he was at Leicester, behind Cullen there too) and the importance of his now wise old head (even though he's only 30). O'Brien too. Basically, the entire pack are now a combination of experienced Heineken Cup winnings players, seasoned internationals or to be internationals, and we really need the leadership and direction to come from the entire pack, with the void left in second row.

Pre-Schmidt, leadership was a big problem when you took one or two guys out, but I think players take on a lot more responsibility now, and that needs to grow.

We'll just have to wait and see before we decide how much trouble we're in, but one things for sure, this problem isn't going to go away any time soon, and we have missed oppertunities to sort it out, and ideally it would be great if we took this oppertunity and found someone special to bring back the type of quality of Hines.

tolosenc

[Jackass] wrote: »

We're definitely signing someone though. That's pretty clear from the paper thin denial about persuing Thorn.

I'd just rather we find a long time solution to this asap. I think after this season, no matter what happens, we need a world class NIE long term signing in the second row. And I think it was a big mistake not to make sure we got adequet cover for Hines leaving, and we're really feeling that now.

Richie Gray is off to Sale at the end of the season. Which is infuriating, as he would definitley have signed for Leinster if he's willing to accept a team that offered Tony Buckley an contract, who can't offer him as much money, nor as high a standard of rugby.

He'd have been perfect.

WeeBushy

A line out of Richie Gray and Toner... we wouldn't need lifters any more! He would've been a great signing.

durkadurka

Heaslip won't be captaining Leinster during the 6n because hecwont be released by Ireland.

I think we'll only see him as captain if Leo doesn't come back for the qf.

Most likely Jennings or ruddock.

CatFromHue

I think there is a strong argument for a non Irish starter to be the next Captain of Leinster. Someone who would be in the HEC team but not necessarily starting for Ireland so he would be available to Leinster for the majority of the season. Similar to what Cullen was when he started captaining Leinster.

durkadurka

CatFromHue wrote: »

I think there is a strong argument for a non Irish starter to be the next Captain of Leinster. Someone who would be in the HEC team but not necessarily starting for Ireland so he would be available to Leinster for the majority of the season. Similar to what Cullen was when he started captaining Leinster.

He needs to be a guaranteed starter too.
Nacewa?

CIARAN_BOYLE

durkadurka wrote: »

He needs to be a guaranteed starter too.
Nacewa?

last contract with the club don't want a captain who will be leaving soon

GerM

tolosenc wrote: »

Richie Gray is off to Sale at the end of the season. Which is infuriating, as he would definitley have signed for Leinster if he's willing to accept a team that offered Tony Buckley an contract, who can't offer him as much money, nor as high a standard of rugby.

He'd have been perfect.

He would have but it would never have been sanctioned. He'll never be Irish eligible, plays in a position that could start to become a problem for Ireland in the next few years (if DK doesn't start utilising his other options) and would be unavailable for all matches during the autumn international window and 6N. Would love to have him but politics would kill that move before it started.

ambid

[Jackass] wrote: »

I'd be more than happy to see him start with Toner or Browne in a couple of PRO12 games, and coming off the bench in others, but I think Browne and Toner need game time together, plus lets not forget that there will almost certainly be a medical joker coming in, who will get game time too, but I would be extremely uncomfortable with Flanagan anywhere near a Heineken Cup knock-out squad.

The Leinster v Tolouse semi last season was of a higher standard and higher intensity and quality of rugby than just about any international match you'll see in Lansdowne Road any time soon. Flanagan, for all his promise, would be decimated in a game like that.

Great point. HEC knockout matches are at or near test standard, certainly the Toulouse & Northampton matches were last year and Clermont would also be at that standard this year if we get there. It would not be fair on Flanagan to expect him to cope in that environment, but hopefully he will get more Pro12 matches this year.

[Jackass] wrote: »

...Toner needs to step up big time now. He's the man who's around here long term, and with the given events, he's now our most senior second row operator, and he needs to take the bulls by the horn...

I'd argue Toner has already stepped up this year. He has been outstanding all season IMO.

durkadurka

Anyone know when the Munster away tickets are released?

CatFromHue

durkadurka wrote: »

Anyone know when the Munster away tickets are released?

I got mine last year in the 8th March and the game was on the 2nd April.

durkadurka

CatFromHue wrote: »

I got mine last year in the 8th March and the game was on the 2nd April.

Thanks. Planning a boys trip down this year. Looking forward to it already.

CatFromHue

If you get somewhere to stay in town then you can walk everywhere so it's good in that aspect. Thomond Park is a great stadium too!

durkadurka

Yeah we're in a budget hotel (the pier or something) in town so well get there early, dump the car and get stuck into pints etc.

.ak

I usually get the olsc return same day bus. Saves a fortune... Unfortunately not enough time for pints after tho... :-(

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

Did you think? I actually thought Keogh was the better of the two. Both look like good prospects either way.

Two different animals really... I felt Keogh was probably better in terms of technique. Got his hands on the ball, made himself a nusense in the set pieces, and drove the mauls. But flanagan was just a beast in the loose, definitely seems the more mobile of the two.

Thing is if I had to pick a motm from that game I couldn't. Reid, cooney, gilsenan, kearney, Macken all had an awesome game. The future is bright...

What's the craic with the semi?

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

Two different animals really... I felt Keogh was probably better in terms of technique. Got his hands on the ball, made himself a nusense in the set pieces, and drove the mauls. But flanagan was just a beast in the loose, definitely seems the more mobile of the two.

Thing is if I had to pick a motm from that game I couldn't. Reid, cooney, gilsenan, kearney, Macken all had an awesome game. The future is bright...

What's the craic with the semi?

open draw on Sunday to determine home/away and pairings match will be on April 7th

Clegg

I think this image suggests that Ruddock may be off to Munster. I'd be disappointed if thats the case. Munster should develop their own Irish players instead of poaching.

Hagz

Clegg wrote: »

I think this image suggests that Ruddock may be off to Munster. I'd be disappointed if thats the case. Munster should develop their own Irish players instead of poaching.

Who's goin to take the bait??

EDIT: If it's true than that really is a top signing by Munster and I applaud them for it. Did not see it coming. I'd imagine the most pleased person will be Ryan who would have been sweating this whole time during his injury.

Compo82

What do you mean munster poaching Irish players? Leinster are fairly good at it themselves. Leinster have reddan, cronin and ross all from Munster and they also have Damian Browne from Connacht.

Hagz

Compo82 wrote: »

What do you mean munster poaching Irish players? Leinster are fairly good at it themselves. Leinster have reddan, cronin and ross all from Munster and they also have Damian Browne from Connacht.

First catch goes to you

danthefan

Really hope Ruddock is still at Leinster next season.

Clegg

Compo82 wrote: »

What do you mean munster poaching Irish players? Leinster are fairly good at it themselves. Leinster have reddan, cronin and ross all from Munster and they also have Damian Browne from Connacht.

I don't think a post can be any more wrong.

Munster cast aside those those players as they couldn't see their worth. Now their incompetence is coming back to bite them in the arse.

It's almost poetic.

thomond2006

Compo82 wrote: »

What do you mean munster poaching Irish players? Leinster are fairly good at it themselves. Leinster have reddan, cronin and ross all from Munster and they also have Damian Browne from Connacht.

hahaha hilarious stuff

profitius

Am I the only one who thinks Ruddock looks slow?

GerM

profitius wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Ruddock looks slow?

IQ of 132 apparently. Looks can be deceiving.

jacothelad

profitius wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Ruddock looks slow?

No. He certainly is.

Hagz

profitius wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Ruddock looks slow?

He seems to take an age to get some acceleration going, but once he gets going he can reach impressive speeds.

[Jackass]

Re poaching players, there's a massive difference in bringing back players who weren't needed in their home provence, such as Ross (Quins), Cronin (Connacht), Reddan (Wasps) & Browne (Brive), but Munster are famed for sniffing around Leinster players like a dirty old man.

They've signed Ronan direct from Leinster, secretly tapped up Felix Jones who was signed directly from Leinster (to the extent that he was expelled from the Leinster camp by Michael Cheika for holding contract talks and signing with another team without consulting with Leinster) and fair enough have signed other Leinster players such as Johne Murphy, Ian Keatley etc. when they were cast away, but this seems like another example of Munster sniffing around Leinster looking to pick up more scraps. They've also been linked with several Leinster players, most notably (aside from Ruddock now), Luke Fitzgerald when he was out of the academy, a move that thankfully failed thanks to Luke Fitzgeralds father.

It's fair enough if he does go, he's a good player, but I don't think Leinster will lose any sleep over it and I think Munsters gain of another first team player nabbed from Leinster, is a player who was well down the pecking order at Leinster, so you'd have to imagine the dog raiding the bins at the back of a chinese is never going to have the best quality meal that is enjoyed inside. :pac:

The attraction Munster have is offering players first team rugby, and considering they can't get into match day squads at Leinster for big games, and Munster are trying to take what they can get from Leinster, should concern Munster a lot more at the lack of quality available to them than losing these players should concern Leinster, imho.

[Jackass]

Actually, just thinking about the Leinster back-row options, there's Jennings just gone 30, Heaslip who's 28, O'Brien who's 24 & McLaughlin who's 27 - so no rush from the front liners to be replaced, then there's Dom Ryan, who completely leap frogged Ruddock in the pecking order, and looks a sensational prospect at 21 - and then Jordi Murphy, Irish under 20's captain who's 20, and I'm not sure I've heard so much hype from a school boy back-rower as Conor Gilsenan, who was part of a sublime Clongowes back row, and is already playing in the A team and (supposedly, didn't see him) playing sensational stuff, who's just out of school and is 19 this year.

So loss of Ruddock wont be the end of the world. Although, given the choice, would obviously prefer to keep him, because he is a quality player, but there's endless talent coming through, so not to worry.