Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

funky penguin

curts82 wrote: »

Worse than the All blacks..........Munster

Here's hoping!

Lads, Sexton has had what, not even 4 bad games with the boot, and people are worried? The lads got gonads, he kicked 6/7 last week, and the one he missed wasn't by a whole lot.

McFadden is certainly a better kicker than him, but that does not reflect poorly on Sexton, as McFadden is incredibly assured and excels from the tee.

Gracelessly Tom

I don't think it's possible to compare the two in terms of kicking at the moment. Jonno has been outstanding bar a recent blip, does no-one remember Croke Park last year?? Or Edinburgh, Fiji, South Africa.......

McFadden has yet to kick under the same pressure in the really big games, if he does, and as a Leinster fan I hope he handles it, then people can say he's the best kicker.

Good stats in a few magners league games does not a kicker make.....

Tim Robbins

I think a pertinent question is Van Der Linde or Healy. I think Van Der Linde has been outstanding in the last few games especially at clearing out rucks.

True, I actually liked the way we used the props last weekend. With CJ off after 40, healy on, and Stan swapping. Mike Ross then on to finish out the game for Stan.

Thing is, Stan is (and has been) our best prop for 2 seasons now, and himself and CJ or himself and Ross would be a far better (scrummaging) FR than himself and healy.

I think that Cheika will get them all on the pitch over the course of the game, and its just a question of who starts and who finishes? I think a big scrum is needed in first half, and then fresh scrum for the end.

irishbucsfan

McFadden has been fantastic every time I've seen him kick.

For the people who are claiming he's not a good kicker, which performance in particular makes you think that?

If Sexton isn't fit, I'll have very little confidence in our ability to win the game. I'd say we'd be forced to drop Horgan and move D'Arcy to the wing to make way for McFadden at center, that way everyone would be playing a position they're familiar with.

shawpower

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I think a pertinent question is Van Der Linde or Healy. I think Van Der Linde has been outstanding in the last few games especially at clearing out rucks.

I think not only does CJ have to start, he has to get 60-70 minutes played as well. Going off at half time isn't good enough. I know he missed all last season, so maybe still struggling a little with fitness, but him and Stan are better scrummagers than Stan & Ciano.

Hippo

Apparently CJ picked up a knock in the first half v Clermont, hence only 40 mins.

Mr.Applepie

Hippo wrote: »

Apparently CJ picked up a knock in the first half v Clermont, hence only 40 mins.

Your joking me? He should come with a "Fragile: Handle with Care" sticker on his back!

Hippo

Mr.Applepie wrote: »

Your joking me? He should come with a "Fragile: Handle with Care" sticker on his back!

I know, I'm not even going to say that it was by all accounts a toe injury. A different one.

PhatPiggins

Deleted User wrote: »

True, I actually liked the way we used the props last weekend. With CJ off after 40, healy on, and Stan swapping. Mike Ross then on to finish out the game for Stan.

Thing is, Stan is (and has been) our best prop for 2 seasons now, and himself and CJ or himself and Ross would be a far better (scrummaging) FR than himself and healy.

I think that Cheika will get them all on the pitch over the course of the game, and its just a question of who starts and who finishes? I think a big scrum is needed in first half, and then fresh scrum for the end.

Except that Wright is a far better LH and was handed his ass when he switched over for CJ. Asking a guy to play both sides of the scrum at that level is a bit much. If Ross isn't good enough for a straight swap with CJ then he shouldn't be on the bench. I understand that Cheika wanted to get Healy on the pitch but for me Wright has been playing far to well to be moving him around.

PhatPiggins

Podge_irl wrote: »

Well if Kearney doesn't make it you could move Nacewa to full back and put McFadden on the wing, or drop Horgan for McFadden (he wasn't great against Clermont anyway). It would probably require McFadden to get game time at wing over the next couple games though, and considering BOD is out its far more likely he'll find himself in the centre.

It's a tough one, but Clermont themselves showed what can happen when you can't kick goals.

A virgin winger against the Toulouse back 3 :eek: may the force be with him.

Nilther

Fergus McFadden is a fine stand in kicker. Dunno where people are getting it that he's better than Sexton though. The expectation on Sexton over McF is huge. I don't imagine McF would be any better than Berne at kicking in the Semi.

McF had a poor game here which got us knocked out of the B&I cup. Not a big deal but still shows he's not flawless.

http://leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/4447.php

Blut2

This might be a terribly stupid question but given McFadden's competency with the boot why isnt he tried out at 10 more often? All the talk in this thread is of moving him to the wing if Sexton's out, why not 10? I havnt seen enough of him in big games to rate him fully but is it a lack of distribution skills or whats the common consensus on why he cant play 10?

Podge_irl

Blut2 wrote: »

This might be a terribly stupid question but given McFadden's competency with the boot why isnt he tried out at 10 more often? All the talk in this thread is of moving him to the wing if Sexton's out, why not 10? I havnt seen enough of him in big games to rate him fully but is it a lack of distribution skills or whats the common consensus on why he cant play 10?

Because ability to kick from the tee has nothing to do with ability to play at 10?

anonymous_joe

Podge_irl wrote: »

Because ability to kick from the tee has nothing to do with ability to play at 10?

Long and the short of it. The kicker does not have to be the 10 at all.

An out-half is usually the first receiver of the ball from a ruck or a scrum. His job is to decide what to do, whether to pass, run or kick. Moreover, he's probably (unless French) sorting out the attack's alignment as well which will decide how an attack works.

None of that really requires an ability to be a place kicker, though it does suggest a need to be an adequate field-kicker at least.

Blut2

Well yeah, I know its not the only reason someone plays at 10 but given the suggestions of McFadden playing on the wing made in this thread and the worries about his weakness in that position I wondered why nobody had mentioned the possibility of him playing at 10. So is it infact a lack of distribution skills on his part or what is the common consensus on why he cant play 10 (as nice and all as the discussion of the role of the 10 is I was more curious about its specific aspects relating to McFadden!)?

Podge_irl

Blut2 wrote: »

Well yeah, I know its not the only reason someone plays at 10 but given the suggestions of McFadden playing on the wing made in this thread and the worries about his weakness in that position I wondered why nobody had mentioned the possibility of him playing at 10. So is it infact a lack of distribution skills on his part or what is the common consensus on why he cant play 10 (as nice and all as the discussion of the role of the 10 is I was more curious about its specific aspects relating to McFadden!)?

It's not a reason someone plays at 10 at all.

It's not necessarily that he can't play at 10, I'm sure if he tried it for a season he might eventually bed in there. It's hard to know without him giving it a shot, but ultimately he just isn't a 10 and you certainly wouldn't slot him in there at this stage of the season. He's only really in the process of developing into a 12 from an out and out 13. His strengths are his lines of running, acceleration and support play.

Transitioning from centre to wing is a hell of a smaller deal than moving into the fly half role. If he wasn't a goal kicker no one would even be suggesting trying him at 10.

thomond2006

http://ruggamatrix.heavensgame.com/main/archives/1018

Rocky Elsom is on Ruggamatrix this week.

toomevara

BOD is to be on the Craig Doyle show this week.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0415/tonightwithcraigdoyle.html

Sangre

McFadden received Leinster's player of the month this season. Nice to see his efforts are being acknowledged.

Gracelessly Tom

There is more chance of signing Carter on a one game loan deal than of Leinster beating Toulouse with McFadden at 10!

He's a centre (and a potentially very good one at that), not a 10.

durkadurka

toomevara wrote: »

BOD is to be on the Craig Doyle show this week.

http://www.rte.ie/arts/2010/0415/tonightwithcraigdoyle.html

don't think I could endure Craig Doyle just to see BOD....

gcgirl

I read that Paul O Donahue is on his way to Harliquins !

In fairness to the lad, he's been there for a few seasons now, and Leinster have still brought in 3 Scrum Halfs in the last 5 years, he must be pretty sick of it at this stage!

funky penguin

Best of luck to him if he is.

Hippo

gcgirl wrote: »

I read that Paul O Donahue is on his way to Harliquins !

Maybe things have moved on. Quins wanted to sign him some time ago but apparently the powers that be here wouldn't let him go. Hard to see where he'd fit in behind Boss and Reddan next season. On the basis of Friday night he certainly needs plenty of game time.

David900

gcgirl wrote: »

I read that Paul O Donahue is on his way to Harliquins !

Do you have a link to that by any chance?

ALH-06

Hippo wrote: »

Hard to see where he'd fit in behind Boss and Reddan next season. On the basis of Friday night he certainly needs plenty of game time.

I thought he got on pretty well last weekend.

But he'd still be nothing more than a squad player at Harlequins as well, don't think there's any chance he'd displace Care there.

bamboozle

Emmett Byrne on Off the ball last night saying he didnt think Sexton would be available for next weekend.