Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

irishbucsfan

danthefan wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

to be fair, Cullen has been way below his best this season.

Time's a calling on him I reckon.

Just going by recent games, did you watch Leinster v Montpellier? Cullen was outstanding. He was in the thick of everything.

That is true, but his performance in the away fixture of that tie was one of the weaker performances from a leinster player this year.

He's still a great player, but with his age its going to be harder and harder for him to show it.

irishbucsfan

[Quote=[Jackass];77147324]

GerM wrote: »

Think you're being very harsh in your assessments there. Toner has established himself in the side this season and has been excellent. He's currently in contention for player of the season and has consistently been amongst the top performers with and without the internationals. Toner is primed to become a serious option for Leinster. He's 25 and will reach about 100 caps by the end of the season. If I was looking to drop someone to allow Thorn in the side, it wouldn't be Toner. I think he'd make a very decent partner to Thorn. A more skillful, specialist jumper to compliment Thorn's all out mania. I'd agree we need to make a big signing there but I think it should be someone to be the long term partner for Toner, not someone to partner Cullen who is, in all fairness, on his way out.

VDM is never a guy who bursts through lads or catches the eye. He was underrated last season until that phenomenal 30 minutes against Toulouse. He's an unbelievably solid option. You're never let down by him which is something unusual for a prop. He's never beaten in the scrum, barely ever misses a tackle (perfect technique) and gets around the pitch very well. McGrath is a very promising player but with two starts in professional rugby to his name, there's nothing to suggest he's ready to be called upon in a big HEC game which he will be given Healy's propensity for picking up knocks in a game. VDM's general performances are very consistent too. As the season wears on, I expect him to peak and step up to the mark just as he did last year. He's bubbling along nicely.

I don't disagree RE Toner, but it still just doesn't sit well with me with him being a starting lock. Like I said, he's a solid option, but if we want to be the best team in Europe, I would see that area as a weakness when he's up against some of the best locks in Europe.

Re VDM, I think it's been extremely noticable the difference in the set piece when he's on or off the field. He was superb last season, but like I said, this season I think his scrumaging has been quite poor. Might be seen as being a little harsh, but keep an eye out for it. Ross has also come off second best a number of times this season and been penalised heavily at times.[/Quote]
Completely disagree re: Toner. He has already come up against Richie Gray and completely outplayed him. I don't see a weakness there at all. He is excellent in the lineout and he has a massive workrate and excellent defensive game. His ballcarrying isn't amazing but that's one thing our first choice team doesnt need. He's a class act. The problem is the TH side, we need a replacement for Cullen in the Hines mold. Someone with aggression, smarts and a massive hunger for off the ball work. In the short term that might have to be an NIQ.

On the other hand I completely agree re: VDM, as I've already said. Let's hang on to White though, too important a position to risk an injury crisis.

phog

Morf wrote: »

Should have got it, it's not a great photo of him though.

The one in the Carlow FC club house is much clearer.

It was tweeted by @shannonrfc to get guys guessig as most would have thought it was a Shannon player. Here's another clearer one to confirm it was Contepomi.

roycon

GerM wrote: »

Second year. He's a silky player. Bit of a late bloomer it looks like. He couldn't really nail a spot in the U20 side when eligible. I see him in the centre more than at 10. He plays in a way that would make me describe him as a budget Larkham. Not sure he has the rugby brain to make it at the top but he's certainly coming along very well in the past year. His cameo against Treviso showed his tricks. Would like for him to get a game at 12 outside Madigan or Sexton.

Bamboozle, I think, is a Tarf man and could give a good appraisal of Reid.

played ireland u20s two years in a row but had a lot of injuries. played senior cup for michaels in 4th year and missed penalty in the final from the half way line in landsdowne road when he was 16 against a team featuring lukey fitz, vas, niall morris etc. played for ucd for two seasons in the ail on the wing and at full back but mainly at out half. was known in his earlier year for his place kicking ability above all else and his solid defense. now an accomplished passer and running out half and has maybe let his place kicking slip. has been identified by leinster since he was very young but has played in almost every position in the back line. now focused only as an outhalf. plays at outhalf for clontarf in the ail when hes fit

GerM

roycon wrote: »

played ireland u20s two years in a row but had a lot of injuries. played senior cup for michaels in 4th year and missed penalty in the final from the half way line in landsdowne road when he was 16 against a team featuring lukey fitz, vas, niall morris etc. played for ucd for two seasons in the ail on the wing and at full back but mainly at out half. was known in his earlier year for his place kicking ability above all else and his solid defense. now an accomplished passer and running out half and has maybe let his place kicking slip. has been identified by leinster since he was very young but has played in almost every position in the back line. now focused only as an outhalf. plays at outhalf for clontarf in the ail when hes fit

Recall that penalty. Was a Hail Mary chance and I thought it was unfair to ask a kid to take it as he was never going to come close.

As he didn't get on the pitch last night, hopefully he's playing for Tarf against Con. Going to head down and have a look. See how himself and O'Shea link up. Think they'll be playing opposite Deasy and Dineen so should be a decent test.

danthefan

Was that penalty from way out on the right? Think I remember it.

boynesider

I have to say, as someone who was writing Toner off only 12 months ago, that he has completely confounded my expectations this year and at this rate is our player of the season IMO.

He is quite possibly the best lineout operator in world rugby and his handling and work rate are top notch also. I remember when he came on as a sub against the All Blacks in the aviva a few years ago and I was nearly embarrassed for him cause he looked so out of place. Wouldn't have any fears for him now though and he should be far higher up the International ladder than he seems to be at the moment.

CIARAN_BOYLE

boynesider wrote: »

He is quite possibly the best lineout operator in world rugby and his handling and work rate are top notch also.

Thats a bit much imo. He is very good at lineout time but he isn't the best in world rugby

He is a bit slow getting in the air, too slow getting up to jump at the front so has to jump in the middle or the tail.

GerM

danthefan wrote: »

Was that penalty from way out on the right? Think I remember it.

That's the one. Far side from the camera on halfway. Plenty of senior, professional kickers wouldn't have had the distance on it.

He was on the bench for Tarf today. Only got about 20 minutes and Con had most of it when he was on so little enough to make an impact with.

roycon

hes the best kick off receiver in the world aswell

.ak

boynesider wrote: »

I have to say, as someone who was writing Toner off only 12 months ago, that he has completely confounded my expectations this year and at this rate is our player of the season IMO.

He is quite possibly the best lineout operator in world rugby and his handling and work rate are top notch also. I remember when he came on as a sub against the All Blacks in the aviva a few years ago and I was nearly embarrassed for him cause he looked so out of place. Wouldn't have any fears for him now though and he should be far higher up the International ladder than he seems to be at the moment.

:eek:

He's allright like..

.ak

phog wrote: »

It was tweeted by @shannonrfc to get guys guessig as most would have thought it was a Shannon player. Here's another clearer one to confirm it was Contepomi.

Why was he playing there? Is he clubless at the moment?

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

phog wrote: »

It was tweeted by @shannonrfc to get guys guessig as most would have thought it was a Shannon player. Here's another clearer one to confirm it was Contepomi.

Why was he playing there? Is he clubless at the moment?

You don't remember the shambles of Contepomi signing for Leinster?

GerM

.ak wrote: »

Why was he playing there? Is he clubless at the moment?

FC signed for Leinster in 2003. Due to a brilliant administrative error, they failed to register him for the HEC. As he had a lot of free time on his hands and, unusually, was registered to Co. Carlow, he turned out for them to keep some level of match fitness.

Podge_irl

Actually how did Carlow do that season? Presumably Conters would have given them a certain spark!

durkadurka

Didn't he only play one game for them?

GerM

Certainly no more than a couple.

.ak

Ah, didn't know that. I remember him not playing in the HEC but didn't realize it was a blunder on Leinster's part.

phog

Podge_irl wrote: »

Actually how did Carlow do that season? Presumably Conters would have given them a certain spark!

I think he only played a one or two games for them, the day against Shannon he was a disaster, could kick from hand or tee. Restarts not going 10 or out in the full and his success rate for kick at goal was low too.

phog

Niall Woods, Isa's agent has tweeted

RT @gergilroy: Right today's show is an epic. We've Isa Nacewa in with us from just after 1pm, talking about his career to date. #newstalk

might be of interest.

Quint2010

Franno just referred to Nacewa as the best player in Europe in his piece today. Anyone care to argue?

GerM

Quint2010 wrote: »

Franno just referred to Nacewa as the best player in Europe in his piece today. Anyone care to argue?

Generous on this season's showing overall. Yes, he's a class act undoubtedly but he's not been outstanding all season. Had several mediocre performances alongside a couple of brilliant showings. I'd have said that Sexton has been playing better for Leinster. Nacewa playing on the wing may have impacted on his lack of impact but he's still made some basic errors that were unlike him. He was quite poor away to Montpellier, knocking on and messing up one or two things. Seems to be coming back towards last season's form since the turn of the year though.

Quint2010

GerM wrote: »

Generous on this season's showing overall. Yes, he's a class act undoubtedly but he's not been outstanding all season. Had several mediocre performances alongside a couple of brilliant showings. I'd have said that Sexton has been playing better for Leinster. Nacewa playing on the wing may have impacted on his lack of impact but he's still made some basic errors that were unlike him. He was quite poor away to Montpellier, knocking on and messing up one or two things. Seems to be coming back towards last season's form since the turn of the year though.

Thats mostly because he has been playing in his best position-full back. I would rather him there and Kearney on the wing. No coincidence that Leinster won both their Heineken Cups with Nacewa at FB.

totallegend

Quint2010 wrote: »

Franno just referred to Nacewa as the best player in Europe in his piece today. Anyone care to argue?

On the basis of the last three seasons, there aren't too many names springing to mind who would be above him.

durkadurka

We'll never know whether we would won them had Kearney been on the field.

You could apply the same logic to Cullen or heaslip or anyone else who played in both finals

GerM

Quint2010 wrote: »

Thats mostly because he has been playing in his best position-full back. I would rather him there and Kearney on the wing. No coincidence that Leinster won both their Heineken Cups with Nacewa at FB.

Aside from the HEC games, he has played the majority of his rugby this season at 15. He was great against Treviso but average enough on Friday night. Kicked the ball away in the closing seconds with an ill-judged grubber. He still wasn't hitting the highs of last season. Still showing well but not the same level of impact. Another feature is that, with any player that has a belter of a season, opposition look to take him out of the picture. They don't kick ball into midfield to him and shut him down more quickly.

Still a class act but I think Francis is prone to hyperbole.

totallegend

GerM wrote: »

Still a class act but I think Francis is prone to hyperbole.

That's an outrageous lie and I demand you retract it.

durkadurka

Good interview with nacewa there on newstalk.

Didn't say it but he sounded pretty fcuked off about the new NIQ thing. Has made his home here and wants to finish his career here.

CatFromHue

durkadurka wrote: »

Good interview with nacewa there on newstalk.

Didn't say it but he sounded pretty fcuked off about the new NIQ thing. Has made his home here and wants to finish his career here.

He's mentioned that before too, I think in an interview with the Independent. Pretty much said he didn't want to move from Leinster when his contract was up.

Sure why would he either....16 points down at half time in the HEC final to win by 11 in the end :cool::cool::cool:

GerM

I think they'll find a work around for Nacewa. He's a utility back. They'll designate him across a new position to give him another contract and the IRFU will bow to some serious pressure from both Leinster and the public.