Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Jedwardian

Leinster A won 25-16

clsmooth

Deleted User wrote: »

Mcgrath was a good scrummager at underage levels. Very powerful lad. Haven't seen him play in last 18months though. Think management doing right thing delaying him anyway. Let him build experience the tough way, no point in holding tackle bags and hoping for a bench spot when there are games to be played for the As

Big bloke! Where'd he go to school?

St. Mary's I'm fairly sure

jolley123

clsmooth wrote: »

Big bloke! Where'd he go to school?

Marys

jolley123

From their website:


PLYMOUTH Albion lost 25-16 against Leinster at Greystones on Saturday in their replayed British & Irish Cup match.
The first game at Skerries on Friday evening had to be abandoned after 26 minutes due to floodlight failure. Albion were winning 10-5 at the time.
However, the score reverted back to 0-0 on Saturday and Leinster took full advantage to secure their second win in the competition.

I smell bitterness, understandable though.

Hippo

It's getting worse. Irish Times website saying O'Malley could miss Saturday with a cracked rib.

RuggieBear

ffs

irishbucsfan

If O'Malley is out and O'Driscoll still unavailable, I would guess we'd see McFadden at 13 and Kearney on the wing?

Worrying.

thomond2006

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If O'Malley is out and O'Driscoll still unavailable, I would guess we'd see McFadden at 13 and Kearney on the wing?

Worrying.

That would be it.

mincemeat.

I have 0 faith in Kearney being able to stop any of the back 3 of Clermont. They're big angry fcukers!

jolley123

I have a feeling it will be Berne 12 Darce 13 and McFadden to stay on the wing.

funky penguin

Christ.

The worse thing that could happen from this is an attempt to rush BOD.

Berne at 12 would be the safest bet. A nice one too, he's an excellent distributor.

smurphy29

It's getting harder and harder to see us getting a win out of this. Blues fans: we will have to roar ourselves hoarse on saturday evening.

Schmidt has pretty much said that Kearney will start on the wing with McFadden playing 13. Dom Ryan is likely to start at 6 by all accounts. I wonder is there an argument for playing Toner and putting Hines to 6. It would help the lineout which was patchy on sunday... but I have a feeling Schmidt wants to get his biggest, most physical pack on the pitch, and Ryan would make more sense than Toner in that case.

In other news, it seems Cronin is a racing certainty to be at Leinster next season. Munster also chasing him, but he feels there's too much traffic there. Wouldn't surprise if Kidney has nudged him gently towards the capital.

thebaz

I'm hoping to go to game - not sure if i get time - if i do, do you reckon i'll get a ticket at door ?

thanks

Thanos

smurphy29 wrote: »

It's getting harder and harder to see us getting a win out of this. Blues fans: we will have to roar ourselves hoarse on saturday evening.

Schmidt has pretty much said that Kearney will start on the wing with McFadden playing 13. Dom Ryan is likely to start at 6 by all accounts. I wonder is there an argument for playing Toner and putting Hines to 6. It would help the lineout which was patchy on sunday... but I have a feeling Schmidt wants to get his biggest, most physical pack on the pitch, and Ryan would make more sense than Toner in that case.

In other news, it seems Cronin is a racing certainty to be at Leinster next season. Munster also chasing him, but he feels there's too much traffic there. Wouldn't surprise if Kidney has nudged him gently towards the capital.

Where did he say this?? Was in on a radio interview or newpaper......
Just looking for source (and to read if it is in print)
Thanks.

anonymous_joe

I could cope with Berne starting tbh. Or Dave Kearney on the wing I guess.

Thanos

Thanos wrote: »

Where did he say this?? Was in on a radio interview or newpaper......
Just looking for source (and to read if it is in print)
Thanks.

Its in the IT

IrishTimes
LEINSTER’S INJURY crisis worsens by the day and coach Joe Schmidt is pretty much resigned to being without Jamie Heaslip and Eoin O’Malley as well as Brian O’Driscoll for Saturday’s return Heineken Cup meeting with French champions Clermont.

With Luke Fitzgerald and Rob Kearney casualties of the Autumn Tests, Leinster could be without all four of their Lions Test starters in South Africa as well as the main back-up for O’Driscoll.

Schmidt will give Heaslip every chance of playing and won’t name his team until Friday, but the inspirational number eight – whose durability and strength is unrivalled – still had his left ankle in a cast yesterday and the Leinster coach admitted: “Jamie Heaslip is highly unlikely to play. I think you all saw on Saturday that we tried to get him through to half-time, but his ankle is badly swollen and he’s hobbling around at the moment and highly unlikely, unfortunately. We’re going to give him until Friday and hopefully something can happen.”

O’Driscoll will again see his specialist, Dr Cliff Beirne, on Friday. “We’re hoping to get an all-clear for Brian on Friday but again that’s right up in the air. We were hoping to get something today but he’s back to the specialist on Friday, so that’s right up in the air.”

In the event, Schmidt put the centre’s chances of playing at no better than 30-70.

“Broken bones are broken bones. It’s not like you can jab it or bandage it up – I suppose you could bandage it up but it would look a bit bizarre. I don’t think we can make any sort of decision until Friday.”

This has been compounded by the news that O’Driscoll’s able young deputy, O’Malley, whose footwork and tackling shone like a beacon on his Heineken Cup debut in such intimidating surrounds, has even less chance of playing the return match after sustaining a fractured rib.

“He’s almost 99 per cent sure he’s unavailable for Saturday, which is devastating for him.

“He came out of the game obviously fatigued and sore but really excited about testing himself at that level, but it’s highly unlikely he’ll play.

“If that happens Fergus McFadden will slip into centre and Dave Kearney will take his place on the left wing.”

So bare is the cupboard now that Isaac Boss is likely to cover the wing.

About the only good news is that Seán O’Brien should be fit to play.

“He took a number of hits but there’s no damage to his ribs, it’s just bruising. He’s also got a stinger and got a shoulder in the head from (Sione) Lauaki at one stage and those sort of things took their toll during the game, but the Tullow fellow’s fairly robust and he’s back for another look on Saturday, we’re pretty sure.

“He can’t train today or maybe Thursday, but our medics have been generous and said he can maybe do a captain’s run on Friday.”

O’Brien is likely to move to number eight in Heaslip’s absence, with Dominic Ryan starting at blindside flanker, and Rhys Ruddock being promoted to the bench.

Whereas Leinster dip further into their indigenous young ranks by contrast, Schmidt noted, his old mate Vern Cotter can afford “some fairly luxurious options” in making voluntary changes with alternative internationals as the Leinster coach braces himself and his increasingly patchwork team for what he called a “tour de force”.

“They will come over and look to physically shove us off the park. Vern put out in the press something about a disrespect thing and I think that is them playing a little bit of a mind game with their own players, to get them ready to spark up to that, come over and physically out-muscle us.”

Around 41,000 tickets have now been sold for the Fever in the Aviva, and Schmidt is hoping they can be as raucous as the Stade Marcel Michelin crowd were last Sunday.

“I would love to see a crowd of 45-50,000. This is the fulcrum of our season, to a degree. As much as I hate to say that so early in the season, I know our players felt last week that the referee received a lot of pressure from the crowd.

“I felt that the crowd were certainly very vocal and we would love to have the reverse happen this weekend.”

Meanwhile, Donnacha Ryan is expected to be included in an expanded Munster squad today for their crunch rematch with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday after coming through Munster’s 47-14 British and Irish Cup win over Melrose last weekend, all the more so given the likely unavailability of Paul O’Connell pending his disciplinary hearing tomorrow.

“Donnacha has done a great job for us this season and for Ireland so it will be good to have him back, and we’ll see what direction Paul’s hearing takes on Thursday,” said Tony McGahan.

Ryan will train with the rest of the Munster squad in the CIT today, as most likely will Keith Earls and Paul Warwick, despite sustaining minor leg and head injuries in last Sunday’s win over the Ospreys at Thomond Park.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/1215/1224285581523.html

irishbucsfan

I guess we should just cross our fingers that O'Driscoll will be passed fit so McFadden can stay out on the wing.

phog

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I guess we should just cross our fingers that O'Driscoll will be passed fit so McFadden can stay out on the wing.

I would doubt that he would cleared to play if they put off meeting the specialist from today until Friday, the only thing going for him is his match fitness and it's a home game so no travel time is being lost.

The hill is becoming a mountain but still a home game and the experience of last week should stand to the younger lads.

WeeBushy

smurphy29 wrote: »

In other news, it seems Cronin is a racing certainty to be at Leinster next season. Munster also chasing him, but he feels there's too much traffic there. Wouldn't surprise if Kidney has nudged him gently towards the capital.

Is that based on Thornley's article? Seemed like a throw away comment from him, based on his opinion, rather than anything he'd heard. I could be, and would love to be, wrong though.

He would have to get past Strauss first, no mean feat. Would be great to have that kind of strength in depth at hooker though, something that we haven't had in quite a while.

smurphy29

WeeBushy wrote: »

Is that based on Thornley's article? Seemed like a throw away comment from him, based on his opinion, rather than anything he'd heard. I could be, and would love to be, wrong though.

He would have to get past Strauss first, no mean feat. Would be great to have that kind of strength in depth at hooker though, something that we haven't had in quite a while.

More detail here. Still not set in stone, but it would make sense.

http://www.examiner.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-close-in-on-cronin-139492.html

JustinDee

smurphy29 wrote: »

More detail here. Still not set in stone, but it would make sense

In the article that starts with "Speculation intensified last night ... "

Sorry, couldn't resist.

irishbucsfan

If Cronin does move to Leinster, he will have a battle on his hands to remove Strauss given his performances this season. I would say Strauss is the better player.

Leinster do need the depth at Hooker though.

CIARAN_BOYLE

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If Cronin does move to Leinster, he will have a battle on his hands to remove Strauss given his performances this season. I would say Strauss is the better player.

Leinster do need the depth at Hooker though.

I agree that Strauss is the better player. Will Cronin be happy as depth.I have a feeling that Cronin will stay in the west rather than trying to fight in Leinster/Munster.

irishbucsfan

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I agree that Strauss is the better player. Will Cronin be happy as depth.I have a feeling that Cronin will stay in the west rather than trying to fight in Leinster/Munster.

I think the only thing that Leinster can offer him is H Cup rugby. And even then he will be 2nd choice for H Cup games so that will be fairly irrelevant to him.

Perhaps Cronin would like the challenge of trying to oust Strauss. Both will be Irish Qualified in the not too distant future so it will be a nice problem for Leinster to have IF it happens.

danthefan

Would be a fantastic signing for Leinster if we got Cronin. He's a class player.

profitius

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I agree that Strauss is the better player. Will Cronin be happy as depth.I have a feeling that Cronin will stay in the west rather than trying to fight in Leinster/Munster.

Depends on Cronins throwing. If Cronin can match Strauss' throwing then he'll easily be a better player. An acccurate throw is the key though.

Good move for Cronin and Leinster. I think Munster should make him an offer but I doubt that'll happen.

CouchSmart

profitius wrote: »

Depends on Cronins throwing. If Cronin can match Strauss' throwing then he'll easily be a better player. An acccurate throw is the key though.

Good move for Cronin and Leinster. I think Munster should make him an offer but I doubt that'll happen.

Really don't agree with that. Strauss is equally as good as Cronin in the loose, perhaps with less pace. He's also an excellent defender and poacher of opposition ball, Cronin will need to add this to his game to overtake Strauss.

[Jackass]

While I love getting Irish talent coming into Leinster, especially a young rising star like Cronin, I am very pro academy, at giving those guys a chance.

Harris-Wright has been excellent when called upon this season and is able cover for Strauss imo. All the good work would be undone if he was moved to 3rd choice hooker, and with Sexton coming through the ranks at hooker also, it would more or less guarentee the loss of another academy player in an area perhaps where we've been poor at bringing through players in the past, and I couldn't see JHW too pleased with it either, which means we could lose both our hooker academy prospects...

we're likely to lose O'Donohue on the back of the Boss signing...

I don't know, I guess some people like the instant developed side with depth, which is hard to disagree with, but i prefer them to be as much Leinster & Academy as possible...maybe I'm being too much of a traditionalist in a modern pro game ...

As for Strauss v Cronin, Strauss would be no. 1 for me quite comfortably at the moment. Better set piece, better around the park, and like an additional 7 on the field. (as he can cover there also...and it shows...)

irishbucsfan

profitius wrote: »

Depends on Cronins throwing. If Cronin can match Strauss' throwing then he'll easily be a better player. An acccurate throw is the key though.

Good move for Cronin and Leinster. I think Munster should make him an offer but I doubt that'll happen.

Not at all in my opinion.

Cronin is faster. That is all. Strauss is a stronger ball carrier though, and much stronger in contact.

Cronin has shown he has problems with scrummaging (for Ireland) whereas Strauss is extremely solid in the scrums.

Cronin's lineoue throwing is shakey. Strauss has been the best lineout thrower in the country this season.

Both players are also extremely similar in age.