Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

irishbucsfan

[Jackass] wrote: »

I agree that it might be a bit dodgy starting O'Driscoll, but to be honest, we need him more than anything right now and i think he was always going to start this game regardless of how O'Malley faired in the away trip. He just needed those extra few days.

I hope to god he makes the 80, or at least 70. It'd be worth another injury if he got through most of the game and was fully fit for the next round of Heineken Cup games. I'm not sure he'd agree with my viewpoint on that though.

On paper team looks strong, in reality i hope there aren't too many knocks being carried. Hopefully dricco and Heaslips injuries have been played up by Schmidt. O'Brien at 6 suggests Heaslip is going to start. They usually have O'Brien / Ryan and Heaslip / O'Brien in the two positions if it includes a positional switch, no? and there's no way Ryan would be at 8 with O'Brien at 6....

Anyway, excited and nervous for this one!! Any win will do.

They can list it and change that as much as they want... I think you're reading into that bit a little too much!

[Jackass]

But did you see how Joe's lip quivered slightly when announcing the team and he rubbed his nose within 20 seconds of giving the back-row. Classic body language for lying...I also felt he was not making as much eye contact as usual....

danthefan

Glad we've a board of medical experts to clear things up for us :rolleyes:

[Jackass]

Permutations:

If the teams finish level on points in the group, the higher placed team is decided by the more tries scored in head to heads.

Therefore, we are 5 points ahead of Clermont and Racing.

If we win vs Saracens, Clermont will need to get two bonus point wins v Racing & Saracens and also will need Leinster no to get a winning bonus v Saracens or a losing bonus v Racing in order to finish ahead of us.

If we win v Saracens, Racing will have to get two bonus point wins v Clermont and Leinster and also need Leinster not to get a winning bonus v Saracens or a losing bonus against them, OR in the even we get a win and one more bonus, they will have to score at least 5 tries MORE than us in the game in Paris IF they have a higher try count over all (we are currently 4 tries ahead of them) or they will need to win and score six more tries than us in Paris.

So, basically, if we beat Saracens at home, we've won the group, if we beat Saracens with a bonus point, which I think we can and will, it is mathamatically impossible to lose the group barring losing to Racing in Paris and them scoring approximately six more tries than us on the day.....or something like that. It made sense until I started typing it. Damn you beer!!!

Massive win today. I'm tempted to say shame we didn't get the bonus, but I wont be greedy. Group of death and we're handling it very well indeed.

anonymous_joe

Mike Ross, Strauss and Healy for Ireland. (Strauss in a season or so admittedly.)

Leinster to provide irelands front row, back row, centres and lots of all other positions for s few years to come.zz

Great to be home!

Hype710

Deleted User wrote: »

Leinster to provide irelands front row, back row, centres and lots of all other positions for s few years to come.zz

Great to be home!

Ah, if only we could erase Isa's solitary Fiji cap from the history books too!

Jack Sheehan

Can someone tell me the rules regarding foreign players playing for Ireland? All this mention of Strauss...

danthefan

Jack Sheehan wrote: »

Can someone tell me the rules regarding foreign players playing for Ireland? All this mention of Strauss...

A player can qualify to play for Ireland (or anyone else) after 3 years of residency assuming he's never played a full internation, 'A' international or 7's game for another country.

gally74

Deleted User wrote: »

Leinster to provide irelands front row, back row, centres and lots of all other positions for s few years to come.zz

Great to be home!

I think your right with exception of ferris and poc, can see Cronin gaining to Leinster, hard to believe how munster s pack has gone back ,

Lawstudent1

gally74 wrote: »

I think your right with exception of ferris and poc, can see Cronin gaining to Leinster, hard to believe how munster s pack has gone back ,

Just confirmed on another thread that Cronin is going to Leinster followed by Carr. Keatley is off to Munster.

jolley123

If anyone knows the result in the A game, can they please tell me.

danthefan

jolley123 wrote: »

If anyone knows the result in the A game, can they please tell me.

Not sure of the score but Leinster got hammered, like really badly hammered.

Jedwardian

It's not over yet. Leinster are losing 43-12 at the moment. Updates here:
http://twitter.com/CornwallSport

Over now. 43-12 final score.

jolley123

Those pirate fellas are a good team alright. I see them often on the Sky Rugby Club.

Teej

How big a role in all of this is played by Richardt Strauss is hard to say but very quickly the South African has become very important to Leinster. It is understood they will have to get by without him for a while if he has to go ahead with a hand operation, and if so they will feel the loss

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-in-the-driving-seat-2466585.html

Anyone heard anything about this? I guess if it can safely be postponed until the end of the HC group matches it wouldn't be too bad but we'd be f***ed without him in Europe. Course not worth risking a more serious injury if needs the op sooner

[Jackass]

Carr is a big signing for Leinster and almost certainly spells the end for Niall Morris and / or Dave Kearney..

Back 3 options of:
Fitzgerald
Nacewa
Kearney
Horgan
Conway
Carr

and the likes of McFadden if needed....very good options with lots of youth...

Cronin is obviously a big signing that brings yoth and depth with it also..

How do people feel about Keatley's switch to Munster?

I say good luck to him, I don't think he'll ever be an international quality 10, I think RO'G is going to spend the next 3 years coaching him and I think Sexton is lightyears ahead of him...if he's Munsters answer at 10, then i have a warm fuzzy feeling inside that we've won the 10 battle on them for the next 10 years or so...

thomond2006

Not particularly on topic but where's Stephen Knoop these days?

wixfjord

[Jackass] wrote: »

Carr is a big signing for Leinster and almost certainly spells the end for Niall Morris and / or Dave Kearney..

Back 3 options of:
Fitzgerald
Nacewa
Kearney
Horgan
Conway
Carr

and the likes of McFadden if needed....very good options with lots of youth...

Cronin is obviously a big signing that brings yoth and depth with it also..

How do people feel about Keatley's switch to Munster?

I say good luck to him, I don't think he'll ever be an international quality 10, I think RO'G is going to spend the next 3 years coaching him and I think Sexton is lightyears ahead of him...if he's Munsters answer at 10, then i have a warm fuzzy feeling inside that we've won the 10 battle on them for the next 10 years or so...

Two fantastic signings for us. Really increases squad depth, and Irish too.
What a great weekend for Leinster rugby!

Agree completely on Keatley if this is the Munster answer to ROG's retirement then it could spell the ascent of Ulster into second place in the Irish rugby rankings. He's good, but not HEC top level good imo.

Really really happy with the province atm! Even BOD is not looking so irreplaceable now with McFadden and O Malley.

Only place we're looking a bit light now long term is second row. Any chance of Nagle going to Connacht and us picking him up?!

Wonder if Galarza and Newlands will be kept?

Also I completely forgot that Wright will be back after Xmas!

wixfjord

wixfjord wrote: »

Wonder if Galarza and Newlands will be kept?

I hope not

Teej

wixfjord wrote: »

Also I completely forgot that Wright will be back after Xmas!

Think I read somewhere this week he's had a set-back

Edit: Now expected back in March
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/wright-blow-for-leinster-2465692.html

How do people feel about Keatley's switch to Munster?

Primarily world cup cover with Warwick leaving & a chance for him to learn from ROG for a couple of years

Risteard

Bit too early to comment on Keatley, Sexton wasn't the player he is when he first starting getting games for Leinster.

funky penguin

Yeah, I agree, Keatly to Munster could (hopefully for Irish rugby) do wonders for him.

Far to early to be saying we'll have the upper hand for the next few years etc.

jolley123

What's the story with Dave McSharry? Do the guys at the Academy not rate him or something. I think he is great, every time I watch him he impresses me. He has a step the reminds me of Quade Cooper.

Chandler2010

jolley123 wrote: »

What's the story with Dave McSharry? Do the guys at the Academy not rate him or something. I think he is great, every time I watch him he impresses me. He has a step the reminds me of Quade Cooper.

He had a bad run with injuries over the past couple of seasons, but is healthy again and playing some great stuff for UCD this season. I'd imagine he will go into the academy at the end of the season, or will get picked up by an English side or another province (he has strong Leitrim bloodlines, so Connacht could do worse than to have a look!). Not many 12's that weigh 100kgs but also have good footwork and footballing skills (he played at flyhalf all through school) in Irish rugby.

[Jackass]

Have to agree that this is an absolute high as far as a week in Leinster rugby.

Young players REALLY stepping up now, quality and depth looking better than ever, in full control of a group that is amongst the toughest the Heineken Cup has ever seen (and, with all due respect to Munsters group, THE toughest group this season), and some massive signings.

Squad I'd like to see for next year:

Loose-Head: Healy, Van Der Merwe, McGrath
Hooker: Strauss, Cronin, Harris-Wright
Tight-Head: Ross, Wright, Hagan, Maguire
Second-Row: Cullen, Toner, Hines, O'Donoghue, Sheriff
Back-Row: Heaslip, O'Brien, Jennings, McLoughlin, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan
Scrum-Half: Boss, Reddan, O'Donohue
Out-Half: Sexton, Madigan, McKinley
Centre: O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, McFadden, O'Malley, Macken
Back-3: Nacewa, Fitzgerald, Kearney, Carr, Conway, Horgan

IN: Hagan (Front Row - Connacht), Cronin (Front Row - Connacht), Maguire (Front Row - Academy Promoted), Dominic Ryan (Back-Row - Academy Promoted), Madigan (Out-Half - Academy Promoted), McKinley (Out-Half - Academy Promoted), Carr (Back 3 - Connacht)

OUT: McCormack (Front Row - Retired), Fogarty (Front-Row - Retired), Clint Newland (Front-Row - Released), Ben Prescott (Front-Row - Released), Simon Shawe (Front-Row - Connacht), Galarza (Second-Row - Released), Hogan (Second-Row - Connacht), Stephen Keogh (Back-Row - Connacht), Paul Ryan (Back-Row - Connacht Loan), Shaun Berne (Out-Half - Released), Dave Kearney (Back-Three - Connacht), Niall Morris (Back-Three - Connacht).

That would trim the wage bill from 45 to 38, it would clean up the squad, eliminate a lot of the dead wood, get rid of old average players who are there for squad depth and give those oppertunities to the vast amount of young promising players we have coming through, it would bring Leinsters NIQ quota to 3 (not including Strauss), the senior squad would contain 23 academy graduates (staggering number), and would fine tune the squad and maintain plenty of depth through out.

It would also mean Connacht would get 8 (and 9 if Berne agreed to go) players from us, all decent and give them some very good experienced players, some very promising young players, and would be the genuine articles who were surplus to requirements at Leinster, and a fair donation in my book.

It also means we could field a 1st team of: 1. Healy 2. Strauss 3. Ross 4. Cullen 5. Hines 6. O'Brien 7. Jennings 8. Heaslip 9. Boss 10. Sexton 11. Fitzgerald 12. D'Arcy 13. O'Driscoll 14. Nacewa 15. Kearney

and a SECOND STRING of:

1. Van Der Merwe 2. Cronin 3. Hagan 4. O'Donoghue 5. Toner 6. McLoughlin 7. Ryan 8. Ruddock 9. Reddan 10. Madigan 11. Carr 12. McFadden 13. O'Malley 14. Horgan 15. Conway

That second string team is good enough to beat most teams in Europe imo.

I think a fine tuning of Leinster and a squad clean up to that would be amazing and, especially exciting, is the only prospect we need to sign at this point would be Hagan. And we would have some excellent players on ice at Connacht and could begin to develop a new generation of academy players.

Exciting times to be a Leinster fan indeed.

Morf

[Jackass] wrote: »

Squad I'd like to see for next year:

Loose-Head: Healy, Van Der Merwe, McGrath

Tight-Head: Ross, Wright, Hagan, Maguire

Isn't Wright primarily a loose-head that can play both sides?

porterbelly

[Jackass] wrote: »

Have to agree that this is an absolute high as far as a week in Leinster rugby.

Young players REALLY stepping up now, quality and depth looking better than ever, in full control of a group that is amongst the toughest the Heineken Cup has ever seen (and, with all due respect to Munsters group, THE toughest group this season), and some massive signings.

Squad I'd like to see for next year:

Loose-Head: Healy, Van Der Merwe, McGrath
Hooker: Strauss, Cronin, Harris-Wright
Tight-Head: Ross, Wright, Hagan, Maguire
Second-Row: Cullen, Toner, Hines, O'Donoghue, Sheriff
Back-Row: Heaslip, O'Brien, Jennings, McLoughlin, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan
Scrum-Half: Boss, Reddan, O'Donohue
Out-Half: Sexton, Madigan, McKinley
Centre: O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, McFadden, O'Malley, Macken
Back-3: Nacewa, Fitzgerald, Kearney, Carr, Conway, Horgan

IN: Hagan (Front Row - Connacht), Cronin (Front Row - Connacht), Maguire (Front Row - Academy Promoted), Dominic Ryan (Back-Row - Academy Promoted), Madigan (Out-Half - Academy Promoted), McKinley (Out-Half - Academy Promoted), Carr (Back 3 - Connacht)

OUT: McCormack (Front Row - Retired), Fogarty (Front-Row - Retired), Clint Newland (Front-Row - Released), Ben Prescott (Front-Row - Released), Simon Shawe (Front-Row - Connacht), Galarza (Second-Row - Released), Hogan (Second-Row - Connacht), Stephen Keogh (Back-Row - Connacht), Paul Ryan (Back-Row - Connacht Loan), Shaun Berne (Out-Half - Released), Dave Kearney (Back-Three - Connacht), Niall Morris (Back-Three - Connacht).

That would trim the wage bill from 45 to 38, it would clean up the squad, eliminate a lot of the dead wood, get rid of old average players who are there for squad depth and give those oppertunities to the vast amount of young promising players we have coming through, it would bring Leinsters NIQ quota to 3 (not including Strauss), the senior squad would contain 23 academy graduates (staggering number), and would fine tune the squad and maintain plenty of depth through out.

It would also mean Connacht would get 8 (and 9 if Berne agreed to go) players from us, all decent and give them some very good experienced players, some very promising young players, and would be the genuine articles who were surplus to requirements at Leinster, and a fair donation in my book.

It also means we could field a 1st team of: 1. Healy 2. Strauss 3. Ross 4. Cullen 5. Hines 6. O'Brien 7. Jennings 8. Heaslip 9. Boss 10. Sexton 11. Fitzgerald 12. D'Arcy 13. O'Driscoll 14. Nacewa 15. Kearney

and a SECOND STRING of:

1. Van Der Merwe 2. Cronin 3. Hagan 4. O'Donoghue 5. Toner 6. McLoughlin 7. Ryan 8. Ruddock 9. Reddan 10. Madigan 11. Carr 12. McFadden 13. O'Malley 14. Horgan 15. Conway

That second string team is good enough to beat most teams in Europe imo.

I think a fine tuning of Leinster and a squad clean up to that would be amazing and, especially exciting, is the only prospect we need to sign at this point would be Hagan. And we would have some excellent players on ice at Connacht and could begin to develop a new generation of academy players.

Exciting times to be a Leinster fan indeed.

Hagan aint going anywhere. There was rumours of a 4th Connacht player to be on the move, and that was Hagan to Leinster but he's going to sign a new deal with Connacht. I kind of felt he wouldn't move after reading an article in the Indo with him a couple of months where he said he wasn't very happy there, didn't like the underage structure, very cliquey, and there was alot of big names around the 1st team and he didn't feel at home. He said if he got the opportunity back then, he would like to sign a new deal with Connacht.

At least it's a bit of good news for Connacht with the departures of Cronin, Keatley and Carr at the end of the season, as well as the loss of John Muldoon and Johnny O'Connor for the crucial interpros over the xmas and potentially more games, adding to the absences of Brett Wilkinson, Ezra Taylor, Eoin Griffin and Ray Ofisa.

jolley123

[Jackass] wrote: »

IN: Hagan (Front Row - Connacht), Shaun Berne (Out-Half - Released).

Hagan doesn't feel to good about Leinster. Do you really think we should release Berne? Not that him leaving would affect Leinster much but he covers 3 positions and is really good.

ALH-06

jolley123 wrote: »

Do you really think we should release Berne? Not that him leaving would affect Leinster much but he covers 3 positions and is really good.

I definitely would not release Berne. The prospect of Sexton getting injured and Madigan coming in for a top-flight HC game against the likes of Clermont or Leicester doesn't fill me with confidence at all. He's taken some decent steps in the right direction lately, but Madigan is not there yet. Memories of the Treviso game come flooding back.

Berne is great squad cover for 10 and 12, and has really stepped up for us at HC level. Keep him if possible, but continue to give Madigan solid ML game time ahead of him in Sexton's absence.