Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

CIARAN_BOYLE

sock puppet wrote: »

If this guy's only managed 5 games for the Canes then he must be seriously shit.

Four caps this year (all off the bench) from six matches isn't a bad appearance record though.

sock puppet

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Four caps this year (all off the bench) from six matches isn't a bad appearance record though.

Yeah I didn't see until after I posted that he only joined the squad last year.

totallegend

Right, anyone want to try to guess what team Schmidt will send out next week? Will be very interested to see what he pulls out of the bag. I think Healy and Strauss will definitely come back in and you would have to assume O'Brien will as well, probably at Jennings' expense. I don't expect any changes in the back line.

I have no clue who'll get the nod in the second row, I thought Toner was excellent last night so it's a real dilemma.

durkadurka

Ill hazard a guess

Healy Strauss Ross
Cullen thorn
Mcloughlin,Sob, heaslip

Redden sexypants
Luke dorce bod isa
R Kearney

Cronin vdm white toner Jennings boss madigan Fergus

Hagz

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. Cullen
5. Toner
6. McLaughlin
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip
9. Redden
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. D'Arcy
13. O'Driscoll
14. Nacewa
15. Kearney

16. Cronin
17. Van der Merwe
18. White
19. Thorn
20. Jennings
21. Boss
22. Madigan
23. McFadden

That's my guess

CatFromHue

I'd say Toner will start at second row but I'm not sure who will join him. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jennings, McLaughlin, and Heaslip all start in the back row. Front row and half backs pick themselves.

It'll very interesting to see if McFadden starts at 12. I'd say it will be D'arcy but wouldn't be surprised to see McFadden.

Quint2010

totallegend wrote: »

Right, anyone want to try to guess what team Schmidt will send out next week? Will be very interested to see what he pulls out of the bag. I think Healy and Strauss will definitely come back in and you would have to assume O'Brien will as well, probably at Jennings' expense. I don't expect any changes in the back line.

I have no clue who'll get the nod in the second row, I thought Toner was excellent last night so it's a real dilemma.

I think Joe will start with Cullen and Thorn. But the rest of the team is a mystery. So many options. I think as we are at home Joe will be looking to start the game at a fierce pace and blow them away in the first half an hour a la the Bath game=so I can see him starting with SOB, Jennings and Heaslip in the back row. Cardiff are no great shakes. One guy I am worried about tho is Healy. Was watching him at close quarters last night and he looked shattered at the end despite only playing 20 minutes.

Tox56

I was just thinking that, Toner was really impressive, and is exactly the type of 5 we need, but Thorn looked a bit off the pace. Would they have the balls to leave Thorn off the team?

Jennings was excellent, but then again so was McLaughlin, but I would really like to see SOB at 6, and that would mean Jennings. That selection will be interesting.

Rest of the team picks itself and is a pretty settled, and barring injuries I can't think of any other selection issues.

D'Arcy made yards last night, and although he was prone to killing good ball, he looked a lot sharper than he did with Ireland (which wasn't hard). Given BOD is back, and McFadden is the perfect 23 (plays every position from 11-14 and kicks), I can't see any change at this stage.

Hopefully the game will be relatively safe, and Madigan will get a cameo.

irishbucsfan

i thought Thorn was very good in the first half.

OK he's not going to carry the ball. He doesn't have the hands of Hines. But that power he displays in the tight is just so impressive. I would hate to be a back row over the ball with him coming down to clear me out. I'd love to hear what the Munster pack thought of him.

That's all Leinster need from him anyway as far as I'm concerned. I was surprised to see him jumping at 2 though I have to say, I don't think he was as good as K McL has been.

[Jackass]

I'd say Joe will go with..

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. Thorn
5. Toner
6. O'Brien
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip (capt)

9. Reddan
10. Sexton
11. Fitzgerald
12. D'Arcy
13. O'Driscoll
14. Nacewa
15. Kearney

16. Cronin 17. Van Der Merwe 18. White 19. Cullen 20. McLoughlin 21. Boss 22. Madigan 23. McFadden

I'd go with McFadden at 12 and Dave Kearney at 23 myself.

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

i thought Thorn was very good in the first half.

OK he's not going to carry the ball. He doesn't have the hands of Hines. But that power he displays in the tight is just so impressive. I would hate to be a back row over the ball with him coming down to clear me out. I'd love to hear what the Munster pack thought of him.

That's all Leinster need from him anyway as far as I'm concerned. I was surprised to see him jumping at 2 though I have to say, I don't think he was as good as K McL has been.

I did see him clearing out, hitting mauls and tackling with incredible ferocity at times and he was good in the lineout, but is the combination of Thorn/Cullen better than Toner/Cullen? This is all presuming Cullen is nailed on for his captaincy, I just thought Toner was very impressive and has been all season.

Thorn just did look a bit sluggish at times in my opinion.

irishbucsfan

Tox56 wrote: »

I did see him clearing out, hitting mauls and tackling with incredible ferocity at times and he was good in the lineout, but is the combination of Thorn/Cullen better than Toner/Cullen? This is all presuming Cullen is nailed on for his captaincy, I just thought Toner was very impressive and has been all season.

Thorn just did look a bit sluggish at times in my opinion.

Don't think Toner/Cullen is a possibility at all.

It's Thorn v. Browne for that tighthead spot I'd say. Can't see Cullen playing there against Cardiff.

Toner or Cullen is a very good question though. Toner deserves the game but Cullen is el capitano.

durkadurka

Speaking of cullen ,
Did you notice an outrageous pass behind his back from him yesterday towards the end? We got a great view of it from the north terrace.

Teferi

Haha, yeah that was an inspired moment. Right up there with the soft hands he had in the HC final last year when he just managed to hold onto the ball.

Tox56

Completely forgot about Browne to be honest. Speaking of which, will he be playing in the A team? Presuming he won't be in the first-team with Thorn there.

ray jay

Thorn/Cullen would be my choice just for the sake of giving them more game time. I've no doubt that any combination of Thorn, Cullen and Toner will do a sufficiently good job.

Clegg

It's quite annoying that Steven Sykes is having a good season with the Sharks in the Super 15.

thomond2006

Kinger83

Clegg wrote: »

It's quite annoying that Steven Sykes is having a good season with the Sharks in the Super 15.

He played well against the Brumbies over the weekend. Made a nice break at one point and threw a nice inside pass to setup a try also. Pity he never settled.

[Jackass]

Ah good luck to him. We wouldn't have had Thorn if he stayed, and I'd take that switch tbf, and also ever since the alleged racist comments he made in a Leinster pre-season, I wasn't sure he was ever going to fit in anyway, and wasn't sorry to see him leave.

.ak

Yeah the Cullen offload was something special actually. Last person I expected to see it from. Especially after he got nailed in that tackle in midfield. He actually had a huge impact when he came on, not just in the loose but the whole team seemed to gel and their tails were up. I think we forget how important Cullen is when it comes to the Captaincy. I hope Heaslip learns from the wily old fox... As I think Heaslip is our longterm captain imo.


Who to pick for the second row? I'm not sure, but I definitely think Thorn should start, because 1: He needs the game time, and 2: It gives us the opportunity of having another good impact sub in the form of Toner or Cullen. I think I'd like to see Thorn and Cullen start. A little harsh to the inform Toner, but I think Cullen needs to be there as our lineouts seemed a little shaky last night. Then again, Toner's probably the only one with a full 80 minutes available in his tank...

WeeBushy

My guess (haven't looked at others so it might be the same):

Kearney
Nacewa
O'Driscoll
D'Arcy
Fitzgerald
Sexton
Reddan

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Cullen
Toner
McLaughlin
O'Brien
Heaslip

McGrath
White
Cronin
Thorn
Jennings
Boss
Madigan
McFadden

Second row and back row are the two biggest decisions imo. I think Toner has, and deserves, to start. Cullen vs Thorn - Cullen is our captain and Thorn hasn't set the world alight yet. He could be some impact replacement as well.

Back row is a toss up between Jennings and McLaughlin, depends on tactics. McLaughlin played well yesterday and Schmidt goes for McLaughlin more often from the start in the HC.

CouchSmart

Delighted with how yesterdays match went. Sets us up nicely for the coming weeks. The pack got a real work out. The scrum was a bit crap but Owens wasn't helping. Thought Thorn had a decent shift, really good at the grunt. Jennings and Heaslip were class, McLoughlin wasn't far off. Healy and Strauss were very important when they came off the bench, helped us up the tempo.

Great to see O'Driscoll get the 80, D'Arcy and McFadden both playing well at 12, and the back three are looking back to their respective bests. Sexton controlled the game beautifully.

Lots of good stuff for going into next and importantly, lots more to improve on. Was a little disappointed we didn't get a try or two, after we created opportunities but it should help us sharpen up for Saturday.

Cardiff will be a huge challenge next week. You'd have to be a fool to think otherwise. This one game is their whole season. They're pretty much out of contention for the Rabo. If I was to guess, they've been concentrating 90% of their efforts for the past few weeks(months?) on this game. Defining a game plan, working out our weaknesses, where we can be exploited etc. I reckon they definitely fancy themselves getting a scalp. Motivation won't be an issue. They've been totally written off, there's articles and posts on here and around the web talking about Sarries and Clermont, and while most of them do include the mandatory if, there's a definite sense of forgone conclusion about this. I do think Leinster have it in them to win, but it's going to be a highly physical and mentally exhausting game.

Podge_irl

I'm pretty interested in the team for this weekend. I genuinely think Leinster could field two entirely different XVs that could win the game but it will be a statement about where they are going. I would like to see McFadden start at 12 - he doesn't bring the same intensity to the breakdown as D'Arcy but offers much more penetration and hard running. If he could just learn to pass the damn ball he would be an excellent 12.

I think Toner should be penned in at 5 and it is between Cullen and Thorn to partner him. I would be unhappy to see a Thorn/Cullen partnership - it will obviously get us through the game but I think Toner has come on a lot and offers a much better balance with a hard grafting 4. I think a lot of Munster's lineout woes were to do with them trying to avoid throwing near Toner. Thorn is hitting rucks and doing the nitty gritty work but doesn't quite seem to be up to the quick offloading game that Leinster like to play yet.

Ross, Strauss and Healy should definitely be the front row. I was quite happy with both Jennings and McLaughlin in the Munster game and any of the possible permutations there I think will see us through. Interesting times ahead.

totallegend

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/9736.php

Squad update with very little of note; mentions that Thorn had the flu prior to Saturday's game which was news to me. The only injury concern for the Cardiff game is EOM, but with BOD back it makes no odds anyway.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Michael Corcoran on twitter is confirming that Bent is signing for Leinster

Big Nelly

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Michael Corcoran on twitter is confirming that Bent is signing for Leinster

Marcus Bent?

irishbucsfan

Big Nelly wrote: »

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Michael Corcoran on twitter is confirming that Bent is signing for Leinster

Marcus Bent?

Close. Michael Bent.

Big Nelly

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Close. Michael Bent.

Sorry forgot smiley.....only joking about Marcus Bent

Link below: http://rugby-transfers.blogspot.com/2012/04/leinster-sign-kiwi-prop-michael-bent.html

Anyone know anything about this player?

CIARAN_BOYLE

Big Nelly wrote: »

Sorry forgot smiley.....only joking about Marcus Bent

Link below: http://rugby-transfers.blogspot.com/2012/04/leinster-sign-kiwi-prop-michael-bent.html

Anyone know anything about this player?

9 caps 2 starts and seven sub appearnces. Four of which were this season. 35 ITM cup caps.

IQ and has played superrugby on both sides but most of his games have been at TH.