Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

.ak

Also the airline has banned him from travelling with them. That generally only happens when 'threatening behavior' happens.

dougieruggie

Big Nelly wrote: »

McGrath is only 23, I mentioned before that Leinster should set up a feeder club. For the prop role you need experience and age. McGrath is still young, no where near HC ready. Would liek to see VDM stay!!!!

Hes actually 22 and I think hes more than capable of coming on at LH in a HC game. Hes already been fine at LH against international THs in the past.

I would like McGrath to play a similar number of games to VDM and Healy next season.

nerd69

i think it would benefit the irfu to reestablish links with the exiles if they have an interest and send 1 or 2 of our younger front rows over for a year or 2 scrummaging in the premiership would help a lot look what it did for mike ross

CatFromHue

WeeBushy wrote: »

Was he not on a pay as you play deal? I seem to remember something about that, but it could easily have been with one many other teams he's played for recently. If it was with Cardiff I can't imagine he's a massive burden salary wise.

Also the ice cubes are really just the tip of the iceberg, pun most certainly intended. He was out drinking until 5am the week before a HC QF... that's just unacceptable. Coupled with his past history and reputation I would imagine he was on a zero tolerance deal with regards to his behaviour.

I'm not sure on his contract situation to be honest. I just know it was an 8 month deal.

I find it hard to believe that he was the only one who went out til 5am though.

.ak wrote: »

Also the airline has banned him from travelling with them. That generally only happens when 'threatening behavior' happens.

Didn't know this, maybe it's more serious than what I assumed.

ambid

So according to the latest ezine, Leinster are holding an open training session next week in Donnybrook. Does anybody know if it's possible to watch their normal training sessions, and where those normal sessions are held (somewhere around UCD I think)?

LEIN

ambid wrote: »

So according to the latest ezine, Leinster are holding an open training session next week in Donnybrook. Does anybody know if it's possible to watch their normal training sessions, and where those normal sessions are held (somewhere around UCD I think)?

Details are here and on Facebook.

shuffol

Henson was 7 months into an 8 month deal, essentially they docked him a months wages and told him to stay at home.

[Jackass]

dougieruggie wrote: »

Hes actually 22 and I think hes more than capable of coming on at LH in a HC game. Hes already been fine at LH against international THs in the past.

I would like McGrath to play a similar number of games to VDM and Healy next season.

As a loose head McGrath is extremely capable in my eyes. I agree that he should get a good bit of game time next season, although in fairness, he's been involved in 10 games so far this year, as well as a good B&I Cup run.

I'd sooner have McGrath as second choice loose head than I would Hagan as second choice tight head to be honest. I think McGrath will be Heineken Cup / International quality over the next couple of seasons, maybe we would need VDM for just one more season as a buffer, but I'd certainly like to see McGrath leap frog him in some respect, especially when it comes to starting PRO12 games.

thomond2006

shuffol wrote: »

Henson was 7 months into an 8 month deal, essentially they docked him a months wages and told him to stay at home.

He didn't make much impact when he arrived and was never going to get a renewal with Cardiff's cutbacks anyway. It is as you say.

irishbucsfan

I'd love it if Cardiff had been cutting back extra top clear space for an extension for him...

Clegg

Cardiff still have some decent backs. Laulala, Cuthbert and Halfpenny are all very good players. But they'll miss Roberts ability to get over the gainline. Bradley Davies will be back for the game so that will give them a boost.

I think Leinster have the beating of Cardiff in the pack though.

WeeBushy

[Jackass] wrote: »

As a loose head McGrath is extremely capable in my eyes. I agree that he should get a good bit of game time next season, although in fairness, he's been involved in 10 games so far this year, as well as a good B&I Cup run.

I'd sooner have McGrath as second choice loose head than I would Hagan as second choice tight head to be honest. I think McGrath will be Heineken Cup / International quality over the next couple of seasons, maybe we would need VDM for just one more season as a buffer, but I'd certainly like to see McGrath leap frog him in some respect, especially when it comes to starting PRO12 games.

I agree with pretty much all of that. I would however definitely keep on VdM for another year. I would be nervous about having McGrath as our only tested option starting for a lot of the season when Healy is away. We would have no reliable back up. When both our starting props are 1st choice for Ireland you need 3 senior props on both sides imo. It would lead us one injury away from a crisis.

In saying that McGrath should be seriously targeting VdM's position next year. I think he's good enough, and he has a coach who if it was merited wouldn't be afraid to make the call either.

thomond2006

Clegg wrote: »

Cardiff still have some decent backs. Laulala, Cuthbert and Halfpenny are all very good players. But they'll miss Roberts ability to get over the gainline. Bradley Davies will be back for the game so that will give them a boost.

I think Leinster have the beating of Cardiff in the pack though.

They don't have the quality at 10 either, we all know what Parks brings and doesn't bring to the table. Sweeney is at best decent.

Clegg

thomond2006 wrote: »

They don't have the quality at 10 either, we all know what Parks brings and doesn't bring to the table. Sweeney is at best decent.

I don't think they'll even start Parks. They need a 10 more suited to a running style imo. They won't beat Leinster by playing percentage rugby. They don't have the pack for that.

They could have played that way with Warburton but he's out so a running game might be their only option.

Hagz

I hope they don't start Parks. He's the one player I'm worried about.

thomond2006

Clegg wrote: »

I don't think they'll even start Parks. They need a 10 more suited to a running style imo. They won't beat Leinster by playing percentage rugby. They don't have the pack for that.

They could have played that way with Warburton but he's out so a running game might be their only option.

I think that was why they signed Norton-Knight a few years ago, but that was a disaster so they then went down the conservative route with a solid player like Parks.

Their 10 next season will be Jason Tovey, he's a good young player.

totallegend

Hagz wrote: »

I hope they don't start Parks. He's the one player I'm worried about.

I'm worried about Halfpenny, Cuthbert and Laulala. With Parks playing, they won't see any ball so i'm all for it.

Podge_irl

I'm desperately trying not to get over-confident about Saturday, but I struggle to see anything but a fairly massive Leinster victory...

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'm desperately trying not to get over-confident about Saturday, but I struggle to see anything but a fairly massive Leinster victory...

No grounds for cute hoorism here.

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

No grounds for cute hoorism here.

It'll no doubt come back to bite me in the ass!

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

No grounds for cute hoorism here.

Cardiff are really strong. I think we'll struggle without John Cooney in the extended squad. The referee doesn't like us. I think we'll struggle. Brad Thorn had the flu, we haven't got a chance. The moon looked a bit strange last night. All the signs are pointing towards a massive Cardiff win.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Cardiff are really strong. I think we'll struggle without John Cooney in the extended squad. The referee doesn't like us. I think we'll struggle. Brad Thorn had the flu, we haven't got a chance. The moon looked a bit strange last night. All the signs are pointing towards a massive Cardiff win.

If the team loses we can be excused as Shane Byrne and Victor Costello aren't available. Disappointed that Holwell didn't recover in time to make the bench.

CatFromHue

The thing is Cardiff have a very bad record so far against teams currently in the top 6 of the Rabo.

P9 W1 L8

Of these 9 games 5 were at home. Their only win was the home game against Ulster.

They did win 5 out of 6 in the pool stages but the three other teams in their pool currently occupy 11th in the Rabo (Edinburgh), 8th in the Aviva (London Irish), and 6th in the Top14 (Racing Metro) i.e. it was a weak pool.

In Europe they've scored the least amount of tries, 9, of the top 12 teams from the pool stages. Of these nine tries three came in the last game at home to the already knocked out Racing Metro. If Cardiff had gotten the try bonus in this game they would have topped their pool and gotten a home Quarter. They couldn't do it though and from watching the game it would have looked like Racing were the team looking for the try bonus and Cardiff were the already eliminated team.

Their recent form is LLLWL. I'm not including the LV Cup as it's a Mickey Mouse tournament.

In their last game in Dublin they lost 52 - 9. While it was a weakened team they had out it was also a weakened team from Leinster too. The team that Cardiff had out that day will be pretty similar to the team they will have out on Saturday as Henson, Roberts, and Warburton will still be not available.

Leinster v Cardiff 2/12/11
Dan Fish, Richard Mustoe, Casey Laulala, Gavin Evans, Tom James, Ceri Sweeney, Richie Rees, John Yapp, Ryan Tyrrell, Tau Filise, Cory Hill, Paul Tito, Ma'ama Molitika, Josh Navidi, Xavier Rush

Glasgow v Cardiff 30/03/12
15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Tom James, 10 Ceri Sweeney, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Maama Molitika, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Macauley Cook, 5 James Down, 4 Bradley Davies (c), 3 Scott Andrews, 2 Ryan Tyrrell, 1 John Yapp.

If Cardiff win on Saturday it will be one of the biggest shocks of the knock out stages in Europe I think.

Podge_irl

On a side note from the QF, who do we think will be the captain next season? I think it is fairly definite that it won't be Cullen. The only question in my mind is whether it goes to Jamie or a player who will be with the team more often through the year (maybe Jennings?). The captain selection for Saturday may say a lot.

irishbucsfan

Podge_irl wrote: »

On a side note from the QF, who do we think will be the captain next season? I think it is fairly definite that it won't be Cullen. The only question in my mind is whether it goes to Jamie or a player who will be with the team more often through the year (maybe Jennings?). The captain selection for Saturday may say a lot.

I think it'll be Cullen on Saturday.

Good question though. Nacewa could potentially do it, he's a great leader in the team. Jenno would be a great shout.

CatFromHue

Jennings or McLaughlin for me.

durkadurka

Has to be someone whos guaranteed to be in the HEC team. Rules Jenno out.

Id say heaslip.

Podge_irl

I'm not so sure Jennings would be definite for the big games though. I may end up looking like an idiot and it will be Cullen again, but I don't see it. He's on the way out unfortunately (though it may have been his injury that was holding him back early season).

I think Nacewa is a great bet. He must have played more then anyone for Leinster over the last 3 years. I think its between him and Heaslip as obvious choices - Heaslip being picked for Munster is big. The downside is that he will miss a lot of games.

irishbucsfan

I really don't think it'll be someone on a central contract. They'd be away so much.

Podge_irl

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I really don't think it'll be someone on a central contract. They'd be away so much.

I'd tend to agree. BOD as Leinster captain really didn't work out for that reason.

That leaves Jennings, McLaughlin and Nacewa but the first two really aren't guaranteed their place for big games. I'm not so thrilled on a back 3 player as captain though.