Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

WeeBushy

CatFromHue wrote: »

Anyone fancy Toner to start?

The line out without him in it has been poor and it will be an area were Ulster will be having a right go at.

I'd start him anyway.

But Thorn is undroppable and Cullen is captain. With McLaughlin and Heaslip in the back row I think the line out will be ok.

Tox56

CatFromHue wrote: »

Anyone fancy Toner to start?

The line out without him in it has been poor and it will be an area were Ulster will be having a right go at.

I'd start him anyway.

I was thinking that, and against Gray in the lineout he was excellent, and has been all season.

However, Thorn has to start, and Cullen is Captain and eveything else he brings..

It's not that he doesn't deserve to start, but there just isn't room.

durkadurka

I feel sorry for toner. Thorns come in and usurped him.

LEIN

durkadurka wrote: »

I feel sorry for toner. Thorns come in and usurped him.

Agreed, however I feel Toner will see better days in the coming seasons.

davidpfitz

durkadurka wrote: »

I feel sorry for toner. Thorns come in and usurped him.

Thorn came in because Toner isn't good enough - let's be honest about that.

circos

davidpfitz wrote: »

Thorn came in because Toner isn't good enough - let's be honest about that.

Thorn came in because Leo was expected to be out for a longer period of time and Sykes was sent home...

I dont think Toner has done much wrong this season. Just hope he pushes on for next season and claims that spot. He improved massively this year compared to last year so i cant wait to see how he develops.

Fishooks12

davidpfitz wrote: »

Thorn came in because Toner isn't good enough - let's be honest about that.

Toner is good enough

Thorn came in because another injury to a lock and they would have been up **** creek

Toner is a very good second row

irishbucsfan

davidpfitz wrote: »

Thorn came in because Toner isn't good enough - let's be honest about that.

Rubbish. Thorn. Came in because Leinster needed a tight head lock

CIARAN_BOYLE

Toner has to take Cullen's shirt not Toner's. They are different roles at lock, Toner has had to fill in at stages but it wasn't right, I would be 100% comfortable with Toner partnering Thorn or another TH lock.

CatFromHue

Cullen being the Captain didn't stop Toner starting against Glasgow with Cullen on the bench.

I feel we rode our luck in the line out abit in the QF and SF of the HEC. Nine won 4 lost against Cardiff and 8 won 4 lost against Clermont whereas Ulster are 17 won 1 lost in their QF and SF. Then when you look at the stats from the Glasgow Rabo SF we're 12 won 0 lost. While Toner may only have taken 4 of these if my memory is correct he took them at the start of the game helping us getting going.

Thinking back to the pool games against Glasgow we were 18 won 2 lost with Toner taking 8 of these and nicking one of Glasgow's.

He does make a difference and Schmidt was saying he wants the team to start early this final (as opposed to what happened last year) and I think having the more secure line out will definitely help here.

durkadurka

Yep thorn is immense but we might have had it easier vs clermont if the line out was secure.

Spud83

No way Toner will start, Schmidt will be more concerned with the physicality of the Ulster eight, so Thorn and Leo will be the way to go. The problem with a line out as been more at hooker than second row I think. Strauss hasn't looked as secure with his darts is year, and Cronin although improved can still be dodgy.

Strauss has actually been playing a level or two below his form last year IMO.

Fishooks12

durkadurka wrote: »

Yep thorn is immense but we might have had it easier vs clermont if the line out was secure.

true but he was immense around the park, hard to understate that

durkadurka

It's kind of like the ROG miracle drop goal argument- he mightn't have needed the miracle kick if he was doing everything right for the other 79 minutes.

It's a fact that our line out is pants when Thorn is playing, although there's been overthrows etc.

I'm not necessarily blaming it on thorn but the poor performances coincide with his presence.

Tox56

CatFromHue wrote: »

Cullen being the Captain didn't stop Toner starting against Glasgow with Cullen on the bench.

I feel we rode our luck in the line out abit in the QF and SF of the HEC. Nine won 4 lost against Cardiff and 8 won 4 lost against Clermont whereas Ulster are 17 won 1 lost in their QF and SF. Then when you look at the stats from the Glasgow Rabo SF we're 12 won 0 lost. While Toner may only have taken 4 of these if my memory is correct he took them at the start of the game helping us getting going.

Thinking back to the pool games against Glasgow we were 18 won 2 lost with Toner taking 8 of these and nicking one of Glasgow's.

He does make a difference and Schmidt was saying he wants the team to start early this final (as opposed to what happened last year) and I think having the more secure line out will definitely help here.

Toner may only have taken 4, but it's what his very presence can bring even if he doesn't make the catch that makes him so valuable. He will be heavily targetted by the opposition, and that provides other players with time and space.

It also helps that someone who is 6'11 has excellent hands, some of the best hands of all the forwards in the squad.

Teferi

I think Thorn coming along will have been benefitted Toner in so many ways. We'll see an already improved Toner be absolutely immense next year. I'd bet my non-existant house on it.

Thorn came in because we needed a bit of a physicality and cute hoorism. Toner is a ballet dancer when what we needed was a thug.

I don't mean that as an insult to Toner btw. He's a good rugby player, very agile, decent hands and not a bad pass either. He just doesn't have that killer edge that a great lock like Hines or Thorn has...yet.

Podge_irl

I would have no problem seeing a Thorn/Toner combo start the final or Thorn/Cullen. I would have a massive problem seeing a Toner/Cullen combo start the final. That's why Thorn was brought in.

faigs

Right lads, just about time for this before sleep, flying at 6:50am to Gatwick, come on LEEEIINNNSSSTTTEEEEERRRRRRR!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meJd5gGjdGc

durkadurka

Podge_irl wrote: »

I would have no problem seeing a Thorn/Toner combo start the final or Thorn/Cullen. I would have a massive problem seeing a Toner/Cullen combo start the final. That's why Thorn was brought in.

Why?

Teferi

What look some big eejit had done to himself...

LEIN

Could have at least done it in the the right colours!

Podge_irl

I think Cullen has lost a lot of his impact in the physical stakes and is a bit slower around the pitch. I may be wrong but he seems to be getting pinged more as well. Our lineout is nowhere near as good as last year either and while a lot of that is down to losing Hines, I think Cullen has to take some blame there too. I think Toner/Cullen would just like a bit of power come scrum and ruck time.

I think Toner/Thorn would be a great combo but I'd still go for Cullen/Thorn for now as Cullen remains the better player. I would be concerned about him next year though.

durkadurka

Cullen seems to be getting naughtier and naughtier as he gets older, possibly to compensate for his fading abilities.

Fishooks12

Teferi wrote: »

What look some big eejit had done to himself...

Eejet?

I take offence to that, I've a scale model of ROG's head running down my back

Sindri

Thorn on Rugby Club.

http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,26691,12610_7763030,00.html

marienbad

Good Luck Leinster from a Munster family . Great to see an all irish final and we wont be too downhearted if Ulster pull it off but there is something irrepressible about the Leinster style of play that deserves the ultimate reward .

funky penguin

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0519/1224316357450.html

Nice interview with Nacewa. Of note are his comments on wanting to spend the rest of his playing career at Leinster, and Cheika's influence on the current Leinster mindset.

circos

funky penguin wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0519/1224316357450.html

Nice interview with Nacewa. Of note are his comments on wanting to spend the rest of his playing career at Leinster, and Cheika's influence on the current Leinster mindset.

Absolute gent.

Teferi

Nacewa may be my favourite rugby personality.

Superbus

funky penguin wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0519/1224316357450.html

Nice interview with Nacewa. Of note are his comments on wanting to spend the rest of his playing career at Leinster, and Cheika's influence on the current Leinster mindset.

He doesn’t like to think of himself as a foreign player, and to that end took particular satisfaction in something Shane Horgan said when this vexed matter came to the surface last December. “Shane Horgan stood up at a [Leinster] meeting and said ‘we don’t have foreign players, we have Leinster players’. And that’s coming from Shaggy.

Dat quote.