Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

roycon

theres a few wild comments being thrown around about peoples weights and heights. its about being strong and agile not having a heavy weight. gio aplon is one of the best utility backs in the world and hes under 80kgs and 5'9. conway is much bigger and stonger and more physical than paddy wallace. generally the young guys are as there conditioning is much more advanced than say odriscoll or darcy got when they were that age.

on the subject of keating. he cant kick or pass well enough to be a full back and he never will at professional level. he's a winger and a good winger. dave kearney was never considered a better prospect than his brother at underage level. he's definitely got more of a chance than keating because of his name but thats not his fault and hes takin his opportunites well at leinster. this is only natural and happens in everything. conway is 2 years younger so its hard to compare the 2.

the heights and weights of players are taken when they first join a team and then that is put up on the website and left there forever. paddy wallace is realistically about 85-90kgs.

jolley123

roycon wrote: »

Dave Kearney was never considered a better prospect than his brother at underage level. he's definitely got more of a chance than keating because of his name but thats not his fault and hes takin his opportunites well at leinster. this is only natural and happens in everything.

I highly doubt that Kearney is where he is because of his name. More like, Keating was in the academy, so Schmidt and co. felt it was better to play him in the B&I cup to continue his development. It just so happened that Kearney took his chance very well. I agree with you in that I think Keating is a better prospect than Kearney, but I disagree with you when you bring the whole name thing into debate.

irishbucsfan

roycon wrote: »

dave kearney was never considered a better prospect than his brother at underage level. he's definitely got more of a chance than keating because of his name but thats not his fault and hes takin his opportunites well at leinster. this is only natural and happens in everything. conway is 2 years younger so its hard to compare the 2.

For a while before the injury he was, yes.

durkadurka

So Northampton have to go to Leicester next week for a bruising contest.

This surely a help to us, no?

CIARAN_BOYLE

durkadurka wrote: »

So Northampton have to go to Leicester next week for a bruising contest.

This surely a help to us, no?

Leicster are a very physical team and when they played Leinster a few players picked up knocks. D'arcy and O'Driscoll missed the next match and a couple of players were doubtfull in the week coming up to the match.

I guess Leinster will be hoping that they do the same thing to Northampton

David900

Or if they get through with all players intact its surely great preparation for the kind of game they will try impose on Leinster?

wixfjord

Think we've a serious advantage here lads.
Nhampton go to Welford Rd on the Sunday, and we play at home to an understrength Ulster on the Friday.

In 09, it was widely acknowledged that Tigers looked tired against us, and had a lot of injuries too if I remember, so I'll be hoping that Leicester beat them up a bit!

durkadurka

The extra two days are huge.

The travel from northampton to Leicester is only an hour or so from my memory so that's not a factor but the whole getting beaten up in Leicester thing will make a difference with a short recovery time.

GerM

David900 wrote: »

Or if they get through with all players intact its surely great preparation for the kind of game they will try impose on Leinster?

That could be the case and also could provide them with vital momentum for the final but regardless if they win or lose against Leicester, their players will be feeling the season physically. The majority of their starting team have about 30 games played already this season; there's not a strong enough squad to give them a rest. Most of those appearances are starts also with very little in terms of bench appearances. Someone like Mujati has 29 starts under his belt already. Tonga'uiha has 30. Downey 29. Clarke 29. Lawes has 23 starts despite missing the entire 6N and a few Northampton games too with injury. The average Leinster starter has about 20-25 appearances and even less starts. Jennings has 18 starts. Healy has 20. Hines has 22. BOD has 22. Nacewa has more game time than anyone with 28 starts. That's including all international appearances.

I reckon the last thing Northampton want before going to Cardiff is a bruising encounter with a big, mean Leicester pack. The majority of their team were playing today in a dogfight with Leeds and will be next week and in the final. They also had to empty their bench a little earlier than planned today with some of their big players coming into the fray at half time when I would think Mallinder was hoping to give them a week off.

Still very concerned about their scrum which absolutely smashed Leeds apart today including a penalty try. My mind was set at ease somewhat when I realised our old mate Gomez was tighthead for Leeds.

CouchSmart

We definitely have a huge advantage against Northampton going into the final. 8 days vs 6 is huge in terms of recovery. Factor in that they're away, I know it's not far but still. I've a feeling they're focused on the HEC though. Yes getting knocked out of the AP semi's won't be nice for them but having a HEC final the following week would soften the blow. Hard to know how they'll play it next week.

For Leinster next week I'm starting to think we might see something like

11. Fitz
12. O'Malley
13. O'Driscoll
14. McFadden

Rest Horgan who, if he plays, would be looking at 6 weeks straight, a bit too much to ask of him IMO. Also rewards O'Malley for his efforts this season and let's McFadden and Fitz battle it out for the following week.

copacetic

Where is everyone getting the 8 days from? Aviva premiership site says 14th at 3.15

http://www.premiershiprugby.com/premiership/rugby/index.php

durkadurka

I think that's been changed. Because I looked at that site earlier

Jemo

The extra couple of days is brilliant, but lets not forget that Ulster in a semi-final is a seriously physical outing for our pack. The backline not so much thankfully as our backs tend to tire more easily than the forwards. I'd go with

15. Isa
14. McFadden
13. BOD
12. D'Arcy
11. Fitzgerald
10. Sexton
09. Reddan
08. Heaslip
07. Jennings
06. SOB
05. Cullen
04. Hines
03. Ross
02. Strauss
01. Healy

Basically a full force team, resting Shaggy as he has had a lot of rugby since returning from injury. Most of the others have had some rest of late, Heaslip seems to have come into his own so I wouldn't disrupt his flow. We need all our major units working together before the final so that any flaws can be ironed out. Ulster are good preparation for NH, and will put it up to us I think. This is possibly their last game of the season, they will be there to win and the young lads will want to send a message to Kidney.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Jemo wrote: »

The extra couple of days is brilliant, but lets not forget that Ulster in a semi-final is a seriously physical outing for our pack. The backline not so much thankfully as our backs tend to tire more easily than the forwards. I'd go with

15. Isa
14. McFadden
13. BOD
12. D'Arcy
11. Fitzgerald
10. Sexton
09. Reddan
08. Heaslip
07. Jennings
06. SOB
05. Cullen
04. Hines
03. Ross
02. Strauss
01. Healy

Basically a full force team, resting Shaggy as he has had a lot of rugby since returning from injury. Most of the others have had some rest of late, Heaslip seems to have come into his own so I wouldn't disrupt his flow. We need all our major units working together before the final so that any flaws can be ironed out. Ulster are good preparation for NH, and will put it up to us I think. This is possibly their last game of the season, they will be there to win and the young lads will want to send a message to Kidney.

I think I'd go with that team, give the lads a full force run out.

I would make sure to change props early. HVM hasn't got a lot of rugby recently, he has played 40 minutes of rugby since the 17th of April and could do with a decent run out, 30 minutes or so I'd say. Similar with Wright, he hasn't been in good form since he came back from injury but will be on the bench against Northampton a physical team with a quality scrum and a patricularly good loosehead prop. I think he will be called upon at some stage of the game so I would give him half an hour to help work out some kinks.

jolley123

Dominic Ryan won tackle of the year, does anyone know what tackle it was? Is it the Clermont one?

lemansky

jolley123 wrote: »

Is it the Clermont one?

The very one!

WeeBushy

Does anyone have a linky to the tackle? Had a look on youtube at this is the only tackle of his I could find against Clermont (@7.57)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L0iFxCf02o

CouchSmart

WeeBushy wrote: »

Does anyone have a linky to the tackle? Had a look on youtube at this is the only tackle of his I could find against Clermont (@7.57)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-L0iFxCf02o

That's the one. Watch from about 7:30. The ground he makes up and the way he tackles are superb - he stops the offload which would've led to a try. That tackle kept us in the BP range.

WeeBushy

CouchSmart wrote: »

That's the one. Watch from about 7:30. The ground he makes up and the way he tackles are superb - he stops the offload which would've led to a try. That tackle kept us in the BP range.

You're right actually, it was a very good tackle. I looked at that tackle in isolation from the build up. I had my eye out for a typically huge tackle like on Cuisiter last year.

Like it says in the video, preventing the offload was brilliant. Great strength to pull him down like that when he was tackling him from so high up.

irishbucsfan

So similar to the Munster thread, what is our prospective team during the WC?

Van De Merwe, Strauss, Hagan, Sykes, Browne, P Ryan, D Ryan, Ruddock;
Boss, Madigan, Kearney, Sheridan (Berquist), O'Malley, Carr, Nacewa

JHW, McGrath, Shawe, Browne, Marshall, Cooney, McKinley, Conway

?

jolley123

Squad looks so depleted when you put up a teamsheet.

1.Heinek Van der Merwe
2.Richardt Strauss
3.Jamie Hagan
4.Steven Sykes
5.Devin Toner
6.Rhys Ruddock
7.Dominic Ryan
8.Paul Ryan
9.Isaac Boss
10.Ian McKinley
11.Fionn Carr
12.Matt Berquist
13.Eoin O'Malley
14.Andrew Conway
15.Isa Nacewa

16.Jason Harris-Wright/Aaron Dundon
17.Jack McGrath
18.Simon Shawe/Martin Moore
19.Damien Browne/Ed O'Donoghue
20.Jordie Murphy/Leo Aueva
21.John Cooney
22.Ian Madigan
23.D.Kearney/B.Macken/E.Sheridan

Should be a great chance for a few guys to show their worth.

CIARAN_BOYLE

I suppose it depends on who is gone

You have to assume
Healy, Cronin, Ross, Cullen, Heaslip, SOB, Redden, Sexton, D'arcy, O'Driscoll, and Kearney are all going

The following would have to be classed as maybes
McLoughlin, Jennings, Boss, McFadden, Fitzgerald and Horgan

Assuming that all the maybes are brought the starting line up would probably be
VDM
Strauss
Hagan
Toner
Sykes
D Ryan
P Ryan
Ruddock
Cooney
Carr
Bergvist
Macken
O'Malley
D Kearney
Nacewa

JHW/Dundon
Shawe
McGrath
Browne
J Murphy
DuToit
McKinley
Conway

That said Boss, Horgan, either McFadden or Fitzgerald and either McLoughlin or Jennings will probably be left behind and inject some experience into the team. If Boss doesn't go to the WC I'd expect Madigan or McKinley to get a run at 10 during the WC

CouchSmart

Is it definite Sykes won't be going to the WC?

sock puppet

CouchSmart wrote: »

Is it definite Sykes won't be going to the WC?

Pretty much. Very, very doubtful anyway.

CIARAN_BOYLE

CouchSmart wrote: »

Is it definite Sykes won't be going to the WC?

jonno gibbs wrote:

“That’s a position we’re looking to add to, to strengthen a little bit. His size in particular fits the profile we’re trying to cover during a period where we could be without our Irish-qualified locks and potentially, maybe our new signing Steven Sykes’s availability could be an issue (were he to be selected in the Springboks World Cup squad).

That said Sykes has talked about playing international rugby for Ireland so who knows

Hype710

Leo Au'va might get game time at 8, seems to have been training with the team all season.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Hype710 wrote: »

Leo Au'va might get game time at 8, seems to have been training with the team all season.

I don't think so, I know he trains with the senior team occasionally and has turned out for A team but I don't think he has trained with them all season.

There are reports that he was offered a contract by Connacht last summer but he turned it down because he was only offered a 1 year contract and he has a job with a good salary and he didn't want to give it up.

If that is true then I don't see why he would train all season with Leinster.

I'd rather push Browne into the back row if an extra backrower is needed during the WC.

CIARAN_BOYLE

leinsterrugby.ie wrote:

Special presentations were also made to the imminent departing and retiring members of the squad to thank them for their service while Shane Horgan - the first player in Leinster's history to pass the 200 cap mark - was also acknowledged.

Was anyone at the Leinster awards and if so was there any surprises in the imminent departing and retiring members of the squad.

We know about Wright, Hines, Morris, Berne, O'Donoghue and Keating

I presume players who retired during the season were also honored with presentations

Jedwardian

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Was anyone at the Leinster awards and if so was there any surprises in the imminent departing and retiring members of the squad.

We know about Wright, Hines, Morris, Berne, O'Donoghue and Keating

I presume players who retired during the season were also honored with presentations

There's a picture of Eoin Sheriff on inpho.ie receiving an award along with the other departing players you mentioned. I assume Sheriff is moving on too.

irishbucsfan

Very surprising if they are letting Sherriff move on. He'd be needed next season during the WC for depth. Unless he's been offered a substantial deal overseas?