Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

roycon

true i suppose. they're obsessed with their long distance dropgoals. rugbydump love showing them

PhatPiggins

roycon wrote: »

true i suppose. they're obsessed with their long distance dropgoals. rugbydump love showing them

Frans Steyn has made himself rich from missing at least 8 attempted long range DG's a match

lologram

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Frans Steyn has made himself rich from missing at least 8 attempted long range DG's a match

Great way to put it

irishbucsfan

Guess we can all start supporting the Stormers for the rest of the season if Kearney's deal goes through.

Will be great to see him back.

Fact is though, he wouldn't get a look into the Leinster first XV at this stage!

Nacewa has Tattooed 15 on his back by now!

funky penguin

Oooooo, extra game vs. Connacht. Should be a very interesting one.

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Fact is though, he wouldn't get a look into the Leinster first XV at this stage!

Nacewa has Tattooed 15 on his back by now!

I personally think that Nacewa will move back to 14 to accommodate Kearney when Horgan goes. Just like last season, when he was incredible as well lets not forget.

Horgan going nowhere yet, best season he's had in 4 years tbh.

crisco10

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Frans Steyn has made himself rich from missing at least 8 attempted long range DG's a match

No he makes his money from the 1 in 20 that sails over and goes viral on youtube.

crisco10

crisco10 wrote: »

No he makes his money from the 1 in 20 that sails over and goes viral on youtube.

The lad breaks an awful lot of eggs to make that perfect omelette in fairness!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Horgan going nowhere yet, best season he's had in 4 years tbh.

As a winger though, it would be unfair to expect him to last forever. That man owes Leinster nothing.

If Shane Horgan doesn't make the world cup squad it'll be a travesty. Given whose selecting the squad I'm sure he won't be.

I can't see him travelling, though he could well be in contention and deservedly so.

Trimble, Earls, Bowe are our main men for the wings imo. The difference Trimble brought to the team when he came back in the 6N was ridiculous.

Shaggy, Fitz, Kearney, McFadden, Jones, Duffy all vying for one/two slots, and I can't see Kearney/Jones/Duffy not being selected as dedicated FBs an then it's tough to split the other three for the other spot.

irishbucsfan

What about Geordan Murphy?!

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

What about Geordan Murphy?!

Unfortunately, What about him?

No idea if he'll be back, no idea if he'll feature. Just too many questions and no answers yet. It's a serious ask of him to get back into contention, only time will tell.

TheHighRoad

On current form Horgan deserves to be starting for Ireland ahead of Bowe *runs*

bamboozle

ambid wrote: »

I'd like to see four changes: VDM, Jennings, Boss, and McFadden in for Healy, MaLaughlin, Reddan, and Darcy/ Fitzgerald.

I think those are the four positions where there is least or no difference between the guys competing for the shirt. Those changes I think wouldn't weaken the team. Also, I think VDM and McFadden especially deserve to start a final.

i'd start HVDM & Wright in the front row, Jennings at 7, Boss at 9 and McFadden at 13.

After the 80 mins slog plus 2 nights boozing the team will need to be shaken up a bit for Thomand.

TheHighRoad

bamboozle wrote: »

i'd start HVDM & Wright in the front row, Jennings at 7, Boss at 9 and McFadden at 13.

After the 80 mins slog plus 2 nights boozing the team will need to be shaken up a bit for Thomand.

1.VDM 2.Strauss 3.Wright 4.Cullen 5.Hines 6.O'Brien 7.Jennings 8.Heaslip 9.Boss 10.Sexton 11.Fitzgerald 12.McFadden 13.O'Malley 14.Horgan 15.Nacewa - thats my team, Wright to get a great send off, McFadden and O'Malley to start because they've played such a huge role in the ML this season and VDM and Boss to get the nod because they've waited patiently on the bench now despite the fact that they would be regulars for most other teams.

ktulu123

TheHighRoad wrote: »

On current form Horgan deserves to be starting for Ireland ahead of Bowe *runs*

Completely agree with this, he is the form 14 in Ireland and has been for the past couple of months. His ability in the air at the restart is a huge advantage!

rockman15

Deleted User wrote: »

I can't see him travelling, though he could well be in contention and deservedly so.

Trimble, Earls, Bowe are our main men for the wings imo. The difference Trimble brought to the team when he came back in the 6N was ridiculous.

Shaggy, Fitz, Kearney, McFadden, Jones, Duffy all vying for one/two slots, and I can't see Kearney/Jones/Duffy not being selected as dedicated FBs an then it's tough to split the other three for the other spot.

Shaggy had a better season than Trimble. Thats the fact of the matter.
On merit alone he should go. We cant speculate on whether shaggy would have done as well as trimble in the 6ns.

Realistically Fitzgerald, Earls and Bowe are going. Shaggy and McFadden are next in line. Duffy still largelly unproven at anything beyond ML level. Mcfadden covers our centre positions as well. I accept P. Wallace does that too but mcfadden is better than him.

The difficult decision here is that the back 3 can be covered by such a myriad of different combinations, do you want specialists on your wings or even 1 on the bench? or do you go for a wing/FB in there? Great situation for the country either way.

IMO Horgans form makes him the number 1 winger in Ireland. Ahead of Bowe, Trimble or Earls. Of course some people will make this decision based on the (perceived) reputations of the others, but IMO if Horgan isn't picked then it's a massive injustice.

pajunior

ktulu123 wrote: »

Completely agree with this, he is the form 14 in Ireland and has been for the past couple of months. His ability in the air at the restart is a huge advantage!

I have to disagree, Shaggy is playing better for his club but I think Bowe has been Ireland's best player for the last two years. He is always superb for us. I think he has to start.
Just unlucky for Shaggy I think but thats how it goes.

PhatPiggins

Deleted User wrote: »

IMO Horgans form makes him the number 1 winger in Ireland. Ahead of Bowe, Trimble or Earls. Of course some people will make this decision based on the (perceived) reputations of the others, but IMO if Horgan isn't picked then it's a massive injustice.

Surely he's the number 1 winger in the world at this stage! Lets try and keep some sense of reality here.

ambid

Good debate lads but maybe getting a little lost in here. Perhaps more appropriate for the Ireland team/ gossip thread?

PhatPiggins

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Surely he's the number 1 winger in the world at this stage! Lets try and keep some sense of reality here.

I find it amusing you saying I'm exaggerating?

He's been a key player in a team who could on saturday evening have done a Heineken/Magners League double. They didn't get to where they have this season playing 10 man rugby either, he's been very involved and seems rejuvenated under Schmidt. Having McFadden breathing down their necks seems to have woken the backline up.

I don't see how you can say that Trimble or Earls have been any better than him? That's not a dig at either of them, it's a compliment to Horgan.

In a Leinster Jersey, he's #1 for the 14 spot.

In an Ireland Jersey (and this thread here....) we've no idea because he hasn't featured in a while.

The idea behind these threads is to keep all "off topic" material related to each team in one place, so I think I'll echo ambid's sentiments and say we should move the discussion of "Ireland's form team" over there. Simply copy and paste your posts and keep it in there.

PhatPiggins

Deleted User wrote: »

I find it amusing you saying I'm exaggerating?

He's been a key player in a team who could on saturday evening have done a Heineken/Magners League double. They didn't get to where they have this season playing 10 man rugby either, he's been very involved and seems rejuvenated under Schmidt. Having McFadden breathing down their necks seems to have woken the backline up.

I don't see how you can say that Trimble or Earls have been any better than him? That's not a dig at either of them, it's a compliment to Horgan.

Oh right, you're comparing him to other Irish wingers playing in Ireland then yes he is out in front.

I'd definetely bring him to the WC,he brings something different to the others and is a genuine big game player.

PhatPiggins

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Oh right, you're comparing him to other Irish wingers playing in Ireland then yes he is out in front.

I'd definetely bring him to the WC,he brings something different to the others and is a genuine big game player.

Of course, there are plenty of wingers out there who are better otherwise!! :pac:

Yea I'd agree. I can see the logic in starting Bowe and Earls, but IMO if Horgan isn't in the squad then Kidney needs some serious questions asked of his selection policy.

tolosenc

What about Bowe and Shaggy on the wings?

Rubik.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLa0QD_OuMU

mahoo

id like to see them try earls and shaggy with bowe at full back in the warm ups... i know bowe has been ireland best player last few seasons and it seams dumb at face value to play him out of his favourite position, but i think its worth a shot.. winning the restarts is so critical in todays possession game. i remember against the all backs this autumn i think we lost the first 8 restarts in the game. if we had managed to win half of them we would have been in touching distance of them at the end i reckon. . even if shaggy doesn't start, he should definitely go to WC