Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

smurphy29

I wouldn't rule him out just yet. He's been one of the form backrowers at the end of the season, and one of those who looked to be ahead of him, Denis Leamy, has gone backwards over the last few weeks, and Ferris' participation is still nowhere near guaranteed. 6-8 week turnaround would see him recovered by mid-to-end-July, so he's still in with a chance.

GerM

Will Greenwood speaks about BOD:

I used to get different levels of adrenalin before matches; relaxed, excited, nervous, and the final, nerve jangling, please don't let me look an idiot. The last one I only ever really got against BOD. He always has a level of intensity, no matter if it is Leinster or Ireland, which is terrifying. He has a look that shows he wants to rip your head off. And trust me, for a self-acknowledged coward, there is nothing scarier than some psychotic pasty Irishman setting his sights on you.

Even when I am not playing, he can haunt my thoughts. Ten minutes after a Heineken semi-final three weeks ago, I was in a TV studio when our host, Simon Lazenby, nonchalantly throws out the line that “Brian O’Driscoll is the greatest rugby player Ireland have ever produced”. Sean Fitzpatrick, All Black legend, Paul Wallace, Lions winner, and me, Rodney Trotter lookalike, really jumped down his throat.

The off-the-cuff remarks often provide the greatest debates. “Alex Ferguson is the greatest manager of all time”; “Seve Ballesteros was the greatest thing to happen to European golf”; “Daley Thompson is Britain’s greatest athlete”. Suddenly everyone is an expert and they scream back at you that Alf Ramsay won a World Cup and Bill Shankly built Liverpool; that Tony Jacklin won in America first and Nick Faldo won more majors than anyone else this side of the Pond; that Linford Christie beat the Yanks and Roger Bannister set the four-minute mile record.

It’s all a matter of opinion. So, I threw three names straight back at the slightly stunned TV anchor; BOD? What about Mike Gibson, Willie John McBride and Fergus Slattery? The names sprung from my lips without a millisecond of thought – you can’t allow an anchor to turn these men to also-rans without an argument.

But as easy as it was to defend them, it also got me thinking. I love a list. It’s just that the more I kept mulling it over the more I kept coming back to O’Driscoll.

I never saw Willie John play apart from in old Lions footage. Mike Gibson has my father talking in hushed tones about his skills. Fergus I remember as a child, the wild crazy man, hunting down Englishmen. I threw those names back at Lazenby out of instinct rather than a close up, intimate knowledge of their abilities as rugby players.

O’Driscoll, however, I have seen up close. I have felt the full force of his power, seen the sheer acceleration as it happens a yard from me, and seen his eyes, nose to nose, when they are ready for battle.

Over the past 20 years, I have been lucky to go up against, watch or play with some special men. Horan was special, Bunce magnificent, Guscott magical, Tana the leader, Mortlock so brave, Gibbs immense, Jauzion so graceful, Bateman so underrated.

At international level I missed out on Sella, but saw him at club games. I played a charity match against Dannie Gerber. Of the current crowd, Jaques Fourie is a match winner at the highest level, while Tindall will always be my go to man in the after life because he stood with me in 2003. Sonny Bill scares me. But, no matter what I do, I still keep trying to find the best of the best and I still keep coming back to O’Driscoll.

I can never get away from his rawness. In terms of emotion, strength and speed. I now feel silly for throwing names back at Lazenby. How can I doubt O’Driscoll’s greatness on the say so of my old man, and the evidence of a few videos, stories and hazy memories. I must go on what I have witnessed and the simple, unarguable fact that when it matters, Brian delivers. That has to be the mark of greatness (my greatest regret in rugby will always be tearing my ankle ligaments the week before the first Lions Test in 2001, and being forced to watch BOD score that try from the stands at the Gabba, rather than alongside him).

No matter what state he finds himself in, he also always finds the answers. The hit he made on Danie Rossouw in the second Test in South Africa in 2009 was bigger than the Gibbs effort on Du Randt in 1997. The ox was exhausted in 1997 when Gibbsy came steaming through the middle. Rossouw had just entered the field and is a known enforcer from the back row and was on his home ground. O’Driscoll dispatched him whence forth he came. Brian also crippled himself, but there was never a thought of self-preservation.

He leads, I am told, with inspirational words, and more importantly with inspirational deeds. A hat-trick in Paris as a kid makes him immortal in my eyes. Even after all these years, the hunger burns bright.

When he is challenged he responds. Whether it is the bloodless beating he dished out to Austin Healey in a Manly hotel lobby in 2001, or in a semi-final against Toulouse three weeks ago when he tried to apologise to team-mates for a yellow card and scored the winning try that wiped his slate clean. He is not afraid to speak his mind and was happy to be rude about England after beating us in 2004.

I have not forgotten his post-match speech when he spoke of “so called world champions in a so-called fortress”. Yet he deals with his own great injustice with ambassadorial elegance. When Umaga and Mealamu did a job on him, even if they didn’t want to hurt him, they wanted to send a message. Why? Because in 2005 when very few had the guts to question New Zealand’s supremacy, O’Driscoll was open about his belief they were beatable. That’s just the kind of players he is.

He has weaknesses, he makes errors. Technically you could pick him up with the left hand pass or the overuse of the boot. In the end, though, the negatives are meaningless because he carries the true mark of greatness, and that is his ability to change a game at the highest level. A few people can do it on the odd occasion; to manage it over the span of a decade is nothing short of miraculous.

And for that fact alone, no matter how many names will be hurled at me, I am happy to say that this lad from Dublin is Ireland's best ever player.

danthefan

Greenwood is like a giddy schoolgirl when he talks about BOD, has been for years now. And Greenwood was a seriously good player himself.

CIARAN_BOYLE

I've seen reports that Eoin Sheriff is off to Saracens on Leinsterfans. Anyone else here this and have they a decent source?

Profiler

GerM wrote: »

When he is challenged he responds. Whether it is the bloodless beating he dished out to Austin Healey in a Manly hotel lobby in 2001,

:eek:

What's this? anyone have more on this story?

eoferrall

Profiler wrote: »

:eek:

What's this? anyone have more on this story?

If i remember right austin was being austin and shadow boxing around BOD annoying him and BOD smacked him a few time before austin knew what happened and others broke it up!:D

eoferrall

eoferrall wrote: »

If i remember right austin was being austin and shadow boxing around BOD annoying him and BOD smacked him a few time before austin knew what happened and others broke it up!:D

couldn't happen to a nicer man

Taco Corp

Profiler wrote: »

:eek:

What's this? anyone have more on this story?

Here you go!

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Healey+boxing+prank+ended+when+O%27Driscoll+turned+the+Leicester+Lip...-a084973522

SomeFool

GerM wrote: »

Whether it is the bloodless beating he dished out to Austin Healey in a Manly hotel lobby in 2001,

It must have been really satisfying to give him a good clatter! :pac:

goreyguy

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I've seen reports that Eoin Sheriff is off to Saracens on Leinsterfans. Anyone else here this and have they a decent source?

scratch that.

totallegend

eoferrall wrote: »

If i remember right austin was being austin and shadow boxing around BOD annoying him and BOD smacked him a few time before austin knew what happened and others broke it up!:D

Just when I thought BOD couldn't get any higher in my estimation, I hear this. What a hero.

bamboozle

goreyguy wrote: »

yeah he is off got a 2 year contract with Saracens.
Hopefully his ankle stays together after it really holding him back this season.

another reason for Leinster to promote Michael Kearney to the Academy.

Richarz

BOD was a school's national boxing champion? Horan would want to watch himself!

GerM

Richarz wrote: »

BOD was a school's national boxing champion? Horan would want to watch himself!

I don't think so. I'm not sure there even is such a competition in Irish schools. The story has grown legs at this point and had several embellishments over the years. As far as I know, BOD just knows how to handle himself. Healey was being his typical big mouth self boasting about how he could take anyone in the ring. It was the week after the ROG and McCrae incident so it was in poor taste. BOD eventually stepped up and told him he'd have a go and they had a couple of rounds with the rest of the squad around them forming a ring. BOD smacked him about for a few minutes and put him back in his box. I don't think it was broken up, just came to an end when Healey had enough.

iamjenko

GerM wrote: »

I don't think so. I'm not sure there even is such a competition in Irish schools. The story has grown legs at this point and had several embellishments over the years. As far as I know, BOD just knows how to handle himself. Healey was being his typical big mouth self boasting about how he could take anyone in the ring. It was the week after the ROG and McCrae incident so it was in poor taste. BOD eventually stepped up and told him he'd have a go and they had a couple of rounds with the rest of the squad around them forming a ring. BOD smacked him about for a few minutes and put him back in his box. I don't think it was broken up, just came to an end when Healey had enough.

That's much closer to the story i remember from that time!

pajunior

GerM wrote: »

I don't think so. I'm not sure there even is such a competition in Irish schools. The story has grown legs at this point and had several embellishments over the years. As far as I know, BOD just knows how to handle himself. Healey was being his typical big mouth self boasting about how he could take anyone in the ring. It was the week after the ROG and McCrae incident so it was in poor taste. BOD eventually stepped up and told him he'd have a go and they had a couple of rounds with the rest of the squad around them forming a ring. BOD smacked him about for a few minutes and put him back in his box. I don't think it was broken up, just came to an end when Healey had enough.

Shhhhh

Lets not ruin the fun

GerM

pajunior wrote: »

Shhhhh

Lets not ruin the fun

Indeed. It was actually more like Rocky IV. After beating BOD's friend ROG to a pulp, Austin Drago pummelled BOD for the first few rounds and then all of a sudden BOD stood up and nailed him a savage body shot. All hell broke loose. Nobody had ever seen Healey hurt before. The crowd that previously supported Healey turned and started chanting B-O-D, B-O-D. They went for 10 rounds before the cheating Healey caught BOD a nasty below the belt punch after the bell.

And that's when BOD got mad.....

Richarz

Richarz wrote: »

BOD was a school's national boxing champion? Horan would want to watch himself!

Shadow Boxing perhaps, ask Chris Henry!

durkadurka

Jesus the silly season is entering new realms.

On an unrelated note the season tickets have already exceeded last years total.

[Jackass]

What kind of Leinster team would you like to see emerge next season / see during the world cup? (based on assumptions of what players you think will be staying / going...)

15. Nacewa
14. Conway
13. O'Malley
12. McFadden
11. Carr
10. Berquist
9. Boss

1. Van Der Merwe
2. Strauss
3. Hagan
4. Browne
5. Sykes
6. McLoughlin
7. Jennings
8. Ruddock

16. Harris-Wright 17. McGrath 18. O'Connell 19. Ryan* 20. Murphy 21. Madigan 22. D. Kearney

Pretty exciting team. Really really looking forward to seeing some of the young talent getting a shot next season!

Always love talking about the team of the future, and I think this could be a massive season for youth development at Leinster. I think Schmidt wont just stick to the foreign big names and guys like McGrath, Harris-Wright, Ruddock, Ryan, Murphy (the young scrum half, is that his name?), McKinley, Madigan, Conway etc will get plenty of game time....can't wait!

(* Don't need the D for Dom in front of Ryan any more with Paul Ryan retiring due to injury. )

sock puppet

[Jackass] wrote: »

What kind of Leinster team would you like to see emerge next season / see during the world cup? (based on assumptions of what players you think will be staying / going...)

15. Nacewa
14. Conway
13. O'Malley
12. McFadden
11. Carr
10. Berquist
9. Boss

1. Van Der Merwe
2. Strauss
3. Hagan
4. Browne
5. Sykes
6. McLoughlin
7. Jennings
8. Ruddock

16. Harris-Wright 17. McGrath 18. O'Connell 19. Ryan* 20. Murphy 21. Madigan 22. D. Kearney

Pretty exciting team. Really really looking forward to seeing some of the young talent getting a shot next season!

Always love talking about the team of the future, and I think this could be a massive season for youth development at Leinster. I think Schmidt wont just stick to the foreign big names and guys like McGrath, Harris-Wright, Ruddock, Ryan, Murphy (the young scrum half, is that his name?), McKinley, Madigan, Conway etc will get plenty of game time....can't wait!

(* Don't need the D for Dom in front of Ryan any more with Paul Ryan retiring due to injury. )

Hows Browne in the lineouts? Otherwise Toner will have to be there.

tolosenc

I have this feeling that Shaggy will be knocking around the RDS come September...

Profiler

tolosenc wrote: »

I have this feeling that Shaggy will be knocking around the RDS come September...

I'm sad to say that I would agree with you on that one. (at a guess, no insider knowledge here)

Shame, as it would be good for such a loyal servant to Ireland, still what's bad for Ireland when it comes to this player is good for Leinster.

irishbucsfan

I think something along the lines of:

Van De Merwe, Strauss, Hagan, Toner, Sykes, McLoughlin, Ryan, Ruddock;
Boss, Madigan, Carr, McFadden, O'Malley, Horgan, Nacewa

Harris-Wright, McGrath, Shawe, Browne, Murphy, Cooney, Berquist, Kearney.

With: Healy, Cronin, Ross, Cullen, O'Brien, Heaslip, Jennings, Reddan, Sexton, D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Fitzgerald all gone.

jolley123

1.VDM
2.Strauss
3.Hagan
4.Sykes
5.Toner
6.Ruddock
7.Ryan
8.McLaughlin

9.Boss
10.McKinley
11.Carr
12.McFadden
13.O'Malley
14.Horgan
15.Nacewa

16.JHW
17.McGrath
18.Shawe
19.Browne
20.Murphy/Marshall
21.Cooney
22.Berquist
23.Conway

Not bad a bad team at all. For a team that will be losing about 13 players due to the WC, we still look very dangerous.

CIARAN_BOYLE

jolley123 wrote: »

8.McLaughlin

10.McKinley

I'm not sure I've ever seen Kev at 8, maybe swap him and Ruddock.

I hope to God and trust in Joe that one of the Ian's will play most of the RWC at 10. I'd hate to see Bergquist demote both Ian's from the starting 15

jolley123

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I'm not sure I've ever seen Kev at 8, maybe swap him and Ruddock.

I hope to God and trust in Joe that one of the Ian's will play most of the RWC at 10. I'd hate to see Bergquist demote both Ian's from the starting 15

I prefer Ruddock when he's wearing 6, but yeh, they seem to go with Ruddock at 8 whenever KvM is playing with him.

From what I've heard, Berquist is there for back-up to cover both inside centre and out-half. I'm assuming he'll be performing the same role Berne used to. I think we can expect a reasonable amount of rotation between the two Ians.

Tomtom364

Hang on... so Berquist is coming from 2nd choice behind Carter to 3rd choice behind Sexton and a developing player?
That dosnt make much sense on Berquists behalf.

I can see him being a solid 2nd choice outhalf for Leinster next season.

sock puppet

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Hang on... so Berquist is coming from 2nd choice behind Carter to 3rd choice behind Sexton and a developing player?
That dosnt make much sense on Berquists behalf.

I'm sure the increased pay packet will make sense no matter where he is in the pecking order.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Hang on... so Berquist is coming from 2nd choice behind Carter to 3rd choice behind Sexton and a developing player?
That dosnt make much sense on Berquists behalf.

I can see him being a solid 2nd choice outhalf for Leinster next season.

He'll be second choice for big games but the developing players need gametime to develop (and become solid second choice the next season) and he is being hired and is being given a chunk of money to not play (and be available) unless Sexton is injured for a big game

He will probably get little enough gametime that he will be rested enough that once next season ends that he can go south and join a squad for the the end of the S15 and for a full season in the NPC