Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

pappyodaniel

Healy just looks like a security guard after having his Ballygowan spiked with a couple of pills.

He's doing nothing of substance behind the decks.

faigs

I stand corrected!

CatFromHue

they're clips from last year, so maybe he has gotten more involved this year.

the crowd seemed to really like it which is what matters at the end of the day.

RMD

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Healy just looks like a security guard after having his Ballygowan spiked with a couple of pills.

He's doing nothing of substance behind the decks.

He draws crowds though to a certain extent. All the people I know who went to see him and Gordo last year went to see "Church" just for the sole reason it was Cian Healy.

vkid

CatFromHue wrote: »

they're clips from last year, so maybe he has gotten more involved this year.

the crowd seemed to really like it which is what matters at the end of the day.

Have you been in the Dance Arena in Oxegen? They'd dance to someone walloping a frying pan with wooden spoons

Look if he can get away with it, work away but guarantee you if he wasnt a rugby player neither himself or the other fella would be any where near that stage at Oxegen or any other festival.

Jello

Downtime wrote: »

It is going into year three with another two to run.

This is the last year of the deal according to this - http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/15294.php

CIARAN_BOYLE

Jello wrote: »

This is the last year of the deal according to this - http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/15294.php

It and the BOI deal was renewed this season wasn't announced on Leinster or IRFU website but something like WSJ

GerM

To confirm for anyone else who was wondering, Mark Flanagan and Tom Sexton are now in the senior squad and presumably on development contracts. Happy enough for them but not sure what the thinking behind it is. Sexton never particularly impressed me to be honest on the few occasions I've seen him and we have 3 hookers in the squad already, 2 of whom are guaranteed never to be called up to Irish duty this season as well as Dundon available as cover. We've also added the promising 20 year old David Doyle to the academy. I just can't see where Sexton is required.

Whilst I'm delighted to see an Irish lock get a contract, I'd have similar concerns for Flanagan. Including him, we have 6 locks plus McLaughlin. I haven't seen enough of him really to know if he's any use but I don't see how he'll get any pitch time whatsoever. The bloke was never even given a start in the B&I Cup. Only Cullen will be called up to the Irish squad and he may well call it quits internationally post WC. Sykes, Brown, Toner, EOD and McLaughlin will probably be ahead of him. If he is half decent and ambitious, I'd rather see him go west where they're crying out for out and out locks. It makes me wonder is there encouragement behind the scenes from the IRFU to promote as much Irish talent as possible?

Incidentally, Sykes joins up with the squad next week to begin pre-season. I think Berquist will be given another week or two given the Crusaders run to the final.

jolley123

GerM wrote: »

To confirm for anyone else who was wondering, Mark Flanagan and Tom Sexton are now in the senior squad and presumably on development contracts. Happy enough for them but not sure what the thinking behind it is. Sexton never particularly impressed me to be honest on the few occasions I've seen him and we have 3 hookers in the squad already, 2 of whom are guaranteed never to be called up to Irish duty this season as well as Dundon available as cover. We've also added the promising 20 year old David Doyle to the academy. I just can't see where Sexton is required.

Whilst I'm delighted to see an Irish lock get a contract, I'd have similar concerns for Flanagan. Including him, we have 6 locks plus McLaughlin. I haven't seen enough of him really to know if he's any use but I don't see how he'll get any pitch time whatsoever. The bloke was never even given a start in the B&I Cup. Only Cullen will be called up to the Irish squad and he may well call it quits internationally post WC. Sykes, Brown, Toner, EOD and McLaughlin will probably be ahead of him. If he is half decent and ambitious, I'd rather see him go west where they're crying out for out and out locks. It makes me wonder is there encouragement behind the scenes from the IRFU to promote as much Irish talent as possible?

Incidentally, Sykes joins up with the squad next week to begin pre-season. I think Berquist will be given another week or two given the Crusaders run to the final.

Really cant see the point in Sexton. Is he really needed. Surely we might as well blood Doyle.

As for Flanagan, well, I'm not sure. The reason he didn't play much at all this season, was because he made his degree a priority this year. Plus, I think he had back problems that needed sorting out. When I've seen him he's been impressive, and he seems highly rated enough. Leinster could do with some young locks so it's probably worth a shot. He should get a lot of B&I gametime.

roycon

Sexton
would have got more game time this season but hurt his cruciate knee ligament in training and only started running again last week.
harris -wright
has only been given a six month contract by leinster. wasnt supposed to get a contract renewed at all. was supposed to go to connacht but then sexton injured his knee
dundon
a new zealander whos 28/29 only there to cover after the forced retirement of fogarty,jackman? etc left a lack of depth in the hooker position
david doyle
only 20 years old. very light still. not great in close contact in defense or attack. incredibly fast over 10 metres. great hands good ball carrier. tends to hang in the backline and carry ball in midfield. adequate thrower and scrummager. has played backrow for ucd, leinster 20s and ireland 20s.
Flannagan
6'7 athletic lineout jumper great offloader and handling. just finished his four year degree in engineering in ucd. injured his hamstring towards the end of last season. was out for two and half months. very disciplined. work rate improved hugely. puts in a lot of tackles
eoin sheriff
was supposed to move to saracens but failed a medical and has to get an operation. will be playing for lansdowne this season.

wixfjord

roycon wrote: »

Sexton
would have got more game time this season but hurt his cruciate knee ligament in training and only started running again last week.
harris -wright
has only been given a six month contract by leinster. wasnt supposed to get a contract renewed at all. was supposed to go to connacht but then sexton injured his knee
dundon
a new zealander whos 28/29 only there to cover after the forced retirement of fogarty,jackman? etc left a lack of depth in the hooker position
david doyle
only 20 years old. very light still. not great in close contact in defense or attack. incredibly fast over 10 metres. great hands good ball carrier. tends to hang in the backline and carry ball in midfield. adequate thrower and scrummager. has played backrow for ucd, leinster 20s and ireland 20s.
Flannagan
6'7 athletic lineout jumper great offloader and handling. just finished his four year degree in engineering in ucd. injured his hamstring towards the end of last season. was out for two and half months. very disciplined. work rate improved hugely. puts in a lot of tackles
eoin sheriff
was supposed to move to saracens but failed a medical and has to get an operation. will be playing for lansdowne this season.

I'd much rather we kept Harris Wright and let Sexton and Dundon go.
Dundon is very poor imo, as was shown by that ML Final cameo.
I really rate Harris Wright.

As for Flanagan, never seen him play, how do people rate him? Could he be the answer to our dearth of young Leinster born Second Rows?
Also, whatever happened to that Copeland guy, and what's Johnny Sextons bro like?

vinny chase

wixfjord wrote: »

I'd much rather we kept Harris Wright and let Sexton and Dundon go.
Dundon is very poor imo, as was shown by that ML Final cameo.
I really rate Harris Wright.

As for Flanagan, never seen him play, how do people rate him? Could he be the answer to our dearth of young Leinster born Second Rows?
Also, whatever happened to that Copeland guy, and what's Johnny Sextons bro like?

Yeah, I don't think Dundon is capable of making the step up. Wouldn't be happy to rely on him potentially in a HEC game.

Robin Copeland is playing with Plymouth Albion in England.

Jedwardian

vinny chase wrote: »

Robin Copeland is playing with Plymouth Albion in England.

Moved to Rotherham for the coming season


http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,19133_7003408,00.html

irishbucsfan

Personally would be happier for Harris-Wright to go to Connacht rather than sit here and become 3rd choice after the world cup.

porterbelly

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Personally would be happier for Harris-Wright to go to Connacht rather than sit here and become 3rd choice after the world cup.

We have 3 hookers. We don't really need him

Big Nelly

wixfjord wrote: »

New classic jersey from the LR site:



Now that's a nice jersey that you can spill a few pints on! Well done LR!
Makes sense to have a flash jersey for younger fans and to play in, and a normal cotton one for those who like the old school.
Could do with more gold, but I'll be purchasing this I'd say. Cheaper than the test jersey as well.

Any idea where this jersey is gone? meant to buy but forgot and now cant see on website???? T hanks

CIARAN_BOYLE

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/aviva-to-host-crunch-derby-2823245.html

Leinster Munster match before the HEC opener is being moved to the aviva

GerM

Leinster have signed Chiefs tighthead Nathan White as their final NIQ player for next season. Don't know much about him aside from the fact that he has a bit of game time for the Chiefs under his belt. Started the majority of their games this season but did have a spell out injured. Seems to be a solid, if unspectacular, player.

Why?

Ross, Hagan, White, Shawe?

Seems unneccesary to me.

Riskymove

Deleted User wrote: »

Why?

Ross, Hagan, White, Shawe?

Seems unneccesary to me.

its strange but imo no more bizarre than signing Carr

crisco10

Deleted User wrote: »

Why?

Ross, Hagan, White, Shawe?

Seems unneccesary to me.

The article in today's IT seemed to say that Schmidt expected to be without Ross AND Hagan for the world cup. Or was at least planning for as much...

GerM

Regardless of availability for the WC or not, we're 1 injury away from having a guy who only turned professional less than a year ago being on the bench for us again which is why we signed Newland last season. We've a NIQ spot to use, it was always going to be at tighthead or, at a push, at scrum half and we know which is the more attritional of the two positions.

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Hagan and Ross are both on Irish duty this season at some point so it's prudent to use the last NIQ spot on a tighthead.

Leinster have developed a fair amount of youth across the pitch at this point so the need for NIQ players has significantly decreased. In 2009 we had 4 NIQ players starting in the HEC final and the other 2 were injured (and would have started if fit). This year, we had 3 starting the HEC final. The other 3 were made up of 2 bench players and 1 squad player. With our youth structures producing players regularly now, the need for NIQ players will dip further. In reality, I think Sykes could be the only necessary NIQ player for us in the HEC pool stages this season and even then I wouldn't be concerned with Toner stepping in as he has done repeatedly in the past and performed very well. Nacewa is fantastic but Kearney can cover there comfortably. Strauss and Cronin will rotate a fair bit I suspect. Lock is the only place we're not developing players and, whilst we have plenty of options there for the upcoming season, there's a drop from our top 2 or 3 options to the chasing pack.

CIARAN_BOYLE

I reckon White is kinda like a better Newland a short term signing available to cover through the WC or season if needed who will probably not mind getting a lot of game time since he just came off a tough Super Rugby and ITM cup season and will probably go back home when he is finished with Leinster next season and will play at least in next years ITM cup as well.

I really hope he doesn't take game time from Hagan who needs to be the solid second choice if he wants to make a bit of an impact in Leinster and needs the H cup experience.

wixfjord

Anyone got any more info on White?
Strong scrummager?

Do hope he doesn't get ahead of Hagan too.

totallegend

GerM wrote: »

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that Hagan and Ross are both on Irish duty this season at some point so it's prudent to use the last NIQ spot on a tighthead.

Far from being beyond the realms of possibility, I'd say it is very likely that this will be the case, maybe not for the World Cup but certainly after that. With Hayes retired and Buckley going to England, who will be the back-up TH? Hagan seems to be next in line, especially if he can get good game time for Leinster.

GerM wrote: »

Leinster have developed a fair amount of youth across the pitch at this point so the need for NIQ players has significantly decreased. In 2009 we had 4 NIQ players starting in the HEC final and the other 2 were injured (and would have started if fit). This year, we had 3 starting the HEC final. The other 3 were made up of 2 bench players and 1 squad player. With our youth structures producing players regularly now, the need for NIQ players will dip further. In reality, I think Sykes could be the only necessary NIQ player for us in the HEC pool stages this season and even then I wouldn't be concerned with Toner stepping in as he has done repeatedly in the past and performed very well. Nacewa is fantastic but Kearney can cover there comfortably. Strauss and Cronin will rotate a fair bit I suspect. Lock is the only place we're not developing players and, whilst we have plenty of options there for the upcoming season, there's a drop from our top 2 or 3 options to the chasing pack.

Yeah, agree with all of this. Wouldn't be a fan of squad rotation in general but Schmidt managed to do it well this season with scrum-half, loose-head and the back-row; if he can accomodate both hookers and get a good season from each it will be a great boost.

roycon

http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/05/midweek-madness-nathan-white-unleashes.html

vinny chase

roycon wrote: »

http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/05/midweek-madness-nathan-white-unleashes.html

Remember seeing that a while back on rugbydump when I'd never heard of Nathan White and being utterly amazed that he got away with that without seeing at least a yellow.

Steve Walsh I suppose, what do you expect.

irishbucsfan

vinny chase wrote: »

Steve Walsh I suppose, what do you expect.

Given the way the AR reported I don't think he could have given a yellow. He was so unsure about what happened.

Hopefully we won't see any stupid play like that from the guy when he gets here.

justsomebloke

robbed from phog

jolley123

http://sportsfile.com/more-images/1107172/

EDIT: don't know if this was already common knowledge, but David Gannon is in there. Gives us extra cover at lock.

Also, Leo Auva'a and Cillian Willis are in there.