Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VI: End of the MOC [Revenge of the STH]

errlloyd

Hagz wrote: »

The ESPN stats are actually reliable enough despite what some people would have you believe on here. Having played a lot of fantasy rugby, it's amazing how often the ESPN person comes out with the same stats the fantasy sites do despite not watching the game....

Are you joking? Most of the fantasy rugby leagues base their stats on the ESPN. Especially Fantasy Rugger.

(I am still bitter about an assist they missed)

Hagz

Meh. I'm confident enough that if ESPN's stats list Triggs as having not missed a tackle, then it's highly unlikely he missed 'a lot of tackles'. I remember when JustinDee posted on here (dark days) he would often inform of how off the mark the stats were yet whenever I had the opportunity to validate them myself they checked out. It's really not that hard to get right. Any sort of disparity is marginal. In fact, if the disparity were significant and consistent then Fantasy sites could never get away with using them as you say they do.

errlloyd

Hagz wrote: »

Meh. I'm confident enough that if ESPN's stats list Triggs as having not missed a tackle, then it's highly unlikely he missed 'a lot of tackles'. I remember when JustinDee posted on here (dark days) he would often inform of how off the mark the stats were yet whenever I had the opportunity to validate them myself they checked out. It's really not that hard to get right. Any sort of disparity is marginal. In fact, if the disparity were significant and consistent then Fantasy sites could never get away with using them as you say they do.

If we're debating Triggs' tackling than all I'll say for sure is that it was absolute crap in his first two games and the ESPN backs me up.

Clegg

Irish Derby next with both teams struggling for any sort of form. Maybe we should give our struggling players one more game to redeem themselves? Some of these lads were pivotal to our greatest ever successes. It's only right they be given another chance. But if it were me I'd start both Mc Grath's and VdF, but keep the Fitz/Te'o centre pair.

padser

Hagz wrote: »

Meh. I'm confident enough that if ESPN's stats list Triggs as having not missed a tackle, then it's highly unlikely he missed 'a lot of tackles'. I remember when JustinDee posted on here (dark days) he would often inform of how off the mark the stats were yet whenever I had the opportunity to validate them myself they checked out. It's really not that hard to get right. Any sort of disparity is marginal. In fact, if the disparity were significant and consistent then Fantasy sites could never get away with using them as you say they do.

I remember those days. You had to be very careful when saying anything that could be construed as being critical to the IRFU if memory serves....

Synode

Robbie Henshaw not ruling out a move to Leinster next season.

https://www.newstalk.com/reader/47.305.358/59819/blog_list/

Synode

Synode wrote: »

Robbie Henshaw not ruling out a move to Leinster next season.

https://www.newstalk.com/reader/47.305.358/59819/blog_list/

If he was asked about moving to Munster or Ulster I'd have imagined he would say the same thing, it's just he was specifically asked about Leinster.

wp_rathead

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If he was asked about moving to Munster or Ulster I'd have imagined he would say the same thing, it's just he was specifically asked about Leinster.

There was some brilliant leading questions by Ivan Yeates in that interview alright

errlloyd

Synode wrote: »

Robbie Henshaw not ruling out a move to Leinster next season.

https://www.newstalk.com/reader/47.305.358/59819/blog_list/

I kinda hope he doesn't. Leinster are already just a gym and a match fitness treadmill for most of the Irish team. I think we should be trying to spread the internationals a little better.

Clegg

I'd take Henshaw in a heartbeat. But it's a waste of time and resources if we brought him in to play 13. Henshaw and Ringrose is a tasty partnership.

BoardsMember

errlloyd wrote: »

I kinda hope he doesn't. Leinster are already just a gym and a match fitness treadmill for most of the Irish team. I think we should be trying to spread the internationals a little better.

Good point, but would be hard not to be excited if it was announced that he was coming.

JPNelsforearm

A henshaw Teo partnership at 12 and 13 would be as good as any in the world, serious ballast.

I could see Henshaw coming to Leinster if we lost T'eo perhaps. I'm not sure otherwise as we have a couple of options at centre currently and coming through.

That said, Leinster really needs as much support as it can get from the IRFU given we are facilitating most of our first choice squad being taken by the national team.

RichieRich89

JPNelsforearm wrote: »

A henshaw Teo partnership at 12 and 13 would be as good as any in the world, serious ballast.

Don't think so. They're too similar. Who'd bring the passing?

JPNelsforearm

RichieRich89 wrote: »

Don't think so. They're too similar. Who'd bring the passing?

The ten:), two big offloading targets in the center of the park, what more could you ask for, Sexton tee's them up, the centers walk over them

molloyjh

The last thing Leinster need is yet another Irish international in their best XV. I like Henshaw a lot but we need first choice guys who are going to be around all season at this stage. If Henshaw replaces Te'o then Leinster will be without at least 12 of their best XV and at least 18 of their best 23 for chunks of the season. That's pure and utter madness. If I'm to be totally honest I'm getting a little fed up of the other provinces not pulling their weight in that regard. Ulster will hopefully start providing a few backs in the next season or so, but that's about it.

errlloyd

JPNelsforearm wrote: »

The ten:), two big offloading targets in the center of the park, what more could you ask for, Sexton tee's them up, the centers walk over them

Or a ball playing 15 the likes of La Roux, Beale or the way Nelson plays in ulster.

Shame we have the opposite in Kearney.

RichieRich89

errlloyd wrote: »

Or a ball playing 15 the likes of La Roux, Beale or the way Nelson plays in ulster.

Shame we have the opposite in Kearney.

With some outhalf experience, Nacewa would be equipped to do that. However, you'd still want at least one of your centres to be a very good passer. NZ generally play with creative players at 10, 13 and 15. I think we should look to follow suit. Picking two centres primarily for their bosh factor would be like something English teams or Warren Gatland might do

colster

RichieRich89 wrote: »

With some outhalf experience, Nacewa would be equipped to do that. However, you'd still want at least one of your centres to be a very good passer. NZ generally play with creative players at 10, 13 and 15. I think we should look to follow suit. Picking two centres primarily for their bosh factor would be like something English teams or Warren Gatland might do

Henshaw is a good passer

irishbucsfan

You don't need strong passing from your midfield when you have Sexton at 10. That's always been one of his big strengths, his pace to get outside and get the ball back in his hands the 2nd time to move it wider.

Exclamation Marc

JPNelsforearm wrote: »

A henshaw Teo partnership at 12 and 13 would be as good as any in the world, serious ballast.

If Te'o sticks around that is. I think his contract is up at the end of the year so there's a possibility he might return home which is a shame as I think he's really starting to improve.

RichieRich89

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You don't need strong passing from your midfield when you have Sexton at 10. That's always been one of his big strengths, his pace to get outside and get the ball back in his hands the 2nd time to move it wider.

Gimme a break. You're saying Leinster don't need good passers in midfield?! Did you ever watch O'Driscoll play?

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

The last thing Leinster need is yet another Irish international in their best XV. I like Henshaw a lot but we need first choice guys who are going to be around all season at this stage. If Henshaw replaces Te'o then Leinster will be without at least 12 of their best XV and at least 18 of their best 23 for chunks of the season. That's pure and utter madness. If I'm to be totally honest I'm getting a little fed up of the other provinces not pulling their weight in that regard. Ulster will hopefully start providing a few backs in the next season or so, but that's about it.

I said it recently but we could see almost no Munster players in the starting 15 come the 6N. It's a bit of a shambles down south given the conveyor belt of great forwards they used to produce.

Clegg

BOD wasn't that good a passer to be fair. Great offloader and very quick hands, but he wasn't a great distributor. D'arcy wasn't a great passer either. His greatest strengths were his quick feet, step and leg drive. I'm not saying they were bad passers, but it wasn't a key facet of their games. They definitely had their moments when their passing let them down. In fact it's a testament to how talented they were that they could be so good without being top notch distributors in a position that demanded it.

irishbucsfan

RichieRich89 wrote: »

Gimme a break. You're saying Leinster don't need good passers in midfield?! Did you ever watch O'Driscoll play?

That's a horrendously stupid question obviously! But I'll indulge.

O'Driscoll's short range passing and passing out of contact was excellent but he actually threw a few howlers when the distances opened up. We played very narrow at times with him in midfield outside Contepomi for example. The "Sexton loop" was when we were most dangerous going wide, the same type of play was what made the 2009 Lions midfield (Roberts/BOD) so potent.

leakyboots

Deleted User wrote: »

I said it recently but we could see almost no Munster players in the starting 15 come the 6N. It's a bit of a shambles down south given the conveyor belt of great forwards they used to produce.

Or, y'know, a lot of them are/have been injured.

Or, y'know, maybe St. Joe erred in a couple of selections by going with what he knew instead of rewarding form

RichieRich89

O'Driscoll had the instincts of a great passer. Occasionally the execution was off but he had all the skills and the understanding to choose the right kind of pass at the right time.

Henshaw is a good but not remarkable passer, and Te'o doesn't have much of a passing game to speak of. A Henshaw, Te'o partnership would be one dimensional and ultimately less potent than a balanced partnership containing Ringrose at 13 and one of the aforementioned others at 12

case885

Deleted User wrote:

I said it recently but we could see almost no Munster players in the starting 15 come the 6N. It's a bit of a shambles down south given the conveyor belt of great forwards they used to produce.

Ryan, Murray, earls being the definites at the moment and stander, zebo having good chances of starting berths also. 5/15 ain't too shabby.

irishbucsfan

case885 wrote: »

Ryan, Murray, earls being the definites at the moment and stander, zebo having good chances of starting berths also. 5/15 ain't too shabby.

I think the only definite there is Murray. Just because Ryan is up against Toner/Henderson and Earls could easilly be on the bench given the strength of our back 3.

Either way the number of Munster starters probably won't be relevant to the real point, which is how many Leinster players are in the Irish squad, which will continue to be disruptive.

case885

Yea Ryan probably bench alright. I see no reason for earls dropping out he'll hopefully be back on the wing, probably our best winger at the moment.