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

errlloyd

We're not gonna have a terrible team. Sure our world cup squad was even more decimated and only lost twice. One of those Ross Byrne started (and I'm glad he did). Backs will still be McGrath, Marsh (possibly Madigan to be fair), Reid, Teo (with Ringrose too), mcfadden, sideshow bob and Isa.

Our pack will still have one of Strauss and cronin, one of Furlong, Moore, Ross, bent. And probably vdf, jordi, Conan, leavy, ruddock, Ryan.

It's only second row we suffer to unacceptable levels.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

The teams Leinster will be playing against will also, I presume, be missing a fair few players to the 6 Nations. It's not like they'll be playing full strength Glasgow or Osprey's squads.

Interested Observer

errlloyd wrote: »

We're not gonna have a terrible team. Sure our world cup squad was even more decimated and only lost twice. One of those Ross Byrne started (and I'm glad he did). Backs will still be McGrath, Marsh (possibly Madigan to be fair), Reid, Teo (with Ringrose too), mcfadden, sideshow bob and Isa.

Our pack will still have one of Strauss and cronin, one of Furlong, Moore, Ross, bent. And probably vdf, jordi, Conan, leavy, ruddock, Ryan.

It's only second row we suffer to unacceptable levels.

When is Triggs back? Himself and Moloney would be fine, and what about Mick Kearney?

aimee1

Interested Observer wrote: »

When is Triggs back? Himself and Moloney would be fine, and what about Mick Kearney?

think Kearney is due back in Feb/March

The Rape of Lucretia

aimee1 wrote: »

think Kearney is due back in Feb/March

And Triggs ?

aimee1

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

And Triggs ?

Vaguely remember something about back in time for the 6n period.

Clegg

Way things are going with other provinces it'll be the Leinster selected for the 6 Nations.

molloyjh

Triggs should be back within the next 2 weeks based on what was announced in Dec. He was due to be out for 6 weeks back around the second week in Dec.

Hagz

I really hope we see Ringrose at 13 against Bath. And Luke McGrath at 9 again.

hogandrew

aimee1 wrote: »

think Kearney is due back in Feb/March

He's back in training isn't he? What was the injury?

Clegg

Half way point of the league season and Leinster one point off first and with a game in hand. We've seen some younger players get their chance to impress, hav won all the interpros and beaten Glasgow, Ospreys and Scarlets, the other best sides in the league. All in all its been pretty decent. Of course now we come to the 6N which is where the title defence faltered last season. I think we've a better squad than this time last year and we're definitely playing better rugby. Fingers crossed the team wins a few over the period and solidifies a lead at the top.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Hagz wrote: »

I really hope we see Ringrose at 13 against Bath. And Luke McGrath at 9 again.

Makes sense to me. Mainly pointless games in terms of qualifying and with the 6 Nations coming up these are the guys that will probably be playing for a few weeks in the Pro 12. Getting them playing together as much as possible beforehand makes sense.

Bazzo

hogandrew wrote: »

He's back in training isn't he? What was the injury?

He left Connacht with a broken toe or something along those lines.

Don't ask me what ye did to him over there that he's been out so long :pac:

CMOTDibbler

Bazzo wrote: »

He left Connacht with a broken toe or something along those lines.

Don't ask me what ye did to him over there that he's been out so long :pac:

He was asked to forget all the stupid, headless stuff he was used to in Connacht and he took it badly. :pac:

aimee1

heaslip had to wear a protective gumshield after the game on friday as he loosened a few teeth

Bazzo

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

He was asked to forget all the stupid, headless stuff he was used to in Connacht and he took it badly. :pac:

I can see that, none of that flashy stuff like forward offloading or passing

errlloyd

Its just a thought, but I actually don't think we were that much better on Friday than we were last year, the difference is we just finished the 3 chances. A huge amount of credit has to go to Kearney and Reid who both had a lot to do. Is that Girv's influence in the backs?

Sangre

errlloyd wrote: »

Its just a thought, but I actually don't think we were that much better on Friday than we were last year, the difference is we just finished the 3 chances. A huge amount of credit has to go to Kearney and Reid who both had a lot to do. Is that Girv's influence in the backs?

Yes we were imo. Our ball protection is so much better this season. The inability to protect our own ball meant that we could never build up any sustained pressure last year and so many promising attacking positions were wasted. Our tackling is also a lot better, falling off a fewer tackles. Our maul seems much improved as well and was used to good effect during the match.

Now whether this is due to the players available or down to coaching is another matter I'd prefer not to re-open!

Neil3030

When is Kirchner's current deal finished? I wonder if we could use his wages to bring in Jared Payne, offering a couple of forwards to Ulster in return. Perhaps one of Mike Ross or Furlong, along with one of Conan or Ryan?

Strikes me as a good deal for everyone:

Payne can continue to play centre for Leinster, and provide cover at FB.
Ringrose gets a quality mentor.
Ulster get strength to their pack.
Ulster don't really need him with Piutau/Ludik to play FB and all the centres. All of them.
Henshaw can stay at Connacht.

aimee1

Neil3030 wrote: »

When is Kirchner's current deal finished? I wonder if we could use his wages to bring in Jared Payne, offering a couple of forwards to Ulster in return. Perhaps one of Mike Ross or Furlong, along with one of Conan or Ryan?

Strikes me as a good deal for everyone:

Payne can continue to play centre for Leinster, and provide cover at FB.
Ringrose gets a quality mentor.
Ulster get strength to their pack.
Ulster don't really need him with Piutau/Ludik to play FB and all the centres. All of them.
Henshaw can stay at Connacht.

I reckon henshaw is a done deal. No smoke without fire etc. Also dont see why leinster should cough up furlong or moore at this stage. Ross has one more year maybe so leinster need to keep a squad together to compete in europe

Neil3030

aimee1 wrote: »

I reckon henshaw is a done deal. No smoke without fire etc. Also dont see why leinster should cough up furlong or moore at this stage. Ross has one more year maybe so leinster need to keep a squad together to compete in europe

Henshaw to Leinster just annoys me on every conceivable level. I know it's his choice, but in the grander scheme it's an awful move if we have any notion of maintaining four strong provinces.

Bazzo

aimee1 wrote: »

I reckon henshaw is a done deal. No smoke without fire etc. Also dont see why leinster should cough up furlong or moore at this stage. Ross has one more year maybe so leinster need to keep a squad together to compete in europe

While it certainly seems likely, this statement isn't necessarily true. Remember last year when everybody in the media was 100% certain that he was going to leave his Connacht contract a year early to join Leinster? He rubbished it several times himself and it still persisted.

Smoke was definitely being produced from somewhere, and it wasn't a fire.

The_Captain

Neil3030 wrote: »

Henshaw to Leinster just annoys me on every conceivable level. I know it's his choice, but in the grander scheme it's an awful move if we have any notion of maintaining four strong provinces.

Great move for Ireland though, and that's why it will happen.

CatFromHue

I wonder how important, on the field anyway, Henshaw actually is to Connacht. This is easily your best season in a long time yet he's barely played (only 2 games in the Pro12 anyway).

awec

Neil3030 wrote: »

When is Kirchner's current deal finished? I wonder if we could use his wages to bring in Jared Payne, offering a couple of forwards to Ulster in return. Perhaps one of Mike Ross or Furlong, along with one of Conan or Ryan?

Strikes me as a good deal for everyone:

Payne can continue to play centre for Leinster, and provide cover at FB.
Ringrose gets a quality mentor.
Ulster get strength to their pack.
Ulster don't really need him with Piutau/Ludik to play FB and all the centres. All of them.
Henshaw can stay at Connacht.

What use would Mike Ross be to Ulster?

And why would we accept Dom Ryan?

jacothelad

Neil3030 wrote: »

When is Kirchner's current deal finished? I wonder if we could use his wages to bring in Jared Payne, offering a couple of forwards to Ulster in return. Perhaps one of Mike Ross or Furlong, along with one of Conan or Ryan?

Strikes me as a good deal for everyone:

Payne can continue to play centre for Leinster, and provide cover at FB.
Ringrose gets a quality mentor.
Ulster get strength to their pack.
Ulster don't really need him with Piutau/Ludik to play FB and all the centres. All of them.
Henshaw can stay at Connacht.

You can keep Ross - too old. Furlong - yes. You can have Payne for him plus Paul Marshall, iHumph, Roger Wilson, Stevenson, Browne, Windsor, Clive Ross and Willie Faloon.

Journeyman_1

awec wrote: »

What use would Mike Ross be to Ulster?

And why would we accept Dom Ryan?

Because othewise ye'd still be playing/benching guys like Reidy/Ross and past it players like Wilson.

Ross, is probably too old to make any significant impact there though. Bent would likely be more useful, but he's a better LH than TH imo. Leinster will want to hang on to Moore/Furlong.

awec

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

Because othewise ye'd still be playing/benching guys like Reidy/Ross and past it players like Wilson.

Ross, is probably too old to make any significant impact there though. Bent would likely be more useful, but he's a better LH than TH imo. Leinster will want to hang on to Moore/Furlong.

I mean, why would we accept Dom Ryan in a trade for Payne?

Not exactly like-for-like. Be like me buying you a pint at the pub and then you giving me a glass of water for your round.

former total

On a related note, Dom Ryan played well against the Ospreys the other night, following up on his good showing against Munster. Good to see him back on form.

awec

So what sort of team do Leinster field on Saturday?

Rest men for a meaningless fixture, or go for it to try and avoid a 0% winning record?