‪Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IX: The Last Jordi [****]

Neil3030

I've just seen Leinster smash up too many teams at home in big games to be worried about a win there. Shnake an lbp over there and we're laughing.

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

I've just seen Leinster smash up too many teams at home in big games to be worried about a win there. Shnake an lbp over there and we're laughing.

Yep. I don't really think anyone should be beating this Leinster side at home. A BP away to Glasgow is a serious marker imo, and the backline has Lowe and Ringrose to return to it.

Exeter really have made things difficult by winning over in Montpellier though. Suppose the benefit is by round 6 hopefully the rest a few players. Or just Nadolo.

irishfan9

Scarlets smashed us pretty good last may.

prawnsambo

pickarooney wrote: »

But when you get this pattern (I know it's way too early to call it that yet) of the player at 10 doing a fine job for months and the other guy being dropped in their and not impressing, how long do you keep that up? How do you keep Ross Byrne motivated if he's essentially being treated as a placeholder?

I suspect we have to start rotating. With Carbery injured currently, that's not an issue and when the 6N starts it won't be an issue either. But Ross Byrne can't be on the pitch week after week either.

Between Carbery's return from injury and the 6N, I suspect he'll get some game time at 10. There won't be too many opportunities to get him match fit otherwise.

irishfan9

irishfan9 wrote: »

Scarlets smashed us pretty good last may.

Yeah fair point.

Very impressed with Larmour and Ross Byrne yesterday. Neither of them are going to accept being second string players for much longer imo.

Byrne especially has been going from strength to strength imo, reckon he'll be in Ireland squads in the next 12 months or so. You'd wonder what his thinking is, wait it out for Sexton to decline/retire, or make a move to be first choice soon. He's getting loads of gametime but he's not starting the big games.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Dax Obedient Geometry wrote: »

Very impressed with Larmour and Ross Byrne yesterday. Neither of them are going to accept being second string players for much longer imo.

Byrne especially has been going from strength to strength imo, reckon he'll be in Ireland squads in the next 12 months or so. You'd wonder what his thinking is, wait it out for Sexton to decline/retire, or make a move to be first choice soon. He's getting loads of gametime but he's not starting the big games.

I think Ross Byrne will want to find out where he is with all fit an available before he makes up his mind.

Carberry has been playing a lot at 15 for Leinster but is seen as a 10 by the national set up. If all fit and available Carberry is wearing the 22 shirt Byrne needs to have a long think about if he wants to stay in Leinster.

Clegg

Byrne has another problem in Carbery. I know he's been going well, but from interviews given by Cullen, Lancaster and Schmidt, they all see Joey as a 10.

Buer

Byrne is 22 years old and getting tonnes of game time. He's a decade younger than Sexton and won't have to wait too long for Sexton to depart the scene at which point it's a straight call between himself and Carbery. That's a battle he won't be shying away from and would back himself in, I'd imagine.

If he left at this point, it would be an odd move. Carbery would get significant game time at 10 and the opportunity for Byrne might never come around again.

irishbucsfan

Byrne has already benefitted from being the backup to Sexton this season with that start against Montpellier. Anyone 2nd choice to Sexton will get some meaningful game time unless Sexton becomes more durable.

Probably a mutually beneficial relationship as well if Byrne’s quality means Sexton doesn’t have to push himself to play through injury in future.

Neil3030

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Byrne has already benefitted from being the backup to Sexton this season with that start against Montpellier. Anyone 2nd choice to Sexton will get some meaningful game time unless Sexton becomes more durable.

Probably a mutually beneficial relationship as well if Byrne’s quality means Sexton doesn’t have to push himself to play through injury in future.

But what do they then do with Carbery?

Clegg

Neil3030 wrote: »

But what do they then do with Carbery?

It's not a problem yet as Carbery is getting time at 10 for Ireland despite playing 15. But if there comes a time when his lack of playing 10 effects his selection in the squad he may have to consider his options.

irishbucsfan

Neil3030 wrote: »

But what do they then do with Carbery?

Let him contest for the 10 and 15 jerseys. He could well win either of them. How you fit Larmour/Carberry/Byrne into the same team long term is an interesting question, might be Larmour at 11.

AdamD

Ireland have an issue at 10, and a Carbery issue, Leinster don't.

Neil3030

AdamD wrote: »

Ireland have an issue at 10, and a Carbery issue, Leinster don't.

But if Carbery wants to be Ireland's future 10, he has a Leinster issue!

Edit - and if Byrne wants to follow in the footsteps of Steenson, and become a very well paid 10 for a successful club abroad given the national depth at his position, he too has a Leinster problem.

irishfan9

People need to relax.

Clegg

What really impressed me about Larmour, apart from his running, was his awareness of what was going on around him. He made that line break near he end of the game and probably would have scored himself, but he drew the defender and passed it on to RoL who had an easier run in. There are more experienced player who wouldn't have done that.

Former Former

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Byrne has already benefitted from being the backup to Sexton this season with that start against Montpellier. Anyone 2nd choice to Sexton will get some meaningful game time unless Sexton becomes more durable.

Probably a mutually beneficial relationship as well if Byrne’s quality means Sexton doesn’t have to push himself to play through injury in future.

Byrne has started 8 of Leinster's 11 games this season, and come off the bench in the rest. Last season, he got 11 starts and 9 sub appearances.

He'd be mad to go anywhere.

molloyjh

I just love that there are arguments to be had over who starts for us in numerous positions. It's a bloody good sign. The only positions that are pretty much untouchable are 3, 10, 12 and 13. There's genuine competition to some degree or other everywhere else. And 3 of those 4 untouchables are properly world class players. Ringrose being the only exception there.

irishfan9

molloyjh wrote: »

I just love that there are arguments to be had over who starts for us in numerous positions. It's a bloody good sign. The only positions that are pretty much untouchable are 3, 10, 12 and 13. There's genuine competition to some degree or other everywhere else. And 3 of those 4 untouchables are properly world class players. Ringrose being the only exception there.

Henshaw, world class? Dunno..

Former Former

molloyjh wrote: »

I just love that there are arguments to be had over who starts for us in numerous positions. It's a bloody good sign. The only positions that are pretty much untouchable are 3, 10, 12 and 13. There's genuine competition to some degree or other everywhere else. And 3 of those 4 untouchables are properly world class players. Ringrose being the only exception there.

You can probably add 7 to that. As good as VDF is, when O'Brien is in this sort of form and staying fit, he's not far off being Ireland's best player.

stephen_n

Question pretty soon is who starts in the second row, is there the possibility of Toner being benched to accommodate Ryan, think Fardy is fairly nailed on at this stage, he's been a revelation.

Clegg

irishfan9 wrote: »

Henshaw, world class? Dunno..

On his day he can be.

In games against France and New Zealand he certainly was.

scott1974

irishfan9 wrote: »

Henshaw, world class? Dunno..

Eh, Noel (bone-shaker) Reid...

CIARAN_BOYLE

stephen_n wrote: »

Question pretty soon is who starts in the second row, is there the possibility of Toner being benched to accommodate Ryan, think Fardy is fairly nailed on at this stage, he's been a revelation.

Not yet but the day will come.

AdamD

I've actually been reasonably impressed with Reid this season, wouldn't be worried about seeing him in Europe Henshaw happened to be out.

Squidgy Black

Jordi Murphy had a video of Carbery in a cast on his Instagram, be interesting to hear whether they operated on it or not, and what they reckon the timeline will be.

Stheno

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Jordi Murphy had a video of Carbery in a cast on his Instagram, be interesting to hear whether they operated on it or not, and what they reckon the timeline will be.

He'd surgery on it yesterday week iirc

FrannoFan

AdamD wrote: »

I've actually been reasonably impressed with Reid this season, wouldn't be worried about seeing him in Europe Henshaw happened to be out.

Reid is a classy attacker. Lovely passer of the ball. Games like Friday when we have a lot of front foot ball you see him at is best.

I would have worries in a game where he is required to tackle a lot.

typhoony

Clegg wrote: »

Byrne has another problem in Carbery. I know he's been going well, but from interviews given by Cullen, Lancaster and Schmidt, they all see Joey as a 10.

I think there is just a bit of lip service going on here, just can't see Cullen giving up on Byrne at 10. Also Cullen has experience as a player of being not included in Ireland plans, think he was a better 2nd row than Donnacha O'Callaghan, of course I know he played abroad for a good few years but still

salmocab

stephen_n wrote: »

Question pretty soon is who starts in the second row, is there the possibility of Toner being benched to accommodate Ryan, think Fardy is fairly nailed on at this stage, he's been a revelation.

Think for European games it will be Fardy and Toner with Ryan getting a fair bit of game time elsewhere in the league games and off the bench in the european matches

molloyjh

For this weekend I'm going to guess at:

McGrath Cronin Bent
Nagle Fardy
Ruddock Conan VDF

McGrath Byrne
Nacewa Ringrose
Lowe Larmour Byrne

Tracy, Byrne, Porter, Josh Murphy, Jordi, JGP, Marsh, ROL

Fogs was talking about how hard Cronin has been working the last couple of weeks so I think they're going to back him this week. Ruddock and Conan got relatively little game time over the last few weeks (Rhys will be at 107 min over 5 weeks) so both should be more than able to come back in. No idea what the update is on Leavy though. I think we should be leaving Larmour in the starting side for this one too, and with Henshaw out we need to make sure we're blooding a partnership that might actually play together against Exeter. So Isa goes to 12. It's a pretty exciting back 3 and if Ringrose can hit the ground running it could be a very dangerous back line. And there should be more than enough in that pack to provide a platform.

We're short on fit locks at the moment. Dev might come back onto the bench given the fact that he only benched against Argentina, but I'm not sure about that. Rhys might end up benching to cover the row but I'd like to see him start. And I think ROL offers enough cover from the bench generally, plus he might be needed to replace Ringrose anyway given Garys lack of match fitness.

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

Lowe Larmour Byrne

stephen_n

Is it my imagination, or do we not generally go close to full strength in these games, to get some prep for the European games? Need to knock Joe's ideas out of those international players.

CIARAN_BOYLE

stephen_n wrote: »

Is it my imagination, or do we not generally go close to full strength in these games, to get some prep for the European games? Need to knock Joe's ideas out of those international players.

There used to be two games after the AIs before the European cup. Now there's one.

I believe when it was two it was always rest the first week and full strength the second.

Now it seems to be mix and match team the week after the AIs and full strength for Europe.

Game at the weekend has a bit of a banana skin feel. Fired up Beneton who are out of Europe and a Leinster team probably trying to avoid injury before the double header. Reckon it could end up uncomfortably tight...

sydthebeat

Deleted User wrote: »

Game at the weekend has a bit of a banana skin feel. Fired up Beneton who are out of Europe and a Leinster team probably trying to avoid injury before the double header. Reckon it could end up uncomfortably tight...

you'll get treviso +13

however, it could be quite a strong leinster team that faces them.

personally id wait until the teams are announced

Clegg

Ringrose and Furlong are out of contract next summer.

7 year contracts for each pls.

Neil3030

Furlong is a farmer - it probably kills him to be away from the farm for a few weeks on tours, imagine what living abroad would do to him? Doubt he'll leave, tbh.

irishbucsfan

Neil3030 wrote: »

Furlong is a farmer - it probably kills him to be away from the farm for a few weeks on tours, imagine what living abroad would do to him? Doubt he'll leave, tbh.

He's also a tighthead prop. I don't think they even have to attend training. He could probably fly into Toulon on Saturday Morning and be back in his candle-lit hay-mattressed bed by bed time.

Buer

Furlong won't leave but he'll have silly money on the table from France. A big thick headed prop who can scrummage, carry and has good hands? And unlike half the guys in France with those attributes can play 60-70 minutes?

Have the money, Tadhg. Have all the money.

Neil3030

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He's also a tighthead prop. I don't think they even have to attend training. He could probably fly into Toulon on Saturday Morning and be back in his candle-lit hay-mattressed bed by bed time.

They have to attend daily acting classes to perfect that picture of innocence look, following blatant infringements.

Buer

Neil3030 wrote: »

They have to attend daily acting classes to perfect that picture of innocence look, following blatant infringements.

Easily done. You ask them to perform simple arithmetic without a calculator.

sydthebeat

Buer wrote: »

Furlong won't leave but he'll have silly money on the table from France. A big thick headed prop who can scrummage, carry and has good hands? And unlike half the guys in France with those attributes can play 60-70 minutes?

Have the money, Tadhg. Have all the money.

Furlong-isvilli ???

Buer

Buer wrote: »

Easily done. You ask them to perform simple arithmetic without a calculator.

f'ing dieing in the office here. Hilarious.

tooManyChoices

Neil3030 wrote: »

Furlong is a farmer - it probably kills him to be away from the farm for a few weeks on tours, imagine what living abroad would do to him? Doubt he'll leave, tbh.

Great land in the south of France though...

Stheno

Buer wrote: »

Easily done. You ask them to perform simple arithmetic without a calculator.

Or ask them to understand the rules of the game?

tooManyChoices

Stheno wrote: »

Or ask them to understand the rules of the game?

So is the Welsh front-row going to get held back a year?

pickarooney

tooManyChoices wrote: »

Great land in the south of France though...

I doubt Tadhg is into growing olives and apricots. There's not a lick of grass to sate a bullock around these parts.

salmocab

Is saturdays match on the television box?