Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread X: [****]

Granny15

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Good website. Average team.

Think I prefer the way Leinster do it

They are quite a good team and although I think Leinster will beat them they could cause us some problems at the rec. Remember with our loss to Toulouse these are 2 must win games if we want to retain the title. But the away fixture could cause us problems and people will be calling us average in that case

Clegg

Bath are 8th in the premiership and finished 6th in a 12 team league last season. They aren't that good. Of course you must be weary of any away fixture, but if Leinster are zero'd in there shouldn't be any undue problems.

Clegg

Penny obviously impressed Cullen as he gets another start. Not sure about that backline at all. Very callow. But the kids went well last week so it's right to give them another go.

15. Hugo Keenan (3)
14. Adam Byrne (42)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (1)
12. Conor O’Brien (6)
11. Dave Kearney (126)
10. Ross Byrne (56)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (58)
1. Ed Byrne (29)
2. James Tracy (76)
3. Michael Bent (111)
4. Ross Molony (70)
5. Scott Fardy (30) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (13)
7. Scott Penny (1)
8. Caelan Doris (5)

16. Bryan Byrne (31)
17. Peter Dooley (53)
18. Andrew Porter (38)
19. Mick Kearney (41)
20. Max Deegan (28)
21. Paddy Patterson (0)
22. Ciarán Frawley (5)
23. Tom Daly (11)

LostArt

Expected a slightly stronger squad tbh. Reid playing 12 next week then?

Former Former

Doris-Deegan pecking order confirmed.

Great to see the youngsters get another run, harsh on Frawley I suppose.

Did O'Sullivan get injured last week too?

arsebiscuits1

Very surprised at that team. Thought we'd introduce some of the heavies back earlier to settle before Bath.

Having said that we've a big December with Europe and interpros.

Of every player in the Leinster setup currently, Patterson was the last name I'd expect to see on the team sheet.

Presumably that injury to McCarthy is keeping him out. But what happened O'Sullivan?

Squidgy Black

Dragons are a poor side, but I'll think they'll put up much more of a challenge than Ospreys did last weekend.

I think the halfback pairing will help settle things, and there's a lot of experience in that tight five despite being second/third choice aside from Fardy.

arsebiscuits1

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Dragons are a poor side, but I'll think they'll put up much more of a challenge than Ospreys did last weekend.

I think the halfback pairing will help settle things, and there's a lot of experience in that tight five despite being second/third choice aside from Fardy.

While Ospreys were poor, our front 5 did some severe damage to them and they never got a foothold.

It's the same front 5 again and it will be more of the same. Dragons are stubborn but defensively passive. Keep the ball and win the collisions with the tight 5 and it will be a lot of the same

MattD

Former Former wrote: »

Doris-Deegan pecking order confirmed.

Great to see the youngsters get another run, harsh on Frawley I suppose.

Did O'Sullivan get injured last week too?

It would have been nice to see Frawley at 12 with COB at 13 if that's supposed to be his best position and would have slightly lessened the inexperience in the centre.

arsebiscuits1

Ulster have their internationals who played against the US back this weekend.

So Leinster 100% have an eye on the next few weeks and are resting the big fellas. Hopefully that doesn't bite us tomorrow

troyzer

Is Hugh O'Sullivan injured?

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

Is Hugh O'Sullivan injured?

Wasn't part of the injury update the other day so not too sure.

sydthebeat

leinster gone from -18 to -10

troyzer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Is Hugh O'Sullivan injured?

Wasn't part of the injury update the other day so not too sure.

Is it strange that they're capping a first year academy guy when there are two guys in front?

If we struggle in this game then Frawley is better than Byrne, therefore Frawley is also superior to 2013 Madigan and 2016 Jackson

Clegg

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Ulster have their internationals who played against the US back this weekend.

So Leinster 100% have an eye on the next few weeks and are resting the big fellas. Hopefully that doesn't bite us tomorrow

Leinster have a 10 point lead in the pool. I suppose if there's any game to rest players for its this one.

We are 10 points clear at the top of the table and Dragons have been poor. We've a bit of a golden opportunity to develop more talent in the coming months and it's timely because half our squad will be gone for the first two months of next season.

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

Is it strange that they're capping a first year academy guy when there are two guys in front?

Well McCarthy is out injured, so it's really just O'Sullivan he's being picked over as I'm sure Luke is being rested with the rest of the internationals. I'm sure there's reasoning behind Patterson, he's been playing quite well for the As by all accounts.

Kevski

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If we struggle in this game then Frawley is better than Byrne, therefore Frawley is also superior to 2013 Madigan and 2016 Jackson

In that case, do we think that Ireland would have beaten Argentina in 2015, would he have thrown that pass against Toulon in the semi final against Toulon and would Ireland have won the series in SA?

Clegg

Bath side for the Sale game. Not quite full strength but they've put a lot of first team players in there. I believe they were hoping Jonathan Joseph would be ready for this game. Since he isn't I can't see him taking any part in either game against Leinster.

15. Ruaridh McConnochie

14. Semesa Rokoduguni

13. Jackson Willison

12. Max Wright

11. Joe Cokanasiga

10. Freddie Burns

9. Kahn Fotuali’i

1. Nathan Catt

2. Jack Walker

3. Henry Thomas

4. Elliott Stooke

5. Charlie Ewels (c)

6. Francois Louw

7. Sam Underhill

8. Zach Mercer

Granny15

Clegg wrote: »

Penny obviously impressed Cullen as he gets another start. Not sure about that backline at all. Very callow. But the kids went well last week so it's right to give them another go.

15. Hugo Keenan (3)
14. Adam Byrne (42)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (1)
12. Conor O’Brien (6)
11. Dave Kearney (126)
10. Ross Byrne (56)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (58)
1. Ed Byrne (29)
2. James Tracy (76)
3. Michael Bent (111)
4. Ross Molony (70)
5. Scott Fardy (30) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (13)
7. Scott Penny (1)
8. Caelan Doris (5)

16. Bryan Byrne (31)
17. Peter Dooley (53)
18. Andrew Porter (38)
19. Mick Kearney (41)
20. Max Deegan (28)
21. Paddy Patterson (0)
22. Ciarán Frawley (5)
23. Tom Daly (11)

Delighted with this selection. Great to see youngsters being blooded. Some surprising selections, happy to see Dorris over Deegan and happy to see Patterson get a run. All I've seen of O'Sullivan has been a little underwhelming. It's mad to think porter already has more caps than the Byrne twins but I would have liked to see Bryan get a start. Been the total professional in every appearance I have seen of him in blue

atticu

Kevski wrote: »

In that case, do we think that Ireland would have beaten Argentina in 2015, would he have thrown that pass against Toulon in the semi final against Toulon and would Ireland have won the series in SA?

Yes
No
Yes

And, that would mean that Ireland would be ranked No. 1, and Leinster would have another star on their jersey. 😉

arsebiscuits1

troyzer wrote: »

Is it strange that they're capping a first year academy guy when there are two guys in front?

McCarthy could be out for a few weeks with whatever he has done.

In which case it's probably better to have 3 fully fit scrumhalves for the next few weeks with Europe and interpros coming up.

Kevski

atticu wrote: »

Yes
No
Yes

And, that would mean that Ireland would be ranked No. 1, and Leinster would have another star on their jersey. 😉

That star could mean that MOC stayed on and Leo/Lancaster never came in so I think I’m ok with how things turned out!

Rigor Mortis

Former Former wrote: »

Doris-Deegan pecking order confirmed.

Great to see the youngsters get another run, harsh on Frawley I suppose.

Did O'Sullivan get injured last week too?

Byrne got very little game time in the last two months, he needs more time on the pitch. Right call ahead of Europe.

sydthebeat

Thats some back row bath have !!

errlloyd

sydthebeat wrote: »

Thats some back row bath have !!

With Faletau injured.

irishbucsfan

This might be the strongest weak team leinster have ever named

Squidgy Black

irishbucsfan wrote: »

This might be the strongest weak team leinster have ever named

It's a far cry from the days of Mick McGrath and Darragh Fanning under MOC alright.

I don't think there's a single player in that squad who you would call a "Pro14 backup".

errlloyd

If Leinster were fully fit where would this starting 15 rank in terms of average position in a depth chart that only allows one position per player.

Keenan (3rd - Larmour, Kearney)
DK (3rd - Tomane, Daly)
T'OB (3rd - ROL, Ringrose)
C'OB (3rd - Reid, Henshaw)
A Byrne (3rd - Lowe, McFadden)
R Bynre (2nd - Sexton)
JGP (2nd - McGrath)

E Byrne (4th - Healy, McGrath, Dooley)
Tracy (2nd - Cronin)
Bent (3rd - Porter Furlong)
Molony (2nd - Ryan)
Fardy (2nd - Toner)
Murphy (3rd - SOB, Ruddock)
Penny (3rd - Leavy, VDF)
Doris (2nd - Conan)



So on average, I reckon they're 2.666 down. Have we ever started a "deeper" team.