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

Interested Observer

Last time Toulouse lost a match was late Sept.

elliot_st

Heymans wrote: »

You're assuming the Academy players at lock are up to the grade. What if they don't hit European standard in the next 2/3 seasons? Then we are left threadbare in that area with noone to cover when Ryan and Toner are off with Ireland duty.

To say Cullen should prepare for life without Fardy is only acceptable if the incumbents are good enough to fill in - otherwise he should look to replace Fardy withh another high class lock from abroad.

Preparing for life without Fardy is inevitable, how they replace him is not. Usually academy players are up to grade, if Dowling isn't, one of Dunne/Baird will be, in time.

sydthebeat

leinster -11 is ridiculous i think.

this will be a one try score game either way

Heymans

elliot_st wrote: »

Preparing for life without Fardy is inevitable, how they replace him is not. Usually academy players are up to grade, if Dowling isn't, one of Dunne/Baird will be, in time.

And what about when Toner retires? With only Moloney and Kearney to replace him plus one of the Academy graduates we will be very bare if an injury occurs.


It is not inevitable that Fardy is replaced with an Academy recruit. It will take years to get them up to Test level.

elliot_st

Heymans wrote: »

And what about when Toner retires? With only Moloney and Kearney to replace him plus one of the Academy graduates we will be very bare if an injury occurs.


It is not inevitable that Fardy is replaced with an Academy recruit. It will take years to get them up to Test level.

who said it was inevitable that Fardy would be replaced by an academy player?

Toner retiring is not happening in the near future FYI.

I'm not sure what argument you are trying to pick here.

Clegg

Clegg wrote: »

My underdog senses are tingling.

It might explain why Ross Byrne was unused at the weekend.

Heard we have some doubts elsewhere - centre and front row specifically.

I think we'll win at the weekend, I don't think it will be pretty.

Lowe getting more than 1 week is a real kick in the teeth, he'd be ideal for this.

troyzer

Deleted User wrote: »

It might explain why Ross Byrne was unused at the weekend.

Heard we have some doubts elsewhere - centre and front row specifically.

I think we'll win at the weekend, I don't think it will be pretty.

Lowe getting more than 1 week is a real kick in the teeth, he'd be ideal for this.

Is this just social media bull**** or would you be fairly confident in your little birdie?

Clegg

Deleted User wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

My underdog senses are tingling.

It might explain why Ross Byrne was unused at the weekend.

Heard we have some doubts elsewhere - centre and front row specifically.

I think we'll win at the weekend, I don't think it will be pretty.

Lowe getting more than 1 week is a real kick in the teeth, he'd be ideal for this.

I'm confident we can win if we have a full strength pack. It would just be a hell of a lot harder. However, I don't like this talk about centre. If we lost Ringrose on top of the Henshaw injury we'd be goosed.

Buer

I honestly wouldn't be too worried about losing Sexton. Byrne has stepped up in European games before and will do so again. In an ideal world, we'd be dealing with a full deck and quietly hoping for a bonus point win. As it stands, we just need to win. I don't hold out much hope of us getting a top 2 spot at this point. I don't see Ulster doing us a huge favour and, without Henderson, I'm not sure they're able to.

I'd be pretty concerned if we're down another midfielder though, particularly Ringrose. I think ROL and Reid are much of a muchness. It was interesting that Cullen said COB is very close to being involved in Europe at this point although thay's most likely lip service. It would be great to have someone with such a booming left boot in the centre.

elliot_st

Clegg wrote: »

I'm confident we can win if we have a full strength pack. It would just be a hell of a lot harder. However, I don't like this talk about centre. If we lost Ringrose on top of the Henshaw injury we'd be goosed.

id say ROL more at risk than Ringrose.

No Sexton, no win for me. Bar some sort of herculean performance from the pack.

Shefwedfan

troyzer wrote: »

Is this just social media bull**** or would you be fairly confident in your little birdie?

As soon as I heard Frawley was starting at weekend I came up with the idea that Sexton was a doubt. It is not hard to figure out. Could I be wrong? 100% but I guess everyone expected Byrne to get a run. Both of them will be away for 6 nations so frawley would get a run then.


I doubt any little birdie knows more than Byrne would normally have started that game. So either Sexton or Byrne are an injury doubt and they wanted to test Frawley starting at 10.....

Heymans

elliot_st wrote: »

who said it was inevitable that Fardy would be replaced by an academy player?

Toner retiring is not happening in the near future FYI.

I'm not sure what argument you are trying to pick here.

You said if not Dowling is not up to the standard - one of Dunne/Baird will be. Hence you imply it was inevitable they replace Fardy with an Academy recruit.


I'm not trying to pick an argument with you just pointing out that it will take years to get those players up to European/Test standard nd what we do in the meantime is important.

jonok28

Heymans wrote: »

And what about when Toner retires? With only Moloney and Kearney to replace him plus one of the Academy graduates we will be very bare if an injury occurs.


It is not inevitable that Fardy is replaced with an Academy recruit. It will take years to get them up to Test level.

I'm fairly sure Leinster has prepared for any scenario, Toner has a few more years left in him, Ryan is going to be a main stay for Leinster for the next decade and Moloney and Kearney are fairly decent squad players capable of filling in when needed, I do expect at least one of the Academy players to come through and become a future starter whether it be Dowling, Baird or Dunne. Worst case scenario is Leinster bring in someone when the time comes, they have never been scared to spend on big money players over the years especially in the second row ( Hines, Thorn, Kane Douglas and Fardy).

elliot_st

If Leinster had retained one of their academy locks(Beirne or Thornbury) and not signed Nagle, i'd be an even better situation. Ah well, maybe thornbury will come back in future, can't see it Beirne being allowed to return.

Plenty of young talent at the lock position in the system so not a position of huge concern IMO, especially given Molony's improvement and consistency this season.

Leinster had the 1st choice 5 in last years Irish 20's(Dunne) and will likely have the 1st choice 4 and 5 in this years: Baird/Ryan.

Buer

elliot_st wrote: »

No Sexton, no win for me. Bar some sort of herculean performance from the pack.

Nah. Our pack at home is more than good enough to dominate Toulouse and get the win. Ross Byrne isn't exactly a bad back up and we've guys like Ringrose and Kearney in the back line.

Toulouse not having lost away since September is something of a misleading statistic. The bulk of their away games have been against lower ranked sides. They've played away from home 7 times. 4 of those matches were against the bottom 4 teams in the league. The others were against Clermont, Lyon and Montpellier and they didn't win any of them (drew 2).

Their away wins were against Pau, Grenoble, Perpignan and Agen and, Perpignan aside, they were all one score wins.

With or without Sexton, Leinster should be confident of winning with the added aim of denying Tolouse a BP.

Shefwedfan

We can just sign Dillane from Connacht

He has shown he is coming back into a bit of form.....

troyzer

troyzer wrote: »

Is this just social media bull**** or would you be fairly confident in your little birdie?

Nah not social media and the person who told has good reason to know and she has gotten things right before.

I'd be surprised if Sexton starts.

troyzer

Deleted User wrote: »

Nah not social media and the person who told has good reason to know and she has gotten things right before.

I'd be surprised if Sexton starts.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

Heymans

I have a bad feeling about this game on Saturday.

Toulouse have a lot to play for and will show up.

That combined with their resurgence in the European Cup and annoyance at us now being tied on 4 with them.

I think they have a big pack and will try to bully us and may very well succeed.

Without Sexton pulling the strings it could be a very difficulty day at the office for us.

Burkie1203

Heymans wrote: »

I have a bad feeling about this game on Saturday.

Toulouse have a lot to play for and will show up.

That combined with their resurgence in the European Cup and annoyance at us now being tied on 4 with them.

I think they have a big pack and will try to bully us and may very well succeed.

Without Sexton pulling the strings it could be a very difficulty day at the office for us.

Healy Cronin Furlong Toner Ryan Ruddock VDF Conan

That's as good/better a pack as any out there

J McGrath Tracy Porter Fardy Leavy is a strong bench to have

elliot_st

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Healy Cronin Furlong Toner Ryan Ruddock VDF Conan

That's as good/better a pack as any out there

J McGrath Tracy Porter Fardy Leavy is a strong bench to have

Leavy has to start.

Burkie1203

elliot_st wrote: »

Leavy has to start.

Swap with VDF then

degsie

More than annoyed if Sexton doesn't start.

Heymans

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Healy Cronin Furlong Toner Ryan Ruddock VDF Conan

That's as good/better a pack as any out there

J McGrath Tracy Porter Fardy Leavy is a strong bench to have

I'd say we'll be better than them in the front row.


But I'm not sure the second row pairing will be physically able to dominate Toulouse. Technically and athletically they are superior to their opposition but I always wonder how we'll front up physically with that pairing. They proved me wrong against the All Blacks but I'm waiting and think I'll be proved right at some point.


Back row if Leavy plays we are better but smaller.

elliot_st

Heymans wrote: »

I'd say we'll be better than them in the front row but I'm not sure the second row pairing will be physically able to dominate Toulouse. Technically and athletically they are superior to their opposition but I always wonder how we'll front up physically with that pairing. They proved me wrong against the All Blacks but I'm waiting and think I'll be proved right at some point.


Back row if Leavy plays we are better but smaller.

:rolleyes:

elliot_st

Great news for Leinster as Robbie Henshaw could make an earlier than expected return to side for clash with Toulouse at weekend, according to Stuart Lancaster

Shefwedfan

Shefwedfan wrote: »

As soon as I heard Frawley was starting at weekend I came up with the idea that Sexton was a doubt

Yeah it was unexpected that he started but more so that Byrne didn't get minutes later on. I'm sure the media would have been asking questions regardless.

I also wonder does Fardy's absence suggest we might have an issue in the second or back row.

elliot_st

Johnny Sexton and Devin Toner injury concerns for Leinster v Toulouse. Sexton didn’t train last week and won’t train today. - Sinead Kissane.

Clegg

Henshaw straight back in for Toulouse? He was expected to miss the first few fixtures of the Six Nations iirc.

If Toner isn't fit then Fardy goes straight in. We lose out a bit in the lineout but add an extra bit of power in the collisions.

troyzer

Clegg wrote: »

Henshaw straight back in for Toulouse? He was expected to miss the first few fixtures of the Six Nations iirc.

If Toner isn't fit then Fardy goes straight in. We lose out a bit in the lineout but add an extra bit of power in the collisions.

Maybe off the bench but you can't chuck him straight into a start in Europe.

The Tweet said he was training under medical supervision. Sounds like next week at the earliest.