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

Shefwedfan

Former Former wrote: »

The jury is very much out on Byrne.

He was an absolute liability in defence, both in positioning and technique. He looks to have improved but needs to show it in more big games.

Ahh come on, I feel a lot of the time something is mentioned in press or on radio and everyone jumps onto it and then crucifies the player over it...

It was the same with Madigan, someone mentioned game management and everyone jumped around for 3 years going on about game management. Most people had no idea what game management actually mean.....even Madigan asked on a podcast what people mean by it and it was deadly silence


Funny how madigan has left, made a huge success in England and never a word about game management.



Same with Byrne, someone mentioned about defence, now everyone runs around going on and on and on about his defence.....Earls was sh*t at defence for years, because the press never mentioned it then it was never brought up.....people really need to relax about Byrne and just let him play instead of trying to find minor issues and blow it up

Thermoman12

Is James Lowe back for round 6 of the Heineken Champions Cup?

Clegg

Thermoman12 wrote: »

Is James Lowe back for round 6 of the Heineken Champions Cup?

He's only suspended for 2 weeks.

So yes, he'll be back.

Thermoman12

Clegg wrote: »

He's only suspended for 2 weeks.

So yes, he'll, be back.

Good stuff

RockBoysarewii

WARNING Completely of topic question.

Why didn’t Mick McGrath get a contract?

Clegg

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Former Former wrote: »

The jury is very much out on Byrne.

He was an absolute liability in defence, both in positioning and technique. He looks to have improved but needs to show it in more big games.

Ahh come on, I feel a lot of the time something is mentioned in press or on radio and everyone jumps onto it and then crucifies the player over it...

It was the same with Madigan, someone mentioned game management and everyone jumped around for 3 years going on about game management. Most people had no idea what game management actually mean.....even Madigan asked on a podcast what people mean by it and it was deadly silence


Funny how madigan has left, made a huge success in England and never a word about game management.



Same with Byrne, someone mentioned about defence, now everyone runs around going on and on and on about his defence.....Earls was sh*t at defence for years, because the press never mentioned it then it was never brought up.....people really need to relax about Byrne and just let him play instead of trying to find minor issues and blow it up

Oh Jesus. Be careful what you say about Keet.

That sort of honest appraisal isn't appreciated in certain corners.

awec

RockBoysarewii wrote: »

WARNING Completely of topic question.

Why didn’t Mick McGrath get a contract?

Not good enough.

Buer

Byrne's defence was poor. There's no denying it. He was a poor tackler and pretty shakey positionally. There were issues in multiple matches. He has been less exposed this season which is very encouraging this far.

Madigan didn't run a game well from 10. Game management is a buzz phrase but he was lacking in the ability to guide a team from the main pivot position. I think saying he's a huge success in England is quite a stretch. I follow him a bit and Bristol's fans forum now and again to get their thoughts and he has been decent but certainly not set the world alight.

Squidgy Black

RockBoysarewii wrote: »

WARNING Completely of topic question.

Why didn’t Mick McGrath get a contract?

Was too attractive and posed too much of a challenge to handsome rob's title.

Nah he was very much a squad player, and they chose to go with academy options instead. Worked out well, the likes of ROL, Byrne and Daly got game time. He also was pretty involved in the 7s campaigns.

kennedmc

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Ahh come on, I feel a lot of the time something is mentioned in press or on radio and everyone jumps onto it and then crucifies the player over it...

It was the same with Madigan, someone mentioned game management and everyone jumped around for 3 years going on about game management. Most people had no idea what game management actually mean.....even Madigan asked on a podcast what people mean by it and it was deadly silence


Funny how madigan has left, made a huge success in England and never a word about game management.



Same with Byrne, someone mentioned about defence, now everyone runs around going on and on and on about his defence.....Earls was sh*t at defence for years, because the press never mentioned it then it was never brought up.....people really need to relax about Byrne and just let him play instead of trying to find minor issues and blow it up

I've watched Byrne a lot over last four years from the terrace and his defence has been very suspect in my opinion. This season he seems to be getting a bit better and I hope he will continuing improving.

Earls is on another level to him even defensively.

Former Former

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Same with Byrne, someone mentioned about defence, now everyone runs around going on and on and on about his defence.....Earls was sh*t at defence for years, because the press never mentioned it then it was never brought up.....people really need to relax about Byrne and just let him play instead of trying to find minor issues and blow it up

Byrne didn't play any meaningful first-team rugby for the guts of a year. He went from playing for Ireland to lining out for Leinster A in a matter of weeks because he just couldn't hack it. He's got a chance now because of an injury crisis in the back three.

Do you think Leo didn't pick him because someone in the media said something about his defence and all the coaches jumped on it?

Thermoman12

Former Former wrote: »

Byrne didn't play any meaningful first-team rugby for the guts of a year. He went from playing for Ireland to lining out for Leinster A in a matter of weeks because he just couldn't hack it. He's got a chance now because of an injury crisis in the back three.

Do you think Leo didn't pick him because someone in the media said something about his defence and all the coaches jumped on it?

Dave Kearney was playing on that Leinster A team aswell

Interested Observer

Former Former wrote: »

Byrne didn't play any meaningful first-team rugby for the guts of a year. He went from playing for Ireland to lining out for Leinster A in a matter of weeks because he just couldn't hack it. He's got a chance now because of an injury crisis in the back three.

You've made this up. He got injured in that Ireland game and it took forever for him to recover.

Thermoman12 wrote: »

Dave Kearney was playing on that Leinster A team aswell

I would hazard a guess that Dave Kearney has played more 'A' than senior rugby this season.

Former Former

Interested Observer wrote: »

You've made this up. He got injured in that Ireland game and it took forever for him to recover.

Fair enough, I forgot his injury. Still, he found himself rock bottom of the pecking order on the wing for a long time afterwards. He has/had significant weaknesses in his game that are more than just a figment of boards.ie collective imagination.

Clegg

RockBoysarewii wrote: »

WARNING Completely of topic question.

Why didn’t Mick McGrath get a contract?

He had terrible hands. Couldn't keep a hold of the ball.

He had his positives of course. Was built like a truck so very strong in contact. Could come in off his wing and carry well in traffic. Plus he was quick. But he always dropped the ball. Leinster just couldn't rely on him.

Thermoman12

Clegg wrote: »

He had terrible hands. Couldn't keep a hold of the ball.

He had his positives of course. Was built like a truck so very strong in contact. Could come in off his wing and carry well in traffic. Plus he was quick. But he always dropped the ball. Leinster just couldn't rely on him.

Is there an AIL thread?

The Lost Sheep

Thermoman12 wrote: »

Is there an AIL thread?

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057874895

Dubinusa

I think I remember Adam Byrne had a disastrous performance defending Nadolo?

I think Kelleher can also play at 13?

Either way, it's a strange signing imo.

Thermoman12

Dubinusa wrote: »

I think I remember Adam Byrne had a disastrous performance defending Nadolo?

I think Kelleher can also play at 13?

Either way, it's a strange signing imo.

Kelleher can’t play 13, has never played it in school, nevermind professionaly, he only plays wing or fullback

Serbian

Dubinusa wrote: »

I think I remember Adam Byrne had a disastrous performance defending Nadolo?

This point had been covered to death, but while he did miss tackles playing opposite Nadolo, we continually kicked far too deep to Nadolo in that game and gave him a 20 meter run up to hit Adam Byrne.

Sure, his feet were probably further from contact than they could have been, but any player in the squad would struggled in the same situation.

stephen_n

Serbian wrote: »

This point had been covered to death, but while he did miss tackles playing opposite Nadolo, we continually kicked far too deep to Nadolo in that game and gave him a 20 meter run up to hit Adam Byrne.

Sure, his feet were probably further from contact than they could have been, but any player in the squad would struggled in the same situation.

The thing about that was Noel Reid chopped Nadolo down 3 times in succession at full tilt in that game. What was obvious in Byrnes attempted tackling that day was a lack of physicality. He was shying out of the tackles. I really like Byrne as a player, but for a big guy he lacks physical presence, both in his defence and his ruck work. It’s like the guy has the opposite to Jack Russell syndrome, he just doesn’t seem to realize how strong he is.

troyzer

stephen_n wrote: »

The thing about that was Noel Reid chopped Nadolo down 3 times in succession at full tilt in that game. What was obvious in Byrnes attempted tackling that day was a lack of physicality. He was shying out of the tackles. I really like Byrne as a player, but for a big guy he lacks physical presence, both in his defence and his ruck work. It’s like the guy has the opposite to Jack Russell syndrome, he just doesn’t seem to realize how strong he is.

It's not unfixable either. I had the same issue when I played American football. I'm a fairly big lad and for whatever reason I just always had a mental block about putting my body in the way and laying on a huge hit. There was less excuse in my case though because we were wearing pads and lids.

Our coach just used to make us hit each other over and over again in training until we got used to it.

Pretty sure you wouldn't get away with that in Leinster.....

crisco10

Serbian wrote: »

This point had been covered to death, but while he did miss tackles playing opposite Nadolo, we continually kicked far too deep to Nadolo in that game and gave him a 20 meter run up to hit Adam Byrne.

Sure, his feet were probably further from contact than they could have been, but any player in the squad would struggled in the same situation.

OK. excuse him the montpellier game, then you have Scarlets semifinal in 2017 where he had a bit of a mare also. Really struggled that day to make hits stick (despite making good reads).
I think his "fall from grace" has been over done, but he did have his troubles in defense.

Buer

Serbian wrote: »

This point had been covered to death, but while he did miss tackles playing opposite Nadolo, we continually kicked far too deep to Nadolo in that game and gave him a 20 meter run up to hit Adam Byrne.

Sure, his feet were probably further from contact than they could have been, but any player in the squad would struggled in the same situation.

It was more than that. I recall two kicks that were perfect in either half where Byrne arrived perfectly for a man and ball hit where he essentially pulled out and brushed off the carrier (I don't think it was Nadolo on both occasions). Then he conceded a yellow after being in no man's land positionally late on. And he was very iffy for Montpellier's try when the ball squirted out and he bit in and threw a leg at it leaving Nadolo for a walk in.

He looks to have improved, certainly. But we shouldn't rewrite history and pretend that there weren't major question marks around his defending. If he has rectified those issues, he's a brilliant asset to have.

Buer

crisco10 wrote: »

OK. excuse him the montpellier game, then you have Scarlets semifinal in 2017 where he had a bit of a mare also. Really struggled that day to make hits stick (despite making good reads).
I think his "fall from grace" has been over done, but he did have his troubles in defense.

There are plenty of examples. The screw up on Earls to allow the try in the Aviva last year was just before the Montpellier game.

The thing is, when a guy is as good going forward as he is, we have to keep working with him to see if it can be corrected because we'd have a superb weapon on our hands. If Adam Byrne was solid defensively, I don't think I'd swap himself and Lowe for any wing combination in Europe.

dregin

In seasons past McGrath was constantly telling Byrne where to stand in defense. When to drop back further, when to move wider, etc. I've not seen that happening this season. He was tackling as if he was afraid of hurting his opponent, probably a sign that he came to the game later in life. Again, this is less of a problem this season. The lad's an absolute beast. Massive fan.

Dubinusa

Dubinusa wrote: »

I think I remember Adam Byrne had a disastrous performance defending Nadolo?

Generally speaking - everyone has a disastrous performance defending Nadolo.

Thankfully Nadolo also can't defend - at all - so it generally evens out.

What really bothered me about Byrne was an instance in the Dragon's home game. He was so hesitant in contact on two occasions that another player covered the distance to make his tackle because he was allowing himself to be stood up.

It's not just a lack of physicality, it's an overall lack of confidence and urgency.

His form is good and there is no reason why he can't push on now. This is a big couple of months for him.

aloooof

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Most people had no idea what game management actually mean.....even Madigan asked on a podcast what people mean by it and it was deadly silence

Link? I'd be interested in giving that a listen.

Shefwedfan

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Funny how madigan has left, made a huge success in England and never a word about game management.

He didn't finish his contract in France and Bristol are third from bottom in the prem with a points difference of -69.

Madigan is a talented footballer but there is plenty missing from his locker. I think much of the criticism was accurate and fair. I don't want to rehash all the points as it's completely off topic at this point, but whilst 'game management' is a bit of a generic phrase, it does account for the myriad of deficiencies within Madigan's game.

It sounds more like you are describing Gareth Steenson.