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

Burkie1203

Chiparus wrote: »

Could Parnell Park be upgraded , with temporary stands?

Nope. Golf course on 2 sides

Squidgy Black

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Nope. Golf course on 2 sides

There was a proposal a while ago from the Dublin county board to buy some of the land and expand Parnell at the clubhouse end and the north terrace.

As much as I'd love games to be played there (it's a 5 minute walk from my house and my local gaa club is based on the grounds) it's an absolutely terrible stadium. It would require a complete renovation as it hasn't been touched in 20/30 years and only 3500 seats. The pitch is extremely tight also.

D14Rugby

Realistically apart from friendlies there's no real point in playing away from the RDS for run of the mill games unless you could somehow market one or two of the smaller games so they could be removed from the season ticket package and played in somewhere like Tallaght and get a sellout and grow the game in a non traditional area with potential but that's a lot of risks to take. The thing leinster should really be pushing on with is redeveloping the RDS. Get the new Anglesea built, a permanent Grandstand, sort out the ends, then you probably max out at around 25,000 if you can build a bigger grandstand which isn't a bad size for the time with Lansdowne just down the road, for the foreseeable future.

Exclamation Marc

D14Rugby wrote: »

Realistically apart from friendlies there's no real point in playing away from the RDS for run of the mill games unless you could somehow market one or two of the smaller games so they could be removed from the season ticket package and played in somewhere like Tallaght and get a sellout and grow the game in a non traditional area with potential but that's a lot of risks to take. The thing leinster should really be pushing on with is redeveloping the RDS. Get the new Anglesea built, a permanent Grandstand, sort out the ends, then you probably max out at around 25,000 if you can build a bigger grandstand which isn't a bad size for the time with Lansdowne just down the road, for the foreseeable future.

21,000 will be the max capacity after redevelopment. Perfectly adequate for Leinster. Given some of the paltry crowds for the lesser games, a bigger stadium will look too empty.

As I said though, with naming rights of the stadium sorted, they won't play anywhere else (bar the Aviva games).

D14Rugby

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

21,000 will be the max capacity after redevelopment. Perfectly adequate for Leinster. Given some of the paltry crowds for the lesser games, a bigger stadium will look too empty.

As I said though, with naming rights of the stadium sorted, they won't play anywhere else (bar the Aviva games).

A permanent grandstand could easily add a few thousand to the capacity.

Exclamation Marc

D14Rugby wrote: »

A permanent grandstand could easily add a few thousand to the capacity.

Agreed but they originally planned for 25,000 and had to scale it back to 21,000 so they won't go back up again. I can't remember the reason why it was pared back though.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

D14Rugby wrote: »

A permanent grandstand could easily add a few thousand to the capacity.

Agreed but they originally planned for 25,000 and had to scale it back to 21,000 so they won't go back up again. I can't remember the reason why it was pared back though.

21,000 is spot on.

At Pro14 games against **** teams, Leinster do well to break 13,000. You can't put that in a 25,000 capacity stadium. It would look awful.

Dubinusa

Larmour was fine. He just wasn't tested much.
I just want to see if there's improvement since the pumas match.
We still have no idea if he's any better under the up and unders!

troyzer

At what point can we realistically start talking about Ringrose as a superior player to BOD?

He's already a better defender. He doesn't produce the highlight reel trickplays but he's still an elite running threat.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

At what point can we realistically start talking about Ringrose as a superior player to BOD?

He's already a better defender. He doesn't produce the highlight reel trickplays but he's still an elite running threat.

Realistically, in about ten years.

Ringrose only has three years under his belt. He will need to show longevity at this level to be anywhere near the class of BOD.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Realistically, in about ten years.

Ringrose only has three years under his belt. He will need to show longevity at this level to be anywhere near the class of BOD.

I think it'll take ten years to say he's had a better career than BOD. I'm just wondering at what point we'll be able to say that he's a better player than BOD was at any point in his career. BOD's style of play changed significantly through the years. Towards the tail end when he didn't have the legs anymore, he was almost a back rower with his defensive work.

sydthebeat

Ringrose isn't already a better defender than bod.

We can contrast and compare when garry has;

three lions tours under his belt, one as captain.
More than 83 caps as captain for his country
Has an international career spanning 15 years
Becomes the top try scorer for Ireland
Becomes the top 6 nations try scorer
Is a world rugby poty nominee
Is inducted into the rugby Hall of fame
And is generally regarded as one of the best players of all time.

Garry had had a great start, so let's see how he continues

troyzer

sydthebeat wrote: »

Ringrose isn't already a better defender than bod.

We can contrast and compare when garry has;

three lions tours under his belt, one as captain.
More than 83 caps as captain for his country
Has an international career spanning 15 years
Becomes the top try scorer for Ireland
Becomes the top 6 nations try scorer
Is a world rugby poty nominee
Is inducted into the rugby Hall of fame
And is generally regarded as one of the best players of all time.

Garry had had a great start, so let's see how he continues

I'm not talking about a career as a body of work. I'm talking about right now, is Garry Ringrose better than BOD was at his peak?

It'll be very hard for him to match his career but I'm just so smitten by how he plays. He was playing at a different level on Saturday.

I'm too young to remember at the time but it's sort of like when Peyton Manning started in the NFL. He was just so far ahead of everyone else in his understanding of the game and the way he read it. I think Ringrose is in this box. It's like having a coach on the field, everything slows down and he ALWAYS makes the right decision.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

I'm not talking about a career as a body of work. I'm talking about right now, is Garry Ringrose better than BOD was at his peak?

Is Ringrose a better player right now than one of the worlds greatest players at his peak?

No. Absolutely not.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Is Ringrose a better player right now than one of the worlds greatest players at his peak?

No. Absolutely not.

Fair enough. I think he will be soon.

irishbucsfan

Jaysus

joseywhales

To begin with played all 3 tests for the Lions when he was 21 and was one of the stars of the team, using performances in club games is also fairly limited. And then at his peak he could beat Australia(when they were very good)/france basically single handedly, as the only threat with an average Irish team. If ringrose was playing for Italy and they he was leading Italy to victory over Ireland, it might be more comparable.

Dravokivich

D14Rugby wrote: »

A permanent grandstand could easily add a few thousand to the capacity.

Huh? It's the ends that are taken down. The grandstand is set.

troyzer

Dravokivich wrote: »

Huh? It's the ends that are taken down. The grandstand is set.

The grandstand is a temporary structure. You could theoretically dismantle it and put up a higher capacity permanent stand.

Clegg

Comparing players across generations is fraught with pitfalls and probably pointless but here we go. This'll be a long, sometimes rambling post so ignore if not interested in the debate.

BoD is the best player I've ever seen. From the age of 20-25 his ability to break the defensive line from outside centre was unmatched. There hasn't been a centre as good at that since either. When his legs went he had to develop his skillset. I think it's fair to say that in the first half of his career he was the great attacking centre of his generation and in the second half he was the best defensive centre. His adaptability is what made him a true great if the game.

At the age of 21 he was dominating the world champions on the Lions tour. But frankly he was let down by poor coaching for a lot of his early years. He said he didn't know how to pass properly until he was on the 01 Lions tour and experienced proper professional coaching for the first time. I don't think his passing was ever as good as it should have been. A lot his game as a young professional was instinctual. He could make a half break and a quick pop to an oncoming wing. But your long skip pass to a player running at pace was something he was more ropey at.

Ringrose at 23 has a more rounded game than BoD at the same age. The coaching he's received has been far better and it shows especially in his passing game. He has no problem putting players into space with long raking passes. We've seen him develop into Leinster's and Ireland's secondary playmaker. BoD was Ireland's primary playmaker, but back them it was more about give it to the genius and hope he can do something brilliant. Ringrose is the more traditional player. In terms of attacking game Ringrose is great. Has a fantastic step and is a good line runner. His defensive game is solid too. But BoD just had a spark that allowed him to see and do things others couldn't.

troyzer

Thank ****.

It's only an MCL sprain so he could be in the Six Nations squad for the last two games.

Zzippy

troyzer wrote: »

Thank ****.

It's only an MCL sprain so he could be in the Six Nations squad for the last two games.

Unlikely to be involved at that stage if he's missed 6 weeks with injury and min. 4 weeks in camp. Great opportunity for Cooney if Marmion isn't back for the start of the 6N too...

troyzer

Zzippy wrote: »

Unlikely to be involved at that stage if he's missed 6 weeks with injury and min. 4 weeks in camp. Great opportunity for Cooney if Marmion isn't back for the start of the 6N too...

Yeah, he'll likely stay at Leinster.

And on Marmion, more good news.

Buer

Zzippy wrote: »

Unlikely to be involved at that stage if he's missed 6 weeks with injury and min. 4 weeks in camp. Great opportunity for Cooney if Marmion isn't back for the start of the 6N too...

I would say they'd have a 75% fit Marmion in ahead of Cooney who wasn't helped by missing last week with a supposed back injury.

I think Cooney is a good distance off significant Irish involvement.

Buer

Great news on McGrath. I imagine Fardy and JGP are currently plotting to push him down the stairs in Leinster HQ when they see him.

Clegg

Murray Kinsella has done a piece in Fardy's excellent performance against Toulouse. He's one of best ever foreign signings as far as I'm concerned. He's done everything on the pitch we could've wanted and more. Hope he has his contract extended.

https://www.the42.ie/scott-fardy-leinster-wallabies-analysis-4439302-Jan2019/

troyzer

Clegg wrote: »

Murray Kinsella has done a piece in Fardy's excellent performance against Toulouse. He's one of best ever foreign signings as far as I'm concerned. He's done everything on the pitch we could've wanted and more. Hope he has his contract extended.

https://www.the42.ie/scott-fardy-leinster-wallabies-analysis-4439302-Jan2019/

If I was Michael Cheika, I'd be trying to get him back to a Super Rugby contract before the world cup.

Do Australia have a rigid rule when it comes to selecting overseas player? Can they make an exception for Fardy?

Buer

That flat double skip pass off his left out to Adam Byrne when he was first receiver was simply ridiculous for a lock.

I genuinely thought it was Ross Byrne at the time.

Exclamation Marc

Clegg wrote: »

Murray Kinsella has done a piece in Fardy's excellent performance against Toulouse. He's one of best ever foreign signings as far as I'm concerned. He's done everything on the pitch we could've wanted and more. Hope he has his contract extended.

https://www.the42.ie/scott-fardy-leinster-wallabies-analysis-4439302-Jan2019/

Really hope his contract is extended. Having the ability to play him whenever necessary next season when the 3 into 2 rule is no longer an issue would be brilliant.

arsebiscuits1

troyzer wrote: »

If I was Michael Cheika, I'd be trying to get him back to a Super Rugby contract before the world cup.

Do Australia have a rigid rule when it comes to selecting overseas player? Can they make an exception for Fardy?

Kane Douglas was signed to a Super Rugby franchise when picked for the RWC15 squad despite the last team he played for prior to the World Cup was overseas (coincidentally - also Leinster)

If he signs with one of the Aussie Super rugby teams at the end of this season he wont realistically get to play Super Rugby his year but would definitely be eligible for Australia.