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

stephen_n

Former Former wrote: »

Joe Schmidt probably would

Nah sure he’s got an upgrade in Joey now.

Dubinusa

It would be harsh on VDF if he was left out. He is the best 7 in Ireland this season.
Byrne will stay put. Sexton plays sparingly and is a couple of years from retiring.
So, Byrne will still feature prominently!
I can't believe Ed Byrne was name checked by J.S I think he's a good player but, an international?
One thing that's become clear this past couple of years, is the older players are more brittle and are playing less for Leinster.
R.K has not played very much for a few months and Sexton has only featured a couple of times since November.
SOB hasn't got going much this year and I think the rwc will be the end of his international career. I can't see Farrell sticking with older, injury prone players. Also, it's a new cycle and a few of the stalwarts will be jettisoned for younger in form players.
I suppose in hindsight, the Kelleher move back to Leinster makes sense for everyone!
Ferg is going on 33? RK is also going to be 33 and DK is having a tough time with injuries.
Leo does have a tough selection for the weekend.
If fit. I expect RK has to start? Henshaw will feature too, possibly off the bench? Jack McGrath most likely will be the 17.
Again it's tough for Ed Byrne to miss out and Larmour too. I don't think A. B will be dropped, he's been very good.
Lowe will obviously play, so DK will be omitted. Fardy will drop out completely, after playing great this past week.
The match v Scarlets, I reckon we'll see a very strong side.
I think Henshaw will start, for more match fitness and Jack McGrath will possibly start also, for the same reason.
If so, I think we'll crush Scarlets!.

Squidgy Black

Stolen from Reddit, but too good not to repost.

Bridge93

Did I really read that 18 times capped All Black Lima Sopoaga is not a better rugby player than Ross Byrne? He was pushing Beaudan Barrett for the All Black 10 shirt before he left for Europe. Many in New Zealand felt he deserved the shirt during the 2017 Rugby Championship but missed his chance when he attended the birth of his child instead of starting in Argentina.
He has had a few shaky games at Wasps but theyre a trainwreck across the board at the minute, I wouldn't be blaming a guy who arrived with no preseason behind him or break.

troyzer

Bridge93 wrote: »

Did I really read that 18 times capped All Black Lima Sopoaga is not a better rugby player than Ross Byrne? He was pushing Beaudan Barrett for the All Black 10 shirt before he left for Europe. Many in New Zealand felt he deserved the shirt during the 2017 Rugby Championship but missed his chance when he attended the birth of his child instead of starting in Argentina.
He has had a few shaky games at Wasps but theyre a trainwreck across the board at the minute, I wouldn't be blaming a guy who arrived with no preseason behind him or break.

I don't think Byrne is better than Sopoaga but he was absolutely brutal against Leinster.

Dog Botherer

Bridge93 wrote: »

Did I really read that 18 times capped All Black Lima Sopoaga is not a better rugby player than Ross Byrne? He was pushing Beaudan Barrett for the All Black 10 shirt before he left for Europe. Many in New Zealand felt he deserved the shirt during the 2017 Rugby Championship but missed his chance when he attended the birth of his child instead of starting in Argentina.
He has had a few shaky games at Wasps but theyre a trainwreck across the board at the minute, I wouldn't be blaming a guy who arrived with no preseason behind him or break.

- Ciaran Frawley has started ahead of Ross Byrne
- Ross Byrne is better than Lima Sopoaga
- Sopoaga should have been starting ahead of Beauden Barrett

Ciaran Frawley is better than Beauden Barrett QED

Shefwedfan

Bridge93 wrote: »

Did I really read that 18 times capped All Black Lima Sopoaga is not a better rugby player than Ross Byrne? He was pushing Beaudan Barrett for the All Black 10 shirt before he left for Europe. Many in New Zealand felt he deserved the shirt during the 2017 Rugby Championship but missed his chance when he attended the birth of his child instead of starting in Argentina.
He has had a few shaky games at Wasps but theyre a trainwreck across the board at the minute, I wouldn't be blaming a guy who arrived with no preseason behind him or break.

If you refering to my comment about him then yes I did say it. I also said I had only seen him play for Wasps and based on that Byrne is better than him.



Pre-season? I didnt see Lowe or Fardy get that last season? Fardy who went on to get nominated as European player of the season.

irishbucsfan

I never saw Jack Kyle play so Ross Byrne must be a lot better than him

Exclamation Marc

https://twitter.com/OLSCRugby/status/1085980283588018177?s=19

Bridge93

Bridge93 wrote: »

Did I really read that 18 times capped All Black Lima Sopoaga is not a better rugby player than Ross Byrne? He was pushing Beaudan Barrett for the All Black 10 shirt before he left for Europe. Many in New Zealand felt he deserved the shirt during the 2017 Rugby Championship but missed his chance when he attended the birth of his child instead of starting in Argentina.
He has had a few shaky games at Wasps but theyre a trainwreck across the board at the minute, I wouldn't be blaming a guy who arrived with no preseason behind him or break.

Just out of interest - purely on the basis of this season - who is playing better?

Clegg

Please.

Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-fardy-re-sign-4445851-Jan2019/

Bubblegummers

Clegg wrote: »

Please.




https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-fardy-re-sign-4445851-Jan2019/

Scott is solid but falls foul of the selection rule- I think this needs to be addressed.

molloyjh

Bubblegummers wrote: »

Scott is solid but falls foul of the selection rule- I think this needs to be addressed.

JGP will be Irish eligible next season so it won’t be an issue.

swiwi_

I’m halfway thru mike ross’s book, which I can recommend, but man Cheika really does sound like the kind of coach I couldn’t stand. A child in a mans body.

Anyway the book is good, it’s honest, and not full of lame rugby cliches.

As a pro rugby player you get 10 to 15 years...then it’s the rest of your life. Must be quite hard for a fair few players I imagine.

Bubblegummers

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Just out of interest - purely on the basis of this season - who is playing better?

Sopoaga has been limited in game time due to injuries. But the fact anyone is saying Ross Byrne is better option then Lima is crazy talk.

Nearly as strange as Is Gar ringrose better then Drico? Which I also read here this week.

D14Rugby

Deleted User wrote: »

Just out of interest - purely on the basis of this season - who is playing better?

Byrne, Sopoaga has been poor so far, in a poor team though. Obviously a very good player but has been poor since coming up north.

irishbucsfan

swiwi_ wrote: »

I’m halfway thru mike ross’s book, which I can recommend, but man Cheika really does sound like the kind of coach I couldn’t stand. A child in a mans body.

Anyway the book is good, it’s honest, and not full of lame rugby cliches.

As a pro rugby player you get 10 to 15 years...then it’s the rest of your life. Must be quite hard for a fair few players I imagine.

Sure most of them can't count beyond that anyway so they don't worry too much

Bubblegummers

D14Rugby wrote: »

Byrne, Sopoaga has been poor so far, in a poor team though. Obviously a very good player but has been poor since coming up north.

He’s played a handful of games 5 6 at most.

D14Rugby

Bubblegummers wrote: »

He’s played a handful of games 5 6 at most.

10 league games, 5 in Europe, 1 Cup. So 16 games in total, 13 starts.

Bubblegummers

D14Rugby wrote: »

10 league games, 5 in Europe, 1 Cup. So 16 games in total, 13 starts.

Sorry didn’t know he got that many League games. He’s a better FH then Ross in my opinion. He is in a poor team Ross is sitting among the best in the world.

Bubblegummers

Bubblegummers wrote: »

Sopoaga has been limited in game time due to injuries. But the fact anyone is saying Ross Byrne is better option then Lima is crazy talk.

Nearly as strange as Is Gar ringrose better then Drico? Which I also read here this week.

Bubblegummers wrote: »

He’s played a handful of games 5 6 at most.

So you're saying he's been better than Byrne this season?

Bubblegummers

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So you're saying he's been better than Byrne this season?

I’m saying Lima is a better FH then Ross Byrne read me post above.

salmocab

Clegg wrote: »

https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-fardy-re-sign-4445851-Jan2019/

This would be great news. Only NIQ next year are Lowe and Tomane. With kolpak not being an issue Fardy staying for the season makes a lot of sense.

Bubblegummers

****ing gatland taking lions again.

Former Former

[Deleted User] wrote: »

So you're saying he's been better than Byrne this season?

Does it matter?

There isn't a club in the world who'd sign Byrne over Sopoaga. Nothing that's happened this season changes that. He's just not as good as him.

Lads claiming he's better than players with 50 or 60 caps for England and Wales too. Wtf like?

All perspective has been lost. If he was even half as good as he's made out to be here, he wouldn't be behind an uncapped and very average Jack Carty.

Yeeesh

irishbucsfan

I'm a huge fan of Byrne, that's well established, but this is verging on lunacy lads

Squidgy Black

Bubblegummers wrote: »

****ing gatland taking lions again.

Not confirmed, they've just said he's had "informal conversations" about it.

Bubblegummers

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Not confirmed, they've just said he's had "informal conversations" about it.

The cymru forum is saying it’s a done thing. Hopefully not.

Did we get through a double header against Bath without this being posted?

Bubblegummers

Former Former wrote: »

Does it matter?

There isn't a club in the world who'd sign Byrne over Sopoaga. Nothing that's happened this season changes that. He's just not as good as him.

Lads claiming he's better than players with 50 or 60 caps for England and Wales too. Wtf like?

All perspective has been lost. If he was even half as good as he's made out to be here, he wouldn't be behind an uncapped and very average Jack Carty.

Yeeesh

Nor would he of fell in behind Joey. Ross is a good talent but Lima is an established world class talent.