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

Former Former

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Rob Kearney (204) CAPTAIN
14. Barry Daly (29)
13. Rory O’Loughlin (54)
12. Conor O’Brien (11)
11. James Lowe (23)
10. Ciarán Frawley (9)
9. Hugh O’Sullivan (7)
1. Jack McGrath (139)
2. James Tracy (83)
3. Michael Bent (115)
4. Ross Molony (77)
5. Mick Kearney (44)
6. Max Deegan (34)
7. Scott Penny (3)
8. Caelan Doris (8)

16. Bryan Byrne (34)
17. Ed Byrne (35)
18. Vakh Abdaladze (4)
19. Jack Dunne (0)
20. Oisín Dowling (1)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (65)
22. Noel Reid (113)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (3)

Buer

Very green team to face the Scarlets. Exciting stuff. Penny, Deegan and Doris in the back row. HOS and Frawley at halfback. Jack Dunne on the bench for his first appearance having turned 20 a couple of months ago.

Scarlets have a very solid side out with a lot of guys who would be involved in their first choice 23 so I won't be holding my breath on a win but it'll be a great test for the Leinster lads.

kirk buttercup

Deegan Penny and Doris should be very interesting . And looking forward to seeing Conor O'Brien getting plenty of game time through the six nations

Former Former

Yeah, very exciting team. It will be interesting to see HOS and Frawley together from the start. Poor old Dave K out again.

Scarlets team is actually quite strong:

15 Johnny McNicholl , 14 Ioan Nicholas, 13 Kieron Fonotia, 12 Steff Hughes © , 11 Paul Asquith, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Kieran Hardy, 1 Phil Price, 2 Marc Jones, 3 Werner Kruger, 4 Jake Ball, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Tom Price, 7 Dan Davis, 8 Josh Macleod

Replacements; 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Dylan Evans, 18 Simon Gardiner, 19 Josh Helps, 20 Ed Kennedy, 21 Jon Evans, 22 Morgan Williams, 23 Tom Prydie

Wouldn't be overly confident here.

kmart6

Scarlets team:

15 Johnny McNicholl
14 Ioan Nicholas
13 Kieron Fonotia
12 Steff Hughes ©
11 Paul Asquith
10 Dan Jones
9 Kieran Hardy

1 Phil Price
2 Marc Jones
3 Werner Kruger
4 Jake Ball
5 David Bulbring
6 Tom Price
7 Dan Davis
8 Josh Macleod

Replacements;
16 Dafydd Hughes
17 Dylan Evans
18 Simon Gardiner
19 Josh Helps
20 Ed Kennedy
21 Jon Evans
22 Morgan Williams
23 Tom Prydie

Clegg

It's actually a rather decent backline for a Six Nations window game. But the front five is pretty average. I had hoped we'd see Fardy there for some extra quality. Every time we've beaten Scarlets it's been through our superior pack. We'd grind them down then push through. I don't think we have the pack to do that tomorrow.

Buer

Clegg wrote: »

It's actually a rather decent backline for a Six Nations window game. But the front five is pretty average. I had hoped we'd see Fardy there for some extra quality. Every time we've beaten Scarlets it's been through our superior pack. We'd grind them down then push through. I don't think we have the pack to do that tomorrow.

Didn't see him in any photos of the team training this week so he might have been given a couple of weeks off with the next game not until mid-February.

thomond2006

The Leinster backups will put 50 on them.

stephen_n

Hopefully ROL and Conor O’Brien have a better defensive outing this time.

Clegg

Just checked the Pro 14 table. Leinster are 20 points ahead of Scarlets and 19 ahead of second placed Edinburgh. I suppose tomorrow is a bit of a free hit. The wider squad and academy players get a chance to impress any compete for spots that will be up for grabs during the 6 Nations.

Shefwedfan

Clegg wrote: »

Just checked the Pro 14 table. Leinster are 20 points ahead of Scarlets and 19 ahead of second placed Edinburgh. I suppose tomorrow is a bit of a free hit. The wider squad and academy players get a chance to impress any compete for spots that will be up for grabs during the 6 Nations.

No such thing as a free hit. Leinster will expect full points return during the 6 nations......one of the nails in O'Connor coffin was him complaining about the amount of Leinster players in the Ireland squad.....writing was on the wall after that

Eod100

Shefwedfan wrote: »

No such thing as a free hit. Leinster will expect full points return during the 6 nations......one of the nails in O'Connor coffin was him complaining about the amount of Leinster players in the Ireland squad.....writing was on the wall after that

There's 8 games left yeah? So max 40 points up for grabs, max anyone below can reach is 75. With Leinster on 54, they could wrap up top spot by end of March if not earlier at rate they are going.

troyzer

Eod100 wrote: »

There's 8 games left yeah? So max 40 points up for grabs, max anyone below can reach is 75. With Leinster on 54, they could wrap up top spot by end of March if not earlier at rate they are going.

I think it's basically already wrapped up.

Zebre away and both of the Saffer teams at home will be walkovers even for the Leinster C team. That's at least 12 points there.

Shefwedfan

Eod100 wrote: »

There's 8 games left yeah? So max 40 points up for grabs, max anyone below can reach is 75. With Leinster on 54, they could wrap up top spot by end of March if not earlier at rate they are going.

At this stage they will get a home semi anyway

No point throwing a load of games. Not building much confidence losing match's.



Keep the winning way....if it is the A, B or C team

Clegg

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

Just checked the Pro 14 table. Leinster are 20 points ahead of Scarlets and 19 ahead of second placed Edinburgh. I suppose tomorrow is a bit of a free hit. The wider squad and academy players get a chance to impress any compete for spots that will be up for grabs during the 6 Nations.

No such thing as a free hit. Leinster will expect full points return during the 6 nations......one of the nails in O'Connor coffin was him complaining about the amount of Leinster players in the Ireland squad.....writing was on the wall after that

I'm not saying Leinster are throwing the game, but this is definitely an experimental side. It's one that they can field because they're so far ahead.

MoC was fired for a number of reasons. One being that he wanted more signings. Another was his reluctance to trust his academy unless forced to by injury etc. The current set up has played them at every opportunity. They've free rein to play these experimental sides because of that.

Shefwedfan

Eod100

Shefwedfan wrote: »

At this stage they will get a home semi anyway

No point throwing a load of games. Not building much confidence losing match's.



Keep the winning way....if it is the A, B or C team

Yeah that was my point, that they can put out 2nd teams say and still win safe in knowledge that top spot is secure. Allows inexperienced players to get valuable experience.

Shefwedfan

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah that was my point, that they can put out 2nd teams say and still win safe in knowledge that top spot is secure. Allows inexperienced players to get valuable experience.

I agree but they need to mix...Lowe etc needs to keep in form
So mix some young but also keep the seniro players ticking over so when the big match's start again everyone is firing on full cylinders

Buer

stephen_n wrote: »

Hopefully ROL and Conor O’Brien have a better defensive outing this time.

Third time lucky. They were partnered against the Kings and Connacht previously and there were definitely some positioning and communication issues at play on both occasions.

salmocab

Leinster will be aiming for top as it means a free week before the euro final which stood to us last year. Not being cocky just mean from a planning point of view.

stephen_n

Buer wrote: »

Third time lucky. They were partnered against the Kings and Connacht previously and there were definitely some positioning and communication issues at play on both occasions.

Forgot about the Kings game, then again ROL only lasted 29mins that day.

Dubinusa

Why, thank you squire! You da man?, or woman?

Dubinusa

A pretty exciting, but inexperienced side. Not very confident after seeing the Scarlets line up.
I think JGP would have got the nod and that would have eased my doubts.
Anyway, Doris and Deegan in the same back row is exciting. Dowling gets the 20 jersey, so we'll get another look at him. Was hoping to see Murphy get another run, he is a good prospect and possibly our future 6.
Hopefully, RK can get through the match unhurt. Reid at 22 again! I think his versatility will earn him another contract. He's a good multipositional player and he's experienced. I think he should be retained.
There's got to be 6 or 7 players in the squad that are 23 yrs old or less. Leo is not afraid to mix it up.

Buer

Dubinusa wrote: »

Reid at 22 again! I think his versatility will earn him another contract. He's a good multipositional player and he's experienced. I think he should be retained.

I don't think it's a matter of Leinster wanting to retain Reid more one of does Reid want to stay?

I'm sure Leinster are offering him something but he could command a better deal elsewhere which will be the issue.

vienne86

Buer wrote: »

I don't think it's a matter of Leinster wanting to retain Reid more one of does Reid want to stay?

I'm sure Leinster are offering him something but he could command a better deal elsewhere which will be the issue.

Reid is extremely useful for Leinster, and his experience is invaluable when we have a back line full of youngsters. I would hate to see him go, but if he can get a good wedge elsewhere, I would not grudge it to him and would wish him luck.

Kevski

Ringrose, Cronin and Furlong nominated for European player of the year. It feels a bit silly to base the award off 6 games...surely it would be better to just announce after the tournament?

Exclamation Marc

Kevski wrote: »

Ringrose, Cronin and Furlong nominated for European player of the year. It feels a bit silly to base the award off 6 games...surely it would be better to just announce after the tournament?

Also, if I'm not wrong, it's a player from the final two teams which makes the whole thing rather stupid.

antietam1

Had a look at Scarlets forum and they are really bigging up that Leinster team, possibly to make a win even more amazing.

sydthebeat

There's nothing scarey about that scarlets team.... A tbp win for us I think.

troyzer

Leavy failed his fitness test apparently and has no game time to make it back into the Ireland squad.

Joe would have to select him on spec at this point for him to have a chance at a green jersey.