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

Burkie1203

salmocab wrote: »

So 22 points ahead with a maximum of 30 left? Is that right? 2 wins with one bonus point tops the group over the next few weeks? Is that right or am I being stupid. Really leaves us in a great place to really only have to worry about Europe which very few of our competitors are likely to be able to do. I’ve said before the week off before the European final
Last year really stood to us.

Next 2 games are Kings and Cheetahs at home. Two wins and it's done

Dubinusa

Good opportunity to rest lads and get other guys involved.
Jack McGrath needs to play himself back to form and I think we'll see Ferg next week.
It's also a great chance to get a look at the 2 young 9's.
I hope to see more of Dowling and Murphy. I reckon Dowling may get himself a contract if he goes well!

Buer

antietam1 wrote: »

So Fitz wants Madigan for the Italian game.

Old pals act. He must not be watching him at Bristol. Hauled off after 50mins on Friday. Bristol fans are calling for Callum Sheedy to be their starting outhalf.

Hippo

Sloppy enough spell against Zebra alright, but the game brought up the 100th try of the season which is a stunning achievement as early as this.

durkadurka

Hippo wrote: »

Sloppy enough spell against Zebra alright, but the game brought up the 100th try of the season which is a stunning achievement as early as this.

Jeez a hundred tries in 21 games. With the southern kings to come next week...

Richie_Rich89

Am I right in thinking there's some sort of 7s loophole due to the Oylmpics, whereby a player can qualify for a country by playing 7s even if he's already tied to another country?

I'm just thinking maybe they could get NIEs qualified and playing for Ireland. Tomane could be in the Ireland 12 jumper and it would open up more scope for development while he's off on international duty.

Bazzo

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Am I right in thinking there's some sort of 7s loophole due to the Oylmpics, whereby a player can qualify for a country by playing 7s even if he's already tied to another country?

I'm just thinking maybe they could get NIEs qualified and playing for Ireland. Tomane could be in the Ireland 12 jumper and it would open up more scope for development while he's off on international duty.

Hugh Everett theorised that we are living in a universe which is just one of an infinite number of parallel universes.

In none of those theoretical countless universes is Joe Tomane wearing the 12 shirt for Ireland.

Buer

If you play for a nation, you can qualify for another country by standing down for 3 years, being eligible for the other country (I'm not sure if residency is applicable here or do you have to have ancestry) and then being involved in an Olympic qualifying event for your second/new country. It's a very narrow group of players that can become eligible. The Olympic qualification events only come along every few years too.

Cooper Vuna, who played for Australia, is now playing for Tonga under the loophole. Charles Piutau was the biggest name who looked into it but Tonga abandoned it because the Olympic qualification was so far away and after the RWC so it wasn't in their interest to bring him into the fold at that point.

Tomane would need to stay in Ireland for another 4.5 years to qualify on residency, not represent Australia, then play for Ireland in a qualifying tournament for the 2028 Olympics (2024 qualification will probably come before the 4.5 years is completed) and then he could represent the Irish national side around the age of 37.

Richie_Rich89

Bazzo wrote: »

Hugh Everett theorised that we are living in a universe which is just one of an infinite number of parallel universes.

In none of those theoretical countless universes is Joe Tomane wearing the 12 shirt for Ireland.

It's more proof of concept that I'm interested in. I seem to remember a fair bit of talk about Steffon Armitage playing 7s for France and thus making himself eligible for them in 15s, even though he'd already played for England.

Buer

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

I'd say Max Deegan is putting himself in the frame for serious consideration for the bench role for the qf against Ulster. He's played all three backrow positions this season, and he's much more likely to come up with the big attacking play, be it a pass, a run or an offload, that could turn a match than JvdF.

O'Brien will probably be injured again by that stage.

I assume this was meant for the Leinster thread.

Deegan is talented but he's still to loose and can struggle to really impact on a game if he's not getting the ball in space. I'm not sure what the future will hold for him. He's obviously behind Conan at this point but I think, as a No. 8, he's now behind Doris too and deservedly. Doris is a real nuts and bolts player who is turning in performances of a guy who is much more experienced than he is. He doesn't lack for physicality at all despite still being only 20 years old. If he could develop some of the polish and instincts that Deegan has, he'll be a brilliant player.

If Deegan wants to nail down a spot at Leinster, I wonder if he'll need to develop more as a blindside. I don't see him getting ahead of Conan any time soon nor would I prefer him to Doris in that position. Deegan needs to use his size much more than he does. For someone who is very mobile and 110kg, he struggles to make real headway in traffic unlike Doris who is far better at getting over the gain line.

Faugheen

Buer wrote: »

I assume this was meant for the Leinster thread.

Deegan is talented but he's still to loose and can struggle to really impact on a game if he's not getting the ball in space. I'm not sure what the future will hold for him. He's obviously behind Conan at this point but I think, as a No. 8, he's now behind Doris too and deservedly. Doris is a real nuts and bolts player who is turning in performances of a guy who is much more experienced than he is. He doesn't lack for physicality at all despite still being only 20 years old. If he could develop some of the polish and instincts that Deegan has, he'll be a brilliant player.

If Deegan wants to nail down a spot at Leinster, I wonder if he'll need to develop more as a blindside. I don't see him getting ahead of Conan any time soon nor would I prefer him to Doris in that position. Deegan needs to use his size much more than he does. For someone who is very mobile and 110kg, he struggles to make real headway in traffic unlike Doris who is far better at getting over the gain line.

None of that matters to Richie because he can't be having lads with foreign sounding names in the 23.

Absolute nonsense from him once again.

Spideog Rua

What's Fardys contract situation like?

Clegg

Deegan is is a very clever carrier. Runs good lines and has pace so he'll get over the gain line that way. He's also hard to put down. He can ride tackles and keep going. But ye are right in saying that he hasn't nailed down any single position. He doesn't have the bulk to be power carrier, but he has the skills to play somewhere in the backrow.

I think Doris leapfrogging him has had the desired effect. Deegan has upped his workrate and put in some impressive cameos off the bench and in recent starts. I hope he stays at Leinster because he definitely has a future here.

Squidgy Black

Spideog Rua wrote: »

What's Fardys contract situation like?

Out of contract at the end of the season. Rumours floating around of him getting a year extension, but nothing concrete.

molloyjh

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Out of contract at the end of the season. Rumours floating around of him getting a year extension, but nothing concrete.

I’d hope he is kept on. With Toner and Ryan going to the RWC and Nagle presumably moving to Ulster full time we will be short of locks.

I've a good mind to go back through this thread and find all the people who elaborated about Toner's remarkable injury record. I think I know who the main culprits are and I don't think it will make pretty reading.

long_b

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Out of contract at the end of the season. Rumours floating around of him getting a year extension, but nothing concrete.

Wasps maybe? He'd be good business for them

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fardy-could-be-the-next-forward-to-leave-leinster

Buer

Rob Kearney talking about Irish selection and his contract status in the media today. Interesting stuff. He hopes to have it all sorted before the end of March. But from his comments, I get the impression he's thinking one more season and then retirement. Whether that one season is in Ireland or elsewhere is very much up in the air.

“I’m trying to get it all done now in the next four to six weeks,” said Kearney of his future. “Obviously, it’s not ideal timing in the middle of the Six Nations but that’s just where we’re at at the moment.

“I’m going to finish out the season, definitely, after the World Cup. So it’s just a matter of trying to get some plans in place in the next four to six weeks or so.

“[A move abroad] would appeal but it’s a big decision too. There would have to be a lot of different variables stack up in your favour and I know it was a difficult decision for Seanie.

“So it’s not one that you make flippantly, there’s a fair bit of thought you need to do.

“When I feel physically good, mentally I’m really good and I enjoy my rugby and everything is going great.

“But I’ve been in patterns over the last few years where physically things can go wrong for you quite quickly and there’s a knock-on factor in that mentally, you just lose a little bit of interest in the whole thing.

jonok28

Buer wrote: »

Rob Kearney talking about Irish selection and his contract status in the media today. Interesting stuff. He hopes to have it all sorted before the end of March. But from his comments, I get the impression he's thinking one more season and then retirement. Whether that one season is in Ireland or elsewhere is very much up in the air.

I think the one extra year will be here if they match his currently salary, if it isn't he will go abroad and retire after then end of that contract. He probably should go abroad and make the money, I don't think the IRFU offer Similar terms this contract.

Clegg

Ruddock injured his hamstring in training last week and will be out for the next few weeks. Shame as I think he would have played some part against Italy.

Still no update on Leavy. He will continue to rehab his calf. No return date.

Dave Kearney is following the return to play protocols after experiencing concussion symptoms in the game against at Zebre.

Simple_Simone

Clegg wrote: »

Dave Kearney is following the return to play protocols after experiencing concussion symptoms in the game against at Zebre.

So that's why he missed that one-on-one tackle! :P

scott1974

Clegg wrote: »

Ruddock injured his hamstring in training last week and will be out for the next few weeks. Shame as I think he would have played some part against Italy.

Still no update on Leavy. He will continue to rehab his calf. No return date.

Dave Kearney is following the return to play protocols after experiencing concussion symptoms in the game against at Zebre.

Starting to worry about Leavy, it seems very secretive about his injury.

BoardsMember

Calves can be a disaster

Faugheen

BoardsMember wrote: »

Calves can be a disaster

It can be a niggly f*cker. You could rehab it as best as you can and it could still go again the next week.

errlloyd

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Bazzo wrote: »

Hugh Everett theorised that we are living in a universe which is just one of an infinite number of parallel universes.

In none of those theoretical countless universes is Joe Tomane wearing the 12 shirt for Ireland.

It's more proof of concept that I'm interested in. I seem to remember a fair bit of talk about Steffon Armitage playing 7s for France and thus making himself eligible for them in 15s, even though he'd already played for England.

That concept has been proved with Cooper Vuna and Tim Nanai Williams

Exclamation Marc

long_b wrote: »

Wasps maybe? He'd be good business for them

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/fardy-could-be-the-next-forward-to-leave-leinster

I'd be quite surprised if they didn't offer an extension given the potential World Cup absences and the shortage that an injury or two could bring about.

Dubinusa

It's going to be a tough decision for Fardy. The Wasps may offer him a considerable sum.
Of course, the IRFU may seem that we can't retain him.

Interested Observer

BoardsMember wrote: »

Calves can be a disaster

I got a strain in my calf a few weeks ago (nothing to do with sport) and it left me half crippled. Even finding a comfortable way to sit was an ordeal.

Heymans

Dubinusa wrote: »

It's going to be a tough decision for Fardy. The Wasps may offer him a considerable sum.
Of course, the IRFU may seem that we can't retain him.

TBH with the amount of youngsters coming through in that area I think we would be better off bringing them through and blooding them. We still have Toner and Ryan as first choice selections for European games but coming through the Academy is Dowling Dunne Baird and Ryan all of whom are good enough (or will be good enough) to represent Leinster in the Pro 14.



With Fardy staying around it gives us depth at second row but perhaps it prevents a situation where one of the youngsters are thrown into the deep end next season or the season after.

salmocab

Heymans wrote: »

TBH with the amount of youngsters coming through in that area I think we would be better off bringing them through and blooding them. We still have Toner and Ryan as first choice selections for European games but coming through the Academy is Dowling Dunne Baird and Ryan all of whom are good enough (or will be good enough) to represent Leinster in the Pro 14.



With Fardy staying around it gives us depth at second row but perhaps it prevents a situation where one of the youngsters are thrown into the deep end next season or the season after.

This Leinster who would be hoping to fight on all fronts every season, 2 top locks isn’t enough for that. One injury and we would be pushing the depth chart two and we could be in trouble. Fardy slso also brings leadership and grunt which is needed especially when the internationals aren’t around. No hassles next year with kolpak either which is more reason to give him a year extension. He would be sorely missed in the first few months of next season especially.