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

Clegg

Lowe must be getting peeved about the whole situation. He's a brilliant, brilliant player that's missing out due to eligibility restrictions. Couldn't play in the Semi final or Final of the Champions Cup because did it.

Wouldn't be surprised if he wants to look elsewhere.

Exclamation Marc

Clegg wrote: »

Lowe must be getting peeved about the whole situation. He's a brilliant, brilliant player that's missing out due to eligibility restrictions. Couldn't play in the Semi final or Final of the Champions Cup because did it.

Wouldn't be surprised if he wants to look elsewhere.

I would. That problem falls away at the end of the season.

Clegg

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

I would. That problem falls away at the end of the season.

It does. Still though, he's missing all of the big games. It must be a massive pisser.

kmart6

Clegg wrote: »

Wouldn't be surprised if he wants to look elsewhere.

Overreaction of the day.

Buer

swiwi_ wrote: »

I havent seen a lot of leinster recently but is mcgrath really so out of form that he cant make the bench?? Cullen might as well have printed out his ticket to belfast.

He is out of form but it's just as much about Ed Byrne's form as it is about McGrath's. He is having a breakout season and has been excellent more often than not.

I fully believe Byrne will end up with 30+ Irish caps despite being a relatively latecomer to top level rugby.

mogwai81

Cian Kelleher looked like a turnstile in defense for Connacht tonight. Unless we are losing a few backs at the end of this season, I don’t understand why we’ve resigned him.

stephen_n

mogwai81 wrote: »

Cian Kelleher looked like a turnstile in defense for Connacht tonight. Unless we are losing a few backs at the end of this season, I don’t understand why we’ve resigned him.

He always looks like a turnstile in defence, always did.

Squidgy Black

Yeah Kelleher is an interesting one, we're not exactly short on back 3 options, especially with JGP being IQ next season so Lowe will be available, unless there's a retirement or move that hasn't come to light (ferg or dk?), we've 5 players in the academy who can play in the back 3 (Sylvester Yr1, Kelly Yr3, Keenan Yr3, TOB Yr2, O'Sullivan Yr1) and then Daly, Lowe, Byrne, DK, Ferg, Larmour, RK, Tomane.

That's 2 players who'll be 2nd year academy, 1 who'll be 3rd year, 2 potentially moving to development contracts, and 8 senior players.

Don't really see where Kelleher fits in considering his defensive issues.

Clegg

Kelleher is a proven performer at Pro 14 level. We can't just throw the kids in all the time. You need guys that have at least some level of experience.

We could well be losing the Kearney's and McFadden once the season ends. That leaves us very threadbare on backs. Plus there's the fact he's still just 24. Who's to say that he can't improve on his weaknesses?

Sheep Shagger

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Pity, they should just go ahead. Going to book the tickets and would prefer to know I can get over to the match

Worst case use Eurolines - they operate all year round.

guapos

If the irfu are pushing for McGrath to go to Ulster would Leinster be better off investing in non Irish players in key positions?

Would hate think that the likes of Porter, Deegan (any of our backrows) are going to end up in Munster or Ulster just because they aren't starting. When fit McGrath has had plenty of game time

troyzer

Ulster have quite a few wingers beginning to pile up. We'll have one of them at some stage I'd hope.

Paul Smeenus

guapos wrote: »

If the irfu are pushing for McGrath to go to Ulster would Leinster be better off investing in non Irish players in key positions?

Would hate think that the likes of Porter, Deegan (any of our backrows) are going to end up in Munster or Ulster just because they aren't starting. When fit McGrath has had plenty of game time

They're not. Jack McGrath is pushing for Jack McGrath to go to Ulster.

Pretty much every article on his proposed move has been crystal clear on this.

kingofthekong

troyzer wrote: »

Ulster have quite a few wingers beginning to pile up. We'll have one of them at some stage I'd hope.

We create enough of our own

kingofthekong

Leinster have some quality youngsters coming through at Looshead with Aungier and Milne in the coming couple of years , maybe an NIQ for a couple of years to hold down the fort for a while before they develop - McGrath leaving isn't that catastrophic

stephen_n

kingofthekong wrote: »

Leinster have some quality youngsters coming through at Looshead with Aungier and Milne in the coming couple of years , maybe an NIQ for a couple of years to hold down the fort for a while before they develop - McGrath leaving isn't that catastrophic

You can’t really compare a test lion with two Academy lads who may or may not make it. In the meantime time though Byrne and Dooley are good enough to play backup to Healy. There’s no need for a NIQ there.




On another note, is general muscle tightness the new “a week too soon”?

Squidgy Black

kingofthekong wrote: »

Leinster have some quality youngsters coming through at Looshead with Aungier and Milne in the coming couple of years , maybe an NIQ for a couple of years to hold down the fort for a while before they develop - McGrath leaving isn't that catastrophic

Aungier is a tighthead.

kingofthekong

stephen_n wrote: »

You can’t really compare a test lion with two Academy lads who may or may not make it. In the meantime time though Byrne and Dooley are good enough to play backup to Healy. There’s no need for a NIQ there.




On another note, is general muscle tightness the new “a week too soon”?

Where did I compare them... they dont have to be test lions to fill a gap at leinster an Pro12 level...also Mcgrath is no longer playing like that test Lion so even he cant be compared any more to the old Jack Mcgrath....

If Jack Mcgrath was in the form that got him that Lion shirt he woudnt be going to Ulster and we woudnt be having this conversation...

Byrne, Dooley, possible NIQ and the two academy lads are all Leinster need..

Clegg

Jaysus. Ulster didn't allow us to play our game. Defended excellently and put us under the kind of pressure reserved for test rugby. But still, I thought we were poor regardless. We over complicated too many backs moves and made a lot of handling errors.

SoB is very lucky, if that's the right phrase to use, that all his openside compatriots are getting injured. Another crap game by his standards. Conan was excellent again. Made the key contributions that won us the game.

AbusesToilets

Who steps up to fill in at 7 if Leavy and VdF are out still? SOB hasn't shown anything to justify getting a spot.

BoardsMember

Cronins darts are now a real concern. He lobbed some in hopefully rather than darted them.

Gutted for Leavy.

Huge game from our second rows, our starting front 5. World class from Conan for the try, one of the few back rows in the country with the skillset to do that. Would like to see Conan get a chance in green at 8, with Stander at 6 where he should be.

joseywhales

Clegg wrote: »

Jaysus. Ulster didn't allow us to play our game. Defended excellently and put us under the kind of pressure reserved for test rugby. But still, I thought we were poor regardless. We over complicated too many backs moves and made a lot of handling errors.

SoB is very lucky, if that's the right phrase to use, that all his openside compatriots are getting injured. Another crap game by his standards. Conan was excellent again. Made the key contributions that won us the game.

I honestly thought SOB was fine, dominated defensively at least, stopped coetzee dead a couple of times, once picked him up and literally carried him. nice hands for the lineout play for a line break.Plenty of tackling. Gave away one penalty sure, I thought he was fine and improving. There's a bit of confirmation bias going on.

connemara man

joseywhales wrote: »

I honestly thought SOB was fine, dominated defensively at least, stopped coetzee dead a couple of times, once picked him up and literally carried him. nice hands for the lineout play for a line break.Plenty of tackling. Gave away one penalty sure, I thought he was fine and improving. There's a bit of confirmation bias going on.

He was getting sat down in the tackle. He was the weaklink in Leinsters pack in open play for me.

sydthebeat

We won by playing poorly. Injuries really hindered us today, but have to agree on SOB, I think the game has actually progressed beyond what good strengths are. Bastards at rucks have to have more nuance now than just brute strength... And unfortunately he's falling into the latter.

Fardy / ruddock / conan as our back row in Europe going into the semis (cmon Toulouse).

Great showing from mick kearney off the bench.

ROL not the answer in europe at 12 either. Backline didn't fire as we were getting caught early. Stood strong in defense though.

Squidgy Black

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Who steps up to fill in at 7 if Leavy and VdF are out still? SOB hasn't shown anything to justify getting a spot.

SOB without a shadow of a doubt. Our other options are Ruddock, who is a 6, Deegan, who is primarily an 8 by trade and doesn't have the experience on the big stage, or Penny who's still a young academy lad with a handful of caps.

Clegg

Fardy and Ryan were exceptional today. Carried and tackled so much. Just worked themselves to a standstill. Unfortunately the lineout is still malfunctioning. Really missing Toners steady hand there.

Conan stood up when he was needed. He made the key contributions that won us the game. He's closing in on Stander imo. Haven't seen Ringrose look as scatty ever. Ulster targeted him a lot imo. Didn't give him a second. The charge down wasn't all down to him. He received a crap pass over his head that force him to check back inside. But the kick itself was awful.

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/damien_omeara/status/1112088766259359745?s=19

Clegg

With the way everyone reacted to the injury we probably won't see Leavy play again until sometime next year.

stephen_n

sydthebeat wrote: »

ROL not the answer in europe at 12 either. Backline didn't fire as we were getting caught early. Stood strong in defense though.

In fairness to him Ulster seemed to live offside all day, they had shooters coming out of the line who were nearly reaching him before the ball did.

Clegg

We're really missing Henshaw. That's an obvious statement, but he's simply so much better in defense than any other 12 we have. Often leads the entire defensive line as well. We're missing linespeed right now in his absence.