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

Faugheen

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

If Leinster get over the top of Toulouse the prospect of Adam Byrne defending against Saracens in the Final is a bit concerning. Saracens are ruthless when it comes to targeting and exposing any weaknesses. They'd have special plays designed to test him and make him make decisions. Byrne is majestic in the air but Barry Daly is a more rounded player for me, and I think I'd be more comfortable with him lining out on the right wing against Saracens in the final (assuming, of course, that Leinster get there).

Lowe and Byrne have been Leinsters best wingers this season by a comfortable distance.

Burkie1203

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

If Leinster get over the top of Toulouse the prospect of Adam Byrne defending against Saracens in the Final is a bit concerning. Saracens are ruthless when it comes to targeting and exposing any weaknesses. They'd have special plays designed to test him and make him make decisions. Byrne is majestic in the air but Barry Daly is a more rounded player for me, and I think I'd be more comfortable with him lining out on the right wing against Saracens in the final (assuming, of course, that Leinster get there).

Sounds like a job for Joe Tomane

troyzer

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Sounds like a job for Joe Tomane

Behave.

Interested Observer

Ross Byrne's match winning kick was incredible. He could barely walk at that stage. Dunno how he did it.

troyzer

Interested Observer wrote: »

Ross Byrne's match winning kick was incredible. He could barely walk at that stage. Dunno how he did it.

It was class.

But people were very quick to forget that he otherwise had an extremely mediocre game.

sydthebeat

troyzer wrote: »

It was class.

But people were very quick to forget that he otherwise had an extremely mediocre game.

No he didn't

troyzer

sydthebeat wrote: »

No he didn't

Yes, he did. He missed a few kicks and played very deep the whole game.

He didn't adapt to Ulster's linespeed with a chip game, instead choosing to throw loopy hospital passes to his centres who were getting mauled all game. There's a reason why Ringrose and O'Loughlin had poor games and why Larmour never did anything as a result. McGrath was giving him great ball all game and he wasn't making good choices.

Garry Ringrose had an awful kick that led to Ulster's try, but Byrne did him no favours by throwing him the ball in that situation.

Having said that, he's still clutch as **** and he did get into the game in the second half.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

Yes, he did. He missed a few kicks and played very deep the whole game.

He didn't adapt to Ulster's linespeed with a chip game, instead choosing to throw loopy hospital passes to his centres who were getting mauled all game. There's a reason why Ringrose and O'Loughlin had poor games and why Larmour never did anything as a result. McGrath was giving him great ball all game and he wasn't making good choices.

Garry Ringrose had an awful kick that led to Ulster's try, but Byrne did him no favours by throwing him the ball in that situation.

Having said that, he's still clutch as **** and he did get into the game in the second half.

He scored a well worked try too in difficult circumstances.

It wasn't his best game but he was good.

And you'll can't bring anyone else into the Ringrose mistake apart from the man himself. Byrne has no valid part in that mistake.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

He scored a well worked try too in difficult circumstances.

It wasn't his best game but he was good.

And you'll can't bring anyone else into the Ringrose mistake apart from the man himself. Byrne has no valid part in that mistake.

It was Ringrose's mistake. But watch again.

Byrne throws it over his head in a rush defense which meant Ringrose had no room to tuck and carry. He was forced to run along the line for an exit and yes, he ****ed it up.

But it started with a poor pass.

It wasn't a good game. It was mediocre to average. He's capable of much better and I'm sure he knows that himself.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

It was Ringrose's mistake. But watch again.

Byrne throws it over his head in a rush defense which meant Ringrose had no room to tuck and carry. He was forced to run along the line for an exit and yes, he ****ed it up.

But it started with a poor pass.

It wasn't a good game. It was mediocre to average. He's capable of much better and I'm sure he knows that himself.

Ringrose had enough opportunities to do something without having his kick blocked down. Ross Byrne has no contribution to that try. Blame the rush Ulster defence.

Otherwise he had 91% tackle success (10/11), scored 16 points, nearly set up Dave for a great try. Granted he missed two kicks, one of which he should have scored but he nailed one he had no right to score with a tight hamstring.

I'm quite happy to hold players to high standard but he was better than mediocre/average. 7 or 8/10 territory.

Faugheen

troyzer wrote: »

It was class.

But people were very quick to forget that he otherwise had an extremely mediocre game.

Did he?

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Ringrose had enough opportunities to do something without having his kick blocked down. Ross Byrne has no contribution to that try. Blame the rush Ulster defence.

Otherwise he had 91% tackle success (10/11), scored 16 points, nearly set up Dave for a great try. Granted he missed two kicks, one of which he should have scored but he nailed one he had no right to score with a tight hamstring.

I'm quite happy to hold players to high standard but he was better than mediocre/average. 7 or 8/10 territory.

You should really watch it again. The ball nearly sailed over his head. It was a very poor pass. The mistake is on Ringrose ultimately but you can't ignore Byrne's contribution.

I'd give him a 6 or so.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

You should really watch it again. The ball nearly sailed over his head. It was a very poor pass. The mistake is on Ringrose ultimately but you can't ignore Byrne's contribution.

I'd give him a 6 or so.

Watched it again and it was a bit high but certainly not way over his head and Ringrose chose to run laterally and get himself into trouble. He's experienced enough that he has to take responsibility for that and not offset that on a pass that was 7ish seconds previous. It was nowhere near a hospital pass.

And Ringrose did the exact same thing at the start of the second half again but got away with it.

We'll agree to disagree on Byrne so but he had an objectively much better game than most of the Leinster team if you watch it back.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Watched it again and it was a bit high but certainly not way over his head and Ringrose chose to run laterally and get himself into trouble. He's experienced enough that he has to take responsibility for that and not offset that on a pass that was 7ish seconds previous. And Ringrose did the exact same thing at the start of the second half again but got away with it.

We'll agree to disagree on Byrne so but he had an objectively much better game than most of the Leinster team if you watch it back.

It literally went over his head and he had to reach up to get it. Not comically far over his head but it was at or above his head.

Before taking the pass, he had made a step forward to try and run onto the ball. The high pass meant he had to check it. I think it was Billy Burns directly in his face at the time along with with Nordi and I think Cave. Ringrose correctly identified that he had to get out of dodge or he'd be put on his arse and likely give away a turnover. Nordi was right there and most of the Leinster forwards were still getting up from the previous ruck. He almost certainly would have had a clean turnover.

Ringrose did the right thing by trying to get out laterally, look for space but then executed an awful kick. And that's on him. 100%.

But it did start with a bad pass.

Exclamation Marc

troyzer wrote: »

It literally went over his head and he had to reach up to get it. Not comically far over his head but it was at or above his head.
.

Ah come on. He's good enough to take that pass. Hardly over his head so high he had to reach up and get it. Head height at best.

Squidgy Black

Ringrose should've either held on to that or played it out to Larmour and recycled it. There's absolutely no excuse for him running laterally across the defensive line which were pushing up, and then trying to force a kick with two defenders right in front of him.

troyzer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Ringrose should've either held on to that or played it out to Larmour and recycled it. There's absolutely no excuse for him running laterally across the defensive line which were pushing up, and then trying to force a kick with two defenders right in front of him.

He would have lost it if he held onto it. Look who's in front of him. The fact that he had to check his step means he was going to be put on his arse.

He should have ran back in like he did but cut up near his forwards so they could recycle the ball and go again.

AdamD

If we're assuming that's a turnover situation then its a miracle we ever give the ball to our outside backs

Buer

With regards to that try, there's no blame on Byrne. It wasn't a perfect pass but that does not mean Ringrose needs to check infield for 20m and put in a poor kick. Ringrose could easily have set up a ruck again back around the gain line. It wasn't even a terrible pass, just not a good one which didn't allow Ringrose to go wide.

Byrne didn't have a brilliant game but he was very solid. When Leinster went behind, he was extremely composed and never panicked at all. He stuck to the plan, moved the ball and made sure Leinster kept moving down the field. He defended well and stepped up with some big moments. He'll be pretty happy with his night's work.

We've won a HEC knock out match with a back line featuring Ross Byrne, Adam Byrne, Noel Reid and Jordan Larmour. That was a Pro14 backline 12 months ago. We'd 7 changes from the team that won the title last year. It's a serious turnover in personnel through departures and injuries at this point. I'm pretty happy with how things have gone. I don't think we can win the tournament but it's good to see some fringe/younger players stepping in and looking at home.

Buer

Leavy ruled out of the RWC, confirmed by Leinster.

troyzer

Buer wrote: »

Leavy ruled out of the RWC, confirmed by Leinster.

This could be a career ender.

Former Former

"Complex knee ligament injury", sounds awful.

The poor bastard, being ruled out of the RWC six months before the focking thing even starts. Just hope it isn't even more serious than that.

errlloyd

I am gutted for him, absolutely gutted for him.

Clegg

Leavy suffered a "complex knee ligament injury". Expect him to be out for a long time.

Squidgy Black

Devastating for a young lad in prime form who was on track to be one of Ireland's key performers at the RWC if fit.

Hopefully he's able to bounce back from it after whatever lead time is required.

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1112675643668529152?s=19

Buer

troyzer wrote: »

This could be a career ender.

He's 24.

He'll be out for the rest of 2019, I expect but no doubt he'll be back. Whether he can come back and be the same player is another question.

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/RuaidhriOC/status/1112671675278127104?s=19

Rumour going around doesn't sound positive at all.

Don't think we'll see him next season.

DelBoy Trotter

Buer wrote: »

He's 24.

He'll be out for the rest of 2019, I expect but no doubt he'll be back. Whether he can come back and be the same player is another question.

Age has nothing to do with it if his knee is that badly damaged