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

Squidgy Black

It's too early for speculation on whether it's a career ender etc. As Leinster mentioned, the initial diagnosis is a bad one, in that it's complicated, but requires further diagnosis.

troyzer

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

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

These injuries can and do end the careers of NFL players. It's gotten better in the last few years and some players can come back. But they're rarely as good and it can take a few seasons before they're really right.

Adrian Peterson would be the best case scenario.

Exclamation Marc

Any injury could be a career ending one, look at Jared Payne as a prime example of one side of the coin and Ian McKinley as the other where one was labelled a career ending injury and the other wasn't. And both didn't come to pass.

All speculation. Hope he gets better soon - no player for Leinster or any other team deserves that.

troyzer

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Any injury could be a career ending one, look at Jared Payne as a prime example.

These complex knee injuries are a career killer because the player almost never returns the same. There were some NFL statistics a few years that showed that something like 2/3rds of RBs and WRs never return from complex tears and those who do perform below average. It's slightly better for defensive players (linebacker would be the best analogy) but it's still extremely rare for them to come back the same player.

It's really sad and I hope I'm wrong but history suggests here that Leavy will probably come back at the tail end of next season but be a shadow of his former self.

Buer

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

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

In 2019, it would take an absolutely horrendous injury to flat out end the career of a 24 year old.

It's possible, I know and it was a terrible injury to Leavy but I would still be shocked if it led to his retirement. I think it's a tad premature to be considering it for a lad who is still so young.

Buer

It's incredible how Leinster were tripping over themselves with back row resources a year ago to where they are now.

Murphy, VDF, Leavy and SOB all fighting for spots at openside 12 months ago. We will have one of them available to us next season it appears and he will be unavailable until November.

Scott Penny has a great opportunity to develop and get a lof of game time next season now. We might be seeing Max Deegan more frequently at openside too. He is the only back row player in the academy so things are suddenly looking a little bare if we ship a couple of more injuries. Will Connors needs to get back and get a run as soon as possible too.

Exclamation Marc

Buer wrote: »

It's incredible how Leinster were tripping over themselves with back row resources a year ago to where they are now.

Murphy, VDF, Leavy and SOB all fighting for spots at openside 12 months ago. We will have one of them available to us next season it appears and he will be unavailable until November.

Scott Penny has a great opportunity to develop and get a lof of game time next season now. We might be seeing Max Deegan more frequently at openside too. He is the only back row player in the academy so things are suddenly looking a little bare if we ship a couple of more injuries. Will Connors needs to get back and get a run as soon as possible too.

Jeez, Will Connors completely fell off my radar. What's his status recently?

Certainly puts end to any thoughts of any more back rowers moving on to bed for the immediate future.

I think we're going to need to sign a backrow for the start of next season. We can't really accommodate anymore injuries.

Squidgy Black

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Jeez, Will Connors completely fell off my radar. What's his status recently?

Certainly puts end to any thoughts of any more back rowers moving on to bed for the immediate future.

He's still out with his ACL, was in the injury update last week that he's still not back running.

Bazzo

Buer wrote: »

In 2019, it would take an absolutely horrendous injury to flat out end the career of a 24 year old.

It's possible, I know and it was a terrible injury to Leavy but I would still be shocked if it led to his retirement. I think it's a tad premature to be considering it for a lad who is still so young.

Eoghan Masterson very recently got a complex knee injury like that at an even younger age and was told it could possibly have ended his career.

Squidgy Black

Deleted User wrote: »

I think we're going to need to sign a backrow for the start of next season. We can't really accommodate anymore injuries.

We're certainly tight, but we should be able to survive.

Doris, Deegan, Murphy, Connors, Penny, Fardy (as cover), and potentially Ruddock if he doesn't travel to Japan.

Kevski

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I think we're going to need to sign a backrow for the start of next season. We can't really accommodate anymore injuries.

That lad who started at openside for Ulster on Saturday looks exactly what we need.

antietam1

Will the Ulster guys stop whining about Burns now?

troyzer

Deleted User wrote: »

I think we're going to need to sign a backrow for the start of next season. We can't really accommodate anymore injuries.

What have Munster got? That's how this works isn't it? We just take whoever we want?

I'll take Stander.

Utah_Saint

troyzer wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

I think we're going to need to sign a backrow for the start of next season. We can't really accommodate anymore injuries.

What have Munster got? That's how this works isn't it? We just take whoever we want?

I'll take Stander.

No you got it wrong. Munster get to sign a medical joker for leavys injury.... ;-)

troyzer

Utah_Saint wrote: »

No you got it wrong. Munster get to sign a medical joker for leavys injury.... ;-)

Ah yes, I forgot.

Presumably the IRFU in addition to paying for their stadium will let them sign someone low key like......David Pocock? Strictly temporary.

I just got an erection at the thought of Pocock in a Leinster jersey. No joke.

Utah_Saint

You'd think Pocock could be lured to the NH post WC, unless he's tied to super rugby?

Former Former

We don't need a temporary signing. Ruddock probably won't go to the RWC and we'll still have Deegan, Doris, Connors, Josh Murphy, Penny and Fardy. Plenty of cover, unless someone really, really good becomes available, who isn't subject to Kolpak.

FACECUTTR

Bazzo wrote: »

Eoghan Masterson very recently got a complex knee injury like that at an even younger age and was told it could possibly have ended his career.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.the42.ie/eoghan-masterson-connacht-knee-injury-3242979-Feb2017/%3famp=1
That's the link to the piece

salmocab

Former Former wrote: »

We don't need a temporary signing. Ruddock probably won't go to the RWC and we'll still have Deegan, Doris, Connors, Josh Murphy, Penny and Fardy. Plenty of cover, unless someone really, really good becomes available.

I’d agree with that although it’s not going to take much injury wise now for Ruddock to be traveling to Japan, he’s about 7/8 in line for 5 spots with one down already.

thomond2006

He's a blindside but if DOC hasn't already signed for Biarritz as rumoured then Leinster should look at him as a stopgap signing. Of course he's very injury prone himself...

troyzer

thomond2006 wrote: »

He's a blindside but if DOC hasn't already signed for Biarritz as rumoured then Leinster should look at him as a stopgap signing. Of course he's very injury prone himself...

No, I've decided now. We'll take Stander.

Stick him on the train so he's ready to go for the semi final will you? Cheers.

Former Former

Former Former wrote: »

We don't need a temporary signing. Ruddock probably won't go to the RWC and we'll still have Deegan, Doris, Connors, Josh Murphy, Penny and Fardy. Plenty of cover, unless someone really, really good becomes available, who isn't subject to Kolpak.

Ryan and Toner away realistically means that Fardy is going to be playing in the second row.

Ruddock could well find himself on the plane to Japan or taking a lengthy holiday nearby.

Murphy, Penny, Connors (maybe), Deegan and Doris is not enough back row cover. Connors might not be back which means we are dipping into the academy.

If we can get someone of the calibre of the Ulster Speight signing for the first six months of the year then I think we should be all over that. We are down to needing everyone fit and available in the most attritional position on the pitch.

Buer

Even if we lose all of our internationals for the RWC, we still have Deegan, Doris, Penny, Connors (he should be back unless he's out for 13 months), Murphy and Dowling. That's 2 for each position. A second row of Fardy and Molony in front of them and JGP bossing them will give a bit of experience and solidity.

I don't think we need a signing for the back row although I think they may well consider making one after JGP becomes Irish qualified. Conan, VDF and Ruddock will be the first choice back row. After that, it's probably Deegan, Doris or Penny for our bench spot in Europe. Any injuries at all and we're looking pretty shakey. Given the fact that Ruddock and VDF ship injuries regularly, I can see us going into a European game at some point with a back row we never would have imagined a year ago.

salmocab

Super rugby is over early this year there might be room for a short term signing till Christmas.

troyzer

Buer wrote: »

Even if we lose all of our internationals for the RWC, we still have Deegan, Doris, Penny, Connors (he should be back unless he's out for 13 months), Murphy and Dowling. That's 2 for each position. A second row of Fardy and Molony in front of them and JGP bossing them will give a bit of experience and solidity.

I don't think we need a signing for the back row although I think they may well consider making one after JGP becomes Irish qualified. Conan, VDF and Ruddock will be the first choice back row. After that, it's probably Deegan, Doris or Penny for our bench spot in Europe. Any injuries at all and we're looking pretty shakey. Given the fact that Ruddock and VDF ship injuries regularly, I can see us going into a European game at some point with a back row we never would have imagined a year ago.

Dowling is a lock.

irishbucsfan

Well if the rumors are true they’ll be looking for a permanent replacement anyway unless they see Penny stepping up between now and the start of next season

Squidgy Black

troyzer wrote: »

Dowling is a lock.

Can play backrow also. Has done with the As at blindside.

Exclamation Marc

Squidgy Black wrote: »

He's still out with his ACL, was in the injury update last week that he's still not back running.

Speak of the devil but today's injury update notes that Connors is back to full training.

ROL has a minor hamstring injury and is out this week.

JGP and Ruddock both under return to play protocols after HIAs.

Buer

troyzer wrote: »

Dowling is a lock.

In the same way that Josh Murphy is a lock. His senior appearances have come as a replacement in the back row. Jack Dunne has been covering lock from the bench a few times now with Dowling wearing 20.