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

Dubinusa

I'm going to the match v Freejacks on Sunday.
Hopefully, there's a good crowd!
Freejacks have Tadg Leader and Conor Kindregan in their squad. Both Connacht men.
I don't know much about this Leinster squad, but I am delighted to see them over here.
The Freejacks are contacting Irish lads for recruiting and hope to sign a couple from the Cara cup.

stephen_n

Billy Dardis saying he was told he wasn’t getting a Contract because James Lowe was coming. We finally have proof of Johnny Foreigner blocking the path of Irish talent. Richie will be so happy.

thomond2006

stephen_n wrote: »

Billy Dardis saying he was told he wasn’t getting a Contract because James Lowe was coming. We finally have proof of Johnny Foreigner blocking the path of Irish talent. Richie will be so happy.

W*rd will be furiously writing columns about this.

stephen_n

stephen_n wrote: »

Billy Dardis saying he was told he wasn’t getting a Contract because James Lowe was coming. We finally have proof of Johnny Foreigner blocking the path of Irish talent. Richie will be so happy.

Out of interest where was this said or what was the context?

Leinster are unlikely to respond and potentially won't be able to due to privacy.

Edit: on a side note, I think Leinster have struck an excellent balance between locally developed and quality international talent. I'm personally not going to give oxygen to any of the usual suspects and honestly, some of their comments in other threads along with the recent post by Bent's wife have changed my mind about entertaining the more extreme commentary.

errlloyd

Deleted User wrote: »

stephen_n wrote: »

Billy Dardis saying he was told he wasn’t getting a Contract because James Lowe was coming. We finally have proof of Johnny Foreigner blocking the path of Irish talent. Richie will be so happy.

Out of interest where was this said or what was the context?

Leinster are unlikely to respond and potentially won't be able to due to privacy.

Rte sport podcast I think. They have an article with all the quotes and he doesn't really hold back. He doesn't sound bitter, but he does sound like it really was his dream and still is.

Clegg

Dardis went through the entire academy programme without ever picking up a single senior cap. What's more likely is the coaches didn't think he was good enough and were creating space in the squad for someone better.

salmocab

Clegg wrote: »

Dardis went through the entire academy programme without ever picking up a single senior cap. What's more likely is the coaches didn't think he was good enough and were creating space in the squad for someone better.

Yeah they were bringing in a top winger so the bottom one was pushed out, it’s hardly a surprise.

Former Former

Maybe that's what they told Dardis but it's nonsense really. He was no more competing with James Lowe than he was competing with Tadhg Furlong.

Dardis was in competition with Adam Byrne, Barry Daly, Cian Kelleher and the like, and he still didn't win a single senior cap. That's about it really.

sydthebeat

Would this be the same Irfu contracted sevens player Billy dardis?

molloyjh

To be fair to Dardis, he has also been quoted in the last week as saying that he never made it happen himself. That he sat there waiting for things to fall into place for him, just sort of expecting that they would. And he looks back now and regrets what might have been had he been more proactive about it. Almost like what Darce could have become but for the kick up the arse he got. I dont think there's any bitterness there. Just some regret and unfinished business. Not that I expect that to matter a jot once certain people start taking aim at foreign players.

arsebiscuits1

stephen_n wrote: »

Billy Dardis saying he was told he wasn’t getting a Contract because James Lowe was coming. We finally have proof of Johnny Foreigner blocking the path of Irish talent. Richie will be so happy.

There was an interview with Dardis where he said the same thing months and months ago. No one picked it up then.

I do think Dardis would have gotten a senior cap if he didn't dislocate is shoulder in the 16/17 pre season but I don't think he would ever have been in line for a senior contract. James Lowe or not

Former Former

I keep forgetting Kelleher is coming back

Sangre

Former Former wrote: »

Maybe that's what they told Dardis but it's nonsense really. He was no more competing with James Lowe than he was competing with Tadhg Furlong.

Dardis was in competition with Adam Byrne, Barry Daly, Cian Kelleher and the like, and he still didn't win a single senior cap. That's about it really.

Could have been a case of Leinster being diplomatic as well. 'We don't have a space for you because we're now over-stocked' vs 'We don't have a space for you because you're not good enough'.

Of course none of us will ever really know.

stephen_n

Deleted User wrote: »

Out of interest where was this said or what was the context?

Leinster are unlikely to respond and potentially won't be able to due to privacy.

Edit: on a side note, I think Leinster have struck an excellent balance between locally developed and quality international talent. I'm personally not going to give oxygen to any of the usual suspects and honestly, some of their comments in other threads along with the recent post by Bent's wife have changed my mind about entertaining the more extreme commentary.

https://twitter.com/rterugby/status/1116597064933076993?s=21

stephen_n

Former Former wrote: »

I keep forgetting Kelleher is coming back

I still don’t understand why, either for him or Leinster.

Squidgy Black

stephen_n wrote: »

https://twitter.com/rterugby/status/1116597064933076993?s=21

The quote from the RTE article that is a bit longer and potentially throws a different light on it:

"It’s hard when you get told there is no contract for you. I was dragged out of a Leinster dressing room and told 'there is no contract here and we are signing James Lowe so that’s our back three taken up' and it’s kind of a big shock, all your dreams are smashed there".

salmocab

Squidgy Black wrote: »

The quote from the RTE article that is a bit longer and potentially throws a different light on it:

"It’s hard when you get told there is no contract for you. I was dragged out of a Leinster dressing room and told 'there is no contract here and we are signing James Lowe so that’s our back three taken up' and it’s kind of a big shock, all your dreams are smashed there".

The use of the word dragged is odd.

RobbieRuns

Fair play to Dardis for saying what he felt though.......... I am sure that it does hurt when your dreams go up in flames, sure he learns lessons, but it still hurts.

I would never get into any disagreement on better imports coming in, you can always get better if you pay more. The discussion is not about imports blocking home grown, it is sometimes about how young lads dreams are shattered, that can be by being let go or by injury or whatever. I love it when someone is just honest. Sure he will be told that he has no one to blame but himself, but he is a young man who was lauded at schoolboy level and learnt harsh lessons about rugby and life.

I give him big respect for his honesty and going to play sevens, hope that it is a big success for him.

thomond2006

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Rob Kearney (206)
14. Jordan Larmour (34)
13. Joe Tomane (11)
12. Robbie Henshaw (32)
11. Dave Kearney (133)
10. Ross Byrne (66)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (69)
1. Ed Byrne (41)
2. James Tracy (89)
3. Michael Bent (120)
4. Devin Toner (227)
5. Jack Dunne (4)
6. Josh Murphy (19)
7. Sean O’Brien (123) CAPTAIN
8. Caelan Doris (13)

16. Sean Cronin (168)
17. Cian Healy (203)
18. Tadhg Furlong (97)
19. Will Connors (3)
20. Max Deegan (40)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (12)
22. Ciaran Frawley (12)
23. Adam Byrne (51)

Cheers Leinster. A great bunch of lads!

Clegg

Good to see Henshaw and Toner back in the side. To me no Deegan in the 23 suggests he's at least in the squad for Toulouse.

errlloyd

Clegg wrote: »

Good to see Henshaw and Toner back in the side. To me no Deegan in the 23 suggests he's at least in the squad for Toulouse.

Deegan is there

Squidgy Black

Dunne gets the start after his cameo last week, great to see.

scott1974

thomond2006 wrote: »

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Rob Kearney (206)
14. Jordan Larmour (34)
13. Joe Tomane (11)
12. Robbie Henshaw (32)
11. Dave Kearney (133)
10. Ross Byrne (66)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (69)
1. Ed Byrne (41)
2. James Tracy (89)
3. Michael Bent (120)
4. Devin Toner (227)
5. Jack Dunne (4)
6. Josh Murphy (19)
7. Sean O’Brien (123) CAPTAIN
8. Caelan Doris (13)

16. Sean Cronin (168)
17. Cian Healy (203)
18. Tadhg Furlong (97)
19. Will Connors (3)
20. Max Deegan (40)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (12)
22. Ciaran Frawley (12)
23. Adam Byrne (51)

Cheers Leinster. A great bunch of lads!

I watched the video twitter presentation thing.... is Jack Dunne shaving yet, it's hilarious... he looks like a kid..

arsebiscuits1

Looks like Jack McGrath has played his last game for Leinster

Clegg

errlloyd wrote: »

Deegan is there

Woops

Rigor Mortis

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Looks like Jack McGrath has played his last game for Leinster

No we have to play him against Ulster. Give them the Sophies choice of winning or potentially injuring their new player. He will be handed the ball for every carry.

durkadurka

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Looks like Jack McGrath has played his last game for Leinster

Not sure about that. I wonder if he was dropped from the Ulster game specifically because he was signing for them. Will hold judgement on that till next week.

arsebiscuits1

durkadurka wrote: »

Not sure about that. I wonder if he was dropped from the Ulster game specifically because he was signing for them. Will hold judgement on that till next week.

That Ulster deal was initiated and and sorted months ago. Probably before the 6 Nations. I don't think McGrath was dropped for the Ulster game because he signed for them.

Currently Leo has the chance to Give Ed Byrne some proper knock out rugby opportunities ahead of next season where he will be first choice for the first half of it.

It's a no brainer to not play Jack for the rest of the season if Healy and Byrne are fully fit

scott1974

Sexton must be fit for next weekend.

salmocab

Will Connors first game back?
Good to see jack Dunne starting I think he’s going to be very good. Wonder how we will be set next year in second row. No confirmation on either Nagle or Kearney yet as far as I can remember.