Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XI (The Finals Countdown)

Squidgy Black

stephen_n wrote: »

So Richie was right and Connors starts ahead of VDF. Interesting to see Keenan get the nod ahead of O’loughlin too.

Don't think ROL has had a start on the wing for a couple seasons now has he? Surprised Kelleher didn't get the nod over Keenan to be honest.

KH25

https://twitter.com/murray_kinsella/status/1301498739291500544?s=21

Podge_irl

Someone comes across poorly out of this story but hard to know who.

awec

It seems clear to me that Nucifora needs to go.

theVersatile

awec wrote: »

It seems clear to me that Nucifora needs to go.

Why? Because he has the best interests of all four provinces in mind instead of just the Blue East?

Burkie1203

awec wrote: »

It seems clear to me that Nucifora needs to go.

Ulster wouldn't have a team without him.

Clegg

Can we just admit that letting go of Pienaar was the right move? The Cooney of the last few seasons is better than Pienaar is his final years at Ulster.

Exclamation Marc

theVersatile wrote: »

Why? Because he has the best interests of all four provinces in mind instead of just the Blue East?

You phrase it like players don't have a say. If young players are being essentially forced towards clubs they don't want to go, there's something slightly uneasy about that. Players have family, friends and a life and if they're being leaned on to go elsewhere when they don't really want to, it's not a great look.

The Lost Sheep

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

You phrase it like players don't have a say. If young players are being essentially forced towards clubs they don't want to go, there's something slightly uneasy about that. Players have family, friends and a life and if they're being leaned on to go elsewhere when they don't really want to, it's not a great look.

And people are talking as if they have to move halfway across the world and not 2/3 hours drive away.

Exclamation Marc

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

And people are talking as if they have to move halfway across the world and not 2/3 hours drive away.

That's irrelevant. Sure, it's better than halfway across the world but most people wouldn't commute across the country (2/3 hours or otherwise) so it still requires significant relocation so that argument doesn't hold for 21/22 year old.

Yeah_Right

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

And people are talking as if they have to move halfway across the world and not 2/3 hours drive away.

Exactly. It cracks me up. Some of these lads need to cut the apron strings and move away from mummy and daddy. Thousands of people do it every year for university and work yet some people seem to think it is cruel and usual punishment for a professional rugby player.

Exclamation Marc

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Exactly. It cracks me up. Some of these lads need to cut the apron strings and move away from mummy and daddy. Thousands of people do it every year for university and work yet some people seem to think it is cruel and usual punishment for a professional rugby player.

This guy already relocated from Hawaii four years ago (ya know, half way across the world) when he was 18 to Dublin, has settled over four years and is being shuttled off somewhere else now when he apparently didn't want to. He's not livestock that can be shifted around at will.

yerrahbah

KH25 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/murray_kinsella/status/1301498739291500544?s=21

Wonder was this before or after he supposedly turned down a move to Connacht?

arsebiscuits1

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

This guy already relocated from Hawaii four years ago (ya know, half way across the world) when he was 18 to Dublin, has settled over four years and is being shuttled off somewhere else now when he apparently didn't want to. He's not livestock that can be shifted around at will.

Sorry just no.

Professional sports is cruel. If you want to make it you need to be willing to play where you can.

If your partner plays professional sports you need to be willing to relocate or do it long distance.

In Ireland it happens to be the case that a lot of people can play close to home. This is pretty unique.

Don't cry beal bocht for a player who gets to play sport for a living because they need to relocate. These are the sacrifices. One of the many required to succeed in any sport at the highest level.

Using Salanoa as an example. His goal before picking up rugby would have been college football. He would have taken any offer he can get. It might have been some random school in the middle of mississippi.

And then possibly he succeeds and goes to the NFL. Where he get's drafted with absolutely no say where he ends up. But with the chance to live out his dream.

And you think moving to Limerick is hard?!

aloooof

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

You phrase it like players don't have a say. If young players are being essentially forced towards clubs they don't want to go, there's something slightly uneasy about that. Players have family, friends and a life and if they're being leaned on to go elsewhere when they don't really want to, it's not a great look.

Players having a say works both ways.

Exclamation Marc

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Sorry just no.

Professional sports is cruel. If you want to make it you need to be willing to play where you can.

If your partner plays professional sports you need to be willing to relocate or do it long distance.

In Ireland it happens to be the case that a lot of people can play close to home. This is pretty unique.

Don't cry beal bocht for a player who gets to play sport for a living because they need to relocate. These are the sacrifices. One of the many required to succeed in any sport at the highest level.

That's a lovely little speech that would sound great in a film.

Doesn't change my opinion that forcing younger players around the country against their will and their clubs will is not a good look. Particularly when they've already moved half way across the world when still a teenager. I didn't say it was outrageous or should never happen, just that it's not a good look.

Its not one extreme or the other and nobody is crying but utter indifference to what he wants is pathetic and shouldn't be encouraged.

dub_skav

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Don't cry beal bocht for a player who gets to play sport for a living because they need to relocate. These are the sacrifices. One of the many required to succeed in any sport at the highest level.

Using Salanoa as an example. His goal before picking up rugby would have been college football. He would have taken any offer he can get. It might have been some random school in the middle of mississippi.

He did relocate - to Ireland.
He fought his way up with Leinster and seemingly they wanted to keep him. He had done the sacrifice bit and gotten what he wanted.

Nobody is crying for him, but if this account is true, we can certainly question moving him to a different team and different professional environment if he wanted to stay and Leinster wanted to keep him

molloyjh

None of us know how any of that played out. We dont know whether he felt like he was being pushed south. I dont think Leos language is particularly appropriate there. He can answer that without really brining the issue into the public sphere. Losing Salanoa did leave us stuck, do saying that is fine. But leave it at that.

All that said, I totally get the frustration. Putting that time and effort into a guy from half way around the world, understanding that he was staying put and then having the rug pulled out from under you at the 11th hour is bound to cause that. The IRFU orchestrating that move, that late in the day, and leaving the province that they rely on the most stuck is itself poor form.

yerrahbah

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

That's a lovely little speech that would sound great in a film.

Doesn't change my opinion that forcing younger players around the country against their will and their clubs will is not a good look. Particularly when they've already moved half way across the world when still a teenager. I didn't say it was outrageous or should never happen, just that it's not a good look.

Its not one extreme or the other and nobody is crying but utter indifference to what he wants is pathetic and shouldn't be encouraged.

Who forced him against his will?

StackSteevens

yerrahbah wrote: »

Who forced him against his will?

To quote Leo: "I can’t say what sort of pressure he was being put under in the background. You’d want to ask him himself”

molloyjh

StackSteevens wrote: »

To quote Leo: "I can’t say what sort of pressure he was being put under in the background. You’d want to ask him himself”

So nobody is saying it. Leo is suggesting it. Which he should not be doing as it isnt his place to talk on Salanoas behalf. None of us can verify in any way whether Leo is talking from a position of knowledge on this or just stirring it.

Podge_irl

theVersatile wrote: »

Why? Because he has the best interests of all four provinces in mind instead of just the Blue East?

Awec won’t be happy til we got full Leinster dominance for a decade. It’s sickening.

Exclamation Marc

molloyjh wrote: »

So nobody is saying it. Leo is suggesting it. Which he should not be doing as it isnt his place to talk on Salanoas behalf. None of us can verify in any way whether Leo is talking from a position of knowledge on this or just stirring it.

It's probably as far as Leo can go without saying it in fairness. I don't see what Leo would get from stirring it without some truth behind it and he could be very quickly found out.

But it is fair that without a direct account from Salanoa, it's hearsay and rumour.

Podge_irl

yerrahbah wrote: »

Who forced him against his will?

There is discussions about what’s best for the player and there is undue pressure. Ultimately none of us will ever know where it really landed.

I Would take exception to the idea that everyone is moving entirely out of “free will” though. There is a difference between an opportunity elsewhere and feeling like you are being forced somewhere.

rayd3

Roman mentions being forced here. Forced to grow because he’s from the countryside and Dublin was a big change that is. Also, Limerick confirmed as being more like Hawaii than Dublin. Not really a surprise, the surf in Clare is much better than that in Louth.

https://youtu.be/XqisZyOn1g0

Also, wasn’t Leo putting pressure on Casey by offering him a senior contract to move?? Pressure on Munster to offer the same contract, but also on the player to make a decision.

irishbucsfan

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

It's probably as far as Leo can go without saying it in fairness. I don't see what Leo would get from stirring it without some truth behind it and he could be very quickly found out.

But it is fair that without a direct account from Salanoa, it's hearsay and rumour.

You can’t see what Leo, the head coach of Leinster, would get from putting players who leave Leinster under a little pressure?

AdamD

Not the first time Leo's made comments either. Said Munster were promising more than they could deliver to Nick McCarthy - he was right too, he's never made it above 3rd choice there.

Tomtom364

I like how the fact that the IRFU were keen for him to move to Connacht, but he didnt fancy it and he choose to stay in Leinster, is being skipped over. He clearly wasn't being forced to go anywhere.

Then the Munster opportunity arose (perhaps at the suggestion of the IRFU) and he liked that prospect so choose to go to Munster.

Some people really need to just get it through their heads that heaven forbid a player wouldnt want to sit in the stands of the RDS and be grateful to just get to watch Leinster compete in the big games.

Just like Carbery made a choice.
Just Like Henshaw made a choice.

Solonoa made a choice. He's a big boy. Get over it.

molloyjh

StackSteevens wrote: »

A comment that leads me to suspect that you very seldom manage to complete the Crosaire!

Oh that really hurt SS. I dont know how I'm going to sleep tonight.

Maybe reign in the petty abuse of people there. You won't last long here otherwise. Most of us are grown ups, and act like it.

Yeah_Right

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

This guy already relocated from Hawaii four years ago (ya know, half way across the world) when he was 18 to Dublin, has settled over four years and is being shuttled off somewhere else now when he apparently didn't want to. He's not livestock that can be shifted around at will.

If he wants a job as a pro rugby player in Ireland, he goes where his employers need him. If he was playing American football he could have gone to somewhere else in the States for 4 years of college and then been drafted to another part of the country and then traded half a dozen times. Moving for college and then moving after college for work is actually quite common.

FFS he is in his early 20s. He will adapt. There are guys moving their wives and kids around the world in the pursuit of their rugby career. Moving a few hours down the road is no biggie.

Edit: I see arsebiscuits beat me to the NFL comparison.

rayd3

Tomtom364 wrote: »

heaven forbid a player wouldnt want to sit in the stands of the RDS and be grateful to just get to watch Leinster compete in the big games.

Yeah but those navy jumpers and Blueshirts look so smart, nobody would willingly give those up.

Exclamation Marc

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You can’t see what Leo, the head coach of Leinster, would get from putting players who leave Leinster under a little pressure?

Sorry I meant more so what he would get from it personally within the IRFU rather than on players.

Former Former

I would be surprised if there was any pressure on Salanoa to move to Munster. They already have Ryan, Archer and Knox so it's not like they needed cover urgently and it's not like it impacts the national team either.

So why would IRFU really be bothered?

Podge_irl

molloyjh wrote: »

Oh that really hurt SS. I dont know how I'm going to sleep tonight.

Maybe reign in the petty abuse of people there. You won't last long here otherwise. Most of us are grown ups, and act like it.

I totally can’t do the Crosaire though.

Podge_irl

Former Former wrote: »

I would be surprised if there was any pressure on Salanoa to move to Munster. They already have Ryan, Archer and Knox so it's not like they needed cover urgently and it's not like it impacts the national team either.

So why would IRFU really be bothered?

Yeah seems below their level of interest really. More likely a solely Munster move and a better offer.

Ultimately people will always just get annoyed because having produced 3 of the last THs to really make an impression at international level, Leinster are now struggling to field a decent complement of them.

awec

Podge_irl wrote: »

Yeah seems below their level of interest really. More likely a solely Munster move and a better offer.

Ultimately people will always just get annoyed because having produced 3 of the last THs to really make an impression at international level, Leinster are now struggling to field a decent complement of them.

3?

Are you trying to claim Mike Ross, who signed for Leinster when he was 29?

Former Former

awec wrote: »

3?

Are you trying to claim Mike Ross, who signed for Leinster when he was 29?

Porter
Furlong
Bent

Your move.

Podge_irl

I was claiming Moore. He was on the bench for 2 6N championship wins after all...

Maybe a bit of a stretch.

awec

Former Former wrote: »

Porter
Furlong
Bent

Your move.

Bent!

When did he make an impression for Ireland?

AbusesToilets

awec wrote: »

Bent!

When did he make an impression for Ireland?

First scrum he packed down in

awec

Podge_irl wrote: »

I was claiming Moore. He was on the bench for 2 6N championship wins after all...

Maybe a bit of a stretch.

I'd say be careful you don't pull something Podge.

Podge_irl

awec wrote: »

I'd say be careful you don't pull something Podge.

10 caps. 8 wins. 2 championships. Quite the impression :pac:

Sheep Shagger

Eir Sport have announced the semi final will be streamed live on their Facebook page for free

b.gud

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Sorry I meant more so what he would get from it personally within the IRFU rather than on players.

Your stance that Salanoa was pressured to move is, as someone else pointed out, kind of debunked by the fact that the IRFU wanted him to move to Connacht but he decided against it, and then later decided that he wanted to move to Munster.

molloyjh

b.gud wrote: »

Your stance that Salanoa was pressured to move is, as someone else pointed out, kind of debunked by the fact that the IRFU wanted him to move to Connacht but he decided against it, and then later decided that he wanted to move to Munster.

I think its fairly well accepted that the IRFU encouraged Salanoa to move. The discussion is over whether he was pressurised to or not.

PMC83

Eir saying they will be streaming the game live tomorrow on their facebook page. Bit of decency from them there tbf.

Salanoa has a great story. He doesn't really owe Leinster anything, we took a chance on him and it's worked out and I'm largely happy once he stays within the provincial system. He's quite an athlete and I think the IRFU put pressure on him based more on his potential talent cap than any specific need in Munster. The IRFU clearly felt he'd get more exposure to test level rugby with the move so they recommended and promoted that move which it is within their remit to do.

Leo has a point too - but I think his comments could be seen to question Salanoa's integrity and for that reason alone I think he should have tapered back a bit. Salanoa is young and inexperienced and there is no way he fully understands the nuance of inter provincial Irish rugby, especially when the main body for the sport is pushing him.

Not ideal that we're having to recruit a tighthead, but this looks like a signing that is going to have it's main impact in scrum training. Salanoa could be a serious international option and a place in the first choice Munster front row is much more accessible for him.

There are plenty of reasons why it's a good move.

Bazzo

This is gas. Images of Nucifora driving around Dublin in a nondescript van throwing a bag over lad's heads and firing them in the back spring to mind.

The IRFU should simultaneously take more and less involvement in player movement depending on whether it suits or not apparently

arsebiscuits1

Deleted User wrote: »

Not ideal that we're having to recruit a tighthead, but this looks like a signing that is going to have it's main impact in scrum training. Salanoa could be a serious international option and a place in the first choice Munster front row is much more accessible for him.

There are plenty of reasons why it's a good move.

To be fair. Leinster have been good at getting props in from the AIL on a temporary basis over the past few years. We got in Adam Coyle recently enough and Royce Burke Flynn a few years before that.

With respect to Parker, it is a road Leinster probably would have explored if the AIL lads hadn't been a bit undercooked with the lack of competitive rugby and training the last few months

awec

Bazzo wrote: »

This is gas. Images of Nucifora driving around Dublin in a nondescript van throwing a bag over lad's heads and firing them in the back spring to mind.

The IRFU should simultaneously take more and less involvement in player movement depending on whether it suits or not apparently

These are the images that the IRFU and the media don't want you to see.

Wake up Bazzo.

Nucifora out.