Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XII (The Byrne Supremacy)

arsebiscuits1

Leinster Glasgow is quickly becoming my favourite grudge match of the calendar outside of interpros. It's gathered momentum in recent years with more and more needle coming into it.

There is notable animosity among their players and fans towards our side and it seems to be borne out of an expectation that they're on our level and, while a flattering sentiment, is unfortunately wide of the mark as displayed on Friday night.

A tbh away to Glasgow is a better result than I expected and there was several hurdles to jump through to achieve it. Full credit to an excellent squad effort. They can take a lot away.

While it's been mentioned several times, this was a refereeing performance Craig Evans will want to put down as a "learning experience". Several decisions out there could only be chalked down to home crowd sway or just a bit of a brain fade.

The minutes leading up to Glasgows try were some of the strangest officiating witnessed in recent years. There isn't a person in existence barring the ref and TMO who can consider that anything other than a high ball contest with Keenan.

The subsequent binning of Jack Conan was extremely frustrating given our general discipline leading up to it and the fact he was first man on his feet with a quick but clear release. These decisions are more subjective and he did ping Jack for the exact same thing in the second half. But he let Doris away with a few identical steals with arguably less of a release.

But the worst one has to be the Glasgow player playing the ball off his feet, offside, to ground the ball. A 3 second check would confirm this was illegal.

It was this very brief period that swung the penalty count from Glasgows 9 to Leinsters 13. These pen stats should have been reversed.

As for Molonys offside. Jesus wept. In real time maybe you miss it but SURELY the TMO can just say "no Craig he was clearly onside, scrum down". Play was stopped like.

.......Anyway I don't want to completely eviscerate the ref so let's focus on what was good.

Ross Molony was good. He was our joint top tackler (15) and he's added so much grunt to his game. His ability to stop people on the gainline is so valuable to our defensive shape. Given his propensity to hit higher in a double hit, his technique needs to be spot on. And he rarely gets it wrong. Add to his shithousery enforcer role he played against Glasgow trying to act like bill big bollox and I think that game was a real statement from him.

On the topic of defence. Tadgh Furlong played like a man who was angry. At what I'm not too sure but the Glasgow players ribs will attest to it. 11 tackles of his own and I counted at least 6 were impact or effective. He was wrecking lads out there. Brutal display of physicality from the best tighthead in the world. I think perhaps we forget just how lucky we are to have him. His stop of the Glasgow player taking the quick tap was wince inducing even through the telly. Felt it.

James Lowe had his best game of the season for us too. Still not perfect but he seems to be getting over his sluggish start. He got really involved, was rock solid under the high ball and had a lovely trademark offload to gift wrap Keenan the score.

Great to see Dan showing glimpses of his class again. He was deployed to good effect in the wider channels and showed just some of his class with a lovely offload to release Bynre who released Kelleher for his wonder score.

Bit of a come down now with such a long break. Especially when we're on such a clear upward trajectory. But top of the table after 5 games. We've scored the most points (162 - closest is Munster on 149) and conceded the fewest (46 - closest is again Munster on a distant 84).

Great stuff

shinana abu

With Fionn o hara heading to Hawthorn, presume Leinster have given up on that talent that is Conor Nash

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118077010#Comment_118077010

im sure if he gave up with AFL they'd be interested.. cant see that happening.

Dubinusa

Happy enough with the results, thus far. Good to see some of the lads going well.

For me our top performers have been Kelleher. Luke and Porter.

We will hopefully improve and continue winning.

Molony has been so damn good. Leavy looks fine also.

Teferi

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/international-rugby/i-had-been-a-little-bit-worried-about-some-symptoms-ireland-star-caelan-doris-opens-up-on-concussion-battle-40991507.html

Interesting article from Caelan Doris on his concussion issues over the last while.

Hopefully he has an injury free career from here on out. He has bags of talent.

Dubinusa

It's been tough on Doris! Same with Ryan! You wonder if the medical staff pushed Ryan back too soon last season?

Doris stood himself down! I think that was wise.

hold my beer

Did Leinster do a draw for Ireland tickets? Don't remember seeing any mails

Dubinusa

We have Ulster up next? What side will be played? Will the international players be rested?

degsie

Bit of an off-the-wall question here. Does anyone know where I might possibly buy a light blue Leinster skip cap? The usual stockists never seem to have them in stock :(. Thanks.

Teferi

...what's a skip cap?

MaybeMaybe

a baseball cap

degsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118124065#Comment_118124065

Baseball cap!

Teferi

Thanks for the education. I can honestly say I have never heard it called that.

Lsdrugbyfan

Ulster A v Leinster A at Banbridge RFC on Friday 3pm KO.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141106#Comment_118141106

This fixture was on BBC NI sport last year. Wonder if it'll be on this year.

Edit: I had a look and don't see it on the schedule. Anyone know if it'll be streamed on YouTube or something?

arsebiscuits1

An A game in no way but name only. There are first team players crying out for some meaningful minutes.... although in fairness most of Leinsters first choice will be wearing green!

A few question marks over who will be kept as the extras for Ireland duty or will they even be released at all. I could see Ireland hanging on to a few players although I think it would be wise to give Harry and Frawley a run out this weekend in anticipation of playing against Argentina.... definitely wont happen for Harry though.

Possible team assuming no Ireland releases:

1) Byrne

2) Tracy

3) Ala'alatoa

4) Molony

5) Dunne

6) Ruddock

7) Penny

8) Deegan (side note: WHAT a back row!)

9) McGrath

10) Ross

11) Kearney (is he back?)

12) COB

13) TOB

14) Byrne

15) Osborne

16) Barron/McKee

17) Dooley

18) Vakh

19) Murphy

20) Leavy

21) McCarthy

22) JOB

23) Russell

pickarooney

Are Lee and Diarmuid Barron related?

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141781#Comment_118141781

Could be cousins but don't believe so.

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141729#Comment_118141729

Barrons injured.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141791#Comment_118141791

Possibly McKee so then. At the risk of sounding like one of the 48 million posts in the Ireland thread talking about Sexton.... I don't see the point in Cronin togging out for this fixture

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118141824#Comment_118141824

Could play on the wing if Kearney isn't back

Dubinusa

Is this for an "A" game? That's a lot of veterans!

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118142558#Comment_118142558

the veterans need to play a game during the intl break.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118142558#Comment_118142558

As per my first sentence, an A game in no way but name only.

4 weeks of no rugby going into a big European block is a nightmare for a senior squad.

Ulster will be full tilt too I'd wager

Lsdrugbyfan

odd they are playing ulster during this break when they play ulster again first game after internationals.. be very similar sides youd expect.

Lsdrugbyfan

LH Prop

• Ed Byrne
• Peter Dooley
• Michael Milne - injured
• Marcus Hanan - injured
• Temi Lasisi - injured
• Jack Boyle

TH Prop

• Michael Alaalatoa
• Vakh Abdaladze
• Tom Clarkson - injured

Hooker

• Sean Cronin
• James Tracy
• John McKee
• Lee Barron - injured

Lock

• Devin Toner
• Ross Molony
• Jack Dunne
• Charlie Ryan - injured
• Brian Deeny
• Joe McCarthy - injured

Backrow

• Rhys Ruddock
• Dan Leavy
• Josh Murphy
• Will Connors - injured
• Max Deegan
• Scott Penny
• Martin Moloney
• Sean O'Brien
• Alex Soroka - injured
• Mark Hernan - injured

Scrumhalf

• Luke McGrath
• Nick McCarthy
• Cormac Foley
• Ben Murphy - injured

Outhalf

• Ross Byrne
• David Hawkshaw

Centre

• Conor O'Brien
• Tommy O'Brien
• Liam Turner
• Jamie Osborne

Back Three

• Dave Kearney
• Adam Byrne
• Rory O'Loughlin
• Jimmy O'Brien
• Andrew Smith - injured
• Niall Comerford
• Max O'Reilly - injured
• Rob Russell
• Chris Cosgrave

Interested Observer

Where is Dave Kearney btw, hasn't featured this season has he?

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118145971#Comment_118145971

had been injured, but in recent update they said he was back training.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118145993#Comment_118145993

With his age and injury profile, you'd have to think this is his last year. Plays great when he's fit bit he's injured way more than not in the last few years. Had a brilliant run of form last year and scored tries regularly but then sadly got injured again and hadn't been seen since.

I wouldn't begrudge him a payday in France or wherever to finish up.

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118146224#Comment_118146224

He signed a two year contract last season so i'd be surprised if he wasn't here next season.