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

Richie_Rich89

I think I would go for:

1. Peter Dooley
2. Ronan Kelleher
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Ryan Baird
5. Ross Molony
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan
9. Luke McGrath
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. James Lowe
12. Rory O'Loughlin
13. Jamie Osborne
14. David Kearney
15. Hugo Keenan

16. James Tracy
17. Edward Byrne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Josh Murphy/Scott Fardy
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Harry Byrne
23. Ciarán Frawley

Healy and Henshaw probably need a rest ahead of the quarter-final, assuming they manage to get up over the top of Toulon.

.ak

Clegg wrote: »

Can't see a team without Henshaw at centre or Keenan at FB.

Both are vital to how we play now.

We’ve a far tougher game the following week. Dunno, I think the lads may be close to clocking up some very intense minutes. I’d rather them go fresh against Exeter

arsebiscuits1

.ak wrote: »

We’ve a far tougher game the following week. Dunno, I think the lads may be close to clocking up some very intense minutes. I’d rather them go fresh against Exeter

Every game is now potentially the last of the season.

Rest them if they're injured.

But we still need to beat Toulon before we can worry about Exeter

irishbucsfan

I think resting players in a knockout match so they’re fresh for the next round is the textbook definition of getting ahead of yourself

arsebiscuits1

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think resting players in a knockout match so they’re fresh for the next round is the textbook definition of getting ahead of yourself

Nah.

Textbook definition of getting ahead of yourself is now officially just making plans to do anything/ go anywhere/ see anyone

sebdavis

The game v Exeter is going to be won/lost in the pack. The win at Exeter a few seasons back was because the forwards won, remember they got to the pick & go I think towards end of first half and Leinster kept them out. That was a massive turning point.
Not sure what the Toulon pack is like these days? With Healy starting last weekend I guess he will start on bench this weekend, will Furlong start? or Porter?

Pleaser note, IF we get past Toulon. Looking ahead is very dangerous and I doubt Leinster will do that

The season could be overy very quickly if they lose

Dubinusa

When is the qf?

Quin_Dub

Dubinusa wrote: »

When is the qf?

Next week - Back to back fixtures..

Hence the concern for the workload on the guys heavily involved in the 6N.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think resting players in a knockout match so they’re fresh for the next round is the textbook definition of getting ahead of yourself

We rested Sexton, Furlong and JGP vs Munster, in a final...

TRC10

.ak wrote: »

We rested Sexton, Furlong and JGP vs Munster, in a final...

That's a bit different. We rested then because we were prioritising Europe. If we lost to Munster, it wouldn't have been seen as the end of the world.

Resting players for a last 16 game against the 3 time champions so they'll be fresh for a possible 1/4 final which is contingent on you winning the last 16 game is getting ahead of yourself.

eire4

.ak wrote: »

We rested Sexton, Furlong and JGP vs Munster, in a final...

Lowe never got off the bench either.

.ak

Munster are better than Toulon right now, and you can bet we went into the Munster game with an aim to win it.

We should absolutely be rotating players to keep them fresh.

irishbucsfan

Resting players the week after a 6 Nations game against England for a Pro 14 match is obviously different.

Also JGP wasn’t necessarily rested.

I don’t think we’ve ever rested a player for a European knockout game. We have done for Pro14 knockouts before (albeit they’re often up against the European final which is different to be fair)

Former Former Former

.ak wrote: »

We rested Sexton, Furlong and JGP vs Munster, in a final...

That wasn't strategic, that was just trolling Munster

Neil3030

Toulon game very close to being cancelled, when the Leinster squad were all tested for coronavirus and only Johnny Sexton passed.

Turns out they had accidentally ordered a bunch of bovid tests.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Resting players the week after a 6 Nations game against England for a Pro 14 match is obviously different.

Also JGP wasn’t necessarily rested.

I don’t think we’ve ever rested a player for a European knockout game. We have done for Pro14 knockouts before (albeit they’re often up against the European final which is different to be fair)

The way it’s falling this year is very different. So many games back to back.

Podge_irl

.ak wrote: »

The way it’s falling this year is very different. So many games back to back.

If they were going to wholesale rest players it would have been last week (final or not). I wouldn't have agreed with it but it is what they would have done.

There is no way they are resting a bunch of players in play-off match against Toulon.

thomond2006

Leinster will have a week off on the weekend of 17th April and will probably rest the top internationals against Munster on the weekend of the 24th.

thegreycity

Squad rotation is the term that’s being used, not resting. I really wouldn’t be surprised to see guys who have been flogged in recent weeks like Keenan and Henshaw “rotated” out. Players who aren’t rested enough will be more likely to pick up an injury during the game, and the last thing Leinster needs is more injuries.

If Ringrose was fit I think Henshaw would definitely sit it out as the coaches like to have at least one of them starting while rotating usually, but since that’s not an option he may be called on again.

durthacht

thomond2006 wrote: »

Leinster will have a week off on the weekend of 17th April and will probably rest the top internationals against Munster on the weekend of the 24th.

I have the image of Munster fans on their knees praying every night from now until then that this will indeed be the plan!

Clegg

Scott Penny has been named Pro 14 young player of the year.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1377216804758691840?s=09

theVersatile

"after a media vote"

Did I completely miss this? Who were the other nominees?

theVersatile

Nevermind - media = reporters, broadcasters, etc.

Other nominees: Coombes, Casey, Jac Morgan and Scott Dobie

sebdavis

I did mention it on another thread, when you look at the stats of Penny v Coombes he is ahead of this season. Fair play to him for winning, I think a few people, including myself, had forgot about him and thought maybe he would move on. Lets hope this is his chance to push on and nail a spot down in the European team and hopefully into Ireland team

Interested Observer

Really looking forward to this weekend and whatever comes in Europe. Fully expect a good win on Friday but beyond that it's going to be very tough and Leinster haven't really been tested this season. Talk of resting players is nonsense, has to be full guns with whatever rotation you'd see as usual. If Leinster win as well the early Friday kickoff gives max possible amount of recovery time as well for next round, will be at least 7 days but could be 8 or even 9 days between fixtures.

Clegg

Good article by Murray Kinsella on Hugo Keenan and his development as a playmaker. It highlights how he's become more comfortable standing in as a first or second receiver. His general.awareness of players in support has improved and he's become a very good link player to go with his already strong running game.

https://www.the42.ie/hugo-keenan-leinster-playmaker-5395616-Mar2021/

Clegg

Clegg wrote: »

Good article by Murray Kinsella on Hugo Keenan and his development as a playmaker. It highlights how he's become more comfortable standing in as a first or second receiver. His general.awareness of players in support has improved and he's become a very good link player to go with his already strong running game.

https://www.the42.ie/hugo-keenan-leinster-playmaker-5395616-Mar2021/

It's a good article but opposition needs to be taken into account - Munster had a bad off day and that kind of space won't always be available.

Clegg

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It's a good article but opposition needs to be taken into account - Munster had a bad off day and that kind of space won't always be available.

Agreed. Munster were dire last weekend and put no real pressure on Leinster.

But it's not just one game against Munster where he's shown his ability to step in as first or second receiver. He's done it a lot for Leinster and Ireland over the last 12 months. The final was just a good example of the level he's gotten to wrt his skillset.

sebdavis

Sexton retiring after the Lions is a bit of a shock but he did say he would when he signed the last contract. Is Harry or Ross the starting 10 next season?

kmart6

:rolleyes: