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

molloyjh · 03-10-2022 11:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119690095#Comment_119690095

You’ve been found out aloooof. Your nefarious scheme has been outed and it’s time to admit defeat.

awec · 03-10-2022 11:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119689815#Comment_119689815

Rock boys are we.

Mod: re-reg banned.

aloooof · 03-10-2022 12:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119695212#Comment_119695212

Rumbled for my horseplay.

Tho one thing I would like to make absolutely clear…. I’m not a Cork Boy.

Dubinusa · 03-10-2022 2:51pm

Lot's of Rock hate here sometimes! As a northsider, I suppose I will jump on the Belvo wagon.

Big one coming this week! Should be a cracker. The schedule is getting difficult right now and this is crucial to grab as many points as possible.

I'm hoping Kelleher gets to start. He has had bad luck with injury and has probably fallen behind Sheehan. I think this battle for hooker will elevate both lads play!

So far this season, I would say Molony has picked up from where he was last season. He's playing fantastic rugby. He's really putting in some serious shifts. He can be far off an international call up. That said. I don't think he's got enough size to be an international regular.

I'd select the same side that started this past weekend. Bring Ryan back in slowly and let him build up. I'd probably have Rhys on the bench!

03-10-2022 3:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119696137#Comment_119696137

I'd say the international door is closed for Ross Molony, absent a slew of injuries. He had a superb season last year, on some big stages (and opposite two monsters in Rory Arnold and Emmanuel Meafou) but still lost out. In the international reckoning behind obviously being behind Beirne, Henderson and Ryan, he's also behind Joe McCarthy & Kieran Treadwell, and then the next man up will likely be someone of potential like Thomas Ahern.

I'd like to see Will Connors get some game time at 6 as well this year. His tackling is elite and creates great opportunities for others to pinch turnovers, and while he's not as bulky as a Ruddock or Soroka, you're not losing much height given he's close enough to 6ft 5.

pickarooney · 03-10-2022 7:43pm

Anyone want to have a go at the full depth chart at 4,5,6,7 and 8?

Dave_The_Sheep · 04-10-2022 1:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119690095#Comment_119690095

I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Shut up, ~~Buer~~ aloooof".

Victimising poor innocent whatever his name is now.

RichieRich_89 · 04-10-2022 2:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119697220#Comment_119697220

pusher lock: Jenkins, McCarthy, Deeny

jumper lock: J. Ryan, Molony, C. Ryan

blindside: Baird, Ruddock, Soroka, Mangan

openside: van der Flier, Connors, Penny, Moloney, O'Brien

no. 8: Doris, Conan, Deegan, Culhane

first XXIII: 4. Jenkins, 5. Ryan, 6. Baird, 7. van der Flier, 8. Doris; 19: McCarthy, 20. Conan

second XXIII: 4. Deeny, 5. Molony, 6. Ruddock, 7. Connors, 8. Deegan; 19. C. Ryan, 20. Penny

third XXIII: 4. C. Daly, 5. Leane, 6. Mangan, 7. Moloney, 8. Culhane; 19. Luke O'Connor/James O'Loughlin, 20. O'Brien

But it's all a bit up in the air really. I suppose the two biggest questions are will Doris continue at blindside for Leinster now that he's back at 8 for Ireland? And will Ireland be happy for Ryan to play the role of loosehead lock now that Leinster have Jenkins and McCarthy as more heavyweight operators? - or will they want him to get match practice scrummaging behind the tighthead?

I don't know anything about players below academy level, but Leane, O'Connor and O'Loughlin were selected in recent Leinster 'A' games.

Sean O'Brien played 8 in recent 'A' games. It's hard to see where the gametime is going to come from for him at 7 or 8. Classy player, though.

Jump_In_Jack · 04-10-2022 10:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119698307#Comment_119698307

I think you've missed out Soroka, would have him in the second 23

arsebiscuits1 · 04-10-2022 1:30pm

Strong start to Sean O'Briens coaching career so far I think it's fair to say.

Part of is is definitely down to coming into an established system with players already very adept at the concept of it all.

But I think the 3 games thus far have shown our guys very comfortable in contact on both sides of the ball.

Ulster beat us home and away last season largely down to a tactic of slowing us down and stopping front foot off the back of that. That quick fire double punch was effective and they managed to maintain it for most of the game (in the RDS in particular)

The weekend just gone showed much better carrying, much smarter decisions made there and also very quick and tidy ruck ball.

DelMcG · 05-10-2022 11:07am

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/1005/1327254-rte-to-televise-eight-heineken-champions-cup-games/

Whilst the ERCC drag their arse on actually formalising the fixture schedule, the good folks at RTE at the very least have confirmed our home fixtures for the coming season:

Leinster v Gloucester: Friday Dec 16th, 8pm at the RDS

Leinster v Racing: Saturday Jan 21st, 3:15pm at the Aviva.

Clegg · 06-10-2022 10:01am

Leinster might have another backrow wunderkind in James Culhane. He's only 19 but looked entirely comfortable playing for Emerging Ireland yesterday.

Showed great hands, physicality and awareness of when to support and receive an offload. Was named Player of the Tournament in last seasons u20 Six Nations. He's just 19 years old as well so it'll be a few years before he has fully developed physically as well.

I'd love to see him making Leinster squads for some home league matches. But the perennial question remains of who do you actually leave out? Deegan and Penny are going great guns as well and also need more gametime. Then you've all the established test players ahead too.

arsebiscuits1 · 06-10-2022 1:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119707711#Comment_119707711

Culhane reminds me a lot of Doris the way he plays.

Striking to see how comfortable he was yesterday. Especially after spending 4 weeks in hospital earlier this year with Kidney failure!! God knows what sort of muscle mass he must have lost.

I hope he gets a boat load of UCD and A rugby this year to develop and maybe the odd senior squad here or there when the internationals are away.

Regarding fitting him in thankfully we have a bit of time on that as he's only year 1 (unless other provinces come sniffing)

By the time he graduates (assuming he does 3 years) Conan will be 33 and Ruddock will be 34 going on 35 (assuming they're both still here/ still playing) so there is definitely an opportunity for a passing of the torch in the not too distant future

Dubinusa · 06-10-2022 1:56pm

The lad is impressive! He's got good pace too! I would think that he will get a senior cap soon enough.

What do we do with SOB? Another fine player and in his 3rd year. Culhane looks special and could be promoted. It's got to be frustrating for the academy lads, seeing the likes of Deegan etc ahead of them.

Both Soroka and Culhane could be special players. But, the senior lads ahead of them are quite good too! It's mad. #8's are Conan, Doris, Deegan, all superb players. Then there's O'Brien waiting in the wings and now Culhane. I suppose that O'Brien could play at blindside? I reckon O'Brien may look for a move, I can't see him getting a run of senior matches, at least not in the near future.

arsebiscuits1 · 06-10-2022 3:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119708773#Comment_119708773

It's a very tough call on SOB. I saw him in the UCD game at the weekend and he looked absolutely enormous. Looks to be a very promising player

I don't see where there is room for him. Unless we don't renew Moloney (who's on a 1 year I believe) and give SOB a one year dev deal?

stephen_n · 06-10-2022 7:27pm

Watching the A game against Connacht, Culhane stood out far more than SOB. Though that could have been the roles they are deployed in. In current setups 8’s seem to be doing a lot more donkey work and less carrying in the wide channels were Culhane was operating that day.

DelMcG · 07-10-2022 11:11am

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/leinster-v-racing-92-set-for-le-havre/

Full Heineken Cup schedule anseo. Playing Racing in Le Havre because they've outdone Ed Sheeran & booked out their ground for all three nights that weekend 🤣

TRC10 · 07-10-2022 11:32am

https://the42.ie/5885955

“We’re not afraid to go more direct now. That’s something we’re really looking to push this season but it’s only the beginning. All we can do is keep improving on previous performances.”

Very interesting interview from Porter. Looks like Leinster are trying to play a more direct, forward orientated game this season. Almost like we're overcompensating for getting bullied by LAR and the Bulls at the end of last season. And the performances thus far this season would seem to back that up. Yes, conditions in Belfast didn't allow for running rugby, but the Benneton and Zebre performances were both very forward orientated. And bringing in Jenkins, as well as Baird seemingly settling at 6, is further evidence of a shift in style. I just hope we keep some of the elements of our attacking game which was so good last season.

It will be very interesting to see how it goes. The Sharks this weekend will be a real litmus test as to whether we can bully our way to wins against the big sides, particularly if they bring their Springboks.

Maybe the coaches have realised that modelling yourself on the Crusaders, who play in a vastly different competition with a vastly different style of rugby, isn't a formula for success in the European Cup, and you need to be able to win ugly with a big, physical pack. And of you look at the H Cup winners over the last 10 years, they've all had big packs who could physically dominate teams.

Clegg · 07-10-2022 12:02pm

Another strong side named. Looks like Baird is now seen as a blindside flanker. He's played well there recently and hopefully he develops into a quality player.

Ngatai and Henshaw is a very interesting combo. The former is a lot more powerful in contact than he looks. Could free up Henshaw to run into greater space at 13.

Great to see Ruddock back as well. Was worried he had injured himself badly after limping off a few weeks ago.

15. Jimmy O’Brien (55)

14. Jordan Larmour (76)

13. Robbie Henshaw (70)

12. Charlie Ngatai (3)

11. Rob Russell (6)

10. Johnny Sexton (185) CAPTAIN

9. Luke McGrath (178)

1. Andrew Porter (93)

2. Dan Sheehan (31)

3. Michael Ala’alatoa (28)

4. Ross Molony (142)

5. Jason Jenkins (3)

6. Ryan Baird (40)

7. Will Connors (28)

8. Jack Conan (118)

16. John McKee (4)

17. Cian Healy (250)

18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (19)

19. James Ryan (59)

20. Rhys Ruddock (211)

21. Cormac Foley (6)

22. Ross Byrne (131)

23. Garry Ringrose

Must love hardship · 07-10-2022 12:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712278#Comment_119712278

I'd say they will still model some of their play on the Crusaders. The simple fact that they have a former Crusaders coach looking after the backs and an ex Crusaders prop in the pack means they are trying to lean heavily on their rugby IQ and style of play.

I think they have to some how merge the two ideals. If the game calls for It to go wide they have to be able to throw it around but if it requires an arm wrestle they have to be able to mix it that way to..

Playing the South African sides on a more regular basis throughout the season should leave Leinster better equipped to take on the bigger sides at the knockout stages of of the season. Hopefully..

Leinster are not that far away. Came within 30 seconds of winning the H Cup last year. As lauded as the leinster squad was last year LOR used their bench better. Was it 3 players left on the bench or got less than 5 minutes.. where racing had emptied the bench with 15 minutes left.

07-10-2022 12:11pm

Good side. Nice to see Foley getting another opportunity on the bench again too. Big chance for Rob Russell as well, this is the best XV he's been part of so far.

TRC10 · 07-10-2022 12:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712476#Comment_119712476

I'd say they will still model some of their play on the Crusaders

Perhaps, but we've yet to see it. We haven't cut any teams open yet this season. Now, I do think having JGP and Sexton fit is critical to our attack. McGrath and Byrne just don't have the flair and attacking instincts that they have, so that's a mitigation. Frawley not being available is a real bummer because I think they may have tried to drip feed him in at 10.

Lowe is also our main source of go-forward ball in the backs. He makes metres for fun and commits multiple defenders. Not having him is comparable to Ulster losing McCloskey, even though they're different positions. But I think Ngatai could have a role to play there. I'm excited to see how he goes with Henshaw tomorrow. I have a suspicion that could be our best centre pairing for the big games this season.

Came within 30 seconds of winning the H Cup last year.

Yes we did, but those 30 seconds happened. And in that passage of play, there was only one team in the ascendency and it only looked a matter of time before they scored, such was the dominance they had in the collisions and breakdown.

Clegg · 07-10-2022 12:21pm

I'm slightly concerned that we're getting closer to the Autumn Internationals and we've yet to see Furlong, Lowe or Keenan play this season. They'll need a few matches to get themselves ready for South Africa. Time is running out. They're all key players and I wouldn't want to face any of our opposition without them.

Must love hardship · 07-10-2022 12:25pm

Any word on Harry Bryne or Furlong?

Don't seem to be mentioned on any injury updates??

TheAnalyst_ · 07-10-2022 12:30pm

The racing metro game is to be hosted in La Havre. Strange one...

arsebiscuits1 · 07-10-2022 12:30pm

Great to see Foley in there. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it but I'm backing him for a big breakout year. That third 9 slot is up for grabs but I don't see any reason he can't be pushing Luke for the bigger games.

It's mad that after 3 appearances we just expect to see Jenkins name there. Hugely influential player and I can't think of a signing that made a bigger impact this soon after debut. Even Fardy took a few games to hit his straps.

I hope he stays fit this season and I can't wait to see how our guys but especially Joe McCarthy learn from him. Joe is a big powerful guy himself and I think training with a man mountain like Jenkins week in week out will be huge for his development.