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

Clegg

On the topic of Leinsters style of play, ai think it's notable that in our game against Benneton we kicked an awful lot of ball. They weren't just box kicks or Garryowens either.

We saw Henshaw making a kick pass out to the wing, Ringrose pulling out a number of clever grubbers and JOB making a few chip and chases. I haven't seen Leinster play as varied a kicking game, with so many different kickers, before. I don't know if that's Goodman's influence or just a natural evolution of where we were going anyway. But it's an interesting new wrinkle to our gameplan. Hold parity with the bigger packs in defence, but then attempt to turn them and make them run back when we have the ball. Box them into their own half.

Quin_Dub

Hybrid pitches are basically slightly baldy Astro-turf pitches with real grass growing between the plastic blades of grass

TheAnalyst_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712610#Comment_119712610

Must be getting inspriation from Munster.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712707#Comment_119712707

Can you play more matches for longer if you plug them in?

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712539#Comment_119712539

Byrne having a prolonged preseason due to his injury issues.

Furlong having a delayed return also due to wear and tear.

Dubinusa

Happy to see Russell. I hope he goes well. I think it's good that Ryan is being slowly returned to the team. I'd have started Rhys, but it's a good chance to see how Baird goes.

DelMcG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712830#Comment_119712830

I wonder if they're settling on Baird as a flanker rather than second row, given that's two on the spin where he's wearing the 6 jersey. Admittedly we've got back rowers away in South Africa but he's starting ahead of Ruddock, which would suggest they want him to get at least another hour in there.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712830#Comment_119712830

I hope he goes well. The other academy back three players, the likes of O'Reilly & Cosgrave, have looked rawer than steak tartare whenever they've togged out, so we need one or two of the younglings to step up. Interesting to see if Andrew Smith gets a chance or two when he comes home.

Must love hardship

Leo on Furlong;

“He trained pretty much fully this week, so he should be close to featuring next week,” Cullen said this afternoon.

Keenan & lowe working back to fitness.

P.Walnuts

Is Kelleher injured or just being rested?

Lsdrugbyfan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713525#Comment_119713525

carrying a niggle so injured.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712707#Comment_119712707

Thanks. I understand that both the Aviva and Croke Park surfaces contain some portion of plastic grass but I assume that they're not regarded as hybrid?

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713559#Comment_119713559

Lansdowne has what was known as a "Desso" pitch now called "Grassmaster" which is in all of the National stadiums in the UK as well.

And actually - Looking at the Wiki link above , it lists Le Harve as having one as well , so it seems it's exactly the same type of pitch.

errlloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713650#Comment_119713650

Dragons must be one of the only club teams in UK or Ireland that has one in their home stadium.

Interested Observer

Really enjoying the fact the internationals have been back since week 2 this season. There's no reason that can't continue.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119714525#Comment_119714525

Maybe the world cup next season might hinder that.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119714525#Comment_119714525

Think the RWC might be a factor next season?

Clegg

Munster are playing awful rugby. Their forwards can't generate a platform of gainline wins and their attacking structure is non-existent.

But I've an awful feeling we'll see a proper backs to the wall performance against us in a few weeks time.

FrannoFan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712539#Comment_119712539

Harry playing for lansdowne this weekend

El_Duderino 09

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

Nothing wrong with playing a bit less expansive if it yields results. Everyone wants to win playing champaign rugby but they would be happier to have beaten LAR last year if they were able to play so they beat them up front.

Serious team for tomorrow's game. They're trying out their new approach in thst game by the look of the squad. Hope it goes well.

Dubinusa

Couldn't believe how poor Connacht v Munster was. Both sides were gash. Hopefully, we can beat the Sharks and do so in style. I wouldn't have thought that Munster are as bad as they are. They look like we did when Leo 1st took over. At least when we played in Europe. While we are playing or attempting to play with more grunt, Munsters pack look way off the pace.

I'm interested in how Baird and Connors perform today! Big chance for Connors in particular!

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119714525#Comment_119714525

I’m not convinced they’ll end up having more game time than they otherwise would have over the course of the season tho. Especially in a RWC year.

Clegg

Whenever I see Carbery play for Munster or Ireland I think what an utter waste of time these last 4 years have been.

He's a shadow of the player who won MoTM on his European debut for Leinster as a 21 year old playing at flyhalf. Injuries have obviously stalled his career significantly, but the lack of quality coaching and attacking structure at Munster means he hasn't developed the skillset required to be a quality player in any area. The only area in which he has improved is his place kicking. His confidence in his own ability much be shot as well. He misses so many tackles when once he'd at least wrap at the ankles to slow the carrier down.

Even if 10 wasn't his long term position, he could potentially have been a world class second playmaker from fullback. I remember that game against Wasps in the 2017 Heineken Cup QF. He pulled their defence apart with his counterattacking and passing game. Now he's a mile behind Keenan and even JOB in terms of fullback play.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716584#Comment_119716584

but the lack of quality coaching and attacking structure at Munster means he hasn't developed the skillset required to be a quality player in any area.

At what point does it come back to the player themselves tho, Clegg?

You mentioned his tackling, for example; there’s no way he’s being coached to tackle like that.

He looks entirely shorn of confidence at the moment.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716670#Comment_119716670

You must admit environment also plays a part though? Constantly being pushed by other players in your position. Carberry is almost guaranteed to be picked if fit at Munster. Don’t think the same would have been true at Leinster.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716670#Comment_119716670

Carbery seems to have his own hang ups wrt tackling. But he has also been let down by Munsters lack of clarity in attack. I don't think he's the only player who has suffered from this either. From my own viewpoint, Munsters back three never got enough of the ball in good attacking areas under the Van Graan/Larkham regime. And the centre partnership of De Allende and Farrell was better than what they showed.

I don't pretend to know the intricacies of what Munster have tried to do attacking wise in recent years. But I do think they're far too easy to defend against whenever Leinster plays them. We know that if we match them up front we can probably win and there isn't much going on once the ball moves to 10.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716844#Comment_119716844

We know that if we match them up front we can probably win and there isn't much going on once the ball moves to 10.

Isn’t that true of all teams? Same thing happened with Ireland even with Johnny at 10. Munsters biggest problem is lack of effective ball carriers in the tight.

BoardsMember

I honestly think Carbery is not worth continuing to back for province or country. If his current form versus others merits a place then he gets picked. But no more talk of his ceiling being much higher than others. Someone that vulnerable defensively has to be bringing a heck of a lot to a team to be worth his position. Its been a while since he's had anything like a standout performance, more often than not he goes missing at 1st receiver for several phases, or takes the ball on from too deep a postion and just shovels it on.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716818#Comment_119716818

Ah, of course it does. But Carbery is also making errors that I don’t think can be pinned on the coaches.

The other point is, I’m not sure we can say he’s almost guaranteed to be picked for Munster under the new coaching ticket yet. Next few months will be interesting. I’d like to see Crowley getting a chance.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119716844#Comment_119716844

Ah look, there’s obviously the crux of a point there but I also think he’s making mistakes that can’t be pinned on the coaches.

(I’m a little defensive as iirc you were saying the same thing when he had started a solitary game under Larkham).

The other thing is, he hasn’t been appreciably better for Ireland. (With the caveats that you’d expect some more consistency at club level, due to additional time with coaches).

Things started reasonably well for Carbery with Munster. In his first season, by Christmas, he had started more games at 10 than he had in the previous 2 seasons at Leinster. Then he started having his injury issues.

For whatever reason, he hasn’t been the same player since he returned in Feb 2021.

He seems to be shirking contact; both with his own tackling but also with taking it to the line too.

Dubinusa

Maybe Carberry just isn't good enough? There's a point in a players development where consistency and accuracy kicks in. Carberry unfortunately, hasn't got the confidence or the development to have reached his ceiling!

I always thought that RB is a better 10 and I was happy that we retained him. Carberry has rarely impressed me at 10. The hype was big, the lad hasn't delivered. Even when Munster are on top in a match, Carberry is not really effective. His confidence may be shot but, when he was anointed years back, he failed to improve.

When he left, I thought Leinster had lost a good full back. I can't see him reaching a point where if Sexton was injured, we'd be all comfortable with Joey taking the reins.