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

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119746543#Comment_119746543

Lowe, keenan, larmour, Kearney all out injured in the back 3.

Also missing 2 first choice scrum halves.

Ryan and Conan off injured tonight and Baird and Ruddock last week.. but yeah apart from that the injury profile is as good as it's been...

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119746669#Comment_119746669

Not sure about tonight's/last weeks haul but afaik Lowe, Keenan and Kearney are all close to a return, as is JGP. Nevertheless, even at that and considering the squad as good as its been never means no injuries.

Dubinusa

What was that l/o. Was it system based or are Connacht that good? Seriously needs work. I thought we looked good in stages and credit to Connacht, they got stuck in.

Murphy fecked us on some scrums,imo. The pack did well, except the l/o. Molony/Ryan were good. Conan was the pick of the litter until he went off. Was Furlong injured? He left at h/t? Martin Maloney is a player! Full of piss and vinegar. Needs to reel in the emotions a bit.

RB did not play great. His kicking off the tee was poor. He didn't get much on his touch finders either. Russell and Turner were fine. They put in good defensive shifts and carried well.

I'd be resting Sheehan next week. He's been flogged. I reckon Ryan will miss out with injury and perhaps Conan too. Not a great look on the injury front.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747182#Comment_119747182

No chance. Munster will be up for it

If anything we have seen over the last number of years is that Munster can get up for a big game in Europe or against Leinster.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119746411#Comment_119746411

Only club not beaten yet and only had one preseason game with an injury list that in reality, they should be signing an injury joker. Not sure how anyone can complain :-)

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747260#Comment_119747260

Sorry now, but when have we seen that exactly? Specifically against Leinster? People have been saying these things about Munster for years when they just haven’t been true. “You’d never bet against them in a big game”. You bloody should. They’ve hardly won a “big game” in years. And they sure as hell haven’t won a “big game” against Leinster in years.

This sort of nonsense about Munster is totally unhelpful. People need to start acknowledging where the team actually are and not where they were a decade ago. Because for as long as the hype about them for some is so big, so will the criticism be when they don’t live up to it. There’s a reason a lot of the criticism has been hyperbolic in recent times. And that’s because they’ve been hyped up using plenty of hyperbole too. A bit more balance on both sides of that coin is needed.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747264#Comment_119747264

Stormers are unbeaten too fyi.

Clegg

Liam Turner played well on the wing. Popped up on his opposite flank and in midfield a number of times to made some good carries. He also made some good defensive reads to snuff out Connacht's attacks near the edges.

Leinster do an excellent job in drilling the entire squad. Everyone knows their role and what's expected of them. It reduces the risk of a younger player floundering in his debut appearances or when asked to play in a position he's not as familiar with. Turner is predominantly a 13, but looked comfortable on the wing.

redlough

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119747493#Comment_119747493

Sory my error

Clegg

I'm intrigued by next weeks fixture against Munster. For the first time in years, Leinster won't have the blue print of how to stifle them. Since about 2015 Leinster knew that if you marshall Stander then they don't have the players to get over the gainline and they don't have the attacking structure to worry our defence. Also, Munster fans may disagree, but I think there was a lack of belief amongst much of the team that they could actually beat Leinster.

But Munster have brought through some good young players, especially in the forwards, who have the physicality to get over the gainline consistently. They're also striving to develop more intricate attacking patterns where players actually seek to pass rather than seek contact at every instance.

I think Leinster are comfortably superior on a player by player basis. They're also far more familiar with the gameplay and confident in their skills to implement it. But they won't have as easy a read on Munster's attacking structure and they won't find it as simple to stop them getting over the gainline.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119749575#Comment_119749575

I thought Kleyn was decent tonight. Very aggressive and made Adogbo look timid in spite of his size. Munster was only OK tonight (weather wasn't helping) but they're much improved on the last few weeks. They looked frail in defence a few times but were also dogged to keep Bulls out for the last 8 minutes.

I think Munster's poor form won't last. They're a decent side and they haven't hit tier straps yet, but I wouldn't expect this to be an easy win for leinster. Hope its a decent match. Weather has ruined a few games this weekend. I hope the weather is good next week.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119749986#Comment_119749986

I wouldnt say he made Edogbo look timid. More he played like the 29 year old guy with nearly 10 years pro experience compared to a 19 year old who has less than 1 year of being on a pro contract.

Will agree Munsters poor form wont last. they havent gelled into the new set up yet but will in time. it wont be easy win for Leinster at all.

ersatz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119749986#Comment_119749986

If Munster improve on this week as they did on last then it will be a tight game and they will have some answers for Leinster. Man, some of these young forwards are very promising.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119749986#Comment_119749986

I agree that it won't be an easy game for Leinster. I think the years of Leinster selecting a half strength side for this fixture is probably done. For a long time, Munster didn't have the physicality to front up to even Leinsters depth options.

But with the inclusion of younger players like Hodnett, Kendellan and even Edogbo, Munster have far more physically capable forwards. In seasons past only Stander could trouble us. But if Leinster fanned across as a defensive line, committed two people to tackle CJ and then reset quickly, no other Munster forward could them threaten the newly set defensive line.

Leinster's pack is still a few steps above theirs right now, but Munster will pose enough questions that it won't be as easy. One area where Leinster have a definite edge is in defence. Ringrose and Henshaw are brilliant readers of the game. I don't think Munster are so comfortable in their attacking structures that Leinsters midfield won't be able to snuff them out.

Dubinusa

Can't see a full team next week. AF will probably want certain lads rested. Molony might make another international squad. He's deserves a shot. He's been brilliant. I doubt VDF will play, maybe another run out for Connors? Conan is probably out with a hia and Ryan will not be risked after his knee injury.

McCarthy and Jenkins in the row? Deeny on the bench? I would think Deegan gets a shot and Ruddock too, if he's recovered from his hia?

This Leinster side will have another backline that is a mishmash.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119751404#Comment_119751404

I doubt that. players may be rested for the following week against Ulster for the Munster players and Glasgow for Leinster but most players fit should be involved next week. AF wont want all players playing a week before the South Africans. But should be ok with players playing 2 weeks before it otherwise we could see few players going in cold against Boks....

Clegg

Furlongs half time substitution was tactical according to Cullen. So we should see him start next week alongside Sheehan and Porter. The front row is where Leinster have the big edge over Munster in the physicality stakes. Ryan and Conan should also be available for the game too. Their knocks weren't serious.

Will be interesting to see if Munster keep Beirne in the backrow and continue with Kleyn and Edogbo at lock. For years Munster have lost the collisions against Leinster. They need as many big men on the pitch as possible. Could potentially see Ahern come in ahead of Edogbo.

That's probably the thinking Leinster have with the recruitment of Jenkins and moving Baird to blindside too. We need something a bit more against the bigger European and South African packs. Jenkins adds a lot of power and technical ability at the set piece. Baird's athleticism is probably better suited in the backrow too.

Joe McCarthy's swift introduction to the full strength 23 is also a sign of that attempt to add more power. He has excellent technical skills and would have made the 23 eventually anyway. But he's also someone with the ability to blow through a tackle and to smash someone back from the gainline. I guess that accelerated his introduction to the side.

Interested Observer

Hard to guess the team with the injuries but:

Porter

Sheehan

Furlong

Jenkins

Ryan

Doris

VdF

Conan

Whoever is fit

Sexton

Whoever is fit

2 of Ngatai/Henshaw/Ringrose

Whoever is fit

Jimmy O'B

Also, I don't get to many games anymore but the RDS looked in great shape for the Sharks game last week, stands looked full and atmosphere really came through on the TV. It'll be the opposite next weekend in Lansdowne. Imo they should revert back to all league games in the RDS, keep the marquee Euro game in Lansdowne.

pickarooney

Any news on Baird?

Former Former Former

Unless Kearney is back, we'll have a very green back three again.

Something like?

Porter Sheehan Furlong

Jenkins Molony

Baird/Conan Doris VDF

McGrath Sexton

Osborne Henshaw Ringrose Russell

JOB

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754507#Comment_119754507

Ngatai at 15 with JOB on the wing?

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754510#Comment_119754510

More likely Ngatai on the wing with Osborne in the center. Maybe Frawley at 15 give Jimmy a rest.

We're really light in the back three, and it kind of reinforces that the next layer there aren't showing a huge amount as of yet. Rob Russell has had some nice moments, but concerningly seems to lack a real cutting edge. Against the Sharks he was put in for a clear try from about 20m out and got caught in the corner. He got put away on the outside a couple of times against Connacht too and got caught every time.

We're really missing the Swiss Army Knife ability of Rory O'Loughlin to produce a 7/10 performance wherever he's asked to play in the early part of this season.

Dubinusa

I would bet that Russell builds more as he gets more minutes. He played well this week. I'm not suggesting that he'll be an international, but a ROL type would be grand.

Turner looked good too. He's a mini tank and looks like he's difficult to take down one on one. He didn't do a bad job on the wing! I wonder if he could play fb?

Presumably Jamie Osborne will be available to come back into the squad if required this week too? He can play 15 and shift JOB if required. Brings a huge left boot into the mix.

pickarooney

We're really missing TOB now

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754945#Comment_119754945

it kind of reinforces that the next layer there aren't showing a huge amount as of yet

Think this is a bit harsh, there are how many injuries in the back 3 at the moment? Lowe, Larmour, Keenan, TO'B, D.Kearney, anyone else? There's only so many minutes of game time available and Keenan, Larmour and TOB are all young.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755800#Comment_119755800

Yeah, that's why I specifically said the next layer - as in I'm not referencing the players you mentioned. The guys who I'm saying haven't shown much as of yet are Rob Russell, Max O'Reilly, Andrew Smith, Chris Cosgrave and Aitzol King. The latter is a Year 1 academy player, so I'll give him a pass. O'Reilly and Smith are Year 3 academy players, yet don't seem ready to step up, and same with Cosgrave. Russell has looked okay defensively and has had some nice moments, but doesn't look to have killer instinct or elite pace.

We've lost Rory O'Loughlin and Adam Byrne as options there, and we have only gained Ngatai (who we've used predominantly as a centre so far).

Lsdrugbyfan

Nothing new about leinster lacking elite talent or pace on the wing.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119756090#Comment_119756090

That is true. But there's no shortage of good players that have come in. JOB and Keenan are great. TOB could be a really good player and I think Russell will be decent. MOR will be good, in time, imo. What if Osborne moved to fb and Turner played his natural position? Although, Turner looked comfortable on the wing. Aitzol could be a future star. He was really top notch this year.

We'll probably not have the wings that Ulster produce. But I feel our lads could be very solid. Consider that Conway left for Munster and AB left for Connacht on top of ROL leaving. DK is probably close to retiring! I see Russell coming straight into the team. I think he could be a good player.