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

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119899777#Comment_119899777

While they initially said 8 weeks.. I think he was back out on the pitch stepping up his training last week..

Last weeks injury update.. "There was also positive news on Harry Byrne, Jordan Larmour and Rónan Kelleher who will all step up their rehabilitation this week as they return from hamstring, foot and hamstring injuries respectively."

Clegg

Back to the provincial set up now until the Six Nations. The next five fixtures are Glasgow, Ulster, Racing, Gloucester and Munster. They're all back to back so no rest weekends. Will be a tough ask considering how many Leinster players were involved in the Internationals.

But they mostly seem to be in decent enough knick. Doris, Ryan and Ringrose had an excellent series. JOB looks comfortable enough at test level and Keenan has returned to full fitness along with JGP. Doesn't appear to be any injuries to Ngatai, Jenkins or Ala'alatoa either. Some positive noises about Harry Byrne, Larmour and Ronan Kelleher too.

The big doubt seems to be around Henshaw. Picked up an injury a few minutes into the Fiji game. I'm hopeful that Sexton is alright as all signs were he was fully ready to play against Australia until he tweaked something a few minutes before kickoff.

Josh van der Flier is probably the best example we could ever get in Irish rugby of not being so quick to judge and write off young players. He was rated coming through, but there definitely wasn't any crazy level of hype about him coming through school or the academy. He made his European debut for Leinster as a 22 year old, and his Irish debut shortly after that, but was in and out of squads for a while in the years that followed. Missed the whole GS year because of the horrific knee injury and would have had an awkward time watching Dan Leavy come along and look like a superstar in his position winning a European Cup and Grand Slam.

He's spoken himself about how it was levelled at him around that time that while he was a solid and consistent performer, he didn't have enough bite to his game, and needed to be more impactful, and how he's stepped up his physicality over the past 2 years or so is incredible. He looks like a player that just absorbs coaching.

I doubt anyone would have said of him as recently as even 2019 that he was a future World Player of the Year. Incredible progression over the past two seasons.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://mobile.twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1592895516806770689?s=20&t=QDUujI9N7dD_7RRl9N8o-Q

2011 and 2012 Champions Cup winners return!

The @ChampionsCup winning teams will in the RDS for our game with Glasgow on 26 November.

The squads will be led onto the pitch by our legendary former Head Coach, Joe Schmidt.

Join us: https://bit.ly/3gb9U34

Glad to see Leinster doing something like this. It might lure in some extra fans.

CatFromHue

The Journal do short interviews with ex players every now and again and they did one with Scott Fardy on the weekend.

'I struggled when I didn't have much of a purpose' - Scott Fardy on life after rugby (the42.ie)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119901162#Comment_119901162

Yeah, I read that, great piece in fairness.

Really interesting to see his excerpts on the level of detail and preparation being unlike anything he'd ever experienced previously as well:

“I remember those first few weeks at Leinster going in and thinking ‘Jesus, there’s so much detail,’ compared to what I was used to.I remember looking at Stu’s [Lancaster] notes and turning to Jamison [Gibson-Park] and going, ‘Jesus, is this every day?’ I couldn’t believe how long his notes were! It was like I was at University. But I loved that environment, seeing every guy in there with his book, writing everything down and going mad for it. Everyone was very studious. Coming into that environment with really intelligent players was a great place to be.”

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119900679#Comment_119900679

 doubt anyone would have said of him as recently as even 2019 that he was a future World Player of the Year.

That is definitely true, but his quality was always apparent.

I remember the hype around Leavy on boards.ie, long before 2018, and I was never really sure why he was the great white hope when VDF always looked the better player to me. Even when the Joe era was going tits up in 2019, VDF maintained his level of performance.

But since that brief period when Connors displaced him, he's just gone up and up. Awesome player.

Dubinusa

Will we have the international players back? I doubt there will be a full deck to select from. I can't see Porter or Sexton being risked. I'd say Ringrose and Furlong would be bench options at best. If Kelleher gets back this week, that would be a nice boost. Sheehan has been flogged. Henshaw should not be risked. I'd wait until the Racing match and make sure he's fit.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119901551#Comment_119901551

No, I wouldn't expect to have the bulk of the internationals. Ringrose played a lot of minutes over the three games, having already played a lot of minutes this year.

The guys who didn't play big minutes should be available: Joe McCarthy, Max Deegan, Jack Conan, Cian Healy & Ross Byrne, plus the guys from the A squad, but wouldn't expect any of the others.

I think we'll have something like:

15-9,1-8: Cosgrave, Russell, Osborne, Ngatai, Kearney, Byrne, McGrath, Byrne, McKee, Ala'alatoa, Molony, McCarthy, Ruddock, Penny, Deegan.

Reps: Barron, Milne, Clarkson, Deeny, O'Brien, Foley, Tector, Turner.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

INJURY UPDATE – AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:

Harry Byrne: will be available to train this week following his return from a hamstring injury

Ryan Baird: has completed the Graduated Return to Play Protocols and will return to full training this week

Rónan Kelleher: will be available to train this week following his return from a hamstring injury

INJURY UPDATE – FURTHER ASSESSMENT REQUIRED:

Jordan Larmour and James Lowe: will again step up their rehabilitation this week as they return from foot and calf injuries respectively

INJURY UPDATE – UNAVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:

Johnny Sexton: will be assessed this week for a calf injury sustained in the build-up to the Australia game on Saturday

There are no further updates on:

Martin Moloney (knee), Ciarán Frawley (knee), Will Connors (bicep), Robbie Henshaw (hamstring), James Tracy (neck), Charlie Ryan (knee) and Tommy O’Brien (knee)

Dubinusa

So lads are coming back! It will be good to get more options. This will be a good match. Glasgow are decent and we need to hit the ground running.

I think Joe McCarthy will start and possibly Deegan. I hope to see HB! He should be in the squad and he needs minutes.

stephen_n

Glasgow have been a bit erratic so far. They struggled at the start of the season. They will probably be missing a lot of front line players too. As much as they cause headaches away. The home fixtures have been mostly easy wins in the last few years iirc.

stephen_n

Has anyone traveling to the Racing game managed to buy tickets through the link Leinster supplied?

Jason Jenkins isn't in the SA squad to face England this weekend. Does this mean he has been released back to Leinster I wonder?

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119910108#Comment_119910108

This weekend is outside the international window. Jenkins is already back training with us.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119910149#Comment_119910149

You're right, sorry, I hadn't seen that, but see him in the photos from training earlier this week.

He wasn't explicitly referenced in the articles about the players the Springboks were missing this week, but that might just be because he isn't a frontliner for them.

Dubinusa

We could have quite a strong side this week. Ulster are up the week after. Do we risk the international lads or hold off till the Racing match?

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119911355#Comment_119911355

RTE reported Munster have access to all their Internationals including POM and Beirne for this weekend. So I assume we do to. Not sure when the IRFU will be imposing rest but have a feeling it will be over Xmas.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912561#Comment_119912561

Andy Friend of Connacht said he had a 7/10 game rule imposed on him for the next block of games.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912584#Comment_119912584

If that’s the case, they will only play 3 of the 6 URC games. Makes sense for Connacht and Munster to go full strength this weekend. Less so for us.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912604#Comment_119912604

Found the quote.

https://www.the42.ie/hansen-munster-5927147-Nov2022/

It's really 7 out of 9. The 6 nations squad will be in camp for the 10th game.

I suspect the props may have been given an amount of minutes. If Healy benches 7 times and gets 80 minutes they won't say he is done.

I also suspect that there may be a few players slightly more managed. Maybe Sexton for example.

My instinct would be to go full first choice 23 for the games before the two European windows and for the European games and then play a mix and match set up foe the other games.

Dubinusa

I reckon a mix this week! Maybe

1. Healy, 2. McKee, Mike

4. Jenkins, 5. Molony

6. Baird, 7. Penny, 8. Deegan

9. JGP, 10. RB

11. DK, 12. Ngati, 13, Osborne, 14, Russell

15. Keenan

16. Kelleher, 17. Byrne, 18. Clarkson, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Conan

21, Luke, 22. HB 23. Henshaw.

Against Ulster go stronger.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913056#Comment_119913056

I'm pretty sure Henshaw is still unavailable, as he seems to be on a holiday / break this week.

Dubinusa

Still no news on Stu! I thought he was off to Racing?

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917050#Comment_119917050

He is. Next season. What news are you expecting?

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917050#Comment_119917050

Was confirmed two months ago.

Dubinusa

Just read an article in the 42! It was an interview with Leo. It seemed it wasn't a done deal.

I wonder if he'll poach any of our players?

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917521#Comment_119917521

Its a done deal

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/stuart-lancaster-to-leave-leinster-rugby/

I'm sure he will float some feelers out. The majority of our first team will be worried about international honors. IRFU appearance money and playing at the highest level will mean that Racing would need to overpay.

Some of our depth players he might want but its better to have JIFF qualified depth players.

CORMACREYN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119913187#Comment_119913187

He’s injured.

Clegg

Delighted to see Kelleher back. I still think he's the best hooker in Ireland and I hope he gets back to top form soon. Great to see Harry Byrne return as well. I think it's almost two years since he was last fully fit and starting at 10 for Leinster. Fingers crossed for a run if games.

15.Jamie Osborne (21)

14. Rob Russell (10)

13. Liam Turner (8)

12. Charlie Ngatai (6)

11. Dave Kearney (177)

10. Ross Byrne (135)

9. Luke McGrath (181)

1. Ed Byrne (90)

2. Rónan Kelleher (38)

3. Thomas Clarkson (20)

4. Ross Molony (146)

5. Joe McCarthy (13)

6. Rhys Ruddock (213) CAPTAIN

7. Scott Penny (44)

8. Max Deegan (87)

16. John McKee (8)

17. Michael Milne (19)

18. Vakh Abdaladze (21)

19. Jason Jenkins (6)

20. Ryan Baird (41)

21. Cormac Foley (8)

22. Harry Byrne (36)

23. Chris Cosgrave (3)