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

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496726#Comment_120496726

Don't the opposition get a %?.

salmocab

ah I’m over the aviva, RDS is just a nicer place to be and get to for me.

Dubinusa

The Aviva is strangely designed. There's that end that has about 1500 spectators. It's otherwise nice enough.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496836#Comment_120496836

Probably to let the grass have some sunlight.

It'd be a magnificent achievement to get up over the Bulls this weekend. Matching them physically will be the biggest challenge. There should be some extra cohesiveness in defence after playing the last match together, which is just as well. I wonder will they put Prendergast out again or give Tector a shot. Hopefully Ben Murphy will be in from the start.

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496836#Comment_120496836

If I remember correctly, it was built that way to avoid planning objections as they were having planning difficulties with residents at that end (I think it was to do with blocking light to those houses - showing the farce of a city center stadium).

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496929#Comment_120496929

There are physical space restrictions as well in terms of making it any larger. They more or less didn't have a choice.

There was some talk of rotating the stadium 90 degrees, but then you lose the back pitch.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496929#Comment_120496929

Wasn't mullins one of them?

Former Former Former

. ..

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496914#Comment_120496914

It’s the north end of the ground so nothing to do with sunlight. it was because the residents of havelock square wanted to see daylight on occasion.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496672#Comment_120496672

Leinster have already sent out a "one club, one province" email to Leinster clubs for the QFs to entice clubs to send a sizeable group contingent up.

For a URC QF, a week after the HC semi final, they'd be doing really well to get 20k though the turn stiles

There will also be a limited number of OCOP tickets for the URC semi final the week after as well

Ben Bailey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120494031#Comment_120494031

Yes, clearly Toulouse listing him as a 15 is in error. If Leinster were to list their squad by specific shirt number what number(s) would Larmour, J O'B, or Frawley be listed under ?.

Dubinusa

There's not much of a chance that punters will pony up to see the league 1/4 final. The stadium will be half full, at best.

They should do a price reduction and try to attract more fans. Do the opposition get any of the gate money?

Dubinusa

This weekend will be a bridge to far, I think. Vakh is done, which means Lasisi will get his wings. Barron failed a hia? Jenkins isn't with the squad. Seriously tough fixture with out Ruddock. Who captains the team?

Dave_The_Sheep

It'll be a pity to lose a league game this year. But I suspect it'll happen fairly badly against the Bulls. Love to be proven wrong though.

Buer

Whatever about the playing staff, I'm equally and more curious about just how callow the coaching team that remain out there is.

SOB is the head coach. For context, SOB isn't even part of the match day coaching team normally i.e. he doesn't even have to attend games. The Lions game was his first away game of the season.

He's supported by Simon Broughton (academy manager), Juliett Fortune (assistant performance analyst), Darren Hickey (academy physio) and Jim Bastick (kitman).

That's it from what I can see. They make the playing staff look like household names.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120497781#Comment_120497781

There was no mention of Lee Barron getting a HIA and he wasn't referenced in the injury report, so I would assume he'll be included this weekend. He did look to be struggling physically out there, so maybe a combo of the heat and altitude did for him. McElroy did well, will probably start this weekend with Barron benching.

I'm pretty sure there isn't another hooker out there.

Captain will be interesting - I'd expect it to be Max Deegan based on the likely side. The only senior players this weekend will be him, Dave Kearney, Will Connors and Ed Byrne (if he features).

Buer

Barron was in the gym with the squad yesterday lifting away so I assume he's fine.

Would agree that Deegan is the likely captain. If Jenkins has gone home, he might move to blindside (or Culhane) as we've only three locks out there now in Soroka, Deeny and COT.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120496929#Comment_120496929

They had to leave that end low to allow for natural light into those houses.

The IRFU have been slowly buying up every house that comes on the market in Havelock square for that very reason.

Eventually , they'll own all of them and then I suspect that there will be an upgrade to that end.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120497779#Comment_120497779

See my previous post

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498201#Comment_120498201

Is that the case still? I know someone who bought a house in there last year, and my wife and I actually viewed another house for sale. Two houses sold there last year, and I think both sold to just ordinary punters.

TRC10

Listening to Keith Wood and Ruaridh O'Connor on OTB last night, if you hadn't seen the match, you'd honestly think Prendergast delivered a Dan Carter 2nd test v the Lions '05 esque performance and scored 33 points. He did well and can be very happy with his performance, given his age and it was his debut in a difficult venue and conditions. But it's not like he shot the lights out or did anything spectacular. No doubt this post will be perceived by many as me putting the young lad down. But it's absolutely not. He should be very happy with his performance. But the fact that Sexton is retiring, means we massively overblow any half decent performance by a young Irish 10 because we desperately want them to be the "heir". And I feel that's what's happening with Prendergast. If a young 10 in NZ, SA or France delivered the same performance, you wouldn't see anywhere near the same amount of fanfare and media adulation. As I've said before, I think he looks a very tidy player and I'm excited about him, but I think we need to calm it down a bit and just let him develop.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498343#Comment_120498343

We get it mate. You don't like the hype over Sam Prendergast. Why resurrect a point that ran its course yesterday? What else is going to be said on it?

You lean on the side of cautious pessimism and that's fine. But optimists do exist in this world. Let them do it.

@TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498343#Comment_120498343

I think you need to stop listening to OTB @TRC10; this is what they do.

Overhyping players etc gives them something to talk about.

I don't think anyone who's opinion matters is actually overhyping him, and it honestly wouldn't surprise me if Leinster start Tector this weekend.

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498343#Comment_120498343

Keith Wood does get excited about young players and is very encouraging of them. He almost suspends his normal analysis to marvel at good performances by young players, and this blind spot is a characteristic.

O'Connor was more balanced as he spoke of the range of young talent available by expanding the conversation to include Crowley, Harry Byrne, and Frawley when Molloy suggested that Prendergast could be the Ireland fly half for the next ten years.

They did get a little carried away by suggesting Prendergast for the world cup squad just one performance and it was a segment that was very light and lacked serious analysis, but it was harmless enough I thought.

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498456#Comment_120498456

I don't really think anyone on that call expects or really thinks he will go to the RWC. They said his name will be mentioned in the squad planning and scenario'ed out what it would look like if he was there. I think it's a bit of a stretch to suggest they were advocating for him to make the squad.

They also didn't even come close to comparing him to Dan Carter in the Lions, that is obviously total nonsense.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498331#Comment_120498331

They try - doesn't mean they always win , but they bid on every house that comes up at that end of the ground..

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498343#Comment_120498343

yeah, youd never seen english or french media hyping up a young talented out half.......

https://www.thesun.ie/sport/rugby-union/7773920/marcus-smith-hype-england-eddie-jones/

Rugby’s new Jonny Wilkinson Marcus Smith backed to handle the England spotlight

EDDIE JONES believes that Marcus Smith can handle the Twickenham hype train.

And the fired-up Aussie boss reckons that the Premiership winner and Lion tourist can handle the heat that comes with following in the footsteps of the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, current skipper Owen Farrell and Ford.

https://www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2019/10/06/coupe-du-monde-de-rugby-2019-romain-ntamack-disciple-de-l-ecole-toulousaine_6014408_3242.html

His ability to regain zen after mistakes and in the heat of the moment testifies to an important inner evolution. Sufficient to achieve the intuitive revelation sought by Japanese fighters, a mastery acquired by rejecting all superfluous thought. His offensive and defensive interventions at key moments and their seemingly effortless executions come from a mind that is constantly in the moment. Japanese masters call it "mizu no kokoro", the spirit of water.

Because Romain Ntamack is a placid and cold lake in an autumn morning. The multi-colored leaves of the surrounding trees rest there without wrinkling the surface. However, peace is never infallible and training lasts the time of a career, invisible to busy and uninitiated eyes. Against Argentina, the decisive kick missed in the 74th minute  is a breath on the lake, heralding new developments.

at the end of the day, its what media does in order to sell newspapers generate clicks.... dont sweat it.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498374#Comment_120498374

That wasn't not even a remotely accurate or fair description of the piece to be honest. They in no way gave the impression it was a "dan carter-esque" performance.

Its just moaning for the sake of it.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498201#Comment_120498201

Probably cost less to build out the stadium than buy those houses

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120498533#Comment_120498533

Eh, there's a reason I didn't cite England. Everyone knows they overhype every young player who has one half decent game in the Premiership. And I'd rather we didn't become like them.

N'tamack's u20 performances were far more impressive than Prendergast's. And when that article was written, he had already broken into the France team, gone to a world cup and been a starter for Toulouse for over a year. Prendergast is getting the same sort of stuff written about him after one Leinster game!