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

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145844#Comment_122145844

In the ideal world, we would hold on to all our quality 10's and this is the only way Harry would get game time if everyone was healthy. Harry is about 15 stone. Osborne is 15.6, Ngatai is 16.5 and Henshaw is 15.10. Harry would be undersized for the role in terms of weight but I love the idea of multiple playmakers on the field at one time. But like i Said in the realistic World, Harry is gone to Ulster.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145834#Comment_122145834

Frawley could get time at 15 and as a back up 10, Ngatai is gone next season, Barrett can play 10-15 so he doesn't need to be nailed down as only an Inside centre, I honestly think Barrett at right wing gives Leinster a serious amount of umph with Lowe, Henshaw, Ringrose and Keenan, plus not having Barrett at 12 gives more room for Osborne.

But like I said, realistically, Harry would probably be the odd man out long term due to his injury history.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145844#Comment_122145844

There's nothing between them on listed metrics - Harry is actually a little bigger - he's listed at 6ft 3 and 95kgs whereas Farrell is 6ft 2 and 93kgs.

Obviously Farrell is more dynamic and a better defender, but don't think the issue holding Harry back is physical size.

Ben Bailey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145844#Comment_122145844

Farrell is an inch shorter & the same weight. All his bulk is in his shoulders 😉

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145907#Comment_122145907

Huh, fair enough. Thought different from the eyesight check

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145789#Comment_122145789

If anything, I'd look at Tector as a utility player. I reckon he could do a good job at 12/15? As for HB, he will be in the mix. I expect him to start this week. I expect he'll be getting past RB too, in the long run.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145838#Comment_122145838

I think people should stop harking back to the time Farrell picked Frawley for a 10. Most likely Farrell was testing him to see if he could do a job with a view to Frawley being third 10 and wider cover in the WC squad. That was before Crowley's emergence which solved the issue of third 10 for Farrell. Farrell has since selected H.Byrne as 10 and ended his interest in Frawley there.

Foxtrol

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146635#Comment_122146635

Agree with most of that.

I do feel AF rates Frawley higher as a 10 than the Leinster management team

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122146635#Comment_122146635

Farrell has since selected H. Byrne at 10 and ended his interest in Frawley there

Harry made two appearances off the bench in the 6N for a grand total of 33 minutes (neither replacing Crowley who stayed on the pitch), one of which was against Italy and the other was against Scotland when Frawley was injured but somehow you've determined that Farrell's interest in Frawley ended there. That's some serious conflation there.

In any event, I agree it's not relevant to Leinster.

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147499#Comment_122147499

Farrell's interest in Frawley as a 10 ended when Crowley showed he was good enough for it.

Farrell likely considered Frawley at out half because of a lack of other options (Sexton, H.Byrne and Carbery were very injury prone, Jackson wasn't an option, Burns and Carty deemed not good enough, Crowley mostly playing 12/15 at the time), he needed to widen the pool ahead of the WC. With the lack of out-and-out 10s, Frawley was attractive for the WC squad because he also covered other positions.

Farrell tried out Frawley as a 10 then to see if he was up to it with a view to him rounding out the WC squad. Crowley establishing himself gave Farrell his third 10 and the experiment with Frawley there ended.

Since that AB XV game, how many minutes has Frawley played 10 for Ireland or Leinster?

It's relevant to Leinster in that people keep suggesting Frawley as a 10 on the basis that "Ireland see Frawley as a fly-half". If we remove the idea that Farrell sees Frawley as a 10 (instead circumstances at the time lead to him looking at Frawley as a 10, circumstances which then changed) then the case for Leinster playing Frawley 10 outside of emergencies evaporates.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

I wouldnt be surprised to see Frawley start at 10 this weekend.. he will be the bench 10 in the final so may aswell get a run out.

CMcsporty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122136762#Comment_122136762

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7kgePnMdd0

Hope he is rested up this week.

Milne, Kelleher, Ala; Molony, Ryan, Ruddock, Penny, Deegan v Ulster

Madeoface

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122145838#Comment_122145838

100%. Let's see frawley at 10 Saturday with JOB at 15 if Keenan still out.

mr_edge_to_you

I think Frawley is improving with every minute he's on the pitch. He has been invaluable to Leinster this year.

I would love to see him get a run at 10 though.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122147738#Comment_122147738

Crowley establishing himself gave Farrell his third 10 and the experiment with Frawley there ended.

Well, yes and no.

For three matches in this year's Six Nations, the only out-half cover was Frawley. He wore 23 twice in a 6-2 split and he wore 15 when the only backs on the bench were Murray and McCloskey, and I'd be pretty confident he'd have worn 15 again against Scotland if not for concussion.

So maybe Farrell doesn't see Frawley as a starting 10 but he clearly doesn't hate the idea of him playing there in a pinch. I'd say he's still ahead of Harry Byrne anyway.

I'd say the pecking order is different at Leinster though.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148508#Comment_122148508

Needs to play outside JGP and not Luke.. whose pass has regressed massively

Pete_Cavan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148552#Comment_122148552

Yes, I'm sure everyone is delighted to have Frawley being able to cover multiple positions (including 10) from the bench but that's not the same as seeing him as a 10.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

(15-9) Ethan McIlroy, Mike Lowry, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, John Cooney;

(1-8) Eric O’Sullivan, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Kieran Treadwell, Alan O’Connor (C), Cormac Izuchukwu, David McCann, Nick Timoney.

Replacements: Tom Stewart, Andy Warwick, Scott Wilson, Harry Sheridan, Matty Rea, Nathan Doak, Stewart Moore, Jude Postlethwaite.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets)

15. Hugo Keenan (64)
14. Tommy O’Brien (32)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (77)
12. Charlie Ngatai (24)
11. Rob Russell (30)
10. Harry Byrne (66)
9. Cormac Foley (18)
1. Cian Healy (275)
2. Rónan Kelleher (59)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (67)
4. James Ryan (79) CAPTAIN
5. Brian Deeny (16)
6. Max Deegan (110)
7. Will Connors (47)
8. Jack Conan (143)

Replacements
16. John McKee (26)
17. Michael Milne (38)
18. Thomas Clarkson (38)
19. Ross Molony (179)
20. Scott Penny (69)
21. Luke McGrath (207)
22. Sam Prendergast (15)
23. Ben Brownlee (8)

Clegg

Ryan and Keenan starting is huge. If they get through unscathed both are straight into next weekends 23.

Great to have Connors back as well.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148751#Comment_122148751

I don't disagree (I don't really want to see him at 10 for Ireland any time soon), but I would still say he is ahead of Harry Byrne for Ireland.

Former Former Former

Big chance for Cormac Foley here.

Not a bad team, bench is a little wet behind the ears. A losing BP would be a good enough outcome, but a win isn't out of the question.

Clegg

Russell, TOB and Keenan is the fastest back three we've fielded all season. If the game becomes unstructured at all then we can do a lot of damage.

We've a decent pack out there that probably matches Ulster's al well. Just think we might have one eye on the final whereas Ulster will be fighting for Champions Cup qualification. Can see a home win.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148852#Comment_122148852

I think the door is ajar for Foley for bigger games this season if he shows up well enough here.

I'd be shocked if Luke is dropped for the knock outs/ final… but I think it's a closer decision now than it was a few weeks ago

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148826#Comment_122148826

Bit disappointed not to see Ringrose. Pretty close to guarantees he won't be available for the final.

Pretty much as strong as possible given we're a European Cup Final next weekend.

Sensational to see Ryan and Keenan back. Lots of pace in our backline too all of a sudden with all of JOB, TOB, Russell and Keenan fit again.

Really big game for Cormac Foley - would be great if he made a leap here. Probably the biggest start of Brian Deeny's career too to this point.

Clegg

Almost every player you'd expect to be in the squad for the final will have played in the last two fixtures bar McCarthy and Lowe. Hopefully there's nothing the matter with those two.

In the two fixtures before last season's final we didn't give as many players a runout before the Aviva. It's a change in strategy and one that I hope works out for us.

Exclamation Marc

Excellent to see Ryan and Keenan back and starting too.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122148962#Comment_122148962

Yeah, would have thought we would have seen them here, even if on the bench.

I would have liked a slightly stronger team (thought maybe some starters on the bench) but all in all it is enough to sneak a win.

Exclamation Marc

For me, Jack Conan has really been the form 8 for Leinster (albeit off the bench the last few games) with some brilliant contributions and has performed better than Baird has at 6 (recently). The issue for Conan is whether Leo is happy to play Doris at 6 so that Conan can start.

durthacht

Leinster's pack looks strong and should provide enough quality ball for Foley & Harry Byrne to impress. It's a fantastic opportunity for both of them.