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

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191438#Comment_122191438

He started 3 games this year, and played 14 games (386 mins). He came off the bench in 3 European Cup games.

He turned 21 in February. There isn’t another player of a comparable age with anything remotely close to that level of appearances and minutes.

When Jack Crowley was the age Prendergast is now, he made 4 sub appearances for Munster that season for a combined 50 minutes, and he turned out pretty good didn’t he?

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191435#Comment_122191435

By the looks of it Ireland and Leinster have Harry ahead of him, has to be something in that

Frawley is a utility player on the 6/2 spilt which I am not sure will last when Hansen and JOB is back

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191438#Comment_122191438

3 starts and 382 minutes this season

Harry for instance has 779 minutes so nearly double so about right for a younger player

Frawley really has only played 10 when Harry and Ross are injured, or when Leinster have no other option. He has come off the bench as well at 10 but that's down to the 6/2 spilt

50HX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191461#Comment_122191461

9 of those games were 20 min or less appearances

7 mins v ulster last weekend, he should have got 35 imo

He was excellent at u20

When crowley was his age nobody was calling for him to be starting for Munster

I just think waiting another 2 years for him to develop & get game time & ye will still be on 4 stars in all pobability

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191500#Comment_122191500

Yeah, subs generally get 20 mins or so.

The notion that he isn’t getting development minutes is completely and objectively false. He’s a high potential player and his development is clearly being accelerated by comparison to virtually any other player to come from U20s in the past decade arguably, but they’re not going to rush either when he physically doesn’t look ready yet.

50HX

Osbourne mccarthy at the same age got more game time & did ringrose not get thrown in at the deep end in his first year.

Is there not merit to the "if you are good enough/young enough" reasoning.

Ye are crying out for a decent 10, if ye had & the 2 signings nxt season ye would be v v likely to get over the line

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191570#Comment_122191570

They have too many good 10s and are trying to give them all gametime, but none are potential top tier except Prendergast who is both untested and back of the queue.

If they had fewer options they could invest in Prendergast and Frawley. But the Byrnes are too good to just drop. So they're stuck with decent options but no brilliant options

bilston

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191663#Comment_122191663

Leinster need to fast track Prendergast. I don't think they are ever winning the European Cup with Ross Byrne, he's obviously a brilliant kicker from hand and tee, but I think he eats up space for those outside him and at the highest level that looks to be costing Leinster. No one knows for sure that Prendergast is the answer but you need to find out soon.

Dubinusa

I would say Baird was our best player this week. Fantastic effort. VDF should have started, he was so much better than Connors. Ryan was great too.

Henshaw and Osborne were ok. A bit sloppy with some timing issues.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191089#Comment_122191089

Jalibert, Ntamack and Beauden Barrett were younger.

I don't think Prendergast is near their level but they'd been playing proper rugby for a good while by 21 whereas Sam is just another 'highly talented 10 who doesn't actually play but trust me bro next year he'll kick on.

He does have a lot of skill but has some huge weaknesses in his game that are never going to improve until he's trusted to start big games regularly.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192085#Comment_122192085

Look, I'm not completely happy with the set up and think he should be getting a bit more time but he is playing and he wasn't brought into the 6N squad for fun.

I'm not surprised some players broke through earlier, particularly from France where they just have more opportunities with more teams. But 2/3s of the players "who broke through young" that were highlighted by the other poster it turns out would be roughly the same age as Sam if he manages to break through by the 6N - which is not completely out of the picture even if unlikely. Next season for me is the big one for him (which is why I think the rumours of him going to connacht were and are so farcical).

Clegg

I don't expect any a Leinster player who took part in the final to play this weekend.

There might be an argument to start Frawley due to Ross Byrnes potential injury, but nobody other than that really.

Makes things tricky for us as it opens up the possibility of another defeat, which you don't want when going into the knockouts.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192193#Comment_122192193

The Question is whether his gametime is limited by the fact that he's not ready for any more (complete legitimate reason) or if its limited by leinster struggling to get Harry and Frawley games while Ross takes all the important games.

If it's the latter then they need to cut someone to focus on the others. If they would like to play Prendergast more but he's just at the back of the out half queue, then that's a problem.

Tector must be wondering what his role is in the whole setup.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192350#Comment_122192350

Just Luke McGrath didn't get on the pitch, but there were a few that only played minimal minutes.
Of the starters, Jenkins played a half (don't think he was injured), Connors played around 45 mins.
Of the benchers, Conan played around 45 mins, and Kelleher, Healy and Ala'alatoa all played less than a half.
They could all start on Friday one would think.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191056#Comment_122191056

This is a bugbear of mine and an oversimplification.

The structure of the Irish education system will always work against us here as long as we're expected to be in full time education until 18.

Scott Penny and Ruadhán Quinn are both complete exceptions in recent years and both made their competitive debuts 5 months after finishing school and were still both 19 (Quinn was 2 weeks shy of his 19th birthday)

Pro clubs will not get proper access to these players until they're finished school as they're obligated to sit a minimum of 6 subjects and go from Monday to Friday.

The reality of it is short of being a physical force of nature - all players are going to need a solid amount of time in a pro setup to be physically ready for International Rugby. And in Ireland - that means best case scenario you're going to be 20. And the most physically gifted players we've seen such as Ryan, Porter, Doris, McCarthy were all essentially 21 or older

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192494#Comment_122192494

Leinster just need to pick a horse and back it. If that horse is Prendergast then he needs to leapfrog Byrne.

There is no way for Leinster to both:

1. Keep Prendergast and Harry Byrne happy
2. Give Prendergast the game time he needs to develop

Something has to give. 🤷‍♂️

And Tector is wasting his time at Leinster.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192535#Comment_122192535

I mean, obviously the possibility we can't see is that they don't actually rate Prendergast that highly. Giving 4 players time at flyhalf is a complete waste at the end of the day though. If they are going to continue to use Frawley as the 10 cover in a 6-2, then just put Prendergast ahead of Harry and be done with it.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122191438#Comment_122191438

Predergast hasn't the build yet to play big minutes and go up against the huge forwards who will be looking to crush him

Playing him for loads of minutes will just end up with injuries and maybe long term, Leinster have a great record at moving these players forward, not sure why they wouldn't if they thought he was ready

Exclamation Marc

Last game in the RDS as we know it on Friday.

End of an era!

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192572#Comment_122192572

Leinster will blood in Jack Boyle, Fintan Gunne and Sam Prendergast over the next 12 to 18 months. Boyle needs to add more healthy weight to his frame. That will naturally occur over the next year and he will be a serious difference maker long term. Gunne should be in with a chance of some really impactful game time next year. His style of play is very similar to JGP and hopefully he gets more chances next year. He is the future. With Sam Prendergast, he just needs to add some bulk, work on getting better defensively and he will be golden. Sexton was 24 when he finally took the jersey from Contempomi, Sam won't take that long to get up to speed but we have depth to make it a challenge for him and make him work harder to get the 10 jersey.

FrannoFan

I don’t know how you can look at Pendergast build and think he looks physically developed enough to have started 10+ games this season. Ntmack and Farrell both very physically developed at same age.

To borrow an American phrase there is a lot of “back up quarterback” around the Leinster debate at 10. Harry was supposed to be the next hot thing until we actually saw him play. Now it’s prendergast, next it will be Casper Gabriel.

Ross doesn’t look the answer but that doesn’t mean he’s not the best of a Bad(average) lot

Clegg

I would hope that Leinster keep hold of Sam Prendergast for next season and he isn't moves to Connacht.

Ross Byrne is a solid, experienced 10 but doesn't have the game at the highest level that makes him irreplaceable. Prendergast could be our starting 10 in a couple of years of given the time to develop.

conquestscarer

My one worry with Prendergast is his mobility, I don't particularly rate 10s who run with the ball constantly but I think it's a skill that you need to have to be adequate at.

johnh6767

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122192572#Comment_122192572

100% , this most important piece of the equation is missing from this discussion I feel , and 1 injury can change everything. Looks like there’s another young spark en route to Ulster

jonok28

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/2024/05/28/rhys-ruddock-to-retire-at-the-end-of-the-season/

Ruddock calling it a day at the end of the season. Fantastic servant for Leinster and a true gentleman of the game.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122193174#Comment_122193174

Well we know at least one name on the teamsheet this Friday!

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122193207#Comment_122193207

We can probably expect Ala'alatoa, Molony, Ruddock and Ngatai to start if all healthy.

I'm finding it next to impossible to get the motivation up for the conclusion of this season.

It's twofold:
A. I just don't care as much about the URC. Winning it would be nice, but it doesn't make up for the serial collapse in Europe.
B. I'm not wholly confident in the squad's ability to see out the URC. There has to be a very real vulnerability and lack of confidence in the squad right now, and it's only going to worsen if we find ourselves at crunch time in a tight game.

Will be there Friday night to applaud the team for the efforts, and most of all to say goodbye to some of our departing players who've been utterly heroic down the years for Leinster, but to say the heart isn't in it right now is an understatement.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122193273#Comment_122193273

I think they need to get to the final and win it, at least to win a final.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122193273#Comment_122193273

Cullen really needs to earn his salt with the run in, this team desperately needs to win something. He has to get them back up off the floor. A vision board of Munster fans posts maybe 😉

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122193310#Comment_122193310

The flip side of it all is the level you need to be at to win these finals against the likes of La Rochelle or Toulouse is a level beyond where you need to be to win any game in the URC. Those games have a higher level of physicality and test match like quality that isn't there in the URC.

Leinster at their best are the best team in the URC, but it remains to be seen if the team can get to that level.