Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120627721#Comment_120627721

Is it really. Joe McCarthy has good potential but is far from a big improvement on Molony/Jenkins to be a difference maker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120627784#Comment_120627784

I do agree with him, and would hope that this time next year our first choice second row pairing is Joe McCarthy and James Ryan. McCarthy has just turned 22 and has enormous potential. Long pre-season for him now, and hopefully plenty of gametime next season and he absolutely has the potential to be a better player than either of Molony or Jenkins.

Not taking away from those two, especially Molony on how he's performed this year, but it's not a stretch to say Joe McCarthy has the potential to be better than them.

RichieRich_89

He's significantly better already if you ask me.

Clegg

Joe McCarthy has a lot of potential. He's destructive in attack and defence, can steal ball at the ruck and has the athleticism to shoot out of the defensive line and make a huge hit 10 metres behind the gain line.

He does make a lot of errors and concede penalties,but he's very inexperienced still. He'll wise up to that eventually.

I remember the Leinster vs Munster game at the Aviva this time last year. He was the outstanding forward on the pitch that day. It's a shame injury has curtailed his involvement this season. He's a big talent.

Clegg

Ross Molony has improved significantly as a player over the last few years. His excellent distribution is the obvious point of reference, but he has become more physical and can hold his own mostly. He has deserved the opportunity to start in both Champions Cup finals.

Unfortunately, both games did show that he has limitations. He simply doesn't have the athleticism of power to really unsettle the biggest packs. It's why Andy Farrell hasn't selected him for Ireland squads I imagine. He'll still start plenty of games next season, especially with the Ireland players being rested post World Cup. But I think we need McCarthy beside him to train him up for the role of Ryan's partner long term.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120626263#Comment_120626263

From an Ireland pov its slightly worrying. They can always bring on Murray to close games but man, 20m out dead centre after the lineout… Crowley drops back there and kicks a drop goal. There is no doubt in my mind. JGP and Byrne just let that moment pass. Realistically its too late to ramp Crowley up as the starter if Sexton is down, but i kind of wish they just gave him more starts now and took the losses maybe.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628136#Comment_120628136

Crowley is definitely the ballsier player, and yeah, would have attempted the drop goal, but there is no point pretending he's good enough right now to start for Ireland either. He's developing fast, and will have a big test next milestone next weekend again, but he's barely strung together three good performances at 10 this season, good moments against Glasgow and Leinster notwithstanding.

I don't know why Leinster managed the end game so badly - I don't know if they were trying to take time off the clock so as to not just hand it back to LAR with them having plenty of time to get a DG of their own, or what the story was.

My criticism of Byrne is beyond the DG though, I just found the game in the second half utterly passed him by. I've said a few times now, I think our half backs cost us the game in the second half with the lack of control, but he was front and centre in that.

cuttingtimber22

As I said on the match, I hope that the very narrow loss on Saturday will not be damaging to Ireland.

I hope the Leinster players have a great few weeks holiday to recharge (a grand slam was won which is a great achievement), wish Lancaster the best in his new endeavours (he has made a massive contribution to Irish rugby) and I especially wish James Ryan all the best in his recovery. 

Also, any chance Boards can set up new season threads….sometimes a fresh start might be nice.

Nice summer all, and look forward to some nice derby games next season.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628156#Comment_120628156

I would say his last 3/4 games have all been good performances but i’d also agree that he isn’t ready to start for ireland.

We need Sexton to be fit.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628156#Comment_120628156

I put that on JGP. There was a moment after Keenan had run the clearing kick back and the ruck was set in the center of the pitch, he spun it left again to Doris iirc. That was the moment that needed a calm head, for him to call a pod for a pick and go and set Bryne in the pocket

Sangre

I'm not too annoyed about the DG. If we hadn't given away that red, it was very likely that LAR would have conceded a penalty or we would have scored. LAR looked really stretched at times and we were camped on their lines. In fact, I think I would have been annoyed if they went for DG that early.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628233#Comment_120628233

The thing is, the reason that teams go for drop goals is that refs hate giving anything but the most obvious blatant or dangerous penalty that close to the end of the game. So, realistically its drop goal or a try… or hope for another high tackle from la rochelle.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628201#Comment_120628201

Jgp is a very good player on the front foot.. has proven to be one of the best scrum halves out there

BUT

he has a few gaps in his game. I doubt he even thought drop goal. His mentality right or wrong was to go for the risky play and try and get the try. He doesn't play the percentages. His style worked well in the first half when kerr Barlow was sin binned but didn't work out when it mattered at the end

When he comes under pressure he is prone to making errors.. he probably should have been replaced with 10 minutes to go but cullen has proven 2 years in a row he is very slow to take Jgp off in champions cup finals.

I just think Leinster in the second half came out with the plan to try and not lose the game.. where they should have gone out with the attitude to try and win it.

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628346#Comment_120628346

That seemed evident when they decided to kick for goal. It was a mistake last year, and was proven to be again. La Rochelle are like NZ, you need to keep your foot on their throat. Leinster showed they could stress La Rochelle with ball in hand, as Exeter had done in the semi. They should have sought to maximize opportunities to do so.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120627784#Comment_120627784

We don't know that! Jenkins was woeful and Molony isn't going to develop any further. McCarthy is a powerful lock, from what I've seen. Injury has stalled his growth this year.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628346#Comment_120628346

Yea, very poor from Cullen. Luke could have made a difference.

cheese sandwich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628172#Comment_120628172

Even if Sexton is fit in time for the WC, it’s almost certainly going to be Byrne playing in the last 20 mins of the quarter final match.

After this weekend that’s a major worry.

Must love hardship

Also What does Frawley have to do to get to see game time in a champions cup final? 2 years in a row he's sat in the stand for 80 minutes. Must have splinters in his arse..

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628484#Comment_120628484

Yea, honestly that is a big worry.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628490#Comment_120628490

If Frawley has ambitions to play 10 for ireland, he needs a harry byrne injury. Otherwise he is a swiss army knife bench guy in big games for leinster and a 12/15 in non big games.

it seems to me that he was strictly 10/12/15 injury cover only.

Clegg

Ryan was so good in that 30 minutes spell. It was the culmination of everything he had built up in his game over the last 18 months. He was dominating players in the tackle and melting rucks. There's no finer lock around right now imo.

Such a shame he went off. He has spoken before about his loss of confidence after suffering repeated head injuries. I hope he recovers well.

https://twitter.com/OptaJonny/status/1660648594989281282?t=zZOZiyyIJ0riQ0rHmUFGwQ&s=09

ironingbored

Anyone else spot Ryan Baird screaming for the ball blindside after the Ngatai drive for the line? LAR only had one defender that side but JGP went open side. Reckon he was over had it gone.

pickarooney

Sexton, Furlong, Ryan must all be doubtful for the world cup.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628593#Comment_120628593

Yep. I was on the opposite stand, but could see the one on one from that far. In fairness, La Rochelle had slowed that ruck down very effectively, causing JGP to have to go digging for it and slowing everything down.

Baird had to come off the wing yo resource the ruck.

https://twitter.com/ek_rugby/status/1660355670330208256?t=rmPrVzicUhbngtvIK_W-7A&s=09

RichieRich_89

They're in there if Lowe gets back in position more quickly and Molony looks left and gives it to him or goes himself. Easy to say watching it on video.

AbusesToilets

Hard to tell on replay, but when the ball goes forward after Ringrose gets tackled, did the La Rochelle player knock it back?

cheese sandwich

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120628601#Comment_120628601

Shades of SOB about Furlong alright. Hopefully he gets back to full fitness but it’s not very encouraging

Blut2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120627695#Comment_120627695

Thats a good post, and mostly valid, but one thing that it doesn't account for is Byrne just isn't up to it at the top level in Europe - and isn't going to be next season either. Theres a Sexton shaped hole in the squad.

Bringing in a top foreign outhalf for a year or two post World Cup, if the IRFU will allow it, would be enough all by itself to make the team strong favourites in Europe next year. The team could throw a wad of cash at Beauden Barrett or Richie Mo'unga or similar and let Prendergast develop, and learn, behind them for 2 years.

Immediately post-WC is probably the best time possible to be trying to recruit a high profile foreign outhalf on a short contract like that, it could be a great opportunity.

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120629065#Comment_120629065

There are four Irish qualified fly halves in the Leinster squad so I imagine there is zero chance the IRFU would approve signing a NIQ fly half - and nor should they as developing players for the national team is the priority of all provinces.

Byrne had a poor enough game on Saturday, especially to not call a drop goal at the end, but he has been excellent all season - including at test level for Ireland. To say that any player is not up to it based on one poor performance is an over-reaction.

ulsteru20s

Yea, you’d need to convince some of Byrne x 2, tector, frawley to leave before the irfu would ok that.