Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Pudsy33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378051#Comment_121378051

Usually midday Friday for weekend games.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378051#Comment_121378051

Easier to follow on facebook to be honest and get team from it

Dubinusa

Will this be it for Boyle and McCarthy? I expect Byrne and Porter.

Dubinusa

So Jager is a done deal. Anyone think this is a loss for Leinster?

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378401#Comment_121378401

No. Think Leinster may well be targeting a SA TH for next season.

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378401#Comment_121378401

No. He has a role to play at any of the provinces but the role he would be asked to fill for Leinster would not match with his ambitions nor would it be any better than what Leinster currently have. Leinster need to strengthen in their back up tighthead spot, not look at a player who was consistently second fiddle to Ala'alatoa.

I would imagine that Jager would fill a very Jamie Hagan type role for Leinster both in terms of playing style and function within the squad.

Hopefully he goes on to improve as a player and does manage to make a step up in his career. He's 29 at the end of the season though so he has a short enough window to make that jump.

FrannoFan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378401#Comment_121378401

I don’t think we have missed out really. He was back up to Alatoa at Crusaders and didn’t look as good a scrummager as him.

I’d be hoping for a scrummaging tight head to come in as at the highest level Alatoa scrummaging looked a little off.

Ruadhri Murphy played for Brumbies in super rugby and when he came back to Ulster didn’t make any impact. I don’t think super rugby is a breeding ground for props.

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378401#Comment_121378401

Not at all. Whatever about being behind Ala'alatoa when he was there, he's since fallen down the pecking order which led to him wanting out of Crusaders.

I think he'll be good pick-up for Munster and hopefully he does well for them but he isn't near Furlong's level and would more likely challenging for the second choice spot if he came to Leinster. I think any player we acquire should be immediately at the level to take or challenge for a starting spot.

AdamD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121377976#Comment_121377976

In fairness I dont think this is necessarily a coaching issue, Frawley has never been able to stay fit for a long enough to period to nail down a position.

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378399#Comment_121378399

I hope they keep going with Boyle as he has been impressive, but I guess he may need a break soon having started so many games.

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121378401#Comment_121378401

Yes and No. Yes he would have been a pretty good replacement for Ala'alatoa but in the same breath no because he wanted a starting job long term and only Munster could offer that out of the 4 provinces.

With Ala'alatoa going and more than likely Jason Jenkins and Charlie Ngatai potentially not getting renewed, Leinster will have 3 NIQ slots available.

I can see them using two of them spots for next season on a borderline world class lock and a veteran older Prop with the NIQ designations and bring in an Irish tighthead.

At Tighthead, I would see if Leinster can get Marty Moore back from Ulster. He is a bit injury prone but he is a quality scrum technician and would really help the Leinster scrum at the end of games. With Rory McGuire and Paddy McCarthy potentially emerging at tighthead, I would offer Moore a two year deal to give the young props some breathing room to develop.

If he can get over his recent health scare and come back, I would love to see Lood De Jager at Leinster. He knows how Nienaber wants to play, he is a brilliant line-out operator and would add some serious additional bulk to the Leinster pack. A trio of James Ryan, Lood De Jager and Joe McCarthy would be monstrous in a match day 23.

I could easily see Cullen and Nienaber go with a veteran South African prop like Trevor Nyakane who can play both sides of the scrum. He does make alot of sense too. He will be 35 by the time he would be at Leinster meaning that they could have him as a one year rental and hope the likes of Jack Boyle has taken the next step and will step right into the back up loosehead role by the start of the 2025-26 season.

The likes of Trevor Nyakane and Marty Moore would be one to two year rentals who allow breathing room for the young emerging props. They would also give Leinster a huge amount of experience that they would be losing with Healy set to potentially retire and Ala'alatoa leaving.

Lood De Jager would improve Leinster's scrum and lineout with his sheer size and bulk. Nyakane and Moore would give them a rock solid front row with Ronan Kelleher off the bench.

Will this all happen? who knows but I can see Nienaber wanting to bring some players he knows into Leinster and I can see him wanting to hold onto a NIQ designation for the future.

Clegg

Jaysus that's a strong squad for Scarlets. Getting the players tunes up for Munster next weekend and the European games to come. Very interested in seeing what Prendergast can do playing behind so strong a pack and experienced a backline.

15. Hugo Keenan (56)

14. Jordan Larmour (92)

13. Garry Ringrose (116) CO-CAPTAIN

12. Jamie Osborne (34)

11. Jimmy O’Brien (72)

10. Sam Prendergast (127)

9. Jamison Gibson-Park (5)

1. Andrew Porter (108)

2. Rónan Kelleher (47)

3. Thomas Clarkson (29)

4. Joe McCarthy (20)

5. James Ryan (73) CO-CAPTAIN

6. Max Deegan (102)

7. Josh van der Flier (128)

8. Caelan Doris (68)

Replacements:

16. Dan Sheehan (47)

17. Jack Boyle (6)

18. Tadhg Furlong (134)

19. Ross Molony (165)

20. Scott Penny (60)

21. Fintan Gunne (0)

22. Ross Byrne (149)

23. Ciarán Frawley (71)

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379516#Comment_121379516

127 caps for 19 year old Sam prendergast is impressive.

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379277#Comment_121379277

Cant see them getting a lock with Big Joe around, holding onto Jenkins might be the best option

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379516#Comment_121379516

Very interested to see how Clarkson goes in such a strong pack. It feels make-or-break for him.

Must love hardship

Great to give prendergast a start with the strong team around him. Hopefully JGP gives him the ball now and doesn't try and mind him and take too much on like Crowley v Auatralia.

Also makes sense to be able to bring in Fintan gunne for his debut with Ross Byrne outside him.. looking forward to seeing Gunne at this level. Thought he was excellent at times for the u'20's.

Podge_irl

Jesus I'm excited to see Prendergast in that team.

CORMACREYN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379537#Comment_121379537

He's really being fast-tracked.

Juventu4

That is a way stronger Leinster team than I expected

Buer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379557#Comment_121379557

I would imagine their hand was forced on Gunne. With Luke McGrath out for a sustained period and Foley having injured his shoulder, the sensible move would be to get minutes into Ben Murphy as he might be needed for European rugby. But Murphy landed very heavily when trying to prevent the Dragons try, his head colliding with the ground and was led off the pitch. I was surprised he didn't appear on the injury report.

I wouldn't be surprised if he is a bit shook up from it and they want to make sure he's available for the bigger games on the horizon; they won't have JGP starting two interpros followed by two European games. McGrath is out until Christmas and it's not too clear on how long Foley will be out for; he looked fairly dejected coming off last weekend.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379950#Comment_121379950

They tend not to release injury updates on academy players, hence why there was likely no mention of Ben Murphy this week.

Dubinusa

Holy lambshanks! Very strong side. Boyle getting another go. Congrats to Gunne! Was not expecting this side.

Getting lads back in must be an art. The disruption must me a serious pain in the arse.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379277#Comment_121379277

I would like to get Marty back. But he really is an injury prone lad. Lood would be nice. Vay nice, but expensive. I suppose the consensus is that Clarkson is not up to it nor, does he look like he's ever going to be at a very high level. Consensus being here on this forum.

I don't think Jenkins is ideal either. Maybe making an offer for Ultan Dillane? I'd rate Dillane higher than Jenkins.

Dubinusa

Just noticed that Baird isn't involved. Nor HB! They are probably in line to start next week?

TRC10

No idea how Larmour is still getting picked on current form. Rob Russell is really getting a bit of a raw deal.

Buer

Marty Moore is 33 in the spring and isn't capable of playing the game that Leinster play. Aside from his injury issues, he's simply too slow around the park and I doubt that's going to change at this point. Talent wise, he was a great player. Smart, strong scrummager, a breakdown threat (once upon a time anyway) and was generally ok around the park. But I think injuries and his move to England did little for him in terms of developing his game or putting a big focus on conditioning for him.

He'd be a back up player for Leinster at best but I wouldn't have him ahead of Ala'alatoa if he was here. Same as Jager, if we're going to sign someone to replace Ala'alatoa, the minimum standard should be for them to be as good as he is (plus Ala'alatoa has a brilliant injury record with 50 appearances in blue already).

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121379087#Comment_121379087

Yeah, that's a very fair point

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121380257#Comment_121380257

Doubtful on HB. If he's due to start next week, he would be on the bench at least.

I'd say that Deegan has played himself into the team after a few great weeks so that could go either way next week.

Exclamation Marc

If the referee wants to speak to a captain, is he going to have to call them both over? Or just one? And which one? The nearest one?

The co-captain thing seems a bit nonsensical. Surely the point of a captain is to have a deciding vote on things.

jonok28

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121380235#Comment_121380235

I would love to see Marty back at Leinster but I will have to agree with you and @Buer , the injury history and his play style probably write his chances of a return off completely.

I really like Ultan Dillane and wanted him at Leinster before he made the move to La Rochelle but I think Leinster require a bulkier, bruiser of a second row to compete with the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Will Skelton, Emmanuel Meafou, Romain Taofifénua and RG Snyman. For me, Lood De Jager would be the ideal signing.

Lood De Jager would indeed cost a pretty penny and if there was another player of similar quality, size and talent available for less I would choose that person but I firmly believe he has what it takes to push Leinster over the top. Jenkins was meant to be that player but he just hasn't lived up to what Leinster wanted him to be.

De Jager probably is out of Leinsters' price range that they would be comfortable paying but it is essential for Leinster to strengthen at LH and TH prop and bring in a quality lock. They are losing a vast amount of experience at prop and are playing with fire if they don't replace Jenkins with an upgrade.