Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Serbian

Ross Byrne's omission is pretty harsh. I think we're all agreed that Harry Byrne has shown a lot of potential and could usurp his brother as our first choice 10, but he's definitely not delivering on that potential right now. Ross has guided Leinster through plenty of tough games this season and seasons gone, the Exeter game is a real standout and he was also excellent in the league final, in contrast with Carbery who was absolutely dire in that game defensively. None of the other selected 10 have delivered to Ross' level with their clubs.

Clegg

I think Ross is a competent player and has never let Leinster down. I also think test level is probably a step too far for him. I don't think he has the ability that influence the game against the highest level of opposition when Leinster or Ireland don't have it all their own way.

Or he could just be injured. I don't think he's 100% fit and probably would have been rested by Cullen had any of our other 10's been available.

Exclamation Marc

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Get better at passing?

Of course. But I mean after all this game time and chances to improve enough to get into the team, he hasn't.

durthacht

Serbian wrote: »

Ross Byrne's omission is pretty harsh. I think we're all agreed that Harry Byrne has shown a lot of potential and could usurp his brother as our first choice 10, but he's definitely not delivering on that potential right now. Ross has guided Leinster through plenty of tough games this season and seasons gone, the Exeter game is a real standout and he was also excellent in the league final, in contrast with Carbery who was absolutely dire in that game defensively. None of the other selected 10 have delivered to Ross' level with their clubs.

R Byrne is injured (ankle).

Thrashssacre

I wonder if kelleher ends up staying with the lion's due to an injury to one of the other hookers would Andy take a punt on Dan Sheehan very raw but the other options while safe don't inspire much potential of being future consistent internationals.

Thrashssacre

Thrashssacre wrote: »

I wonder if kelleher ends up staying with the lion's due to an injury to one of the other hookers would Andy take a punt on Dan Sheehan very raw but the other options while safe don't inspire much future of being future consistent internationals.

That would be ideal

Quin_Dub

Thrashssacre wrote: »

I wonder if kelleher ends up staying with the lion's due to an injury to one of the other hookers would Andy take a punt on Dan Sheehan very raw but the other options while safe don't inspire much potential of being future consistent internationals.

That's a thought in the wider context - Given that Kelleher , Ringrose and Keenan would be amongst the "next cab off the rank" group as they describe it - Who would be the equivalents for the Irish Panel if any of them were to be called up?

Hume in the centre perhaps , Not sure about back three option for Keenan.

molloyjh

Quin_Dub wrote: »

That's a thought in the wider context - Given that Kelleher , Ringrose and Keenan would be amongst the "next cab off the rank" group as they describe it - Who would be the equivalents for the Irish Panel if any of them were to be called up?

Hume in the centre perhaps , Not sure about back three option for Keenan.

Lowry?

aloooof

The squad named seems like it's big enough to cover for that eventuality, especially given it's only 2 games, but for FB possibly one of Zebo, Lowry or Haley?

Richie_Rich89

aloooof wrote: »

The squad named seems like it's big enough to cover for that eventuality, especially given it's only 2 games, but for FB possibly one of Zebo, Lowry or Haley?

I think I would go for Jack Kelly.

hirondelle

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

I think I would go for Jack Kelly.

Surely he is past it and we need to invest in the youth?

Serbian

durthacht wrote: »

R Byrne is injured (ankle).

Fair, I assumed he was ok since he played on Friday, but that makes sense.

aloooof wrote: »

The squad named seems like it's big enough to cover for that eventuality, especially given it's only 2 games, but for FB possibly one of Zebo, Lowry or Haley?

Haley for me, I'm a fan.

Teferi

Clegg wrote: »

I think Ross is a competent player and has never let Leinster down. I also think test level is probably a step too far for him. I don't think he has the ability that influence the game against the highest level of opposition when Leinster or Ireland don't have it all their own way.

+1 on this. A very high quality provincial player but struggles at the very top, especially when his pack isn't dominant.

VANG1

We are still waiting for a new messiah

Stout Warrior

Teferi wrote: »

+1 on this. A very high quality provincial player but struggles at the very top, especially when his pack isn't dominant.

There is a narrative started by some on this board. Yes Ross is unathletic is he a bad outhalf at the top? He won us the game in Exeter - one of Leinster greatest comebacks ever and a game that saved Cullens bacon.

I don’t believe the narrative trotted out by some here. Maybe the people trotting it out were only average players themselves. Maybe they come from places where mediocrity is lauded.

Look at Ringrose - not selected by Gatland despite the insistence of those very same people that he is one of Ireland’s very best players. He is the very definition of mediocre as evidenced by his exclusion.

Things are biased in here and people aren’t removed enough to see it and go along with it. The narrative and criticism of players is attempted with objectivity but essentially they are self preservers.

Former Former Former

Stout Warrior wrote: »

There is a narrative started by some on this board. Yes Ross is unathletic is he a bad outhalf at the top? He won us the game in Exeter - one of Leinster greatest comebacks ever and a game that saved Cullens bacon.

I don’t believe the narrative trotted out by some here. Maybe the people trotting it out were only average players themselves. Maybe they come from places where mediocrity is lauded.

Look at Ringrose - not selected by Gatland despite the insistence of those very same people that he is one of Ireland’s very best players. He is the very definition of mediocre as evidenced by his exclusion.

Things are biased in here and people aren’t removed enough to see it and go along with it. The narrative and criticism of players is attempted with objectivity but essentially they are self preservers.

Ross Byrne won us the game?? You're literally the first person I've heard suggest this.

"Saving Leo's bacon" implies he would have been sacked if we hadn't won. That's nonsense.

Ross Byrne is a very competent out-half with a lot of great qualities but a test-level player he is not.

Serbian

Stout Warrior wrote: »

Look at Ringrose - not selected by Gatland despite the insistence of those very same people that he is one of Ireland’s very best players. He is the very definition of mediocre as evidenced by his exclusion.

What even is this post? Not getting selected for the Lions defines mediocrity? It's the opposite. Being selected for the Lions proves you're the very best, it's something that's exceptionally difficult to achieve and Ringrose was close. He's a top player — maybe not in the top 4 or 5 in the northern hemisphere — but that doesn't make him mediocre, not by a long shot.

salmocab

Serbian wrote: »

What even is this post? Not getting selected for the Lions defines mediocrity? It's the opposite. Being selected for the Lions proves you're the very best, it's something that's exceptionally difficult to achieve and Ringrose was close. He's a top player — maybe not in the top 4 or 5 in the northern hemisphere — but that doesn't make him mediocre, not by a long shot.

Also Aki can get in the Lions but not the Irish team ahead of aRingrose so does that mean sometimes one is better than the other or neither are top players, or if Aki is a top player for going with the Lions but Ringrose is ahead of him then Ringrose is a top top player. It could be that the poster had been posting rubbish of course.

TRC10

salmocab wrote: »

Also Aki can get in the Lions but not the Irish team ahead of aRingrose so does that mean sometimes one is better than the other or neither are top players, or if Aki is a top player for going with the Lions but Ringrose is ahead of him then Ringrose is a top top player. It could be that the poster had been posting rubbish of course.

All 3 are top players. We're very lucky to have 3 top centres. Lions selections aren't black and white. There's a multitude of reasons why a player like Ringrose may not have made the cut. Chris Harris and Elliot Daly are hardly better 13s than Ringrose, however Gatland clearly values the attributes they offer over what Ringrose offers. There's also the fact that Ringrose's form this season has been below the standard he's set himself. The notion that this makes Ringrose a "medicore" player is a complete nonsense.

Stout Warrior

Serbian wrote: »

What even is this post? Not getting selected for the Lions defines mediocrity? It's the opposite. Being selected for the Lions proves you're the very best, it's something that's exceptionally difficult to achieve and Ringrose was close. He's a top player — maybe not in the top 4 or 5 in the northern hemisphere — but that doesn't make him mediocre, not by a long shot.

It doesn’t mean he is ordinary in general. It means he is ordinary compared to the centres selected ahead of him. Apologies for not clarifying.

Stout Warrior

salmocab wrote: »

Also Aki can get in the Lions but not the Irish team ahead of aRingrose so does that mean sometimes one is better than the other or neither are top players, or if Aki is a top player for going with the Lions but Ringrose is ahead of him then Ringrose is a top top player. It could be that the poster had been posting rubbish of course.

Thank you. You raise an interesting question was it horses for courses selection vs springboks or was it a simple difference of opinion by Farrell vs Gatland on who are better players. Probably a bit of both.

Nonetheless it raises question marks over the over the top adulation Ringrose receives on here and across the island. We are a simple people led by simpletons most of the time in this country but some of us can see the wood from the trees and call out group think or agreed upon opinion. Gatland agrees with me.

Save your opinions on Ross Byrnes ability for to cool your porridge. And if you want to gossip about how average a player is do it behind the privacy of your own front door. Thanks

salmocab

Stout Warrior wrote: »

Thank you. You raise an interesting question was it horses for courses selection vs springboks or was it a simple difference of opinion by Farrell vs Gatland on who are better players. Probably a bit of both.

Nonetheless it raises question marks over the over the top adulation Ringrose receives on here and across the island. We are a simple people led by simpletons most of the time in this country but some of us can see the wood from the trees and call out group think or agreed upon opinion. Gatland agrees with me.

Save your opinions on Ross Byrnes ability for to cool your porridge. And if you want to gossip about how average a player is do it behind the privacy of your own front door. Thanks

Your just talking guff really but nice use of passive aggressiveness. Didn’t mentioned Ross Byrne so I imagine that’s also in your head. Conspiracy theorists always believe they can see what no one else can and are almost inevitably wrong but still lord it over who they think are simpletons whilst the simple folk just think god this is tedious nonsense.

Clegg

Ringrose went to the wrong school.

Dubinusa

I think Gatland selected a squad that best serves his plans. Ringrose did not fit those plans. A different coach may have different ideas and plans and maybe the squad make up is completely different.

Buer

Dubinusa wrote: »

I think Gatland selected a squad that best serves his plans. Ringrose did not fit those plans. A different coach may have different ideas and plans and maybe the squad make up is completely different.

I'd fully agree with this. I think any real scrutiny of the squad would support this also. For the most part, he has gone with an extremely robust, physical selection with a few exceptions notably at 8 or openside where they've gone with more mobile players. At that, Curry and Faletau are the likely selections there and neither lack for power or explosiveness.

He hasn't even selected a blindside, instead choosing to go with a number of locks who can play at 6. The front 5 is massive. Fagerson, Porter and Wyn Jones are all 120kg or above. Aki, Harris and Henshaw are all big, physical centres.

I don't think Ringrose ever came into the equation on that basis. If Gatland is looking to call up another player, Tuilagi is almost certainly going to be the next centre. The coaches already discussed that he was very close to making it but hadn't proven his fitness. I imagine Aki is travelling as the like for like replacement.

And, if they wanted a more traditional, footballing centre to travel right now, Ringrose probably doesn't deserve to be that guy. His form has been ok overall in the RC, certainly not screaming for selection. I'd comfortably say Slade has been in better form for Exeter over the past month although his vaccine stance may rule him out if an opportinity arises.

I would have taken far more issue with Ringrose not being selected in 2017 behind Jonathan Joseph despite his excellent form (the try away to Clermont springs to mind). This time around, I don't think his form over the last 6 months really has him in the conversation.

Clegg

Ringrose out of the summer tests. He has a shoulder issue which requires surgery. The injury update doesn't say if it's an injury sustained over the weekend or if it's a long standing one that is finally being rectified. Either way there's no return date yet. Could be bad for Leinster.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1405162800209596424?s=09

Burkie1203

Clegg wrote: »

Ringrose out of the summer tests. He has a shoulder issue which requires surgery. The injury update doesn't say if it's an injury sustained over the weekend or if it's a long standing one that is finally being rectified. Either way there's no return date yet. Could be bad for Leinster.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1405162800209596424?s=09

Guts of 3 months to get back to fitness. Better now then in August etc.

sydthebeat

rehab schedule wont be finalised till they see how the surgery goes.

stephen_n

Clegg wrote: »

Ringrose out of the summer tests. He has a shoulder issue which requires surgery. The injury update doesn't say if it's an injury sustained over the weekend or if it's a long standing one that is finally being rectified. Either way there's no return date yet. Could be bad for Leinster.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1405162800209596424?s=09

He definitely pulled up at one stage on Friday night holding his shoulder. Trying to stay in the defensive line but out of the way of the ball. I thought he was gone when it happened but he played on. He has had a lot of issues with his shoulders though so it could have aggravated something that was already there.

Dubinusa

Ringrose has had prior shoulder surgery! Hopefully, this is a minor procedure!