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

Ireland don't produce many players with the frame to play th lock, it's a shame to lose one of the few from the system. As a Connacht fan I'm quite disappointed, I hope we made him an offer. Exeter could be a great move for him though, not many clubs I'd trust more to develop a young player. Hopefully he has a few good years there and comes back to Ireland a better player.

Fingers crossed Jack dunne becomes the next Leo Cullen. Head over to England to a club with a great forward pack, learn lots and come back to leinster.

Don't ask much do I?? Lol

It's gonna be a blood Bath

(I'll get my coat)

Bath are seriously uncompetitive at the moment, you should easily get a TBP win over there, and they know it, and they're already knocked out, so they'll likely play their academy players the same way Montpellier did today

Exeter are in the same boat, except perhaps that there may be some backlash after the humiliation from today, and PSA is forced to pick a stronger team at home to Exeter

I read he's English qualified too, which could be a problem if he does well.

I think this is a big f*ck up from Leinster and the IRFU.

Every man and his dog knows we struggle to produce massive locks and Irish teams often come undone when faced with huge packs, and we lose Dillane and Dunne in the space of a couple of weeks.

Even if Leinster didn't fancy him, he'd have done well and Connacht and Ulster other than Henderson aren't stacked for quality locks.

Very impressive and clinical performance today, you can only play what's in front of you.

Sorry now, but what exactly do you want the IRFU to do? Leinster aren’t going to play him ahead of better players. And Dunne may not want to move to another province. He certainly isn’t going to Munster with Beirne, Kleyn, Snyman etc there. Connacht vs Exeter is an easy choice. The only realistic option is Ulster. He might be able to get into the 23 there, but it wouldn’t be certain. And it’s not like the Leinster players who have moved up have had a stellar time of it (Cooney being the exception). So the options here are very limited.

I can see it now. If Dunne looks really good for Exeter in a year or two the narrative from the Leinster-can-do-no-wrong types will be that he was injured the whole time he was here.

It wouldn't be so bad if the coaches simply judged Joe McCarthy to be a better option, and were going to back him. But I doubt that's going to happen. They'll be looking to get in an NIQ. Seven out of eight of the pack being first choice internationals for a tier one nation obviously isn't enough.

Frankly, I think McCarthy, Charlie Ryan and Deeny should also be looking for moves. It's hard to see them being nurtured through by being afforded significant minutes.

Haven’t been that impressed with Dunne when I’ve seen him over the last few years. Big lump but seemed to lack a bit of dynamism. Fingers crossed that it goes well over for him at Exeter and that he becomes an option for Ireland down the line. Plenty of time for him to develop as a second row.

This seems to be a result of the financial impact of COVID and the rejigged URC offering less opportunities for fringe players. We all breathed a sigh of relief when the likes of Furlong, Porter and Ringrose signed back up. Some players will have to make way as result.

Ryle has certainly grown into a fantastic commentator. I think he doesn't a really good job of matching his register with the excitement and importance of the moment he's commentating on.

There isn't too much to be said from yesterday's match is there? There were a couple of absolutely shocking displays of handling from people, but there was so much handling that is understandable. Why was JOB playing? We preserving Lowe, or is there a feeling he's the real deal? It's always hard to tell with Leinster.

So the Leinster starting back row made more meters than 7 teams did in total.

Connacht had the least meters made, not really surprising I suppose with all the aimless kicking.

The game yesterday has been pretty much dismissed across the board but I think there was a decent bit to take from it. Good minutes in a first choice team for Frawley, Moloney and JOB. Larmour was excellent in the first half I thought and this season has been playing really well after some mixed form previously. It was a total, 80 minute, relentless performance which you often don't see from Leinster or Irish teams in general. And the style of play that has been very evident this season, with every single player expected to handle, pass and offload, and the team in general with loads of passing options was there in spades for the full 80.

Im sorry Mrs. Nugent but he is my least favorite. of all time. ever.

"And now its Irelands turn to attack" groaaaan

he also skipped the que in the post office at Christmas. Pulled his black merc (of course) up outside on a double yellow (with the hazards flashing!)

he's a very naughty boy with a very annoying accent

Amazing how much things have changed since 2014 when that interview took place.

Francis is a Tabloid style journalist who writes for a broadsheet. He's a sensationalist and that's fine if you want lightweight rugby coverage and a bit of opinion from the old school.

If Dunne is upset by that, wait until he reads the aggressive nature of the UK rugby journalism.

I really doubt his sexual orientation is a big part of his decision to move. He's just not getting any consistent gametime at leinster so a move to another club is a very good option. Moving abroad is a brave move given the effective ban on Ireland consideration. But he has little to lose by moving abroad given he wasn't even really in serious leinster consideration.