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

Not a bad signing at all if he can prove his fitness. He's a big lump who is mobile and has hands. He could fit Leinster quite well.

From the little I've seen, I'd say he's Quinn Roux with better handling. Leinster have a significant gap and might even need to recruit another lock in the next year. But you cut your cloth accordingly. I doubt money is plentiful at the moment and he's not going to cost much based on his current situation.

The big call out for Leinster in the last year has been more power in the pack. We can hardly complain when we sign a lock who is the guts of 20 stone.

Leinster second rows for next season were shaping up to be

Ryan (questionable durability last 12 months)

Maloney (questionable physicality for top level rugby, one of the few Leinster 23 not in Irish shake up)

Baird (highly promising athlete, looks a bit to go)

Two academy lads deeney and maccarthy

Assuming toner finishes up and Jack Dunne and Charlie Ryan move on.

Munster signed Jenkins when they had

Bierne - lion, snyman - SA star, klyn - Irish capped and good age profile, wycherly, ahern

He's a journeyed man!

He takes a one year deal every year.

Id say Baird might start. As someone pointed out he was fit last week and was one of the 24th men just hadn't trained as he was a close contact.

I wouldn't be suprised if larmour wasn't in the 23 after hobbling off at half time. Depends how the dead leg heals. Maybe Adam Byrne gets a run on the wing.

I don’t know a whole lot about Jenkins. Have seen almost nothing of him. I’m in good company in general here it would seem in that regard. I’ve no idea why so many people who know so little about the guy are so capable of coming up with such definitive opinions on him though. What’s that about?

A journeyman is someone who has been around along time and is coming towards the end of their career. Not someone who is only realistically in the middle of their career if not the early part of it for a second row.

Yes he’s moved around a lot by dent of the fact he only seems to do one year contracts. He is not experienced enough to call a journeyman yet though.

This week should be a formality. I wonder if Sexton will even have a role? Bath won't have much interest.

But, the entire tournament and format have been upended. The way that teams are punished for the covid cases is mad! I think the tournament would be better if the group stage was held during one month. All four matches, or if it returns to the previous format. 6 weeks.

I'm taking nothing for granted against Bath. I was at the Rec in 2018 when Leinster were overwhelming favourites. We barely squeaked past them thanks to Larmour intercepting a pass on halfway and running under the posts to score.

Bath aren't as good this time around, but did win their last game in the Premiership and put in half a performance against La Rochelle. I'd rather Leinster went all in for the game. We still need a bonus point win anyway so I'm sure we'll go for it.

The game in 2018 was in awful conditions. It had pissed rain for the whole week and did so all through the game. The pitch was in awful condition, possibly the worst I’ve ever seen for a professional game. All those issues contributed to leveling the game. As you say, that was a much better Bath team.

They were 39-0 down before they fired a shot against a completely disinterested at that point LAR team.

They are capable of scoring if defenses lapse, as they proved against us in the Aviva. That being said, this game is a formality and we should be looking to run up another big score.