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

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  • Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭letsbefair


    the Tank would be a great replacement for Leamy



  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Decent shout Heineken semi could Leinster Munster so I doubt we'll turn over for the last round.

    Should be in the RDS though, I'd say attendance will be poor.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,472 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    What happened with Adam Byrne? Was he not supposed to play his last game for Leinster yesterday?

    Soroka MOTM while on the losing side is a bit of a rarity. Very hard to argue with it though.

    I didn't see Roos throwing punches but he was throwing scummy digs all game. There's some amount of hype about him in SA but he seems like a total scrote who did feck all against a team of kids.



  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 6,524 Mod ✭✭✭✭dregin


    What makes you think it wasn't his last game? Not sure why it would be his guaranteed last game when the season's far from over.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,472 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I meant I thought Adam Byrne was on the team sheet for yesterday but I didn't see him on the pitch. I missed the beginning of the match.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,157 ✭✭✭Serbian


    I wasn’t able to give the game my full attention, but I do recall him popping up on the screen a couple of times. He played 54 minutes and got 3 touches of the ball according to the stats, and made zero tackles, so he wasn’t featuring much by the looks of things.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    Biggest match of the season this week! Can't fuckin wait!



  • Registered Users Posts: 17,172 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    Baird and Kelleher are back in full training. Seems like we'll have a full deck to choose from in the forwards.




  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    Good news! Very nervous for this one.



  • Registered Users Posts: 6,029 ✭✭✭Former Former Former


    Baird surely won't be considered for this weekend anyway but great news.

    Having him and Ryan available will be massive if we can get to the SF



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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,952 ✭✭✭TRC10


    Anyone else think there's a good argument to start Rhys over Conan this weekend?

    He's been in much better form lately and he'd be well suited to the sort of game Leicester will bring.



  • Registered Users Posts: 10,490 ✭✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    I could see that. Conan hasn't impressed this season tbh. Ruddock brings a physicality that's above the regular starters imo.



  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,472 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I wouldn't be against it. Doris at 8 and Ruddock at 6 or vice versa?



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,106 ✭✭✭✭Interested Observer


    Conan for me every time. Possibly hasn't been as eye-catching this season but would strongly disagree that he hasn't been playing well.



  • Registered Users Posts: 882 ✭✭✭Lsdrugbyfan




  • Registered Users Posts: 160 ✭✭letsbefair


    Really looking forward to the front row battle



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,258 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    I don't think we can drop Conan nor will he be dropped. He's a game breaker and our best ball handling forward. Whilst he isn't hitting the level of performance of last season, that was when he was the Lions starting No. 8 and probably the second best 8 in Europe behind Aldritt. He's probably never going to reach that level again in his career.

    He's still our most effective carrier up front in terms of making yards around the park consistently. He hasn't had as many stand out moments in terms of big line breaks of late but what he still has a big impact around the field and gets over the gain line with almost every carry.

    I'm a big Doris fan and think his ceiling is incredibly high but he still gives away possession too regularly either through spilling the ball or the concession of penalties. It's something of a regular feature but it goes hand in hand with how he plays the game. If he ironed out those issues, I think he's potentially the best 8 in Europe in the making.

    Whilst the Leicester pack is big and extremely well drilled, they don't have the sheer power of a Toulouse/La Rochelle and, as such, I don't think Ruddock is necessary although he'd absolutely bring something to the table. I think we're better served by sticking to the high tempo game and using our forwards to move the point of contact away from the ruck as quickly as possible. And the current first choice back row is the best selection to do that.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    My worry would be the lack of minutes for Porter, Ryan. Both have been out for 2 months. Kelleher also hasn't played much recently.

    Conan will start, imo, he is a fantastic ball handler. He links up well in broken play and as mentioned by another poster, he gets over the gain line. I think he's better than Doris! Doris is powerful and strong but, he's got poor handling, imo.

    I hope we're not undercooked! This is the biggest test this season. Being away from home makes it a more difficult match. I think a good start and a fast pace will get us over the line, if everyone is firing on all cylinders.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,667 ✭✭✭arsebiscuits1


    Weird feeling after that Stormers game.

    I'm seldom filled with as much pride supporting Leinster as I was looking at those lads giving it socks and really running the second place Stormers close. But immense pride in what was ultimately a loss.

    To the uninitiated and those with lazy takes - it did seem like Leinster were throwing the game and disrespecting the competition. While there is merit in this, it doesn't tell even close to the full story.

    Leinster breeds a winning culture. To be in the squad you must buy in to that belief that it doesn't matter who you play against, you can and will go toe to toe against them because you're good enough, the coaching is good enough, the fitness is good enough and the skills are good enough.

    We saw this against the Sharks and the Stormers and the casual South African fan got a great glimpse into why Leinster is so dominant. It doesn't matter who we put out, they're going to give you a run for your money and are not there to make up numbers.

    I was surprised to see we left the likes of Cronin and Dev at home as their experience would be invaluable. But it would appear as if Leinster really wanted to lay down a challenge to those more senior people (relatively...) to step up. And boy did they. It was great to see the likes of Ed Byrne, Scott Penny, Frawley, Osborne step up when it mattered. They all showed good calmness and experience to help some of the younger ones out.

    Rhys was Rhys. Totemic. That man is incapable of anything less than a 7/10 performance and this game was an easy 9. We are so lucky to have a player of his calibre.

    The kids are alright too. Given the task was the man mountain that is Kitshoff, Clarkson and Vakh did very, very well all things considered. I know he was probably a bit gassed at this stage but he went after Vakh on his first scrum and Vakh didn't budge. Might as well have laid foundations under his feet. Lovely technique even was able to readjust and keep the strain.

    This was a tale of 3 academy tackles, all important, all very different, and all showing attitude in boatloads. Russell with his finest Tommy O'Brien impression to get their lightning fast sevens winger into touch (having already had to commit to another man 50m back - unbelievable play)

    Jamie Osborne with a scarcely believable tackle managing to scramble, scrag him and roll him to hold him up. The core strength required to do that is outstanding to see. Especially as a 20 year old.

    Alex Soroka with a last ditch effort was just top tier and really personified that unwillingness to give up.

    Cult hero Alex Soroka as he will now be referred to hitherto in articles after an impassioned and articulate motm speech. Really taken with that kid



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    I agree biscuits! Fantastic effort! These young lads have fight and passion in spades! What a place and opposition to get your 1st caps! McKie; Deeny and Barron! They have the potential to be important players for us. Osborne is another story though, they probably didn't re sign R.O.L, because of this lads ability. He will be a fixture in the future and I believe an international. Russell will get a contract, imo. He will be signed next year. I think DK will not be offered another contract and Russell will step in. Soroka.... phenomenal player in the making. I rate him equivalent to Kendellen at Munster.

    Others can say whatever they want. Leinster produce their own home based lads. They supply players to the other provinces and they supply the national squad with a lot of players. I am shocked at how well the forwards did! We talk about Penny like he's a veteran and he's still so young. He's got about 40 caps already with Leinster.

    I wonder what Ulster think of McKie's performance? I wonder if they'll try to sign him back?

    Despite James Ryan's injuries and Toner retiring, Fardy retired and still the back ups look really up for it! Murphy to Connacht and Dunne to Exeter and I feel we are strong in the 2nd row.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 882 ✭✭✭Lsdrugbyfan


    very odd Dunne didnt get a contract offer from leinster given his recent performances... Jenkins will need to hit the ground running.



  • Registered Users Posts: 13,106 ✭✭✭✭Interested Observer


    He didn't get one at all or he decided to move on anyway? It would seem very odd to not offer him a contract and then give him pretty decent gametime when he's had basically none up to now.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,394 ✭✭✭FrannoFan


    Do we know he didn't get an offer or is it a situation where he's backing his ability and wants to play more?

    He probably knows he is behind Ryan, baird, Maloney, perhaps joe McCarthy (?) Not sure of timelines on Jenkins but if it was announced could have factored in. I remember Jackman talking about Leinster wanting a lock quite a while back.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    I don't see why they'd go in for Jenkins, while allowing Dunne to leave. Jenkins has had a bad run of injury and there's little to judge him on.

    I think McCarty will be very solid in a year or so. Will Jenkins stall McCarthy? What if McCarthy is performing better in training?

    I doubt Leinster need to go out looking for anymore locks. Deeny with some playing time could develop into a very useful lock and Charlie Ryan could be a surprise. Molony has been our best lock this season, imo. He should travel to N.Z, based on performance.

    I hope Jenkins is good. Did Munster let him leave without an offer?



  • Registered Users Posts: 24,762 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Why do people keep saying “allowed Dunne to leave” as though they could have just refused to allow him to and chained him to the changing rooms. Are people aware that players are independent human beings capable of making and allowed to make their own decisions? Do any of us actually know what happened with Dunne?



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,952 ✭✭✭TRC10


    If we were looking for a lock it should have been someone at the level of Hines, Thorn or Fardy. A genuine world class operator who could be the difference between winning or losing a Heineken Cup.

    I'm not sure what we gain from the Jenkins signing. He isn't even a test quality lock and he'll just take minutes from McCarthy and Deeny. Yes he's a big unit but so are Dunne and McCarthy. If Dunne was given more game time he probably wouldn't have wanted to leave. He's been given game time lately and done well but it's too late now, he's off to Exeter.

    And as Molloy said above, Leinster can't force a player to stay if he's no longer contracted. He's his own man with his own free will. And I actually respect him a lot for stepping out of his comfort zone and taking the opportunity at Exeter. There's a lot of Leinster players who I think would be wise to take a leaf out of his book.



  • Registered Users Posts: 8,581 ✭✭✭Dubinusa


    Perhaps I should have worded it different. I think Dunne will prosper at Exeter! Jenkins will only play URC rugby. I wouldn't expect Jenkins to get past Molony, or even Baird. Dunne is unique from an Irish perspective, tall with some weight. Toner said in an article a couple of years ago, that Dunne would push on to a high level. Not in those words obviously, but that was the gist of it.

    My main point is that an Irish 2nd row is leaving! Was he offered a contract? If not, why not? Would Jenkins be on a large contract? Dunne chose to leave, obviously, and fair play to him. The idea that Dunne wasn't retained and a lad that's been available to play for 2 or 3 matches is signed drives me nuts. I hope Jenkins is good. I hope he fits in and makes the team stronger. In the long run, I think Dunne will be another Beirne or Thornbury type player who left.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,556 ✭✭✭RichieRich_89


    In terms of giving him gametime, their hand was probably forced a bit. Molony's minutes had to be managed to some degree because of all the minutes he's racked up, and Ryan, Baird and McCarthy were unavailable through injury.



  • Registered Users Posts: 12,920 ✭✭✭✭stephen_n


    There’s also a possibility Jenkins was brought in because they knew Dunne was leaving.



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  • Registered Users Posts: 882 ✭✭✭Lsdrugbyfan




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