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

He's not being signed to 'replace' anyone per se. Leo hardly went to Nucifora and said "Hey, we want to sign Ngatai to replace Ringrose" and Nucifora said "Cool". But Ngatai is a bloody good player and it's very conceivable that come the business end of the season, he's in our best XV.

I actually think it's great for Ringrose, because he'll know he needs to be on his game to keep his place in the team, which in turn is good for Ireland.

And Ringrose.

Frawley can also play 10 and 15

Good player, though 👍️

I like the sound of a Ngatai/Henshaw centre partnership, and Frawley at 10 I think could be really good.

Yes, because Leo has a history of making things about himself at the expense of the team as a whole.

Vanity signing. Jesus Christ.

If Ngati helps it will be a good signing. Frawley will be a 10, imo. Even if he just benches.

Vanity as in it's making an unnecessary signing (if Frawley doens't move to 10) just to make himself happy. Frawley and Osborne is an excellent reserve centre partnership, and there's less gametime to go around since the switch from Pro14 to URC.

I don't see the signing hurting the team overall, but it is bad news for Osborne or Frawley individually if Frawley isn't being moved.

It is very strange how loud some factions of people are calling for Frawley to be a 10 based on little or no recent evidence. A mandela like affect perhaps of a tiny faction of people calling for it and the notion gathering momentum.

Some of the same people who appear to be writing off Harry Byrne are calling for Frawley at 10. Byrne has played much better than Frawley at 10 in the last 2 seasons by virtue of actually playing in that position...

I think he might have the tools to be an excellent 10. But at present I see his ability as an Outhalf to be in the same boat as Lowry. Yes he can probably play there. But likely has a higher ceiling in a different position.

With Frawley, it's a bit of a case of the absence of negative turning into a positive. We haven't seen him play at 10, therefore we haven't seen him play badly at 10, therefore he's a good 10. It's the same logic that had people saying Ben Healy would be going to NZ this summer.

As for Ngatai, the simplest explanation is probably the right one. We have at least five backs who will have their game time curtailed ahead of the RWC, and with ROL, Hawkshaw, Adam Byrne and Conor O'Brien all gone, we'll be down to bare bones at times. The chance to sign an experienced, quality player who can hopefully be a leader when the internationals are gone would be too good to turn down.

Ok I’ll bite!

So 1.9m Harry Byrne is too slow and lacks acceleration because of his height. However 1.91m Kieran Frawley has loads of acceleration.

You do see some comical guff posted here.

I wouldn't be surprised if he looks like the best 12 in Ireland midway through his first season here. Who know what he would have done with the All Blacks if his playing career in NZ hadn't been interrupted by concussion problems.

To be honest your commentary makes me think:

a) You are mixing Harry & Ross up.

b) You have never seen Harry play

c) You have Stevie Wonder Syndrome.