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

If Milne continues his current trajectory and Boyle becomes the player we think he will, will we see Porter move back to tighthead in a couple of years?

Clarkson isn't injured. He was involved in the warm-up on Friday evening.

That's true. But for some continuity, I would not do a complete overhaul. We could start all of the international lads and they could be flat?

Why do people think Keenan won't be OK? It'll be two weeks since the England game.

What's wrong with James Ryan?

Ryan was the best second row of any side in the Six Nations. No chance he doesn't start against Ulster if he's fit.

If Leinster beat Ulster, the QF is due to take place just one week after. We'll need him ready for that game and not going into it cold.

With the squad doing the business against the Stormers there's no need for the front liners to travel to South Africa. There's three weeks between the QF and SF. That's enough time for Leinster's core players to rest and recuperate.

I'd imagine we'll see something along the lines of Byrne, McKee, Clarkson, Molony, Deeny, Ruddock, Connors, Deegan, McCarthy, Byrne, DK, Frawley, Turner, Russell, TOB as our starting line up for the Lions.

Can see Soroka, Cosgrave, MOR, Barron, Boyle and Lassisi all going down there too.

With a potential fixture list of two European games in advance and one directly afterwards, I don't think any member of the first choice 23 is going to SA although a few who faced Leicester last season went, in fairness.

I'd imagine the SA trip will be his rest. Leinster almost certainly going full strength this weekend. The only possible change I'd look at would be Healy at loosehead to go after the scrum early on, potentially. We absolutely demolished the Ulster scrum in December with Healy at loosehead before his red card even driving them off their own ball.

Would be no bad thing to have Porter coming off the bench after 50 minutes to rip into them.

Don't think I'd consider any other changes. Will be interesting to see what is deemed the first choice partnership at lock and who plays blindside. With guys like Moore and Henderson out, it's very tempting to go with Ryan, Jenkins and Baird to all start and look to turn the screw in the set piece and tight in a big way.

We brought a squad of 31 last year and I'd anticipate us doing something similar this year https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/rhys-ruddock-to-lead-leinster-rugby-in-south-africa/

Although we did bring a few more front line players who only played the first week and flew home as I recall (Kelleher might have even gotten injured before he played)

But with that I imagine we're looking at bringing:

Boyle, Byrne, Milne

Barron, McKee, McElroy

Abdaladze, Clarkson, Lasisi

Deeny, Mangan, Soroka, Molony

Connors, Culhane, Deegan, Penny, Ruddock

Murphy, McCarthy, Gunne

Prendergast, Tector

Brownlee, O'Brien, Osbourne, Turner

Cosgrave, Kearney, King, Russell

30 man squad there. Very thin on outside backs. Osborne might not travel but I'm not sure who else you put in as an outside back alternative. I don't think MOR is in the picture anymore or wont be next season.

I don't think Foley will be fit. I would still take Gunne being honest. No better way to get integrated and comfortable with the squad.

We're guaranteed without Sexton for the foreseeable (possibly forever :( ) so no point risking Harry or Frawley out there. Great chance for Tector and Prendergast.

SOB is off so I haven't included him. Hopefully Culhane can get a good chunk of minutes.

"No further update" on hamstring injuries are rarely quick affairs in Leinster usually

Game time.

We don't want to be calling on someone in late May with their last game being 24 March.