Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Carberry thought the game time was in the wrong position.

Only got to watching the game this morning. Good lord that was an absolute pasting but about par the course for what the gulf in class of the teams were.

There were some positives to take which is what I like to focus on.

But I'll start with saying that I think Craig Evans probably made the scoreline 20 points or so further in the favour of the Bulls. No way in hell he influenced the result but he was very laissez-faire with certain elements and irritatingly nit pickey on others. The Bulls can feel relieved at certain calls or non calls. But we could have had any ref out there and the scoreline would have been extremely one sided still.

If you showed me the stats without the scoreline, I'd be able to predict it fairly well I reckon. 821m gained for the bulls, 242 passes and only 64 tackles paints the picture of a team that dominated. Leinster having to make 190 tackles not counting the 30 odd missed is just crazy numbers. 70:30 possession in favour of the Bulls.

So not for lack of trying, but we just dominated by a much more physical, better organised team. Interesting our starting pack was heavier than the Bulls. Goes to show that power =/= mass in every case.

It really went to pot when we lost Brownlee, Cograve and TOB in extremely quick succession. All discernible shape in the midfield was just lost. And it rained tries. But on the positive side we shored it up and kept them scoreless in the last 20.

I loved Mikey Milnes cameo though. On. Linebreak. Try. Goes off. Refuses to elaborate. Really went up in stock in my eyes this tour.

Brownlee and Turner have the makings of a decent centre partnership. Brownlee at 20 years old did quite well in a punishing position against some seasoned pros. But I saw flashes of leadership about Turner that we desperately needed. He's become and important squad player for us and continues to build on his role. A very endearing player.

Real pity to see TOB getting injured. Will keenly be looking out for the injury update today. Hopefully not a bad one. I don't think he's a winger however. I think he will play his best rugby in the centre. But he had some nice cameos on the day.

I was really impressed with Will Connors. Was one of extremely few players who looked to match the physicality and succeeded. His tackling prowess is well documented but my god he's a super player.

I liked the edge that Soroka brings. But it was probably a step too far to ask him to play the enforcer type second row role of him. Probably not where his greatest strengths lie.

Prendergast had a game that obviously wont grab the plaudits that last week did. But I do think he's at least comfortable at this level which is great to see. A huge array of skills and I see literally zero reason why he wont be playing in the RWC. Playing him offers Ireland a luxury of bringing 2 players in a different position as we clearly need only 1 10 with him in situ.

Tadgh McElroy I think can consider himself above Lee Barron now also. Barron has one year left in the academy but I have my doubts he's going to make it at this level.

I gotta say I was disappointed with our supposed leaders too. Byrne, Deegan, McCarthy and Kearney really needed to step up and be more visible and impactful. Can't say I saw it enough.

I'm unfortunately going to single McCarthy out in particular. At 28 he's an experienced 9 with the guts of 100 pro appearances to his name. He's got to be taking on more. He's in a pivotal position with inexperience all around him. I have seen so little control, leadership or accountability from him time and again. Look at what Luke brings. He's played on teams of similar experience and controlled it. He's taken pressure off young half backs. Compare it to the likes of Blade and Casey too. Do you think they'd be so meek in the face of such a challenge? Where is he to keep the defence honest in the fringes? A maddening player to watch sometimes. Keep in mind Nick captained the U20s too. Leadership doesn't sit on some peoples shoulders. But at some point in Nicks career it did.

Was Larmour injured or ill for the Leicester game?

I presume he comes in for Lowe with Jimmy switching wings.

Apart from that I suppose it all depends on if vdf and or Baird are fit.

"I think he will play his best rugby in the centre."

Do you see TOB as an inside or outside centre? I wonder if he has the size to play inside centre with some of the monsters in that position.

Lowe ruled out of Toulouse clash while VDF and Baird remain doubts https://the42.ie/6051712

Assuming none of those who are in the injury update are available we're likely looking at

Porter, Sheehan, Furlong

Ryan, Jenkins

Doris, Conan, Penny

JGP, Ross

Henshaw, Ringrose,

JOB, Keenan, Larmour

McKee, Healy, Ala'alatoa, Molony, Connors, Luke, Harry, Frawley

Still an excellent team. But I'd for sure feel better if Lowe and Josh were in it