Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

13-12-2023 11:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121489908#Comment_121489908

Yeah, seeing it reported more widely now. I believe he had lung cancer.

Very sad news.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-12-2023 12:40pm

Really sad news for the Furlongs especially this close to Christmas. Would definitely explain the absence so. There'll be plenty of other Champions cup games so I hope he got some important final moments with his dad.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-12-2023 12:45pm

There are numerous pundits online now seeming to think that Sale are going to do similar to Gloucester and send the seconds over.

This would be a practical move as they're clinging on top of the Premiership (despite bizarrely having a negative points difference - the next lowest PD is Gloucester in second last place...) and they have Sarries at home 6 days later.

As with last year it is harder not to make the last 16 than to make it. I can see some pragmatic squad management afoot.

Eases my mind at Tom Clarkson potentially having to play a large chunk of the game. Could be the making of him especially with our first choice second rows scrummaging behind him

13-12-2023 12:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490292#Comment_121490292

So long as we don't pull a Munster on it and 💩 the bed like they did at the weekend against Bayonne.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-12-2023 12:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490319#Comment_121490319

Ah that wont be a problem. Frawleys clearly got bigger stones than Crowley. Only one of them were able to deliver when it mattered at the weekend ;)

13-12-2023 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490323#Comment_121490323

I'd prefer my 10 to deliver at the business end of the season ;)

Yeah_Right · 13-12-2023 1:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121486543#Comment_121486543

But what did Botia do wrong? He was running past a player who was trying to block him and he bumped into him. Must happen a dozen times every game. The fact Connors then stumbled into Byrne was a accident. Its play on. There was no foul play there.

13-12-2023 2:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490572#Comment_121490572

He accelerates right at the point of when he knows a player adjacent to him is going up to catch a high ball.

I think he did it fully knowingly that he would knock Connors into the path of the player going up to catch the ball. What the hell else is he actually trying to do there? He never even glances in the direction of the ball or makes any attempt whatsoever to catch it.

arsebiscuits1 · 13-12-2023 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490338#Comment_121490338

We'll have none of that slander in the Leinster thread!!

This is a safe space from painful memories

sydthebeat · 13-12-2023 3:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490754#Comment_121490754

He never even glances in the direction of the ball or makes any attempt whatsoever to catch it.

thats the crux of it for me. He causes the collision from being in a position to never realistically challenge for the ball. Its negligent when considering teh safety of the player in the air.

i think had it been reviewed properly there may have been a yellow card and pen.

but it wasnt, so we'll move on.

Dubinusa · 13-12-2023 3:01pm

Boxing day's tilt in Limerick is around the corner and we might have a good hand to pick from. Milne,and Luke could make their return and Soroka could make his season debut.

VayNiice · 13-12-2023 6:26pm

Delete

durthacht · 13-12-2023 6:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490895#Comment_121490895

I'd love to see Prendergast play in that game.

Yeah_Right · 13-12-2023 8:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490754#Comment_121490754

But what law did he break? You say that you think he intentionally bumped Connors into Byrne. Is bumping an opponent a penalty? How can a player be expected to know that was going to happen? Maybe Connors was at fault for being too close to Byrne's landing zone. Maybe he should have been carded.

13-12-2023 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492224#Comment_121492224

Well that's easy enough, there is a whole section on dangerous play in the lawbook

9.1

When a player and an opponent are running for the ball, neither player may charge or push the other except shoulder-to-shoulder.

9.11

Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others...

9.27.1

A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship.

This has been penalised before. There was one in a France game in the 6N I'm pretty sure where Fickou pushed an opposition player into the path of a French player jumping to catch the ball, Fickou got penalised and rightly so. Also given the way Botia was carrying on I'm not really inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt on anything.

Yeah_Right · 13-12-2023 8:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492253#Comment_121492253

Thanks. So Botia bumped Connors. It looked shoulder to shoulder. No foul. Connors was in Byrne's landing zone so was endangering Byrne. Penalty against Connors.

13-12-2023 8:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492278#Comment_121492278

Yeah, right.

clsmooth · 13-12-2023 9:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121492278#Comment_121492278

Agreed, Botia bumped Connors into Byrnes landing zone which resulted in a pretty nasty collision. I thought it was reckless and at least a penalty. Botia had already had a cheap shot on JOB a few minutes earlier.

Podge_irl · 13-12-2023 9:26pm

The ref has fairly free discretion to call anything dangerous or reckless play. If he thought Botia deliberately shoved Connors into the airborne player he'd be well within his rights to penalise and card him.

I think plenty of refs wouldn't see it that way though and I'm not exactly shocked it wasn't called out. Though I think the TMO just saying "it was his own player" was a bit reductive.

AdamD · 13-12-2023 9:57pm

Botia running at full tilt in that scenario is never in a position to do anything legal, no idea what his plan was.

scott1974 · 14-12-2023 1:17am

Full good video here :

https://youtu.be/sCoJCHiw7tE?si=CXB1vPHRHRF-w3eL

Sheep Shagger · 14-12-2023 9:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121489941#Comment_121489941

Flash sale so it's legit, they moved in to jackets yesterday at half price.

Seems they are doing a different deal each day.

jonok28 · 14-12-2023 10:10am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121490895#Comment_121490895

I've been thinking about Luke McGrath ever since he got injured. He doesn't seem to be in contention for the Ireland team with several younger prospects and established players ahead of him at this time. He is the ideal scrum half off the bench to have when JGP is in the team but I wonder at 30 about to turn 31 in February, would McGrath consider another route outside of Ireland in order to cash in a bit more and get some regular starting rugby elsewhere?

I don't want that to happen but with the likes of Fintan Gunne, Cormac Foley and Ben Murphy waiting in the wings and the potential of Nienaber wanting to bring in a potentially more versatile scrum half in order for a potential 6-2 split to work.

Plus with the new International rules, McGrath qualifies to play for Canada.

With the ability to make more money elsewhere, a chance to get back playing international rugby and a strong chance of starting, would it be something he would consider?

When healthy, he will still get a good amount of rugby at Leinster but I wonder could a move away be on the cards at the end of his contract?

clsmooth · 14-12-2023 10:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121493486#Comment_121493486

He may be the perfect Nienaber scrum half if he wants versatility. Defensively he’s excellent, could do a job in break glass situation in the outside channels and can make a break. Pity he never developed a great pass. Watching last year I thought he’d probably gotten a bit weaker if anything hitting back shoulders and lacking zip in a few of the games I paid attention to him.

Your point though is good though, at some stage we need to bring the next 9 through which is a position we’ve struggled to produce in. McGrath wasn’t trusted off the bench in the final last year so you’d have to think it’s a matter of time before they look to bring someone else in ahead of him. The minutes he’s getting might he better invested in Foley or Gunne.

I’d still like him to stay for another year or two as an experienced scrum half is useful to have around if JGP was to pick up a niggle at a key stage of the season.

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3 · 14-12-2023 11:03am

id say Luke will retire before going elsewhere.. id say he has a contract for another few seasons here.. but how they develop Gunne and Coffey as they come through will be key.

Buer · 14-12-2023 11:11am

I'm guessing that the only way Luke McGrath leaves is if he gets to 32-33 and is 4th choice. And even then, I wouldn't be surprised if he just retired relatively young.

I would imagine that he has the most capped Leinster player at the back of his mind. He's 83 caps off it at the moment and still only 30. Healy is likely to push that a little higher though.

Clo-Clo · 14-12-2023 11:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483925#Comment_121483925

For the reported money Clermont are offering him he will not be a loss, if Leinster matched his wages he would need to be a starter.

I would expect Leinster can pick up a SA front row for less than what they would of had to pay him. It was on one of the podcasts about how SA are tracking players from all over the World and have hundreds of player. Nienebar should know all these players and have options.

Playing for Leinster is a huge draw, I don't expect them to sign like a first 15 BOK, but a player in around the squad etc

Even Birch was saying last year that is what Munster should do, get a Bok who is not a huge name but can hold a scrum etc.

Clo-Clo · 14-12-2023 11:43am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121483762#Comment_121483762

Moore is on the way back from a serious injury. Was that his first big game back?

I would look at his form pre injury and he was playing well. Even in the NZ November A game he was one of the few players who came out of that game with credit.

arsebiscuits1 · 14-12-2023 11:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121493866#Comment_121493866

I refer you to this video https://youtu.be/yo6BqIuMJkQ?t=637 (72:25 match clock, 10:37 video clock)

He was on the pitch 20 minutes at this stage.

Moore has never been fit enough in his career. He's a good scrummager and little else

Hey_Ho_Lets_Go_3 · 14-12-2023 12:01pm

https://x.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1735247595541233836?s=20

Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

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