Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

The other provinces do moan about the goodies in the Leinster system. There's no doubt that Leinster prop up the national team and to some extent, the other provinces.

With so many absent so frequently, it's pretty amazing that Leinster are able to absorb the disruption and be a top end team.

Many eyed provincial gluttons have their hopes on the Leinster squad. The transfer listing coming up should prove that.

It's a fact that Leinster do have advantages. And it's good for the national team but, me, being one eyed hate to lose players to any other province. That's just me.

How long before there's cries for Boyle or Paddy Mc to ply their trade elsewhere?

Lol!! Let's do that! A little env there.

Would be fun, not for me tho as I'm a Leinster man. Doesn't mean I can't see the big picture and get annoyed at Leinster fans whining like spoiled brats.

This geographic idea while thoughtful, does not hold water, imo. Seriously, Australia has over 125 k adults playing rugby....

How come the kiwis, with a relatively small population are so strong year after year?

I think the tides turning. Looking at the u20's, there's only one Leinsterman in the back row and he's in the Ulster academy. Ulster have produced the best u20 player, imo for this year's u20's. Ward for me is a fantastic prospect! Munster have produced better back rows than Leinster in recent years. So yep, the schools do produce players and so forth but, the level of players coming out of the other provinces is as good in certain positions, if not better.

Interesting to see that the traditional schools are not as dominant as they used to be. Naughton is from Kilkenny, there's 3 lads from Bray and a couple from St Mary's.

I wasn’t referring to demographics tho’. It’s about a dozen schools with an enrolment of maybe 5 or 6000 kids. They produce the lions share of Leinster players and it has very little to with anything Leinster (rather than the IRFU) are doing. Say what you like about culture or demographics but Leinster have a magic lantern dropping highly developed young players into thei lap and fans should at least consider that as fortunate when they whine about the sacrifices Leinster make for their poorer cousins. It’s a bad sad look.

Bo**ox. Your point was that Leinster give up continuity and coherence due to their oversized contributions to team Ireland and that has cost them European cups. It’s the equivalent of regarding yourself as a slave for all the work you do because you don’t consider your wages to be relevant compensation.

I’m from Leinster, I just object to ‘fans’ whining about how Leinster get the short end of the stick when they’re literally to the manor born. It’s a very well organised club, great coaches and a positive if limited culture (limit exhibited well in this exchange) but the foundation is the assembly line of school kids being pumped out every year. I watched a few of the schools matches and the U20 games and you’d be hard pressed to inherit those players and not be great. As for Leinster’s work in the schools, that is relatively new. I attended one of the better schools (rugbywise) and I don’t believe I heard of Leinster rugby at the time, before professionalism. It came up if we played at Donnybrook or won something but that was it. As I said earlier, the structures and success of Irish rugby is largely down to decisions made at the union level over the past 3 decades, provincial administrative culture flows from that. Provinces have themselves succeeded and failed at their own initiative but the foundation for success has come from the top. The idea that Leinster contributes unreasonably given the benefits they accrue from the system is wildly self absorbed.

I disagree with you. Of course the schools system is class and does produce talent. The work that goes into scouting, training and prepping these lads is brilliant. How many school players get into Leinsters sub academy? Would you not agree that this area of scouting is good? Bear in mind, Leinster clubs are producing quality too! All under the supervision of the branch. Ronan Foxe being a good example or Fionn Gibbons.

I fail to see this as a gift. Honestly, the work that goes in, the scouting and the ability to identify players is an artwork.

If Leinster have such a gift, how come no Leinster hurling team can win the A.I? Bigger population, more counties etc, and yet they suck!

I wouldnt accuse leinster of that all tbh. Theyre doing/did a lot more than munster were doing for quite a long time. Leinster are very much reliant on the schools system or at least relying on a very small number of schools to produce most of their players.

The dwvelopment officers. Are they there to produce pros or get more playing and help that?

Did anyone watch the friendly v Sarries?

@Dubinusa last time I visited Kilkenny was in Leinster and own the hurling AI. Dubs dominate football and won the hurling league in the mid teens, from nowhere. Hurling is a lot more popular these days than it’s ever been in Dublin. Population and wealth density means a lot in sport, check out swimming, cricket, tennis, etc. Leinster over represented across the board, to do with resource and population concentration. Same goes for lawyers, journalists, doctors unsurprisingly.

I did mention Gibbons! I did mention Foxe! So yea, South Dublin is not the only source for Leinster players. I'm also a Northsider! No ties to the South Dublin tribes. I've no idea what you're trying to imply! Of course the rugby stock has Leinster men from outside the pale. Absolutely love that Leinster scour the counties for talent! I'm so LEINSTER insulated!

Swap you Kilkenny for Limerick & it's a deal.

Kilkenny have not won in yonks. Besides, no other Leinster County fare well in the A.I. Leinster hurling isn't as strong as Munster. I'm alluding to the demographic claims that Leinster rugby have all the cards! If population is a factor for rugby success, why aren't France more successful?

Rugby thread indeed. Bought to its knees by provincial fans sniping.

Of course they will. Does that work only due to the demographics? Scouting would not be considered? Training and management?

The schools for training! Leinster underage staff for scouting, identifying potential players. There's only so many lads who will progress and Leinster have consistently hit it out when selecting players.

On the point of u20's! 2021was a year that had good representation from all the provinces. This year also, if we're counting former Leinster players who switched over to another province, not so much. But it's fair to say that Ulster and Munster have stepped up brilliantly over the last few years. Regardless of Leinster's advantages.