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

I wouldnt have Harry for any money. He's too error prone. Ross is just Mr. Reliable..he makes few mistakes but he just doesn't have flair. I'd have Ben Healy before Harry any day. Leinster missed an opportunity to sign Owen Farrell (lights blue touch paper and stands well back)! Frawley deserves some time at 10.

While I'm at it, why hasn't Leo done the decent thing? The decision to kick to the corner cost Leinster again. Same as last year... and the year before.

Using the same tactics and expecting a different result? Who's lost the run of themselves? I counted 5 occasions when Leinster kicked to the corner for zero return. A change at the top would seem to be required...though I acknowledge the brilliant work that Leo has done and would be quite happy to see him adopt a "Director of Rugby" position rather than walking the plank.

100%

Youre right. I think this has been pointed out loads. There's a sense where everyone else is watching leinster and coming up with ways to counter them because there's a great chance they'll need to beat leinster. Where leinster doesn't know who they'll face so they can't sensibly plan for any individual team.

I fear leinster is fighting the last war by getting Snyman. They needed a huge second row to counter the likes of Skelton at Sarries and La Rochelle. But now leinster are pretty strong at second row with McCarthy and Ryan. Now leinster really needs a top tier 10, but the planning is a couple of years away for that.

You can start Frawley at 10, keep Byrne on the bench, and move Frawley to 12/15/wing when a substitution is required

This is how Crowley works to cover Centre when he starts at 10

Now leinster really needs a top tier 10, but the planning is a couple of years away for that.

I don't think it's a planning thing. Even if we wanted to, and found a good candidate, it's highly unlikely Leinster would be allowed to sign a 10 when they have the second, third and fourth choice Ireland out-halves on the books already and a promising youngster who can't get any game time.

Ross has managed to get Leinster to the final two years in a row. In reality it wasn't because of Ross the team loss at the weekend and it wasn't his fault last year either. Is he not top tier? who would you buy to replace him?

Having Ryan/Big Joe/Snyman will allow them to compete with the top French teams who have massive players they just buy in for games like this.

 Leinster have a big advantage, far more on field resources than any other team in any of the competitions they play in, more squad depth,

Do Leinster have far more on field resources when you compare to Toulouse/La Rochelle etc? Toulouse team is a squad full of the best French players and players from all over Europe. They have far less restrictions on buying in players. They can buy in players from other academies(DuPont) and I don't see how anyone could say they have less money than Leinster?

Im not sure any of the above is any different for the top teams, I don't get the Leinster have more flexibility? that doesn't make sense to me and not sure what the point is. If a Toulouse has a serious injury with a player they can just go out an buy someone. Leinster in reality will have to look within the squad or academy to replace that player.

Saying a French club has less flexibility over Leinster and the IRFU model doesn't seem correct to me.

The decision to take or not take the kicks was a decision not made by Ross, that was a team and coaching decision. They took the kicks as well

Kick more aggressively? maybe.

So who would you sign to replace him?

He very rarely plays 10 is my understanding and I don't think I have ever seen him player 10

He is been signed for centre/fullback/wing

With JOB out injured this season and now for a few seasons, Leinster have been light on options at wing

It’s a captains decision and the kicks were not a sure 3 points by any stretch. He did well in many aspects of play but seems to get the over scrutiny associated with the 10 jersey as witnessed by this Board discussion around Frawley / Harry B / Sam P

In other news, the fixtures for next season have been confirmed.

Leinsters first game at their new home is against Dragons.

Yeah and before that they played sarries and in each of those finals there was a weakness in theinster not having any huge second rows. Now they're pretty well stocked with the addition of McCarthy which is a significant step forward.

The had sexton as first choice and Byrne as cover. Now it's Byrne as forst choicen and frawley as cover. That's a significant step backwards.

In the meantime they have hoped Harry would come through as first choice but he hasn't. Frawley is a grand utility player but isn't first choice 10 either. So they bet on good options which haven't worked, fair enough. But I don't know if second row is the problem anymore. Hence I fear they're fighting the last war.

Leinster's fixtures in South Africa are right after next seasons Six Nations. The tournament ends on the 15th of March and Leinster play the Bulls on the 22nd and the Sharks on the 29th.

So there's no chance you'll see any of the front liners taking part in those fixtures.