Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

Byrne born from a different cloth at Leinster



At 18 years, 8 months and 20 days, Adam Byrne is the youngest player to ever represent the Leinster senior team. His rise to the top has been rapid, however unheralded to the same degree as that of previous teenage debutants, Luke Fitzgerald, Andrew Conway, and to a lesser extent, a one Brian O’Driscoll. Uniquely, however, Byrne, the latest addition to the seemingly endless conveyor-belt of Leinster back three rugby players, only took up the game at 16.

A former Manchester United academy member and keen Gaelic Footballer, Byrne only took up the game after being suggested to by a friend following a move to Naas from Dublin. He also cites the added incentive of missing school hours as an additional motivational factor. He joined Naas Rugby Club where he was quickly spotted by selectors for the Leinster Regional team, eventually leading to his selection for the Leinster Youths team. All this while playing a year above his actual age group. He credits playing the extra year of Leinster Youths rugby as an serious advantage in terms of developing his skill set on the pitch and physique in the gym. One assumes it is modesty which prevents him from acknowledging that in order to play a year above your actual age group, you have to be quite talented to begin with.

Incredibly it is just five months ago that Byrne was training and playing with the Leinster under-19s side. Byrne thinks that his omission from the under-20s squad led him to play in the under-19s Interprovincial Series with what he described as ‘’a kind of chip on his shoulder’’. A strong performance for the 19s was rewarded with a place in the Sub Academy, which was in many ways the spring board of his current success.

His first involvement with the senior side came when the team travelled to Ravenhill to face high flying Ulster. He got the call from Joe Schmidt on Wednesday. He explained how the conversation began cordially enough, with Schmidt asking how his exams were going, whether he had an exam the following day, and would it be possible for him to come to some of the Captain’s run the following day because ‘’oh yeah, you’re on the bench on Friday night.’’ At first he thought it was a joke and went as far phoning one of the Strength and Conditioning coaches to confirm that the phone call he received was from the man himself. A precaution which received some stick from the senior players.

He did not in fact make his debut that night and while he is not saying that he didn’t want to play, he was happier that he didn’t because he felt that he may have been exposed due to his lack of preparation and familiarity with the team’s patterns. Ten days later, when the side met Connacht in the RDS, he was again named on the bench. This time, he was chomping at the bit to get on. He recalls just looking at the clock, thinking ‘’Put me on, put me on, please put me on.’’ He was surprised by how quickly he settled into the game. ‘’It’s actually much more relaxed than you’d think,’’ he claims, ‘’Ian Madigan was just there calling moves and throwing the ball around.’’ The night finished with him singing ‘’I Got A Feeling’’ by the Black Eyed Pees, in celebration of his first appearance.

With respect to the future, the second year engineering student isn’t getting ahead of himself. He unfortunately broke his ankle recently and his main aim is to recover for selection for the Under-20 World Cup which takes place this summer in France. He is aware of the element of luck that was involved in his selection for the senior team and suggests that he is aware he may not play for them again for a while due to the return of various players to fitness. However there’s no doubt that this talented young player will be faced with plenty more chances in the future.

Collidge Breeze Past Ballymena



A strong UCD side overcame a limited Ballymena outfit in the UCD Bowl on Saturday, scoring some fantastic team tries in wet and windy conditions.

The home side had the better of the early exchanges, with loose head James Tracy and openside Mark McGroarty affecting a choke tackle resulting in a scrum for the home side. From the resulting play, fullback Andrew Boyle made an excellent line break, the ball was recycled and the forwards were used for a midfield hit up, Ballymena infringed in a very cynical fashion, killing the ball, and James Thornton slotted the resulting penalty to make it 3-0 inside the first 10 minutes.

Ballymena immediately had a chance to equalise after Shane Grannell infringed at the restart, however they failed to capitalise. Poor kicking, both at goal and for field position, was a characteristic of Ballymena’s play throughout the first half.

The first half was largely characterised by UCD’s high tempo running game. They kicked the ball only 10 times in the opening 40 minutes. This high tempo approach, coupled with excellent passing from Thornton, Lynch, and Kelly, meant that line breaks were aplenty in the first half. When captain Risteard Byrne ran 60 metres, further pressure led to UCD’s second penalty, which Thornton converted for a 6-0 lead. Ballymena eventually got off the mark, after 18 minutes, when Mark McGroarty was penalised for an overly exuberant tackle, which lead to play being stopped and a concussion assessment.

The score was well poised at 6-3 when UCD finally got the break through their ambitious play during the opening quarter deserved. Conor Gilsenan secured Thorton’s restart, the ball broke for McGroarty, who carried strongly into the centre of the Ballymena defence, breaking two tackles before being stopped. The ball was moved right and Thornton threw a beautiful pass to Danny Kenny, which put him on an outside arc, his fast hands allowed the ball to be moved on the Sam Coghlan Murray, who scored in the corner. Thornton’s touchline conversion made it 13-3.

Things would only worsen for Ballymena, who lost outhalf Rory Drysdale to the sin bin, for a deliberate knock on. UCD could sense there were more scores out there with their opponents reduced in number. However four times they entered Ballymena’s 22, and failed to score; they were guilty of trying to force the passes, much to the frustration of coach Bobby Byrne.

Winger Barry Daly did manage to score just before half time, again it was down to UCD building the phases and not trying things that weren’t on. The conversion was missed, and Collidge lead 18-3 at half time.

A more spirited Ballymena appeared for the second half. However while they enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, their passing was far too lateral, and UCD were more than up for the physical battle on the gainline. Ballymena’s one period of sustained pressure five yards from the UCD line, eventually ended when second row Shane Grannell won a penalty for not realising.

After failing to score following such a long period of pressure Ballymena’s spirits began to rapidly drop, they lost number 8 Matthew Rea to the sin bin for an off the ball tackle following Danny Kenny’s 50 metre break. From the resulting penalty, UCD went down the touchline, Emmet MacMahon claimed the lineout, McGroarty was used as first receiver, his pass was excellent and meant that Sam Coghlan Murray had plenty of space to use his fleet feet, to score his second. The two points were added by the inform Thornton.

The bonus point was secured following an excellent break up the wing but Coghlan Murray, who kicked infield for the onrushing Gilsenan to score under the posts.

A comprehensive and thoroughly deserved win for the home side who showed excellent defensive discipline throughout.

UCD: Andy Boyle, Sam Coghlan Murray, Alex Kelly, David Lynch (Stephen Murphy 60mins), Barry Daly, James Thornton, Jamie Glynn (Rob Shanley 60mins) , James Tracy, Risteard Byrne, Kieran Moloney (Rory Harrison ht) Shane Grannell (Brian Cawley 60mins) Emmet MacMahon (Shane Grannell 72mins) Conor Gilsenan Mark McGroarty (Adam Clarkin 60mins) Danny Kenny.

-Conall Devlin