Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest
Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II
Comments
-
durkadurka wrote: »you're lucky lads. I've had a season ticket with Leinster for 4 years now and I'm not 100% sure my missus knows which team I go to watch, or which sport it is.
Def lucky. We're getting married next year and her suggestion for the honeymoon was the Lions tour. It'd be rude not to now!
Why would you fly to Nice?? Its over 6hrs from Clermont, Lyon is 2h30 & Bordeaux a bit more than 4h!
Weather wise it would be best if the away game was first up. It may be cold & wet but a lot less chances of snow or ice.
Sorry I meant Lyon obviously.....0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
This is a letter a friend asked me to write - he works a sports rag in Dubai and wanted a letter on Leinster's preseason build up. Thought I'd throw it up here, although it's really just all the stuff we've already discussed regurgitated.
The current defending three-time European champions Leinster start pre-season training under the public eye today in Greystones RFC. No doubt they'll draw a decent crowd at the popular spot, and all eyes will once again be upon Leinster when they kick off against Scarlets in the opening weekend of the Pro12 league, and once again Leinster will be forced to play with a seriously understrength team - it's becoming a speciality of this team to play against the odds during the opening weekends and still come away with points, but will it happen again?
To put things into perspective Leinster start the season without the following players due to the IRFU's Player Welfare system; Brian O'Driscoll, Fergus McFadden, Gordan D'Arcy, Rob Kearney, Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan, Jamie Heaslip, Kevin McLoughlin, Cian Healy, and Mike Ross. Now, add to that list the current injured players; Sean O'Brien, Luke Fitzgerald, Eoin O'Malley, Dave Kearney and Rhys Ruddock to name just the usual league first starters.
With such a dirge on the song sheet one must wonder what kind of plan Joe Schmidt and co have to tackle the issue. Signings haven't been fruitful this year due to ongoing talks with the IRFU over the issue of Non-Irish eligible players, yet that doesn't explain the signings Leinster have made. Four in versus the five out, and not exactly like for like replacements either. Brad Thorn has gone back to the Japanese league, White has left to go west where he'll undoubtably be a starter in the Connacht team, Ciaran Ruddock didn't cut the Mustard, Matt Berquist has answered Biarritz's prayers while the most disappointing of the leavers must be Eamonn Sherridan who flies out to Rotherham - for such a big man we all had high hopes he'd be our Jamie Roberts in disguise.
So who's replacing them? The biggest issue Leinster have had is in the second row. Thorn was an outstanding replacement for Hines and whilst their ilk are not common one would've presumed we'd fight tooth and nail to secure someone like Anthony Boric or Donnelly, instead we've signed reasonable unknowns in the form of Tom Denton (Leeds) and South African U-20s impressing Quinn Roux (stormers). The issue is with Cullen on his way out surely experience is the answer here? Maybe Leinster had a limited hand, or maybe they're looking Roux as a project, but as far as anyone can tell Roux is here for a year and then back off to the Stormers. Doesn't exactly make sense…
Michael Bent for all intensive purposes could be a like-for-like replacement for White, although nowhere near in the same category in regards to Super Rugby time - reports from Kiwi fans seem to paint Bent as a more solid scrummaging option that lacks a little pace around the fringes, it'll be interesting to see what Jono makes of him. One of the issues however is he's part of the ITM cup and we won't be seeing him in a Leinster jersey till atleast October.
Which brings me to our final signing - Andrew Goodman (Tasman). This one went under the radar, whilst the other signings were being whispered about by people close to the setup, Goodman was seemingly a total surprise to a lot of people. There's great speculation as to weather or not Goodman is the type of quality Leinster should be looking for. He been advertised as a playermaker-cum-boshing-centre, which may be exactly what Leinster need. The idea presumably is that he fills in nicely whilst Fergus, Gordan and Luke Fitzgerald are out to help the likes of Macken and O'Shea in the midfield - however, here's the kicker - Goodman is currently captaining his Tasman side in the ITM cup, which means once again this signing won't be here until atleast October. That leaves Leinster extremely light on the ground in terms of centers till atleast November, at which point the Internationals will all go back to their duty in the Autumn series. A lot of weight will be put on the shoulders of the newcomer, and what happens if Leinster suffer an injury to either Macken, O'Shea or Reid in the build up to that?
To summarize; Leinster are once again threading on thin ice when it comes to player numbers. Should they start plundering AIL teams for players to bridge the gap? It's my opinion they should not; the ITM cup is nothing to sniff at and the signings like Goodman might be another bit of tactical genius by Schmidt. The team however will need to hit the ground running with limited numbers, and this year you feel the team won't be happy to come second best in the league a fourth year in a row.
My prediction? 9 points from the first three league games, with a loss away to Scarlets.0 -
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
To summarize; Leinster are once again threading on thin ice when it comes to player numbers. Should they start plundering AIL teams for players to bridge the gap? It's my opinion they should not; the ITM cup is nothing to sniff at and the signings like Goodman might be another bit of tactical genius by Schmidt. The team however will need to hit the ground running with limited numbers, and this year you feel the team won't be happy to come second best in the league a fourth year in a row.
Just as well Madigan and Toner didn't travel to NZ.
I'm also not sure about the ITM Cup bearing in mind that Peter Borlase was the Canterbury TH prop that won the cup the year he moved to Munster.0 -
-
Just as well Madigan and Toner didn't travel to NZ.
There's always a silver lining.I'm also not sure about the ITM Cup bearing in mind that Peter Borlase was the Canterbury TH prop that won the cup the year he moved to Munster.
Yeah. It's unknown, but whilst we can't compare the ITM cup with the Pro12, I think it's fair to say it's a decent professional league and I'd rather we take players from there to paper the cracks than plunder an amateur league with possibly disastrous consequences.0 -
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
Just as well Madigan and Toner didn't travel to NZ.
I'm also not sure about the ITM Cup bearing in mind that Peter Borlase was the Canterbury TH prop that won the cup the year he moved to Munster.
I wouldn't put a huge amount of stock in front row play in the ITM Cup. Propping is a very different affair in the NH with much more emphasis and you rarely see an antipodean side particularly strong in the scrum. They're solid at best at the top level but not much below that. Very few props from NZ/Australia have come north and been a big success. Afoa is as good as I've seen and his biggest weakness is probably the scrum. He had a rough enough day in the HEC final against Healy. White was a good player but Pro12 and middle tier HEC opposition was about his standard.
The ITM Cup is superb in terms of skill levels which is where NZ have always excelled. The likes of David Holwell and Jimmy Gopperth were big NPC players. Obviously Goodman won't be in their class, they'd be internationals if they were Irish. However, they're an example of the level of outhalf that regularly plays in the tournament. I would say Troy Nathan would be a decent comparison. Not a bad player and a big bloke who can cover 10, 12 and 13 and would be a regular for one of the weaker Pro12 games.0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
![[Jackass]](https://w3.vanillicon.com/v2/3178d191648ad5d2fb7722b96c5c616c.svg)
This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement