[Hagz]

Originally Posted by Quint2010

Murphy left school in 2009. Did he not join the academy until a year later?

He joined for the 2010 - 2011 season. So he's in his third year.

[Sindri]

I'm happy enough with our squad next year. There's only two or three things that has me a bit peeved and one of those would be our Lock issue. I'm not happy we signed a young player for a year who will probably leave at the end of the season when we could have had an experienced player, one who we know could add something to the team and we'd know what we'd be getting. Someone with experience for the tight games which is something we desperately need.

I'm happy with Denton though, hopefully he comes good. I've heard good things about him but I've never seen him play. His physique strikes me as being athletic and being the type of player with good ball handling skills and will get his hands free and who'll hit rucks like a mad man. Hopefully the signing of Bent comes good too. I think it's fairly risky if we end up having to rely on him as I've seen the Hurricanes scrum this season on a few occasions and it was poor, but I trust Joe and Jono's judgement. It's good as well that him and Denton are IQ.

The only other thing I'd be worried about is our injuries in the backs. As well as that though I think teams will develop ways to deal with us this season, i.e. play a massively physical game and disrupt us and our rhythm and not allow us to get into a rhythm which I feel the likes of Clermont and Toulouse would be capable of. Our pack is fine but I also think we need more of an unpredictable factor in the backs, everything goes through Sexton and if he's targeted that makes it much much easier on the opposition to defend against us and disrupt us.

I don't think McFadden offers more in a creative sense than bashing it up the middle and I'd prefer to see Madigan playing 12 more often so we have two creative options on the field and that would make it more difficult for teams to defend against us or disrupt us as I see that that's what they'll try and do.

[Podge_irl]

Madigan at 12 really didn't work in the Glasgow semi, though it might be worth another look.

Disrupting Leinster and their rhythm is a lot easier said then done. The pack is exceptionally strong and abrasive with a stellar backrow - far more of Leinster's recent success has been down to exceptional forward work both in the traditional sense of generating quick, clean ruck ball and with the excellent handling of the forwards which allows for man points of attack. It is somewhat dependent on a big, bulky second row coming good though (I'm a big fan of Browne but wouldn't want to rely on him in a HEC knock out game). I'm slightly worried about the loss of Horgan and Fitz from the back 3 now, and the centres aren't getting any younger. Definitely some potential chinks appearing, but still a very strong squad.

[.ak]

Strangely enough, I think a high profile 12 for a year deal would suit us perfectly. I think based on rotation the likes of Macken, O'Shea, McFadden will all get a shot, but I'd like a high profile 12 to help bridge their gap. Other than that I'm happy.

I remember when HdVM, White, Strauss came to Leinster, I always was very skeptical because I didn't know anything about them. But look how they turned out. Let's hope Denton, Bent and Roux have the same effect.

[funky penguin]

Is Roux confirmed?

[.ak]

His coach at Stormers said it in an interview, but nothing official yet.

[CatFromHue]

Originally Posted by funky penguin

Is Roux confirmed?

I don't know why but Leinster are always very very slow to confirm any signings. When Mike Ross was eventually confirmed it months after it was common knowledge that he was coming. Even in the HEC QF that year I think the Sky guys were saying he was/had signed for us yet not a peep from Leinster.

[GerM]

Originally Posted by CatFromHue

I don't know why but Leinster are always very very slow to confirm any signings. When Mike Ross was eventually confirmed it months after it was common knowledge that he was coming. Even in the HEC QF that year I think the Sky guys were saying he was/had signed for us yet not a peep from Leinster.

Generally, as far as I can recall, Leinster wait until all signings are made or a number of them are made and announce them all at the same time (often along with contract extensions). I expect we won't hear of Roux being announced officially until the full squad for next season is finalised.

[[Jackass]]

Yeah for some reason Leinster like to announce everything all at once. I suppose it takes the pressure off, if they don't make announcements on players in dribs and drabs, then people wont be expecting any news on signings that may be in the pipeline, and it throws other clubs (and agents) off the scent of what they might be up to and who they're talking to.

But as per post above, it seems Peter Breen has "unoffically" confirmed it, and I'd imagine that's our lot now for the summer.

Nothing spectacular, but taking a few punts on players in the hopes of unearthing a gem.

Lest we forget that players like Contepomi, Stan Wright and Isa Nacewa were all punts at the time too, so hopefully one, if not all 3 new lads will make a massive and long term contribution to Leinster.

Slight possability of a utility back coming in, but I really hope there isn't. I'd rather stick with the lads we've got.

[Podge_irl]

Contempomi and Nacewa were hardly "punts".

[CatFromHue]

Contepomi definitely wasn't anyway.

Nacewa was a big unknown, though very talented, so could loosely be termed a punt.

[Podge_irl]

Unknown up here perhaps (I hadn't heard of him!), but he was fairly highly rated down south. 44 caps for the Blues and the ABs made serious efforts to have his Fiji cap annulled so he could play for them.

Stan Wright was a complete punt that worked out brilliantly. I remember his first game - he was awful and clearly completely unfit. Must have still been working off the dog.

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by CatFromHue

Contepomi definitely wasn't anyway.

Nacewa was a big unknown, though very talented, so could loosely be termed a punt.

I might be off here, but I think Leinster had to pay to have Nacewa released from his deal. So that's a vote of confidence.

[CatFromHue]

Yeah Nacewa was well regarded but for most of the fans up here was an unknown, wasn't an All Black, didn't play International rugby, and had never played in the Northern Hemisphere.

When you compare him to Elsom or Contepomi he could be termed, very loosely, a punt.

[[Jackass]]

Originally Posted by Podge_irl

Contempomi and Nacewa were hardly "punts".

Of course they were. Contepomi had some Guinness Premiership experience (and was relegated with Bristol, hence his move away to Leinster) and had just made his debut for Argentina, who weren't nearly the team they are now, Nacewa had come from Super14 where he had produced very little and played as a mediocre 10, and was signed as a 10.

At least in that sense that from the player they signed, Contepomi went on to be a world player of the year nominee and Nacewa arguably the best full-back in the world, I didn't hear elation at the quality of the signings when they first joined, it's what they did at Leinster that made them great.