Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Ed O'Donoghue, gone from injury to injury unfortunately.

Very lightweight lad too

funky penguin

davidpfitz wrote: »

So, Hines is off to Clermont.

I guess it given Devin Toner a good opportunity, but I was a great fan of Hines - he brought bulk and power to the pack.

As well as surprisingly soft hands. Big loss alright.

We'll definitely be signing I'd say, imagine if Cullen got injured. We'd be left with Toner, Ed, and Sheriff as the most senior 2nd rowers (although I feel like i'm forgetting someone....).

I'd love to see Kevin get more game time there, it would create a hugely dynamic 2nd row, and open up an extra space in the back-row for our conveyor-belt. Not to mention he'd play back-row in a pinch.

roycon

hines, cullen, toner,ed odonoghue, mariano galarza, trevor hogan, eoin sheriff, ciaran ruddock, mark flannagan,ben marshall, kev mclaughlin

i posted this about a month ago. here it is again with hines added to the list of names marked off

roycon

LeeroyJones wrote: »

Big loss losing Hines.
Personally I'd love to see Bob Casey come back, at the age of 32, himself and Cullen, 33, would be a strong lock pairing for at least 2 seasons.
I'm not 100% convinced with Toner or McLaughlin but those 2 seasons would be well spent letting Toner and McLaughlin prove themselves as HCup standard locks as Schmidt rotates the squad.

I dont think bob casey would really fit in with the way leinster are playing at the moment leo cullen and mike ross are already playing a different cumbersome but effective game. one more player could take it a stretch too far. people have mentioned isaac ross on here before. he would fit in well, very mobile and im sure the kiwi coach would know a lot about him. here he is briefly in action for the all blacks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA3XcbwOIgc
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Ross

I'd like someone in that mould alright. Tuohy aint leaving Ulster, Gray would be an incredible signing, but I can't see it happening.

On another note, has anyone really realised how many different backline combinations we can play 11-15 when Kearney is back?

11, 14, 15. Any of Fitz, KearneyS, Morris, Horgan, Nacewa, McFadden
12, McFadden, D'Arcy, Fitz,
13, BOD, McFadden, D'Arcy, O'Malley.

And I'm definitely forgetting players!

But these are guys who I would have no qualms playing in a HEC game, so many usable combinations there!

WeeBushy

'A' team vs. Connacht 'A' announced:

LEINSTER ‘A’:

15: Daniel Riordan
14: Niall Morris
13: Ian McKinley
12: Eamonn Sheridan
11: Dave Kearney
10: Ian Madigan
9: Paul O’Donohoe

1: Stan Wright CAPTAIN
2: Tom Sexton
3: Darren O’Reilly
4: Eoin Sheriff
5: Mark Flanagan
6: Ciaran Ruddock
7: Paul Ryan
8: Leo Auva’a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Stewart Maguire
18: Jack O’Connell
19: Stephen Keogh
20: John Cooney
21: Noel Reid
22: Darren Hudson

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/7791.php

Delighted Stan is captain! Would love to listen to his pre match talk, he's such a funny player. In a good way.

Kinda disappointed JHW is on the bench, he's for ever stuck on the bench with the 1st XV, he could have done with the game time imo.

Paul Ryan seems to have dropped off as Ryan, Ruddock etc have kicked on. Will be interesting to see how he plays.

Also would've played KMcL, he hasn't had a huge amount of rugby in the last 9 months, and they could've played him at 2nd row again to see how that works out.

Want to see more of Cooney, he has always impressed my in the AIL with UCD, even if his passing was occasionally wayward for the U20s.

Interesting that McKinley was selected at 13, with Madigan at 10, thought McKinley had over taken him at 10 over the last few weeks.

Poor aul Keogh stuck on the bench, has been such a great squad player for us. Always has come on and done a job when needed. Really important to the success of the team over the last few seasons i think, but with all the young guns firing this season his impact has been small. Hope he moves to Connacht next season and gets more 1st team rugby.

Anyways, enough rambling and more drinking!

CouchSmart

McKinley at 13? Out of the box thinking!

Hype710

Who is Darren O' Reilly?

GerM

Hype710 wrote: »

Who is Darren O' Reilly?

Captained Blackrock SCT a few years back. Would be 24 now probably. Went to England and was on the books of Esher and Quins but seems to have returned home now. Was very highly rated at underage level but fell off the radar.

smurphy29

Hines will be a tough act to follow. His combination of real power and exceptional hands makes him an invaluable player - the way he can draw tacklers and get the offload away has been so important to the way Leinster have been playing this year. Plus, he's a wholly committed player; all in, he's been one of our best players this season.

Toner will really need to up his game to convince management they don't have to get out the chequebook for next year. I wouldn't be surprised if a fairly high-profile NIQ replacement was brought in.

irishbucsfan

What happened to that Ali Williams rumour?

roycon

darren o'reilly used to me massive at schools level. captained them from no.8. didnt have the pace for backrow or the height for second row so he ended up moving into front row. been playing first division in england for a few years now.

The Rooster

I see over the last week or so they've fixed the date for Munster v Leinster. Previously they said it would be on the weekend of April 1/2/3. Now its fixed for Saturday night April 2nd, kickoff 7.30pm.

Not convenient for Dublin and Kilkenny GAA fans who also are fans of Leinster, as they have games in Croke Park on the same evening.

totallegend

The Rooster wrote: »

I see over the last week or so they've fixed the date for Munster v Leinster. Previously they said it would be on the weekend of April 1/2/3. Now its fixed for Saturday night April 2nd, kickoff 7.30pm.

Not convenient for Dublin and Kilkenny GAA fans who also are fans of Leinster, as they have games in Croke Park on the same evening.

Presumably this was entirely decided by RTE for tv purposes, much like the Good Friday game last year was decided by Setanta.

The clash with the GAA is unfortunate, but the weekend of this game was fixed long ago and the only other option was Friday evening which wouldn't make it very attractive for Leinster fans to make the trip. I'm heading down for it but had it been on the Friday, I wouldn't have.

phog

The Rooster wrote: »

I see over the last week or so they've fixed the date for Munster v Leinster. Previously they said it would be on the weekend of April 1/2/3. Now its fixed for Saturday night April 2nd, kickoff 7.30pm.

Not convenient for Dublin and Kilkenny GAA fans who also are fans of Leinster, as they have games in Croke Park on the same evening.

It's still on the same weekend as previously scheduled.

The Rooster

phog wrote: »

It's still on the same weekend as previously scheduled.

Yeah I know. Just letting people know they've now settled on the exact day and time.

CouchSmart

The A's lost today to Connacht's A team. It wasn't too strong of a team but it would've been nice to win to get a bit of momentum for the team.

Big game next Sunday against the Dragons. Hopefully we'll get to play a couple of internationals who play this week against England, perhaps the ones that haven't started every game; the likes of Sexton and Reddan.

Something like:

15. Nacewa
14. D. Kearney/Horgan
13. O'Malley
12. McFadden
11. Fitzgerald
10. Sexton
9. Boss
1. Heinke
2. Strauss
3. Wright
4. Cullen
5. Toner
6. McLoughlin
7. Ryan/Jennings
8. Ruddock

Still question marks over when Jennings and Horgan will be back, the sooner the better!

Bench might be a bit thin depending on who's available after all the internationals.

jolley123

I think Schmidt should try Kev at lock again.

GerM

Horgan said in an interview this morning he's hoping to be back in next couple of weeks. Doesn't look like he's available for next week.

[Jackass]

The departure of Hines has long been on the cards. In fact it was more or less common knowledge that it was very unlikely he'd be renewing his contract, for his age alone.

McLaughlin needs to continue in second row for now, I think that's a crucial experiment. If it doesn't work, not to worry, but if it does, it's like a big signing in it's own right.

I think there will be a big signing in the second row, especially with Leo Cullen getting on (33 next season?) and Toner just not a top level lock. Sherrif looks good with the A's but is a long way off first team quality and O'Donoghue was a poor signing. Not because he hasn't featured much, I just think he's Trevor Hogan mark II. We've moved on since those days.

I think second row will be somewhere where we'll need a long term NIQ replacement signed. Richie Gray would of course be an ideal signing, but I'm excited to see who we get. SH I'm sure.

Good time to be in the market for Southern Hempisphere players, right after a world cup...

*ahem* Rocky has played lock a fair bit....

CouchSmart

[Jackass] wrote: »

*ahem* Rocky has played lock a fair bit....

I know you're probably just saying that as a half joke but it's a definite option. He's 197cm(6ft 5.5in) - Cullen is 198cm and Hines is 201cm, just for a reference. I do wonder though if he'd be interested in being signed as a second row.

Imagine; Healy, Strauss, Wright, Rocky, SOB, Heaslip, Jenno. That really is mouth watering and then we'd have Cullen dominating the lineouts. :pac:

On a side note, anyone ever notice Elsom has legs instead of arms?

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Wallabies+Training+Media+Session+ddnFKS_eZewl.jpg

Podge_irl

Rocky signed for Toulon didn't he? (or some French team anyway).

Teej

Meanwhile, Mike Ross, who starts at tight-head for Ireland against England this evening, is set to commit his future to Leinster.
The former Munster and Harlequins prop is understood to have come to a verbal agreement on a new two-year contract with Joe Schmidt's side with the final details to be confirmed over the next few days

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/ireland-play-for-their-futures-as-johnsons-men-close-in-on-slam-2585496.html

I'm very very happy.

GerM

In a shocking ironic twist, Connacht poach Ross claiming that a verbal agreement amounts to nothing.

I'd laugh.

Leinster7

Really liking the look of O'Malley and D. Kearney. I think Darcy might get dropped next season. He isn't eh player he used to be and can't see him having a good world cup with the Kidney muppetry

O'Malley and McFadden could be a great centre partnership with Fitzgerald and the 2 Kearney brothers as the back 3

Jedwardian

Teej wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/ireland-play-for-their-futures-as-johnsons-men-close-in-on-slam-2585496.html

I'm very very happy.

That's brilliant news.

What will it mean for Stan Wright? I'd love to keep Wright but I think the PAG could have a say in things. From a position this year where this season Connacht, Munster and Leinster have had Irish starting tight heads, next year Ulster will have John Afoa, Munster will have BJ Botha and Connacht will have Rodney Ah You. With Jamie Hagan moving to Leinster, I don't think the PAG will want to run the risk of both Jamie Hagan and Mike Ross being back up to Stan Wright and thus there being no regular Irish starting tight head between the provinces.

TheRevolution

Jedwardian wrote: »

That's brilliant news.

What will it mean for Stan Wright? I'd love to keep Wright but I think the PAG could have a say in things. From a position this year where this season Connacht, Munster and Leinster have had Irish starting tight heads, next year Ulster will have John Afoa, Munster will have BJ Botha and Connacht will have Rodney Ah You. With Jamie Hagan moving to Leinster, I don't think the PAG will want to run the risk of both Jamie Hagan and Mike Ross being back up to Stan Wright and thus there being no regular Irish starting tight head between the provinces.

Pretty ridiculous depth in the front row...

Cover for loosehead : Healy, VDM, Wright, McGrath
Cover for tighthead : Ross, Hagan, Wright, McGrath

ambid

Jedwardian wrote: »

That's brilliant news.

What will it mean for Stan Wright? I'd love to keep Wright but I think the PAG could have a say in things. From a position this year where this season Connacht, Munster and Leinster have had Irish starting tight heads, next year Ulster will have John Afoa, Munster will have BJ Botha and Connacht will have Rodney Ah You. With Jamie Hagan moving to Leinster, I don't think the PAG will want to run the risk of both Jamie Hagan and Mike Ross being back up to Stan Wright and thus there being no regular Irish starting tight head between the provinces.

Five props seems reasonable enough given the injuries they pick up. Healy and VDM at Loosehead, Ross and Hagan at Tighthead, and Wright covering both. Three of the five senior props seems being Irish seems reasonable.

But yeah it is a big worry that Irish provinces are becoming so dependent on NIQ props, and it's a shame we'll have so many Irish props overseas next year (Buckley, Andress, Tim Ryan, and Bracken).

Hopefully the younger props will get a lot of gametime next year in the Magners.

TheRevolution

1.Healy
2.Cronin
3.Ross
4.Cullen
5.Toner
6.O'Brien
7.Jennings
8.Heaslip
9.Reddan
10.Sexton
11.Fitzgerald
12.D'arcy
13.O'Driscoll
14.Horgan
15.Kearney

16.Harris-Wright
17.Hagan
18.McGrath
19.Kevin McLaughlin
20.Dominic Ryan
21.Isaac Boss
22.Ian Madigan
23.Fergus McFadden

All Irish 23, and one that would be more than capable of competing at the highest levels of HC.

Then you have the likes of :
Rhys Ruddock
Eoin O'Malley
Ian McKinley
Niall Morris
Dave Kearney
Andrew Conway
Brendan Macken
who could soon be competing for a place


I like where Leinster is going.

GerM

Jayzus, I knew Church was into a bit of scribbling but I didn't know he was actually any good...
http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/cian-healy-a-man-of-many-talents/

Have to laugh at the gun show he gave Drico though.