Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

RuggieBear

...continued from here

Hagz

I'd like to take credit for this new thread.

Tox56

Interesting

P_1

Is this a first for the Rugby forum?

Suppose that's another accolade to add to the Leinster v Munster 'My [insert object] is bigger than yours' schitstorm so.

1st team to have a thread closed due to being too big for the servers.

Do we get a star for this? :D


Edit: Guess not http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056687454

Hagz

Is there anyway you can put that hazard symbol beside this thread as well? I kind of liked it.

RuggieBear

rugby, folks...

Podge_irl

Awww...now the Munster thread will forever have more posts then the Leinster thread

P_1

RuggieBear wrote: »

rugby, folks...

Appologies, it is silly season after all...

Ok starting point.

What do you think of the 3 pre-season friendlies that have been lined up? They're all away aren't they?

ormond lad

pithater1 wrote: »

Appologies, it is silly season after all...

Ok starting point.

What do you think of the 3 pre-season friendlies that have been lined up? They're all away aren't they?

Gloucester game is in tallaght

Podge_irl

No, Leinster are playing Gloucester in Tallaght.

Pre-season friendlies are the very definition of meaningless. I'm far more interested to see the first couple Rabo games with no internationals.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Podge_irl wrote: »

Awww...now the Munster thread will forever have more posts then the Leinster thread

but we can win round 2

Details on the 3 friendlies?

Anything travel-able-to-able for me would be nice.

(Leicester / Gloucester )

CIARAN_BOYLE

With Kearney McFadden Darcy Sexton and O'Driscoll missing the start of the season due to international rest period and D Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, and Eoin O'Malley being out due to injury there will be a lot of pressure on the backline next season

We are going to be looking at

SH:Boss, Cooney, McGrath
Tens:Madigan, Reid, Marsh
Centers Macken, O'Shea
Back Three: Nacewa, Conway, Carr, Hudson, Coughlan-Murray, Boyle

We might see Leinster looking for a Utility back signing someone who can play center and cover some other positions.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Deleted User wrote: »

Details on the 3 friendlies?

Anything travel-able-to-able for me would be nice.

(Leicester / Gloucester )

Saturday, 11th August:
Leinster v Gloucester (Tallaght Stadium, 5pm)

Saturday, 18th August:
Northampton Saints v Leinster (Franklin's Gardens, 3pm)

Friday, 24th August:
Sale Sharks v Leinster (City of Salford Community Stadium, 8pm)

You can make it to Salford or Northampton

.ak

I always enjoy pre-season friendlies. Cheap as chips, always a good excuse to get the fence-sitters to go to a match, and generally are in good spirit.

It's great to see how players fair, although it's obviously not a clear indication on how they'll fair out. If they were, then we'd have seen much more of Carr, Berqy and Conway who all looked amazing in pre-season. In fairness the latter two were laid off due to injury, but Berqy's first senior game was woeful.

.ak

Idea knicked from Clareman.

Leinster Senior Squad 2012/13 [39]

PROPS [6]: Michael Bent*, Jamie Hagan, Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, Mike Ross, Heinke van der Merwe

HOOKERS [4]: Sean Cronin, Aaron Dundon, Tom Sexton, Richardt Strauss

LOCKS [6]: Leo Cullen, Damien Browne, Tom Denton*, Mark Flanagan, Devin Toner, Quinn Roux*

BACKROW [7]: Sean O'Brien, Rhys Ruddock, Kevin McLoughlin, Shane Jennings, Dominic Ryan, Jamie Heaslip, Leo Auva'a

SCRUM-HALVES [3]: Isaac Boss, John Cooney, Eoin Reddan

FLY-HALVES [2]: Jonathan Sexton, Ian Madigan

CENTRES [5]: Gordon D'Arcy, Brendan Macken, Fergus McFadden, Brian O'Driscoll, Eoin O'Malley

BACK THREE [6]: Foinn Carr, Andrew Conway, Luke Fitzgerald, Dave Kearney, Rob Kearney, Isa Nacewa

***

* Denotes an uncapped player.

Have I forgotten anyone?

durkadurka

The cheap deal for tickets for the Gloucester game in Tallaght expires at midnight.

I'll be taking my 'junior Big Mal' there anyhow.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Regarding the senior squad we don't know yet about Luke and Damien do we.

Here is the Academy list for next year
Leinster Academy List 2012/13:
Props[5]: Edward Byrne Year 1; James Tracey Year 2; Tadhg Furlong Year 2; Martin Moore Year 2; Jack O'Connell Year 3

Hooker[2]: Brian Byrne Year 1; David Doyle Year 2

Lock[2]: Gavin Thornbury Year 1, Tadgh Beirne Year 1

Backrow[7]: Dan Leavy Year 1; Josh Van Der Flier Year 1; Jack Conan Year 1; Conor Gilsenan Year 2; Jordan Coughlan Year 2; Jordi Murphy Year 3; Ben Marshall Year 3

Scrumhalves[1]: Luke McGrath Year 2

Out-halves[2]: Cathal Marsh Year 1; Noel Reid Year 3

Centers[1]: Collie O'Shea Year 2

Backthree players[4]: Michael Sherlock Year 2; Andrew Boyle Year 2; Darren Hudson Year 3; Sam Coghlan Murray Year 3

totallegend

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Regarding the senior squad we don't know yet about Luke and Damien do we.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=79430632&postcount=9101
Still no public announcement though

ray jay

Can we get the squads edited into the first post?


E: other useful bits of information should be added too like the teams in Leinster's HC pool.

.ak

I can't see Luke going anywhere when he's injured, and Leinster will be happy to retain him.

Browne's all-but confirmed I think.

Still... a senior squad of 39 seems a bit light, no?

Academy boys are far better than fringe players IMO.

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

I can't see Luke going anywhere when he's injured, and Leinster will be happy to retain him.

Browne's all-but confirmed I think.

Still... a senior squad of 39 seems a bit light, no?

Biggest academy we have ever had though and there could be another couple of signings to come.

I'm thinking a big NIQ lock and a utility back to get us through the first few months when we will only have Macken Carr Conway and Nacewa from the senior squad to get us through the first few months of the season from 11 to 15

EDIT forgot about Roux don't think we will be brininging in another NIQ lock

Big Nelly

.ak wrote: »

LOCKS [6]: Leo Cullen, Damien Browne, Tom Denton*, Mark Flanagan, Devin Toner, Quinn Roux*

Has Quinn Roux been confirmed? I see nothing on Leinster website?

jacothelad

Big Nelly wrote: »

Has Quinn Roux been confirmed? I see nothing on Leinster website?

Is he even religious?

CIARAN_BOYLE

Big Nelly wrote: »

Has Quinn Roux been confirmed? I see nothing on Leinster website?

Not by Leinster but his current coach in South Africa has talked about it in interviews.

.ak

Big Nelly wrote: »

Has Quinn Roux been confirmed? I see nothing on Leinster website?

Yeh as mentioned above the stormers coach spilled the beans. Think it's all but official.

justsomebloke

totallegend wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=79430632&postcount=9101
Still no public announcement though

I got it confirmed via Peter Breen ( basically I got tired of waiting and just emailed them asking the status of his contract. It's amazing what you can find out if you just ask:D)

.ak

justsomebloke wrote: »

I got it confirmed via Peter Breen ( basically I got tired of waiting and just emailed them asking the status of his contract. It's amazing what you can find out if you just ask:D)

Now that you're best buddies, ask him when Bradley is coming back. :pac:

Quint2010

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Regarding the senior squad we don't know yet about Luke and Damien do we.

Here is the Academy list for next year
Leinster Academy List 2012/13:
Props[5]: Edward Byrne Year 1; James Tracey Year 2; Tadhg Furlong Year 2; Martin Moore Year 2; Jack O'Connell Year 3

Hooker[2]: Brian Byrne Year 1; David Doyle Year 2

Lock[2]: Gavin Thornbury Year 1, Tadgh Beirne Year 1

Backrow[7]: Dan Leavy Year 1; Josh Van Der Flier Year 1; Jack Conan Year 1; Conor Gilsenan Year 2; Jordan Coughlan Year 2; Jordi Murphy Year 3; Ben Marshall Year 3

Scrumhalves[1]: Luke McGrath Year 2

Out-halves[2]: Cathal Marsh Year 1; Noel Reid Year 3

Centers[1]: Collie O'Shea Year 2

Backthree players[4]: Michael Sherlock Year 2; Andrew Boyle Year 2; Darren Hudson Year 3; Sam Coghlan Murray Year 3

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

Hagz

Quint2010 wrote: »

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

funky penguin wrote: »

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

CatFromHue wrote: »

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

CatFromHue wrote: »

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]

Podge_irl wrote: »

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.

Podge_irl

That's grossly underselling Nacewa. If he didn't have a two minute cap for Fiji he would have never come to Ireland as he would have been an All Black. There is a reason they put so much effort into trying to make him eligible. He also wasn't signed as a 10, he was signed as a centre/fullback who could cover 10 (a point Cheika stressed when the signing was announced). There was little elation at his signing amongst supporters because he was unknown up here.

He's not even remotely in the same category as the signings Leinster have made this season.

.ak

Podge_irl wrote: »

That's grossly underselling Nacewa. If he didn't have a two minute cap for Fiji he would have never come to Ireland as he would have been an All Black. There is a reason they put so much effort into trying to make him eligible. He also wasn't signed as a 10, he was signed as a centre/fullback who could cover 10 (a point Cheika stressed when the signing was announced). There was little elation at his signing amongst supporters because he was unknown up here.

He's not even remotely in the same category as the signings Leinster have made this season.

Really? I always seem to remember him coming here as a fly-half/12/utility back.

Podge_irl

.ak wrote: »

Really? I always seem to remember him coming here as a fly-half/12/utility back.

They may well have been the agenda (and he did end up at 10 for a few disastrous games), but I'm pretty sure the signing was announced as someone to provide cover at 12 and in the back 3. I remember at the time not wanting him in ahead of Sexton so was reassured by that comment and then being disappointed a few weeks later!

Regardless, he definitely wasn't signed solely as a 10.

CatFromHue

[Jackass] wrote: »

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.

Bristol in 02/03 were all over the place off the field. If I remember right their owner half way through the season said he was pulling out. Without him it looked like the club couldn't survive financially. There were other off the field problems too.

Also by 2003 Contepomi had become a main player for Argentina. I think he got his debut in 1999.

He was a big signing at the time.

WeeBushy

Here's the Leinster announcement from when he was signed.

Isa is a top class attacking player whose versatility as either a midfield or back three player makes him a threat as an out and out try scorer, as well as a playmaker in his own right. He will add great depth to our backline for next year and he will also increase our kicking options.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/2716.php

[Jackass]

Fair enough re them mentioning his outside back potential, but he had played 10 for almost the entire previous season at Auckland and played a lot of rugby at 10 for Leinster in that first season too. Regarding him being a well established player, Clint Newland to put it in perspective had more Super14 time and had played for the Maori, and I think it's fair tosay he was a punt. Berquist, Sykes etc all had more experience, but I'd have called them punts too.

Maybe it's just what you would consider a punt. I would consider it a non-established international quality player. Ollie Le Roux, CJ Van Der Linde, Rocky Elsom, Chris Whitaker, Brad Thorn, Nathan Hines, you know what you're getting. Strauss, Bent, Denton, Quin Roux etc. you're taking a chance on a player who's played top level, but hasn't been a proven success at that level. I'd include Nacewa in that. For every success of a punt like Nacewa, you have the failures of guys like Newland and Sykes imo.

Re Contepomi, just checked and in fairness he did have a good bit of international rugby under his belt, so I'll withdraw that, but at the time I remember being excited by the signing as I saw him play against (and destroy) Leinster in Donnybrook, but I didn't consider him a well regarded and well known international player at the time. Perhaps I was wrong on that one.