Leinster backline future

FrannoFan

the Future of Leinster Backs:
Scrum half:
Boss-was never meant to be a starter(32)
Reddan- out for remainder of season(also 32)
Cooney-looks decent,needs to be given a chance as Boss isn't at a level
McGrath-needs another year at 20's, hopefully becomes an option next season
Out Half:
Madigan-improving general play, creativity might prove enough to offset our other departures in a "moneyball" kinda way
Jimmy Goperth- looks decent signing,back up/alternative style to Madigan
Noel Reid- struggles when asked to step up to Rabo, has looked good in "A" games
Cathal Marsh- looked exciting at schools level, hasn't really got a chance at "A" level yet
Centre:
D'Arcy-couple more seasons
BOD-Hopefully one more year
McFadden-best of the rest,is he a wing or a centre these days?
Goodman- workmanlike, decent honest player, don't think he is suited to much more than mid/low level rabo games
EOM- bright debut season, injuries have disrupted progress, looks physically small,good lines and hands hopefully will show signs he is up to it
Macken- young and improving, worryingly he doesn't look brave in defence really hope i am wrong in this and he is just a bit lost positionally
Tom Daly-just 20's shows signs of promise
Tom Farrell-Dalys 20's partner,injured for 6 nations but looked promising
Wing/Fullback
Dave Kearney-improving but unspectacular.Quality player who i rate highly but is he an out and out finisher?
Rob Kearney-Brilliant fullback in the past, has he been more than "solid" in past season?unsure he will offer a cutting edge
Luke Fitzgerald- star quality,can provide the cutting edge if he regains fitness.25 and on his 3rd serious injury.not looking good. try scoring rate of 26 in 108 games is pretty decent.

academy: Andrew Boyle, Sam Coughlan Murray, Hudson, Sherlock
Boyle and Hudson look decent but unproven, SCM and Sherlock might be off

trouttrout

This need a thread of its own?

FrannoFan

trouttrout wrote: »

This need a thread of its own?

maybe not but just wondering what people think we have for next season. Where is the cutting edge going to come from in what is left.

Dravokivich

We don't really need this every time one team has a bad game.

tolosenc

FrannoFan wrote: »

Goodman- workmanlike, decent honest player, don't think he is suited to much more than mid/low level rabo games

I seem to remember him being one of our better players when we ran Clermont close in the SMM...

Podge_irl

FrannoFan wrote: »

maybe not but just wondering what people think we have for next season. Where is the cutting edge going to come from in what is left.

We have a big problem in the back 3 and if BOD retires a big problem at centre. I'm worried.

Podge_irl

FrannoFan wrote: »

maybe not but just wondering what people think we have for next season. Where is the cutting edge going to come from in what is left.

We have= a big problem in the back 3 and if BOD retires a big problem at centre. I'm worried.

opinionatedfan

you cant take one performance/result in a vacuum.

adjust your expectations, dont expect us to be competing for the Heineken Cup in the near future.

awec

I imagine you'll bring in a NIQ back.

.ak

Meh, for me, the reason we didn't look dangerous last night was because we were missing Sexton. Hopefully Gopperth will be able to add some decent link work in while Madigan works on that. Tad bit of an overreaction imo. Another key is to hope Fitzy can remain injury free.

Podge_irl

.ak wrote: »

Tad bit of an overreaction imo.

I dunno. We've had two games at home against the top two teams in the league and looked second best in both and struggled to create any real try scoring chances in either. Both teams were infringing happy which was part of the reason but Leinster are struggling a lot more this season then last season when the top players are missing. And that'll only get worse next year.

astonaidan

Rabble, Rabble, Rabble

Do I regret this being my 1000 post, I think it really captures me actually

irishbucsfan

I didn't think the back 3 was the problem last night at all. I thought they looked pretty good especially considering Nacewa had to be shifted and we ended up with a real make-shift center partnership. If we had D'Arcy on the pitch there wouldn't have been so much of an issue with that.

I do think we lack guys who can kick out of hand across the backline. And there were just too many kicks finding turf last night. So I suppose in terms of positioning our back 3 are a little bit of a problem.

I'm not so worried though. We need to add a little bit of quality out wide, but until then we have tons of young local talent and I'll enjoy watching them.

bamboozle

Sherlock left the academy lasts summer, playing ail with skerries.
Reid's future is at 12 or 15.
Collie o'shea and Jordan Coughlan are two 12's and I think long term Coughlan may have the bulk we are crying out for in our back line. Hudson is a class act if he can stay fit, Adam Byrne and billy dardis look like two great prospects also.

molloyjh

If we look at where we stand for next season a fully available squad could look like (worst case if BOD & Darce retire):

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Roux
McCarthy
Locky
SOB
Heaslip

Reddan
Madigan
Fitzy
McFadden
EOM
D Kearney/SA signing
R Kearney

Cronin
McGrath
Bent
Cullen/Toner
Jenno/Murphy
Boss
Gopperth
SA signing/D Kearney

For the Rabo during internationals we could end up with something like:

McGrath
Dundon
Bent/Moore
Cullen
Roux
Ruddock
Ryan
Murphy

Boss
Gopperth
Hudson
Goodman
EOM/Macken
D Kearney
SA signing

Tracy (??)
O'Connell
Moore/Furlong
Beirne
Marshall
Cooney
Reid
Macken/EOM

Any injuries at all and we could genuinely be in trouble in the outside backs department particularly. I think we need another signing somewhere in there.

What we also need is some consistency in selections. We lose so many to the national set-up and have been shuffling the deck so much because of that and injuries that we're having a hard time implementing a coherent game plan. When we get some consistency in selection we've been able to put in decent runs and get results. We've struggled when re-introducing players into the mix.

opinionatedfan

We are starting to struggle to produce high quality young backs.

FrannoFan

molloyjh wrote: »

If we look at where we stand for next season a fully available squad could look like (worst case if BOD & Darce retire):

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Roux
McCarthy
Locky
SOB
Heaslip

Reddan
Madigan
Fitzy
McFadden
EOM
D Kearney/SA signing
R Kearney

Cronin
McGrath
Bent
Cullen/Toner
Jenno/Murphy
Boss
Gopperth
SA signing/D Kearney

For the Rabo during internationals we could end up with something like:

McGrath
Dundon
Bent/Moore
Cullen
Roux
Ruddock
Ryan
Murphy

Boss
Gopperth
Hudson
Goodman
EOM/Macken
D Kearney
SA signing

Tracy (??)
O'Connell
Moore/Furlong
Beirne
Marshall
Cooney
Reid
Macken/EOM

Any injuries at all and we could genuinely be in trouble in the outside backs department particularly. I think we need another signing somewhere in there.

What we also need is some consistency in selections. We lose so many to the national set-up and have been shuffling the deck so much because of that and injuries that we're having a hard time implementing a coherent game plan. When we get some consistency in selection we've been able to put in decent runs and get results. We've struggled when re-introducing players into the mix.

that first team would struggle to get out of the group stages

the second would struggle in the Rabo

We desperately need D'Arcy,BOD and a top quality Foreign signing to do anything next year.

What have we got younger? Dardis is hyped but unlikely to make an impact next year.
Adam Byrne,youngest ever leinster player-hopefully has the talent to make an impact next year.
Tom Daly looks promising but not a world beater yet.

Liveforrugby

Where's adam byrne disappeared to? Is he still playing rugby? Could be involved nxt year maybe

opinionatedfan

Liveforrugby wrote: »

Where's adam byrne disappeared to? Is he still playing rugby? Could be involved nxt year maybe

broke his ankle.

Clegg

Liveforrugby wrote: »

Where's adam byrne disappeared to? Is he still playing rugby? Could be involved nxt year maybe

Injured and he's still only a teenager.

Will be a few more years before he gets regular games with Leinster. Hopefully he'll get some gametime next season though.

Liveforrugby

opinionatedfan wrote: »

broke his ankle.

Yea but wasn't that back in january?

CIARAN_BOYLE

Liveforrugby wrote: »

Yea but wasn't that back in january?

He is apparently training but not fit yet. He'll feature in the JRWC in June anyway.

shuffol

A lot of hype about a guy who I'm sure many of us haven't even seen play and hadn't even heard of a year ago. I missed his cameo against Ulster over christmas, did he do anything of note?

Liveforrugby

I think it was against connacht,

Clegg

He looked quick and was able to evade a couple of tacklers with tricky footwork.

That's all I remember.

Tox56

shuffol wrote: »

A lot of hype about a guy who I'm sure many of us haven't even seen play and hadn't even heard of a year ago. I missed his cameo against Ulster over christmas, did he do anything of note?

There's a lot of hype precisely because nobody had heard of him a year ago. He comes from nowhere (not even in academy) to bench for the senior team in two interpros. Didnt do anything against Ulster but came on against Connacht and beat 3 men with his first touch! Had good cameos for the A team too. Wouldn't put too much faith in him but an exciting prospect

opinionatedfan

Byrne isn't even 19 yet. Patience on him. Exciting because he has everything you look for in a back.

Liveforrugby

opinionatedfan wrote: »

Byrne isn't even 19 yet. Patience on him. Exciting because he has everything you look for in a back.

I heard he's massive too, is this true?

Buer

Liveforrugby wrote: »

I heard he's massive too, is this true?

Not massive but naturally a big, athletic guy. He's about 6'2 and would be pushing 90kg anyway. I wouldn't want to see him put on much more though and lose any of his natural pace.

opinionatedfan

Liveforrugby wrote: »

I heard he's massive too, is this true?

6'2, 14 stone i'd estimate.

Not a small guy anyway.

Tox56

Can't wait to see a Madigan-McGrath halfback partnership anyway

Clegg

Boss certainly needs a kick up the backside anyway.

Pete_Cavan

I saw Niall Morris playing for Leicester against Northampton over the weekend, he looked good; evaded tackles and made ground with most carries, one excellent kick out of hand and looked fine under any high ball that came his way. Whats the chances of him coming back to Leinster, if not this summer when his contract ends? Given Leinsters lack of wingers for next season would he be a useful addition without taking up a NIQ spot?

opinionatedfan

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

I saw Niall Morris playing for Leicester against Northampton over the weekend, he looked good; evaded tackles and made ground with most carries, one excellent kick out of hand and looked fine under any high ball that came his way. Whats the chances of him coming back to Leinster, if not this summer when his contract ends? Given Leinsters lack of wingers for next season would he be a useful addition without taking up a NIQ spot?

signed a new contract recently

funtime93

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

I saw Niall Morris playing for Leicester against Northampton over the weekend, he looked good; evaded tackles and made ground with most carries, one excellent kick out of hand and looked fine under any high ball that came his way. Whats the chances of him coming back to Leinster, if not this summer when his contract ends? Given Leinsters lack of wingers for next season would he be a useful addition without taking up a NIQ spot?

Only signed a new deal a few weeks ago.

matthew8

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

I saw Niall Morris playing for Leicester against Northampton over the weekend, he looked good; evaded tackles and made ground with most carries, one excellent kick out of hand and looked fine under any high ball that came his way. Whats the chances of him coming back to Leinster, if not this summer when his contract ends? Given Leinsters lack of wingers for next season would he be a useful addition without taking up a NIQ spot?

Hard to see him wanting to come really, he'd be leaving a better team (imo) in a better league (clearly) for us. Only motivator I could imagine would be getting a look in for Ireland but he'd have a lot of people to get ahead of. Just have to hope he's got a passion for Leinster.

Glass Prison 1214

matthew8 wrote: »

Hard to see him wanting to come really, he'd be leaving a better team (imo) in a better league (clearly) for us. Only motivator I could imagine would be getting a look in for Ireland but he'd have a lot of people to get ahead of. Just have to hope he's got a passion for Leinster.

Leicester are not a better team then us, we have faced them twice in the last five seasons and won both times. They haven't won anything in a few years now.

matthew8

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Leicester are not a better team then us, we have faced them twice in the last five seasons and won both times. They haven't won anything in a few years now.

They won the pool of death in the Heineken and Leinster really haven't been very good at all this year. Hard to use a couple of scraped victories as evidence we're better either.

CIARAN_BOYLE

matthew8 wrote: »

They won the pool of death in the Heineken and Leinster really haven't been very good at all this year. Hard to use a couple of scraped victories as evidence we're better either.

Their pool wasn't a poolof death, personally I'd have prefered to be in it than Leinster's pool

Podge_irl

matthew8 wrote: »

They won the pool of death in the Heineken and Leinster really haven't been very good at all this year. Hard to use a couple of scraped victories as evidence we're better either.

Nonetheless, a move to Leinster isn't really a step back for anyone. Sideways perhaps.

bilston

I wonder if Leinster have thought about making a move for George North? Northampton hsve made an offer why not Leinster?

opinionatedfan

bilston wrote: »

I wonder if Leinster have thought about making a move for George North? Northampton hsve made an offer why not Leinster?

why would they?

If they are going to go after a NIQ player they should really be targeting a player who won't be missing every year for the 6N

bilston

opinionatedfan wrote: »

why would they?

If they are going to go after a NIQ player they should really be targeting a player who won't be missing every year for the 6N

Well maybe but then Ruan Pienaar is missing ever September and November for Ulster and I'd say he has proved value for money.

North is one of the best wingers in the world so it depends whether its a sacrifice worth making or not. I'd say it is but maybe others would think differently.

irishbucsfan

bilston wrote: »

Well maybe but then Ruan Pienaar is missing ever September and November for Ulster and I'd say he has proved value for money.

North is one of the best wingers in the world so it depends whether its a sacrifice worth making or not. I'd say it is but maybe others would think differently.

North would be missing September, November, February and March. Doubt he'd be worth the money.

clsmooth

irishbucsfan wrote: »

North would be missing September, November, February and March. Doubt he'd be worth the money.

That and he only covers wing right? Having someone who can cover FB too is the priority

bilston

clsmooth wrote: »

That and he only covers wing right? Having someone who can cover FB too is the priority

He plays left wing does he not?

Edit - sorry misread your post!

Yes he only plays wing.

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

North would be missing September, November, February and March. Doubt he'd be worth the money.

Why would he be missing in September? He is good enough for Northampton!

its_phil

bilston wrote: »

Why would he be missing in September? He is good enough for Northampton!

Lions tour means he will probably have the first couple weeks of the season off