Leinster Provincial Season buildup thread(2nd preview now in post 2)

CIARAN_BOYLE

Leinster Provincial Season buildup thread
Sorry to do this but I haven't been feeling great today or yesterday so this is more or less what I had ready on friday with a few changes. It is significantly shorter than I was planning. Hopefully someone else can step up and entertain us all with a more in depth look at the new season.

The Front Row

Healy McGrath Bent McCarthy

Strauss Cronin Dundon Tracey

Ross Moore Furlong

The front row is an area that Leinster can rightly consider to be a major strength. Ireland's first and second choice on either side of the scrum with Strauss and Cronin in between.

The problem however lies with the IRFU's player management program. Leinster's first and second choice across the entire front row will be involved internationally which means that Bent Furlong and Dundon could be starting for a major portion of the season with McCarthy Tracey and academy options only available as back up.

While I often have held the unpopular opinion supporting Bent, and Dundon is a solid professional option and Furlong is a potentially massive talent after that the backup is possibly non existant.

Overall I rate the front row as one of Leinster's main strength's in European competition and at the business end of the league but the potential is there for it to be a major weakness during a significant portion of the league. Especially if injuries play a role.

The Second Row
Toner Douglas McCarthy Denton Marshall Thornbury

You may notice that Roux is left off the above list! While he is only on a short term loan in Connacht I do not believe that he will ever play for Leinster again. If he is a success in Connacht I would imagine that they will retain him for the rest of the season and if not he will be released to get home to South Africa in order to link up with a team in time for the Vodacom Cup.

Toner has over the last year established himself as possibly Ireland's best lock. Many people feel that he outplayed Paul O'Connell during the six nations. He is definitely Leinster's number one.

His partner for the big games is likely to be one of new signing Douglas, or former Connacht man McCarthy. Douglas's poor form recently in Australia leaves questions as to how he will perform in Ireland. Was it a minor dip due to being finished in Australia or is something else going on.

Denton now begins his third year in Leinster and with the departure of Roux can be considered a clear fourth choice lock. The question is will he be able to step up and challenge for a place in European squads.

Marshall while slightly short for a lock clearly has no real future in Leinster as a backrow forward. The question becomes can he develop himself as a lock or will he continue to be underpowered for the second row at the highest level.

Thornbury is at only 20 still a baby of a second row however he has shown that he has all the necessary ingredients to develop into a quality second row. For him this season is key as it is as far as I know his last season in the academy. Thornbury should be concerned with whether he should stay in Leinster as a depth option or move for gametime elsewhere.


The Back Row

Easilly Leinster's strongest unit. Between two Lions from the 2013 tour in Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip and three other players capped by Ireland in the last twelve months, in Ruddock, Murphy and McLaughlin as well as Leinster veteran Shane Jennings, and young talents such as Jack Conan, Dan Leavy, and Domonic Ryan the question becomes just who will feature in the back row and can the Leinster backrow ever be weak.

For big games I would imagine that 6. Ruddock 7. O'Brien and 8 Heaslip will be the preferred option with any of McLaughlin, Murphy, Jennings and Ryan potentially on the bench.

McLaughlin though could well be a starter should he recover from the niggley injuries that he suffered from last season though he will need a selling point other than his lineout superiority which had defined him from other backrow forwards at Leinster as Ruddock is challenging him there.

In the longer term it will be interesting to see which young talents get game time and who remains at Leinster next season. Any of Conan Ryan and Leavy could have breakthrough seasons this year with sufficient gametime.

Even during the international windows Leinster will still be able to field a powerfull backrow that will be leaving quality in the stands.

Scrum half
At Scrum half there are only three names to mention in Leinster. 34 year old Isaac Boss, 33 year old Eoin Reddan and 21 year old Luck McGrath.

Honestly any of the three could start or backup for Leinster this season. At the end of last season Reddan was struggling with injuries and Boss was poor while McGrath was performing well in cameos but unable to force himself ahead of experienced internationals.

This year Reddan and Boss are another year older and possibly another year slower while Luke McGrath does not have to worry about the competition of Cooney who has gone off to Connacht for experience on loan. Whichever way the cookie crumbles at Leinster it is not difficult to imagine Leinster having at least one scrumhalf at least periphelly involved with the Ireland set up. As such they will need all three options to perform.

Out-half
With Gopperth and Madigan competeing for the first choice outhalf shirt Outhalf is one of those positions where it is difficult to figure out which way Leinster will go.

Gopperth finished last season as starting 10 so he will have a foot in the driving seat especially if MAdigan's versatility comes into play further out.

Centres
The centers will define Leinster's season. Where will Darcy play 12 or 13. In my opinion if Darcy plays 13 then there will be a second five eights type inside of him. Either Madigan or Reid. If Darcy plays at 12 he will either form a partnership with Ben Teo, Fergus McFadden, or Luke Fitzgerald.

As five of the six possibles for the centers have been involved in Ireland teams over the last twelve months it is certain that different combinations will feature during international periods.

Back Three
At full back Leinster is well stocked with the services of Irish international Rob Kearney and Zane Kirchener. They are supported on the wings by Dave Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald and McFadden.

With Fitzgerald and McFadden in contention for the center slot it becomes less a question of who plays but rather who plays where, and how badly will injuries hit.

The depth options in the back three include Darragh Fanning and Sam Coughlan Murray. Fanning was heavily used last season to the condemnation of many who view him as a average journeyman, while faith in SCM is falling every season as he fails to deliver on his potential.

Europe
In Europe Leinster have to deal with Harlequins Wasps and Castres. The biggest question is whether Castres will care more for this incarnation of the European cup than the previous one.

If not then it is probably going to be a two horse race between Leinster and the 'bloodgate' Harlequins for qualification.

Harlequins are a team that can never be counted out and have enough quality to pose a threat to Leinster.

Likewise Castres are quality operators the only question is how much they care about Europe given their traditional domestic focus.

Players to Watch
Jack Conan.
Despite the traffic in the Leinster backrow I could see Jack Conan emerging as an explosive number 8 with regular league gametime.

Cathal Marsh
Despite the players ahead of him I think that Marsh could emerge from the shadows of Gopperth and Madigan if he gets gametime. Unfortunately he may not gametime if others don't suffer injuries.

Noel Reid
Despite having a breakthrough season last season in a lot of regards I think that Reid could step up again this season becoming a first team starter at Leinster forcing Darcy out to number 13.

errlloyd

I ehm, got a little bored. I dunno if it works or not, maybe it doesn't. I've to do a bit of this as part of my masters so I thought why not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IOdFfo4YUA

at 2:37 I suggest Luke McGrath would be "Ireland's first home grown world class scrum half for some time" I obviously meant "Leinster's first"

CIARAN_BOYLE

This post was the original post

Swiwi.

Cheers C_B! Leinster leading the pashun stakes so far...

(When I was a whippersnapper pashun was what you dreamed of doing with the pretty girls in the class. Different country different lingo huh)

Ireland could do with a viable backup to Heaslip, so I'll keep an eye out for this Conan kid. Cheers again for the season preview.

justsomebloke

Second preview in post 2 now!!!!!!!

Well done lads, especially the video one, very innovative.

Swiwi.

errlloyd wrote: »

I ehm, got a little bored. I dunno if it works or not, maybe it doesn't. I've to do a bit of this as part of my masters so I thought why not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IOdFfo4YUA

at 2:37 I suggest Luke McGrath would be "Ireland's first home grown world class scrum half for some time" I obviously meant "Leinster's first"

That was certainly novel! Had to mentally stop telling myself "hotdogs, donuts, Budweiser", which is just atrocious on my part, especially as you'll no doubt tell me that accent is straight out of Canada.

Nah, nice work, very fluid and it seems on reading the Leinster thread that most fans have the same set of young prospects they hope will come thru.

Must admit it promises to be an interesting one. Cheers!

errlloyd

Would you believe I've never once been to North America....

EDIT: The audio tool I used to edit out the low "humming" from the mic also effected my accent.

molloyjh

errlloyd wrote: »

Would you believe I've never once been to North America....

That's a true D4 accent in fairness!

Seriously though, fair play. Something different. Really well delivered too. Only thing that jumped out was that you didn't mention Ruddock in the back row bit. He'll be huge for us this season I reckon.

errlloyd

molloyjh wrote: »

That's a true D4 accent in fairness!

Seriously though, fair play. Something different. Really well delivered too. Only thing that jumped out was that you didn't mention Ruddock in the back row bit. He'll be huge for us this season I reckon.

Shocking omission on my part. It wasn't because I intentionally over looked him.

Swiwi.

Oh the shame. 8 years in Ireland and I can't pick a D4 or whatever it is accent. Sorry there errlloyd!

Mind you it's my revenge for all the frickin gob****es that picked me as Aussie. And there were a lot!

awec

Nice wardrobes.

Hagz

Swiwi. wrote: »

Oh the shame. 8 years in Ireland and I can't pick a D4 or whatever it is accent. Sorry there errlloyd!

That aint no D4 accent mate. I've spent my whole live in and around D4 and I was sure he was American. I find most people outside Dublin don't really know what a D4 accent is. Loads of people think Rob Kearney has a D4 accent for instance, when there's nothing D4 about it.

Jaysus all the effort and not a post today? Read/watch and comment folks!

RuggieBear

Great stuff lads....

i've only noticed these today...I kind of gloss over the stickies:o

justsomebloke

RuggieBear wrote: »

Great stuff lads....

i've only noticed these today...I kind of gloss over the stickies:o

I think I only stickied them yesterday afternoon, so you still have no excuse:pac:

Swiwi.

justsomebloke wrote: »

I think I only stickied them yesterday afternoon, so you still have no excuse:pac:

Can a mod ban/YC/RC a mod...

RuggieBear

justsomebloke wrote: »

I think I only stickied them yesterday afternoon, so you still have no excuse:pac:

Shuhhht uppppp!

Awkward Badger

errlloyd wrote: »

I ehm, got a little bored. I dunno if it works or not, maybe it doesn't. I've to do a bit of this as part of my masters so I thought why not.

at 2:37 I suggest Luke McGrath would be "Ireland's first home grown world class scrum half for some time" I obviously meant "Leinster's first"

I hate vloggs with a pashun but that was good. The "Will Kane be Able" thing was a humdinger.

Also while good I'm not sure Murray is world class. But then again has McGrath really shown enough to suggest he'll be as good or better ? Granted I haven't seen that much of him but I think I've seen him called the chosen one on here. There's a lot of hype around the guy.

ionadnapokot

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Leinster Provincial Season buildup thread
Out-half
With Gopperth and Madigan competeing for the first choice outhalf shirt Outhalf is one of those positions where it is difficult to figure out which way Leinster will go.

Gopperth finished last season as starting 10 so he will have a foot in the driving seat especially if MAdigan's versatility comes into play further out.

Centres
The centers will define Leinster's season. Where will Darcy play 12 or 13. In my opinion if Darcy plays 13 then there will be a second five eights type inside of him. Either Madigan or Reid. If Darcy plays at 12 he will either form a partnership with Ben Teo, Fergus McFadden, or Luke Fitzgerald.

Noel Reid
Despite having a breakthrough season last season in a lot of regards I think that Reid could step up again this season becoming a first team starter at Leinster forcing Darcy out to number 13.

with Reid at 12 and Gopperth at 10 v Glasgow, Sexton coming home. Id be fairly cheesed off if I were Madigan today.
Looking forward to seeing how Reid goes this season, if indeed he will be the 2nd choice ahead of Madigan.

Tox56

Awkward Badger wrote: »

I hate vloggs with a pashun but that was good. The "Will Kane be Able" thing was a humdinger.

Also while good I'm not sure Murray is world class. But then again has McGrath really shown enough to suggest he'll be as good or better ? Granted I haven't seen that much of him but I think I've seen him called the chosen one on here. There's a lot of hype around the guy.

He's not the second coming but he's a very talented scrumhalf with a good all round game. Make of that what you will. I'd much rather we had someone with his potential than not