Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XI (The Finals Countdown)

stephen_n

yosser hughes wrote: »

Thanks. Yeah, I've been in most of those pubs mentioned before, just wasn't sure about match day and the fact that it's a Sunday.
I don't expect the pubs to be that busy because of the early KO and there's work for most people in the morning.

Early kick off means you can have a few and still get an early night for work

Dunney848

yosser hughes wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a pub nearby that will be doing food today after the match? I know pubs do food during the week, just not sure if they will be today.

The schoolhouse just up past Haddington road on the canal. Always get sit down after Leinster games and decent enough menu. Within walking distance of RDS Aviva

Clegg

According to the Indo Connacht want Salanoa and the other provinces are sniffing around Leinsters less established backrows.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-interested-in-leinsters-hawaiian-prospect-salanoa-as-eastern-province-braced-for-interprovincial-raids-38856601.html

errlloyd

Clegg wrote: »

other provinces are sniffing around Leinsters less established backrows.

Water is wet on that bit. To be fair, they should be.

Clegg

errlloyd wrote: »

Water is wet on that bit. To be fair, they should be.

They should, but also I think our players would be better off staying put. I'm convinced Leinster have the best skills coaching in Europe. And the competition for places is spurring them on to improve. The allure of more guaranteed minutes at another side is hard to ignore tho.

antietam1

Anyone know where I could get the entire Leinster v Lyon match?

crisco10

Clegg wrote: »

According to the Indo Connacht want Salanoa and the other provinces are sniffing around Leinsters less established backrows.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-interested-in-leinsters-hawaiian-prospect-salanoa-as-eastern-province-braced-for-interprovincial-raids-38856601.html

It mentions him being covered by 5 year residency. I thought he was actually the last eligible for the 3 year rule? (He arrived around the same time as Lowe i thought)

Clegg

Clegg wrote: »

According to the Indo Connacht want Salanoa and the other provinces are sniffing around Leinsters less established backrows.

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-interested-in-leinsters-hawaiian-prospect-salanoa-as-eastern-province-braced-for-interprovincial-raids-38856601.html

Salanoa did a great interview after his second cap. You can see he is pretty enamoured with the setup and Ireland in general and looks to be really enjoying the opportunity.

Seems like a seriously powerful buachaill also, I'd like to see him develop his skills at Leinster for another full season before making a move all the same.

Squidgy Black

I think Salanoa will probably struggle to break through. We've quite a backlog at TH. Porter and Furlong in the Irish setup, Bent on his last year of contract (potentially), and Abdaladze, with Aungier and Clarkson in the academy.

Interested Observer

Squidgy Black wrote: »

I think Salanoa will probably struggle to break through. We've quite a backlog at TH. Porter and Furlong in the Irish setup, Bent on his last year of contract (potentially), and Abdaladze, with Aungier and Clarkson in the academy.

It's not a queue. If he's better than those guys he'll make it. The fact he's actually gotten on the pitch this season is a major indicator that he's rated imo.


Anyone know how he actually came to be in Ireland? Did Leinster head-hunt him or what?

Interested Observer

Interested Observer wrote: »

It's not a queue. If he's better than those guys he'll make it. The fact he's actually gotten on the pitch this season is a major indicator that he's rated imo.


Anyone know how he actually came to be in Ireland? Did Leinster head-hunt him or what?

I think he was referred on to someone within the Leinster setup and it went from there.

Bazzo

Interested Observer wrote: »

It's not a queue. If he's better than those guys he'll make it. The fact he's actually gotten on the pitch this season is a major indicator that he's rated imo.


Anyone know how he actually came to be in Ireland? Did Leinster head-hunt him or what?

Someone mentioned it yesterday but sort of yeah. He caught someone's eye playing for the USA u20s and it was arranged for him to come over to Leinster for a one week trial.

kmart6

Interested Observer wrote: »

Anyone know how he actually came to be in Ireland? Did Leinster head-hunt him or what?

Deleted User wrote: »

I think he was referred on to someone within the Leinster setup and it went from there.

Bazzo wrote: »

Someone mentioned it yesterday but sort of yeah. He caught someone's eye playing for the USA u20s and it was arranged for him to come over to Leinster for a one week trial.

Eddie O'Sullivan gets the credit

Squidgy Black

Interested Observer wrote: »

It's not a queue. If he's better than those guys he'll make it. The fact he's actually gotten on the pitch this season is a major indicator that he's rated imo.


Anyone know how he actually came to be in Ireland? Did Leinster head-hunt him or what?

He's definitely a prospect, and it's not a queue but the reason he got his first cap was because Aungier was out sick and Abdaladze was injured. He was a last minute replacement for the backup spot and then got the bench spot against Ulster as well. Clarkson's still u20 and has to put some bulk on to be able to play at senior level.

stephen_n

Anybody going to the game this weekend? If so did you get your tickets and how did you manage it? This Italian version of ticketb@st@rd is hard to deal with.

ongarite

Leinster not being too positive on James Ryan's calf injury.
Definitely out of this weekend's game, wonder will he be a doubt for the Six Nations opener.

Clegg

Ruairidh O'Connor was on Luke Fitzgerald's podcast yesterday. Says the IRFU are pushing hard for a 7, 8 and 10 to leave Leinster.

Buer

Clegg wrote: »

Ruairidh O'Connor was on Luke Fitzgerald's podcast yesterday. Says the IRFU are pushing hard for a 7, 8 and 10 to leave Leinster.

Makes complete sense. They've 4 outhalves all of whom are either good enough or potentially good enough to be capped. The same is true at openside.

At 8, there are only 3 real options but it's possibly the highest standard of all.

Something has to give with these guys although I'd say all of them are watching one another hoping one of the others depart.

I'd say Penny and Frawley are the most likely to leave at this point.

thomond2006

If Leavy returns then someone like Penny needs to get out of there ASAP.

stephen_n

Buer wrote: »

Makes complete sense. They've 4 outhalves all of whom are either good enough or potentially good enough to be capped. The same is true at openside.

At 8, there are only 3 real options but it's possibly the highest standard of all.

Something has to give with these guys although I'd say all of them are watching one another hoping one of the others depart.

I'd say Penny and Frawley are the most likely to leave at this point.

If Frawley moves, where would he go though that would significantly improve his game time. Munster have JJ and Carberry with their own young 10 coming up behind them, that’s assuming Tyler goes at the end of the season. Ulster have Burns and Johnson. Connacht have Carthy and Fitzgerald. At best he’s going to be third choice in most cases instead of fourth at Leinster.

salmocab

stephen_n wrote: »

If Frawley moves, where would he go though that would significantly improve his game time. Munster have JJ and Carberry with their own young 10 coming up behind them, that’s assuming Tyler goes at the end of the season. Ulster have Burns and Johnson. Connacht have Carthy and Fitzgerald. At best he’s going to be third choice in most cases instead of fourth at Leinster.

Frawley is someone that could certainly play elsewhere in the back line. He’s a very natural footballer I think he could play a lot of 12/15 and could be a great squad player at Leinster for a long time.

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Leavy returns then someone like Penny needs to get out of there ASAP.

Yes and no. He has just turned 20. There's a lot to be said for sticking around and developing as a player for the next couple of years and then making a call on his future. Game time is great but it's not the whole picture for development especially at such an early stage.

Long term, I could see a move at this point actually hindering his career. If Ulster were interested, then it's a potential move that he should consider. They've some top forwards, a strong coaching team and are competing at the upper end of Europe. They have some very promising back row players though so I don't think they'd be knocking at the door. I don't think he should be looking to Munster as they have opensides and he'll be scrapping for game time there also. I can see Hodnett or JOS featuring at openside too. I'm not sure he fits JVG's idea of a backrow player either in terms of physicality.

Connacht are the side that I could see being very interested in him with Fainga'a on his way out. He'd certainly enjoy more game time there but I'm not sure if he'd reach his ceiling playing in a weaker team as opposed to working under Cullen and Lancaster whilst training alongside VDF et al.

stephen_n

salmocab wrote: »

Frawley is someone that could certainly play elsewhere in the back line. He’s a very natural footballer I think he could play a lot of 12/15 and could be a great squad player at Leinster for a long time.

Frawley to me is very like Noel Reid, great natural talent could certainly do a job at 12 or 15. Not convinced he has the game management ability to make it as a top 10 though.

Buer

stephen_n wrote: »

If Frawley moves, where would he go though that would significantly improve his game time. Munster have JJ and Carberry with their own young 10 coming up behind them, that’s assuming Tyler goes at the end of the season. Ulster have Burns and Johnson. Connacht have Carthy and Fitzgerald. At best he’s going to be third choice in most cases instead of fourth at Leinster.

I would imagine he'd back himself to usurp one of the Connacht outhalves at least. As said above, he can play across the back line though. I don't think there would be many weeks where he wouldn't be on the pitch.

As he's only turned 22 last month, I think he has some developing to do and I don't think him leapfrogging over JJH would be out of the question either.

prawnsambo

Andy Friend is certainly sniffing around.

AdamD

Could see Frawley leaving anyway. I'd be shocked if one of our 8s left. Would make more sense for Josh Murphy to move on. One of the younger 9s is surely due to go too. COB isn't getting much game time either but the other provinces have plenty of centres.

Do you think the same argument for the dublin football team could be made for leinster? Only having four professional teams will hamper the national team going forward.

salmocab

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Do you think the same argument for the dublin football team could be made for leinster? Only having four professional teams will hamper the national team going forward.

Don’t think so, it’s not like every week 60 top class Irish players start for the provinces. We don’t have the numbers to have a 5th team of quality.

whatawaster

Am I the only one who would not be in the least bit surprised to see Frawley push on and be ahead of Ross Byrne in the next year? It could obviously go the other way too - any there are a lot of variables (best position, gametime, will he even stay at Leinster). But he has a very well rounded game, not too unlike a young Sexton had.

Clegg

I reckon Deegan and Doris will be content staying for now. They're getting regular game time in the starting jersey and will back themselves to nail down that position for their own. Penney or Connors could be the ones that we might lose. Unless Connors can convert to 6 I suppose. Not much cover there.