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

Richie_Rich89

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Rockbeast2

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

As much as I hate the thought of it, I think a season long loan for Ross Molony would make the most sense.

Burkie1203

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

There is 12 to 14 weeks worth of internationals not available.

Ryan and Toner will be in Ireland squads.

Clegg

Baird is going to be with Ireland a lot this season as well. Henderson is out for the foreseeable and Kleyn has picked up another bad neck injury.

Squidgy Black

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Length of his extension wasn't ever published I don't think, but I'd be surprised if it was more than a year again. He'll be 37 next summer.

Podge_irl

Deleted User wrote: »

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Baird isn't going anywhere and its not worth pretending its a serious possibility.

Richie_Rich89

Burkie1203 wrote: »

There is 12 to 14 weeks worth of internationals not available.

Ryan and Toner will be in Ireland squads.

Are you arguing that Baird will be able to pick up gametime for Leinster during those periods, or that Fardy is necessary because Irish internationals will be unavailable?

On the first point, I'd say Baird will be away with Ireland as well, which would mean he won't be accumulating gametime with Leinster.

If it's the second, I think Molony and Dunne would be a nice pairing for any games that overlap with Tests. Charlie Ryan could bench.

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Burkie1203

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Are you arguing that Baird will be able to pick up gametime for Leinster during those periods, or that Fardy is necessary because Irish internationals will be unavailable?

On the first point, I'd say Baird will be away with Ireland as well, which would mean he won't be accumulating gametime with Leinster.

If it's the second, I think Molony and Dunne would be a nice pairing for any games that overlap with Tests. Charlie Ryan could bench.

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Baird may he away but he is likely to be the one released back to the province for gametime as is the norm.

As Saturdays game showed, an injury or two in one position and a squad can very quickly be light there.

Richie_Rich89

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Baird may he away but he is likely to be the one released back to the province for gametime as is the norm.

As Saturdays game showed, an injury or two in one position and a squad can very quickly be light there.

The thing is he's there or thereabouts for the first XXIII now, and he's developing rapidly. He needs higher level gametime than league fixtures with internationals missing.

Any team is going to struggle with the freak occurrence of losing two of your top four second rows (and the biggest two) in one game. That's why you have steady squad players like Molony and promising young players like Dunne knocking around. I't be far from ideal, but you'd back them to come in and do a job.

salmocab

Podge_irl wrote: »

Baird isn't going anywhere and its not worth pretending its a serious possibility.

I can’t believe people are bothering with this, yesterday it was Connacht will be told to lose next weeks match and everyone ignored it but today people have got caught up in it.

Richie_Rich89

salmocab wrote: »

I can’t believe people are bothering with this, yesterday it was Connacht will be told to lose next weeks match and everyone ignored it but today people have got caught up in it.

Given the facts that Connacht can't qualify and Munster can, and they're both branches of the IRFU, I think you'd have to be quite naive not to see the potential for dodgy stuff to go on behind the scenes around this fixture. I'm not sure what form it would take exactly, but you have to ask yourself how things like Craig Joubert (the ref with the highest home team winning percentage - 80%) getting appointed for all three of NZ's knock out games in the 2011 RWC come about.

If the game is close I wouldn't be surprised to see some stuff like Nigel Owens' reffing of the last 10 or 15 minutes of the Munster-Treviso quarter final last season or Scotland getting done for a crooked feed when Japan were hunting a bonus point try.

aloooof

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Given the facts that Connacht can't qualify and Munster can, and they're both branches of the IRFU, I think you'd have to be quite naive not to see the potential for dodgy stuff to go on behind the scenes around this fixture. I'm not sure what form it would take exactly, but you have to ask yourself how things like Craig Joubert (the ref with the highest home team winning percentage - 80%) getting appointed for all three of NZ's knock out games in the 2011 RWC come about.

If the game is close I wouldn't be surprised to see some stuff like Nigel Owens' reffing of the last 10 or 15 minutes of the Munster-Treviso quarter final last season or Scotland getting done for a crooked feed when Japan were hunting a bonus point try.

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

salmocab

aloooof wrote: »

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

Seriously your wasting your time here.

Richie_Rich89

aloooof wrote: »

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

What, it was only two of them, was it? I suppose all three would have been a bit too obvious. The refereeing in the final was a joke. There was a good segment on it on Setanta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7C6bTHyC0U

stephen_n

It really amazes me, his bait isn’t even that good.

Clegg

Hope to see more of this from Henshaw in the future. Conway expected him to take contact so started closing him down quickly. Instead he belts an accurate 20 metre pass to the wing, to start a new attack.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1298528019703832576?s=19

Yeah_Right

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Oh no. One of those 3 might miss out on Leinster's Euro squad. What a travesty.
:rolleyes:

kmart6

Game for the weekend has to be in jeopardy with the Ulster news, will be interesting to see how it plays out.

KH25

kmart6 wrote: »

Game for the weekend has to be in jeopardy with the Ulster news, will be interesting to see how it plays out.

If cancelled does it have any real impact on the rest of the teams? Both leinster and Ulster are in the semis regardless I think?

kmart6

No it doesn't really other than an uneven number of games played with the exception of the SA teams.

Zzippy

KH25 wrote: »

If cancelled does it have any real impact on the rest of the teams? Both leinster and Ulster are in the semis regardless I think?

Not ideal for Ulster in particular. They could do with another game to get up to speed for the semi. Seemed way off the pace on Sunday.

ongarite

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

ongarite

ongarite wrote: »

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

It's too late surely for the game to ahead even if everyone is found negative tomorrow. Some could still carry it come the weekend.

Buer

Comfortable BP win for Saracens second string last night at home to Gloucester. Neither side had strong line ups but Gloucester were certainly closer to their first choice.

Momentum and that winning mentality is back in place for Saracens now. Even with the departures, I see them as a far more dangerous opponent than they were 5 months ago. They're still able to put out a team well capable of beating anyone.

Throw in the fact that home advantage is largely eradicated and Saracens are now motoring and I'd be far from confident that Leinster are going to beat them in a month.

sydthebeat

Buer wrote: »

Comfortable BP win for Saracens second string last night at home to Gloucester. Neither side had strong line ups but Gloucester were certainly closer to their first choice.

Momentum and that winning mentality is back in place for Saracens now. Even with the departures, I see them as a far more dangerous opponent than they were 5 months ago. They're still able to put out a team well capable of beating anyone.

Throw in the fact that home advantage is largely eradicated and Saracens are now motoring and I'd be far from confident that Leinster are going to beat them in a month.

saracens have had one game to focus on since 19th January this year....
so by the time the game comes around they will have had 244 days of planning... leinster will have to be looking at the endgame of the 19/20 pro 14 in teh 2 weeks preceding this game

Leinster need James Ryan back 100% and need not suffer any more injuries over the next few weeks

Bookies still have leinster 5 point favourites....

id have that a couple of points too generous assuming leinster suffer no front line injuries in the next 3 weeks..... but i think we are guaranteed to suffer at least one.
if we were to lose sexton, henshaw, ringrose, lowe, toner or healy for this game id put the fav tag onto saracens

ongarite

ongarite wrote: »

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

Game is on, all players tested negative.

Delighted to be wrong

PMC83

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0moYUz2L1kU


Interesting OTB. Bod saying Sexton is aiming for next world cup. More power to him, would be some feat.

salmocab

It wasn’t mentioned much in the build up to the actual rugby but I quite like the New Jersey, the darker couloured shirts look better than the light blue ones did.