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

Beechwoodspark

Something has rattled Johnny

Only a few weeks ago he was praising Tom Brady and talking about how he was a role model for him in terms of longevity

And now he's hinting he wants to retire next year.

Squidgy Black

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Something has rattled Johnny

Only a few weeks ago he was praising Tom Brady and talking about how he was a role model for him in terms of longevity

And now he's hinting he wants to retire next year.

Aka Johnny before contract negotiations and Johnny after contracts have probably been agreed.

theVersatile

pickarooney wrote: »

Is that not his name?

Alexander if anything

Buer

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Something has rattled Johnny

Only a few weeks ago he was praising Tom Brady and talking about how he was a role model for him in terms of longevity

And now he's hinting he wants to retire next year.

Today he stated the truth i.e. people were misrepresenting his comments. This is what he said today:

"If you look at what I said...it’s been other people that have sort of thrown fuel on the fire.

"Isa [Nacewa, former Leinster captain] telling people that I could play until I was 40,41.

"That has never changed, you know what I mean, like. I’ve spoken about admiration for athletes that have stayed at the top of their game for a long time but ...what I said or what someone else said, it can get lost a bit, but for the moment I’m still motivated.

"[You can be] 24 or 25 years of age, you get an injury and you’re finished, like then, you know what I mean so it’s, yeah, at the moment I am contracted for this season and nearly contracted for next season.

"Hopefully, I’ll stay and we’ll see what happens."

And this completely tallies with what he said in January before the 6N. The media just chose to focus on putting a very different slant on it.

“It’s pretty incredible at 43. I definitely don’t want to go to that age though,” the Ireland skipper said with a laugh. “That’s too much.

“Look, a lot of it has been me just being a little bit stubborn or half-joking, but you’ve got to take it campaign by campaign, or year by year, when you get to this age.

“At the moment, I feel good despite picking up a niggle, as sometimes is the case before you go into Irish camp, but it is what it is and hopefully be back flying next week. Like I said, take it campaign by campaign and see how you feel at the end of the season. But it is inspiring to see someone like that have success for so long.”

pickarooney

theVersatile wrote: »

Alexander if anything

Apparently not
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/john-o-sullivan-all-ireland-league-can-claim-the-spotlight-1.4200129?mode=amp

Is Deegan's full name Maximilian also or Maxwell or something?

irishbucsfan

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Perhaps Frawley and/or Jimmy O'Brien will be available and one or both can be selected in the XXIII instead - likely in the run-on team.

That's Jimithan O'Brien

Squidgy Black

pickarooney wrote: »

Apparently not
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/john-o-sullivan-all-ireland-league-can-claim-the-spotlight-1.4200129?mode=amp

Is Deegan's full name Maximilian also or Maxwell or something?

Yeah his legal name is Alekseiy, that's what all the schools reports were referring to him as for SCT matches. Family is from Ukraine.

Deegan's probably just Max tbh I don't think a lot of people still use the full Maximilian name on birth certs. Could be wrong though.

Clegg

EPCR have confirmed that Leinster will have a home QF in this season's revised Champions Cup.

https://twitter.com/RuaidhriOC/status/1364575810477322244?s=09

bayern

So Leinster will play one of?

Lyon
Toulouse
ASM Clermont Auvergne
Bristol Bears
Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester Rugby

Exclamation Marc

Big weekend for Dev Toner - will presumably be standing alone as having made the most appearances ever for Leinster (surpassing Darcy who made 257 capped appearances - although he had a few extra non-capped appearances I believe)

Incredible achievement, particularly for someone who clocked up 70 international caps.

arsebiscuits1

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Big weekend for Dev Toner - will presumably be standing alone as having made the most appearances ever for Leinster (surpassing Darcy who made 257 capped appearances - although he had a few extra non-capped appearances I believe)

Incredible achievement, particularly for someone who clocked up 70 international caps.

There's been some discrepancies with D'arcys total apparently.

Dev might be a few off yet

Quin_Dub

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Big weekend for Dev Toner - will presumably be standing alone as having made the most appearances ever for Leinster (surpassing Darcy who made 257 capped appearances - although he had a few extra non-capped appearances I believe)

Incredible achievement, particularly for someone who clocked up 70 international caps.

Absolutely..

Who would have the highest total number games at the Pro-level across Club/Province/National/Lions etc.?

Toner must be there or thereabouts

Exclamation Marc

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

There's been some discrepancies with D'arcys total apparently.

Dev might be a few off yet

I think there was confusion over appearances v caps but I really don't see them changing D'arcys cap total at this stage with Dev set to surpass it. It would be shockingly bad press to allow some become the all time cap holder based on Leinsters current records to retcon D'arcy shortly after.

sydthebeat

Quin_Dub wrote: »

Absolutely..

Who would have the highest total number games at the Pro-level across Club/Province/National/Lions etc.?

Toner must be there or thereabouts

well parrise has 491 between club and country.. and still going

that will be hard beat id guess

Quin_Dub

sydthebeat wrote: »

well parrise has 491 between club and country.. and still going

that will be hard beat id guess

Globally certainly that would be hard to top.

Doing a bit of a quick google just now I got the following numbers for Irish players

Bull Hayes on 324 (217 Munster , 105 Ireland , 2 Lions)
Toner on 327 (257 Leinster , 70 Ireland)
O'Driscoll on 327 (186 Leinster , 133 Ireland , 8 Lions)
D'Arcy on 340 (257 Leinster , 82 Ireland , 1 Lions)
O'Gara on 370 (240 Munster , 128 Ireland , 2 Lions)

Could add a few more to the above total if you included Lions Tour non-cap games and a few other categories like Barbarians or Ireland A games..

aloooof

Quin_Dub wrote: »

Globally certainly that would be hard to top.

Doing a bit of a quick google just now I got the following numbers for Irish players

Bull Hayes on 324 (217 Munster , 105 Ireland , 2 Lions)
Toner on 327 (257 Leinster , 70 Ireland)
O'Driscoll on 327 (186 Leinster , 133 Ireland , 8 Lions)
D'Arcy on 340 (257 Leinster , 82 Ireland , 1 Lions)
O'Gara on 370 (240 Munster , 128 Ireland , 2 Lions)

Could add a few more to the above total if you included Lions Tour non-cap games and a few other categories like Barbarians or Ireland A games..

Donncha O'Callaghan comes to mind. 268 Munster and 94 for Ireland. Throw in his Lions, Barbarians and Worcester caps and it's well over 400.

Lost Ormond

aloooof wrote: »

Donncha O'Callaghan comes to mind. 268 Ireland and 94 for Ireland. Throw in his Lions, Barbarians and Worcester caps and it's well over 400.

And Stringer as well. 230 for Munster. another 100 plus for the various english clubs and 98 Irish Caps.

bayern

Owen Farrell is over 300 and he is only 29.

arsebiscuits1

Quin_Dub wrote: »

Globally certainly that would be hard to top.

Doing a bit of a quick google just now I got the following numbers for Irish players

Bull Hayes on 324 (217 Munster , 105 Ireland , 2 Lions)
Toner on 327 (257 Leinster , 70 Ireland)
O'Driscoll on 327 (186 Leinster , 133 Ireland , 8 Lions)
D'Arcy on 340 (257 Leinster , 82 Ireland , 1 Lions)
O'Gara on 370 (240 Munster , 128 Ireland , 2 Lions)

Could add a few more to the above total if you included Lions Tour non-cap games and a few other categories like Barbarians or Ireland A games..

Healys up there with an impressive 332 (226 Leinster, 106 Ireland)

He also has a smattering of Wolfhounds and non test Lions appearances.

Sean Cronin worth a mention with 327 also (191 Leinster, 62 Connacht, 2 Munster, 72 Ireland)

But the run away winner of senior appearances that I can find is Donnacha O'Callaghan with an insane 429 (268 Munster, 68 Worcester, 94 Ireland, 4 Lions)

arsebiscuits1

Dan Biggar is up there too with 340 (41 Northampton, 210 ospreys, 89 Wales)

shaungil

Johnny Muldoon 327 Connacht and 3 Ireland.

Quin_Dub

aloooof wrote: »

Donncha O'Callaghan comes to mind. 268 Munster and 94 for Ireland. Throw in his Lions, Barbarians and Worcester caps and it's well over 400.

Good call..

O'Callaghan is on 429.

Stringer on 453 though!!

Think Stringer has it , can't think of any other Irish player that would be even close to that figure.

shaungil

Going off topic was wondering who had most provincial caps with out getting an Irish one.


Michael Swift was one I thought of 269 Connacht caps.

arsebiscuits1

Lost Ormond wrote: »

And Stringer as well. 230 for Munster. another 100 plus for the various english clubs and 98 Irish Caps.

Stringer eclipses Donnacha according to wiki

451 senior appearances is ridiculous. 230 Munster, 11 Sarries, 5 Newcastle, 62 Bath, 39 Sale, 6 Worcester, 98 Ireland

Lost Ormond

shaungil wrote: »

Going off topic was wondering who had most provincial caps with out getting an Irish one.


Michael Swift was one I thought of 269 Connacht caps.

TBF nearly all this is off topic for the Leinster thread. Could nearly do with its own thread.

joseywhales

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Stringer eclipses Donnacha according to wiki

451 senior appearances is ridiculous. 230 Munster, 11 Sarries, 5 Newcastle, 62 Bath, 39 Sale, 6 Worcester, 98 Ireland

He'll probably live longer too, the great reward for small men everywhere

.ak

In fairness Stringer played on into his 60s...

Squidgy Black

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Dan Biggar is up there too with 340 (41 Northampton, 210 ospreys, 89 Wales)

Played 5 midweek games with the Lions too, and is only 31. Mental numbers.

theVersatile

Rougerie had nearly 500

pickarooney

Julien Bonnaire (428), Morgan Parra (440) - they make them to last in Clermont.

Simon Shaw (420), Martin Johnson (455)

Can't think of many SH players off the top of my head