Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XII (The Byrne Supremacy)

molloyjh

Quin_Dub wrote: »

Think People are over-thinking this.

He's a direct replacement for Bent and bridges the gap between the loss of Aungier and Salanoa and the upcoming Milne & Clarkson.


He's probably doubled his salary making the move and at 29 it's probably his last gig assuming he settles and goes reasonably well.

He'll do 3/4 years here like most NIQ's and he'll make far more money than he could ever make in NZ.

Will he push and challenge the players above him more than Bent? Probably , but he's not being signed to facilitate anybody leaving (other than Bent) or for Porter to swap sides.

That all makes sense from a Leinster perspective. But Alaalatoa himself could surely earn more in France or Japan than at Leinster? From a playing perspective, is a guy who has won multiple SR titles as first choice with the Crusaders really happy to come over here and be 3rd choice and unlikely feature in the big games? I'd be surprised, and probably disappointed, if that was the sum total of his ambition here.

Him fitting in at LH may make sense as Buer pointed out. Or Porter moving to LH could too. We will just have to wait and see, but it does pose some interesting questions.

molloyjh

sydthebeat wrote: »

and he'll still be eligible for Samoa as well, so there will actually be more room there for the likes of Vahk / clarkson than there currently is with bent

And less scope for him to be Bents direct replacement as he won't won't around for some of those games where Bent is required. The PNC is usually July and August so he'd miss pre-season for that. Then he'd be gone for the November internationals. If you consider the June games as well he'd be with Samoa for the whole summer so will need a break after that. He wouldn't be available for the first few weeks of the season then.

So we'd likely have him for October and then from December on. If he's 3rd choice then he misses all the HEC pool game weeks. So he'd play very little over the first half of the season. That's not what we need from Bents replacement.

Unless of course he retires from international rugby or one of the other options above is true...

dub_skav

I think he is very similar to Bent in that he has played his top rugby at TH, but is also a capable loosehead.
Very valuable filling that ambi-propstrous role.

It also has the stink of a player just falling into their laps to me.
Has the feeling of the Fardy signing. Became available, was willing to come and they couldn't say no, even if it didn't seem to make too much sense at the time. Remember Fardy had been playing almost exclusively in the backrow where we were well stocked. Not sure anybody really believed he was coming as a 2nd row, even though that's how it worked out.

yerrahbah

Quin_Dub wrote: »

Think People are over-thinking this.

He's a direct replacement for Bent and bridges the gap between the loss of Aungier and Salanoa and the upcoming Milne & Clarkson.


He's probably doubled his salary making the move and at 29 it's probably his last gig assuming he settles and goes reasonably well.

He'll do 3/4 years here like most NIQ's and he'll make far more money than he could ever make in NZ.

Will he push and challenge the players above him more than Bent? Probably , but he's not being signed to facilitate anybody leaving (other than Bent) or for Porter to swap sides.

If they wanted a like for like replacement for Bent then I'm sure there are plenty of solid but not spectacular THs floating around who wouldn't mind a few seasons playing in dirt tracker games in the PRO14.

The fact they have gone out and signed a Crusaders prop would signal to me that there is something else going on.

Maybe I'm underrating Bent
Maybe I'm overrating this new signing

But one team having 3 THs, any of whom would probably start in any other team in the PRO14 seems a bit off

Rigor Mortis

The release specifically says he will be here for pre-season

salmocab

My own feeling is that Porter may get switched, it makes good sense from an Irish point of view, there is nobody obvious to take the one jersey for Ireland, the downside is top quality tight heads are the hardest thing to come by and I think this is probably the first time ever we’ve had two at the same time (since the pro era) and an injury to Furlong will leave Ireland in a bad place but not so much Leinster.

Squidgy Black

molloyjh wrote: »

That all makes sense from a Leinster perspective. But Alaalatoa himself could surely earn more in France or Japan than at Leinster? From a playing perspective, is a guy who has won multiple SR titles as first choice with the Crusaders really happy to come over here and be 3rd choice and unlikely feature in the big games? I'd be surprised, and probably disappointed, if that was the sum total of his ambition here.

Him fitting in at LH may make sense as Buer pointed out. Or Porter moving to LH could too. We will just have to wait and see, but it does pose some interesting questions.

I think the money in Japan has stifled big time with the pandemic. Most of the teams are company teams so expenditure is being cut all over the place.

PMC83

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3doYXRhbGFkL2ZlZWQueG1s/episode/d2hhdGFsYWQucG9kYmVhbi5jb20vMzk0M2MxYzUtNWM2Yy0zYjY5LTllNDEtZDU2Njg3MTk2MzEx?hl=en-IE&ved=2ahUKEwjHjYOb9frvAhXITxUIHRt0DQcQjrkEegQIAhAF&ep=6

Interesting interview with Jamo

Interested Observer

yerrahbah wrote: »

If they wanted a like for like replacement for Bent then I'm sure there are plenty of solid but not spectacular THs floating around who wouldn't mind a few seasons playing in dirt tracker games in the PRO14.

The fact they have gone out and signed a Crusaders prop would signal to me that there is something else going on.

Maybe I'm underrating Bent
Maybe I'm overrating this new signing

But one team having 3 THs, any of whom would probably start in any other team in the PRO14 seems a bit off

Whether he ends up contributing as much as Bent is nearly beside the point, he has a lot more pedigree (Crusaders first choice TH, load of Super rugby titles vs Bent playing for Taranaki with a handful of Super rugby caps) and would have way more options open to him. I am not convinced at all he's here to sit behind Porter and Furlong.

swiwi_

molloyjh wrote: »

That all makes sense from a Leinster perspective. But Alaalatoa himself could surely earn more in France or Japan than at Leinster? From a playing perspective, is a guy who has won multiple SR titles as first choice with the Crusaders really happy to come over here and be 3rd choice and unlikely feature in the big games? I'd be surprised, and probably disappointed, if that was the sum total of his ambition here.

Him fitting in at LH may make sense as Buer pointed out. Or Porter moving to LH could too. We will just have to wait and see, but it does pose some interesting questions.

I’ve never seen him play LH for the crusaders. Not saying he can’t but just saying.

theVersatile

Clarkson promoted to a senior deal

irishbucsfan

Even if Porter moves, he will be 2nd choice behind Furlong in Europe.

Even if he was considerably better than Porter or Furlong, he will remain behind them.

Unless Leinster are planning on being without both, he’s coming over to play Pro14 and a few minutes in Europe when availability dictates it.

Sangre

dub_skav wrote: »

I think he is very similar to Bent in that he has played his top rugby at TH, but is also a capable loosehead.
Very valuable filling that ambi-propstrous role.

It also has the stink of a player just falling into their laps to me.
Has the feeling of the Fardy signing. Became available, was willing to come and they couldn't say no, even if it didn't seem to make too much sense at the time. Remember Fardy had been playing almost exclusively in the backrow where we were well stocked. Not sure anybody really believed he was coming as a 2nd row, even though that's how it worked out.

I'm convinced anyway. Maybe Leinster saw an opportunity for a great player at a great price and just went for it.

molloyjh

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

The release specifically says he will be here for pre-season

With Covid I reckon the PNC is off. Samoa haven't played since the RWC. But next season will probably be a different kettle of fish. Do we know how long he has signed for?

Also just saw Clarkson has been promoted to the senior team. So that's Furlong, Porter, Alaalatoa, Abdaladze and Clarkson all on senior contracts next season. That's 1 more than the last few seasons. Our senior LHs are Healy, Byrne and Dooley. That's 5 THs and 3 LHs. That may end up being the case, but there's plenty there to suggest someone moving across is a real possibility.

Quin_Dub

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Even if Porter moves, he will be 2nd choice behind Furlong in Europe.

Even if he was considerably better than Porter or Furlong, he will remain behind them.

Unless Leinster are planning on being without both, he’s coming over to play Pro14 and a few minutes in Europe when availability dictates it.

With the SA Teams joining the Pro14, he's basically playing exactly the same standard (and same teams) of Rugby he is right now for likely a lot more money.

Sangre wrote: »

I'm convinced anyway. Maybe Leinster saw an opportunity for a great player at a great price and just went for it.

Exactly - Looks like simply a sharp bit of business to get a high quality player onboard.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Even if Porter moves, he will be 2nd choice behind Furlong in Europe.

Even if he was considerably better than Porter or Furlong, he will remain behind them.

Unless Leinster are planning on being without both, he’s coming over to play Pro14 and a few minutes in Europe when availability dictates it.

I think being in the first choice 23 vs not is in itself a big enough deal. By all accounts Bent was (rightly) gutted not to have been involved in the P14 final. He likely won't be involved in the HEC KOs either. I'd say that would piss most guys in his position off. At least off the bench he gets 30 mins or so in big games and probably finals.

Buer

He's of a very similar profile to Nathan White when he joined. He's approaching 30, well established in a Super Rugby team but probably not going to be a guy that will leapfrog an incumbent Irish international.

I'd largely agree that it's a rather peculiar signing but I'll reserve judgement until we see how it pans out. There are a lot of possibilities here. Ala'alatoa, Abdaladze and Porter have all played loosehead in their earlier careers. I wouldn't rule out any of them making the move back there.

swiwi_

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Even if Porter moves, he will be 2nd choice behind Furlong in Europe.

Even if he was considerably better than Porter or Furlong, he will remain behind them.

Unless Leinster are planning on being without both, he’s coming over to play Pro14 and a few minutes in Europe when availability dictates it.

Let’s be honest he signed on to sample the Guinness, for the craic and take a dip in the Irish Sea. Any rugby on the side will be an added bonus.

hahashake

PMC83 wrote: »

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3doYXRhbGFkL2ZlZWQueG1s/episode/d2hhdGFsYWQucG9kYmVhbi5jb20vMzk0M2MxYzUtNWM2Yy0zYjY5LTllNDEtZDU2Njg3MTk2MzEx?hl=en-IE&ved=2ahUKEwjHjYOb9frvAhXITxUIHRt0DQcQjrkEegQIAhAF&ep=6

Interesting interview with Jamo

Fascinating interview, sounds like he had a rough journey. Certainly wasn't to the manor born.

Exclamation Marc

New contract for James Tracy

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1381932678325231619?s=19

Exclamation Marc

Dates and times released for first three Rainbow Cup games.

24th April (Saturday) Leinster v Munster 7.35pm RDS
8th May (Saturday) Connacht v Leinster 7.35pm Sportsground
14th May (Friday) Leinster v Ulster 8.15pm RDS

salmocab

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

New contract for James Tracy

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1381932678325231619?s=19

Plus Thomas Clarkson first pro contract announced earlier, might be a few dripped through soon.

swiwi_

If you're Leinster born and bred, must be gutting when you get the call to say you're being let go from the squad. Would be my least favourite part of being the coach I'd say. It's also quite a skill, deciding when you need to move on to another player, you'd have to put the emotions aside and concentrate on what's best for the team.

This will be the fifth match against Munster since August

Squidgy Black

Is Tracey the first senior player to have a renewal deal announced that isn't a central contract then?

salmocab

swiwi_ wrote: »

If you're Leinster born and bred, must be gutting when you get the call to say you're being let go from the squad. Would be my least favourite part of being the coach I'd say. It's also quite a skill, deciding when you need to move on to another player, you'd have to put the emotions aside and concentrate on what's best for the team.

I’d imagine you know it’s coming in most cases, either not getting much game time, being passed by younger better players or coaches asking if your rental agreement on the apartment is up soon.

Burkie1203

salmocab wrote: »

I’d imagine you know it’s coming in most cases, either not getting much game time, being passed by younger better players or coaches asking if your rental agreement on the apartment is up soon.

Or some dodgy number keeps coming up on your phone. You think it's some Nigerian Lottery scam but its actually Johan Van Graan calling from a payphone in Limerick.

AdamD

Deleted User wrote: »

This will be the fifth match against Munster since August

Maybe if we just keep playing them they'll win one eventually?

sebdavis

swiwi_ wrote: »

If you're Leinster born and bred, must be gutting when you get the call to say you're being let go from the squad. Would be my least favourite part of being the coach I'd say. It's also quite a skill, deciding when you need to move on to another player, you'd have to put the emotions aside and concentrate on what's best for the team.

I would expect most players let go from the Leinster academy would be devastated but straight onto the phone to other provinces to get a run.

PMC83

Deleted User wrote: »

This will be the fifth match against Munster since August

Yeah have to say I'm pretty sick of the inter pros at this stage. Lucky to have it and better then nothing but with no crowds and the same games again and again its getting a little less exciting.


Especially after a weekend like the one Leinster just had