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

Dubinusa

Clongowes have a rematch. Ineligible player.

Serbian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120240818#Comment_120240818

I think you missed the joke there or maybe I'm missing your joke, but it did make me think about the players listed in the quote and it's likely that all of Doris, Penny, Baird, and Soroka will all still be playing in 2031 which gives me existential terror.

clsmooth

If Soroka does a Tadgh Beirne and develops away from Leinster to that type of level I’d be delighted as a Leinster, Ireland and an Irish rugby supporter.

I guess Culhane would be seen as the next potential talent coming through in the back row. Will give him a better chance of picking up minutes going forward so win-win.

Alternatively if Soroka stays and does a Ryan Baird I’ll be delighted too. Lovely ‘problem’ to have for Irish rugby.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242345#Comment_120242345

yeah i probably did, but i guess the point i was making was that even if we had no new academy back row recruits for the next 2 years, we'd still be very well stocked come 8 years time.

Yeah_Right

It's ok lads. Don't worry about the slowdown in back row production.My 15 year old nephew plays in the back row and has told me that when he finishes high school he's moving to Dublin to play rugby. The cheeky little **** has already decided which room in my house he will take. He's currently 1.77m tall and 75kg. And still growing. I'm trying to convince him he'd be better off in Limerick.

Dubinusa

The good news is the latest crop of young prospects are in key positions like hooker, McKee, Barron and perhaps Gus McCarthy, loosehead, Boyle and possibly Hadden and tight head, McGuire, Lasisi and Pat McCarthy.

For 3 or 4 years there was a glut of 2nd rows. There appears to be somewhat of a slowdown. C.O.T looks to be the next academy intake and Mangan looks to be a hybrid. Both are exciting prospects.

I'm excited from what I've seen from Fintan Gunne! Fingers crossed. Not to mention, the out half stock looks great. Tector and Prendergast could be really good players. Prendergast looks the better prospect.

The backline is are either. Credit to the coaching systems and youth leagues.

GURU NR 1

He is currently injured and is hoping to be back for u20’s summer World Cup tournament….

Dubinusa

Jack McGrath retired! What a shame it ended like this for him. One of our greatest props. Wish him all the best.

PMC83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120247954#Comment_120247954

His state read as pretty emotional and heartfelt, I'd no idea he was so banged up physically (unable to tie his own shoe laces at one point), all the best to him

PMC83

Absolutely brilliant stuff from James Tracy on otb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ad8Z6_4xQg

Feel bad for Jack McGrath - deserved a proper send off in front of a crowd.

Dave_The_Sheep

Agreed, he's had a great career that could have been even greater if not for a sh*te time with injuries, and came across as a genuinely nice person on top of that.

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120248441#Comment_120248441

Mad to think his career effectively finished quite early for a prop (he's 33 now, but has only played 25 games in the last 3 or 4 years), but his achievements are quite significant:

56 x Irish Caps

3 x Lions Test Caps

3 x 6 nations wins

A grand slam

Champions Cup medal

And however many URC/Pro12/Pro14s he picked up with Leinster.

Dubinusa

I'll always remember Jack kicking the ball out of play to end a match, a few years ago. Not the best kick.

Clegg

Great to see Jenkins back. Jack Boyle in line to make his debut too. Milne, Osborne, JOB and Larmour straight into the side from Ireland duty too. Bit surprised that Joe McCarthy hasn't been named though. Hopefully he isn't injured.

15. Jimmy O’Brien (65)

14. Jordan Larmour (83)

13. Liam Turner (13)

12. Jamie Osborne (29)

11. Dave Kearney (179)

10. Harry Byrne (43)

9. Luke McGrath (187)

1. Michael Milne (25)

2. John McKee (12)

3. Michael Ala’alatoa (39)

4. Ross Molony (155)

5. Brian Deeny (8)

6. Rhys Ruddock (217) CAPTAIN

7. Scott Penny (50)

8. Max Deegan (91)

16. Lee Barron (2)

17. Jack Boyle (0)

18. Thomas Clarkson (22)

19. Jason Jenkins (9)

20. Will Connors (30)

21. Nick McCarthy (56)

22. Charlie Tector (3)

23. Rob Russell (13)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252437#Comment_120252437

Really exciting side - great to potentially see Jack Boyle make his debut off the bench (he looks to have put on a lot of size based on recent training photos), brilliant to see Jenkins back, and more gametime for guys like Harry Byrne, Jamie Osborne and younger guys like Milne and Deeny.

Looking forward to this.

sydthebeat

Jack Boyle to make his debut at LH

that team should be at least 20 points better than the dragons at home.

Clegg

I quite like how John McKee plays. He's athletic in the loose and makes a decent impact with his carrying. I'm a bit surprised Ulster didn't keep a hold of him. He wouldn't get past Herring or Stewart any time soon, but as a third choice hooker he's doing a good job.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252682#Comment_120252682

At the time he moved the talk was that Ulster wanted him to play loosehead, which he apparently was not too keen on. Kind of strange to alienate a top tier prospect over a positional switch but I guess we don't know the full story.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252812#Comment_120252812

I think he started as a loosehead and wanted to convert to hooker which is more questionable.

Dubinusa

That's a strong line up! Leocaster must be chuffed to get lads back. So happy to see Jenkins involved and Connors again. Jack Boyle getting his 1st appearance and Tector in the team again. Tector must be delighted that he's getting a chance.

What's the story with Vakh? No sign of him recently.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253183#Comment_120253183

They've generally ranked Clarkson ahead of Abdaladze when both are fit.

Equally, on Tector, with Frawley still not fit, every other 10 we have is in international camp.

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120252437#Comment_120252437

Total speculation that goes against the reporting, but wonder is McCarthy inline to play in Rome? But suppose if that were the case, Baird not getting a run this week doesn't make sense.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253393#Comment_120253393

Baird wasn't released anyway; he was retained in the 25 man Irish camp. McCarthy not being picked here though would suggest he's at least in the mix to play in Rome. I fully expected him (McCarthy) to start this game in the 5 shirt.

pickarooney

I'd say McCarthy not being picked is just so Jenkins can ease his way back into the team. They're giving Deeny a fair bit of game time, which is great for him bu McCarthy's meteoric rise seems to have him paradoxically not playing much rugby

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253434#Comment_120253434

Don’t they announce who is released back and who isn’t? I thought he was released.

If he is in line to play, he should be in ireland camp.

Dubinusa

I think McCarthy benches v Italy and I hope Baird starts at blindside. I would guess that Conan will start.

ulsteru20s

McCarthy is injured. Sorry, apologies if already posted. That makes more sense.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/2023/02/17/urc-pace-setters-leinster-look-to-continue-unbeaten-run-against-dragons/

Locke_Lamora

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120253021#Comment_120253021

Correct. We had plenty of decent hookers on the books (very short of props) and he was an schools cup winning captain, so ulster probably wanted to keep him at LH. Maybe he thought his size was better suited for hooker?

He seems to be going well enough, so I like to think he's made a good (and brave) choice and I'm sure he has no regrets, which is the main thing.

Dubinusa

Just watched Ilsters match v Glasgow. God help us, definitely not what I expected. Seriously bad effort by Ulster at the basics.

I mention this because, any Leinster player thinking of moving to Belfast should think again! They would be leaving a fantastic set up for....who knows what. Awful display from Ulster with a fairly string line up.