Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VIII: May the Fourth Star Be With You!

Well to summarise the discussion we had at the start of the previous thread (just under a year ago). It consisted of the following talking points.

1: Was Rhys Ruddock going to remain at second row. (Most people said no, and they were correct, until two weeks ago).
2: The kids were playing well, the internationals were playing poorly.
3: We weren't very clinical.
4: Crosbie, McCarthy and James Ryan were to be involved this season.
5: Reddan was iffy, and there was no one putting pressure on him.
6: Marty Moore had been annoucned as leaving and there was some panic.

A decent starting point would be asking how management have come on since and how our expectations have changed in a year.

The second row situation was obviously problematic a year ago if Ruddock was starting there, and is still problematic a year later if Ruddock is subbing there. We still have a lot of decent second rows, and only one quality second row. If Dev got injured, Leinster could struggle.

The U23 segment of the Leinster team is performing even better than it was last year, so many of them weren't even on the radar. Rol, Daly, Carbery for me emerged out of obscurity. Byrne, Byrne, Porter etc were slightly more well known coming through. The guys who made their breakthroughs this time last year are now virtually undroppable, (Ringrose and VDF). The other half of this discussion was that our internationals weren't playing well, but I think they've been pretty brilliant at times this year.

We are much more clinical when we need to be than we were last year, however we can still sometimes take the foot off the gas when we get the four tries early.

Crosbie, McCarthy and (J) Ryan have either moved on, got badly injured or not been able to force their way into the squad this season.

Reddan is gone, in his place are two options that are quite comparable to him, if a little less experienced. I am content with the situation at scrum half. By that I mean, I am not happy, but I am willing to give them time to grow.

Marty Moore has gone to Wasps, and slipped somewhat into obscurity, Ross has been injured. (Hyperbole alert) Out of their shadow has stepped a man who might have been a bolter for the lions - only he bolted so fast that with 6 months to go I think it's his jersey to lose. Furlong is quality.


I am very happy with Lancaster, Leo and Girv going forward. When a grizzled veteran of 4 different New Zealand based Super Rugby franchises says that Leinster is the best club he has ever played for, you know something is right about the culture.

Our positions of strength are the front row, the back row and 10-13. We have promising youngsters (Daly, Byrne, Rol, Dardis) in the back three / 13, and hopefully one or two will come good. So happy that things are humming nicely.

I'd be interested to see if any Leinster posters have a foreign signing they would like to see. Personally I think anyone coming in at this stage would have to be world class to make a difference. Another Zane Kircherner is unnecessary, we seem to be producing them annually, but another Brad Thorn would be a boost?

No one is really needed for me, but a strong signing in the engine room would be nice. Anyway, haven't felt this good about Leinster in a while. Onwards for another thread and another year.

This thread will be locked and another started before Leinster win a fourth star. Thread name has jinxed us.

Perhaps after a lions tour and the world cup 2 years away someone like Sam whitelock could be persuaded to move away for a year which would be a great learning experience for the likes of ryan but maybe that's dreaming.

There has been a bit of talk of Munster signing Taute in place of Saili. If he was to become available and was interested then I think Leinster should jump at the chance. If both centres go on the lions tour, cover of that class would be invaluable. Again he might fancy going back home for 2018 depending on form

b.gud wrote: »

Woah, Woah, wait hang on a minute, now just slow things down. Are you saying that respected journalist, Neil Francis, who won won an award for journalist of the year at well respected and widely regarded as the highest quality paper in Ireland the Irish Independent may not have been entirely 100% accurate in an article that he spent months planning, writing, rewriting and writing again?!?!?!

I for one am 100% shocked by this. Surely this must be the biggest scandal and story of 2016

You lost me at respected.

Clegg wrote: »

Think we may need to bring in another kick from somewhere. This is a complete shot in the dark, bit judging from the recent team sheets I'd guess Mick Kearney isn't highly regarded by the coaches. Unless he's injured of course.

Another kick???

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Another kick???

Autocorrect for lock I'd imagine

Feck sake Friday night January game. Hip flask needed!

Kevski wrote: »

Home to Montpellier at 19:45 on Friday 13th

Here come the injuries.

Kevski wrote: »

Fixtures for rounds 5 & 6 of the Champions Cup are out.

Home to Montpellier at 19:45 on Friday 13th, Away to Castres at 19:45 on Friday 20th.

TV channels?

Peregrine wrote: »

vienne86 wrote: »

TV channels?

Sky for both.

TG for that. I'm so sick of BT!

Sean Cronin just tweeted pictures of his newborn twins .
Delighted for him.
Suspect he mightn't make the trip to Thomond ....

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

There's only danger of it being on BT if there's an English team playing.

They had the Leinster v Castre game earlier in the pool