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

joseywhales wrote: »

Not to disparage a player, deegan is a good footballer with a bit of dog but I really don't think he has the power required for test level backrow unfortunately which is required to win in Europe, I have more gra for Doris's potential for that reason. Maybe next year will prove otherwise but there is no compromise for power. I don't think the depth at backrow will be at the level of the past decade for a long long time. Our options at loose and tight prop are phenomenal though. I like Clarkson a lot too.

Can't seem to find footage of it but I remember a tackle in a game this year that would beg to differ.. The opposition had a crash-ball move from a lineout and their main ballcarrier hit the line full steam.. Deegan crunched him to the extent of jarring the camera footage.. Athleticism spings to mind more so than power but thats not to say he lacks it.. I wouldn't be worried to be honest.. He'll add at least another stone over the next couple of years.

Good interview with Mick Kearney today in The42 on many things rugby including why he left Leinster for Zebre.

https://www.the42.ie/mick-kearney-leinster-zebre-interview-4720054-Jul2019/

hype101 wrote: »

McKee is also underage for 20s next season I think.

Big gamble from McKee moving to leinster, would have been going into his second year of academy in ulster whilst he’s still in sub academy for leinster not being paid

Buer wrote: »

It's clearly not because of Fardy. Leinster have the best crop of locks coming through since the establishment of the professional teams in Ireland. He's a fine player but he won't be able to hold off Baird, Dunne and Charlie Ryan for the duration of another contract.

Fardy is only signed for another year. He's not hanging around and any new deal for Kearney would outlast that. Kearney made a smart call based on his long term prospects. If he goes out there now, he potentially can play test rugby for Italy (as far as I know he never played for the Wolfhounds) and I'm sure that's at the back of his mind.

Would he really have left if he was neck and neck with Molony to be in the Euro 23 all the time for last season and the coming season? Can't see it myself.

Again, I'm not in any way opposed to Fardy being there. It's just all the talk from the Dublin Media of how great Leinster are for having a lot of homegrown players starts to grate after a while. They're nothing like the Jaguares in Super Rugby, who have all homegrown players. The reality is that they're hardly any different to the other provinces, and actually have more NIQs signed up for next season than Munster.

mark_way wrote: »

The reality is that they're hardly any different to the other provinces, and actually have more NIQs signed up for next season than Munster.

Munster have Matthewson and Botha... Leinster have Fardy and Lowe... 2=2.

mark_way wrote: »

It's because he was blocked by Fardy.

I'm not against Leinster having Fardy btw, but it's a bit rich to hear all the crowing about development when you've got good quality players (Kearney, McCarthy) leaving because they're blocked by imports. Leinster actually have more NIQs than Munster for next season so who's really doing the development for Irish rugby?

Leinster. The RWC training squad breakdown is:

Leinster: 18

Munster: 15

Ulster: 6

Connacht: 5

Nevermind the players at the other provinces who started out at Leinster..

mark_way wrote: »

Exclamation Marc wrote: »

Good interview with Mick Kearney today in The42 on many things rugby including why he left Leinster for Zebre.

https://www.the42.ie/mick-kearney-leinster-zebre-interview-4720054-Jul2019/

It's because he was blocked by Fardy.

I'm not against Leinster having Fardy btw, but it's a bit rich to hear all the crowing about development when you've got good quality players (Kearney, McCarthy) leaving because they're blocked by imports. Leinster actually have more NIQs than Munster for next season so who's really doing the development for Irish rugby?

I normally avoid inter-pro BS as it's so tired and pointless. But as much as I dislike it, I dislike lazy fact-free BS even more. So, if we look at the 45 man training squad for the RWC:

Leinster developed: 22
Munster developed: 9
Ulster developer: 4
Connacht developed: 4
Other (projects/granny rule): 6

The number of existing NIQs at a province isn't exactly an accurate reflection on who is developing players for the national side. Even if Leinster had more, it would make sense given the numbers of locally developed players we lose to the national team.

Now, of the 22 players developed by Leinster, 6 are playing for other provinces (including Jack McGrath). Of the 23 not developed by Leinster, only 2 are playing at Leinster.

Only 2 players were flagged as unavailable for selection to the training squad in the press release. Both were developed by Leinster.

I hope this answers your question.

mark_way wrote: »

Munster will have three till November and then two for the remainder whereas Leinster have three signed up for the whole season. If you look at the season as a whole, which is what you should do imo, then Munster clearly have fewer NIQs.

Talking about Mathewson potentially getting an extension is a bit pointless at this stage. Leinster could sign up another two or three NIQs by then.

Munster could sign 548 NIQs but probably a bit pointless to talk about that at this stage. All that you've mentioned is fairly pointless tbh.

Each province can only have a limited number of NIE players and the IRFU approves or rejects on a case by case basis. This is all a storm in a teacup.

Oh sweet Jesus can everyone just ignore this crap? It’s pathetic.

mark_way wrote: »

molloyjh wrote: »

Well sure anyone can take an irrelevant metric that suits their argument and then set parameters around that irrelevant metric to further suit their argument. It's still an irrelevant metric and the argument holds no extra water because of it.

I mean I could always look at Munsters starting XV for the SF against Leinster and point to the fact that 8 of them weren't Munster developed. 4 were foreign, 3 from Leinster and 1 from Ulster. So I could then argue Munster arent even developing players for Munster, let alone Ireland, in the same way that other provinces are. I could, but I'm not.

Look at Leinster's first XV for next season:

Healy, Cronin, Furlong, Toner, Ryan, Ruddock, van der Flier, Conan, McGrath, Sexton, Lowe, Henshaw, Ringrose, Larmour, Kearney; Tracy, Byrne, Porter, Fardy, Deegan, Gibson-Park, Byrne, Tomane

6 of them weren't developed in Leinster. Munster having fewer NIQs than Leinster next season means more opportunities for Irish-qualified players.

Talks about Leinstet first 15 before listing 23 names. Has Tomane in the 23 despite him being behind the likes of Dave K and Adam Byrne last season. Talks about players not developed by Leinster and equivocates that to NIQs at Munster despite those 2 metrics being completely different things. Utterly ignores the fact that Leinster have developed essentially 150% more players for the RWC training squad than Munster. I mean, this is pretty impressive horse sh**ery.

Anyway, I bought the new Leinster European jersey despite thinking I'd never bother with the Adidas stuff. It's pretty decent as it happens.

molloyjh wrote: »

Anyway, I bought the new Leinster European jersey despite thinking I'd never bother with the Adidas stuff. It's pretty decent as it happens.

I really had no interest in the jersey but when I saw it in the flesh in Lifestyle, I'm a big fan.

I really like the material, design and particularly the stars in how they bend around the logo and are all the same (as opposed to last years 3+1). It's a very nice kit and might pick it up myself too.