Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Whilst it's easy to point to kicks from hand or a spill as reasons why Frawley was underwhelming, it's the less direct issues that mark him out as a centre playing outhalf for me.

There were a couple of occasions, particularly in the second half, when we had possession and clean ball off an early phase/set piece where our backs looked like a collection of individuals before the ball even came out to them. The alignment was ugly, there was no urgency and, when the ball eventually came out, they all looked on a different page. We went nowhere and it looked like it would take a defensive error to break Sale down (the winger slipping on VDF stepping in was one such error).

That's where an outhalf earns their corn. Ross Byrne will never be an elite athlete. He's barely a professional level one in terms of physical gifts. But between his ears, he's so bloody far ahead of what we saw tonight. He tells people exactly where he needs them. People know their roles and what they need to do. They have a conductor. There are so many tries scored by Leinster/Ireland where Byrne had a touch in the scoring phase.

Tonight, they didn't have that conductor and it showed. Frawley is a great player. He goes well when we are playing fast, off the cuff, front foot rugby. But when the slower more deliberate elements come into play, he's found wanting. Maybe it's a matter of experience in the jersey but he doesn't have time to be allowed learn the trade when there are three other guys desperate to play in the senior squad.

I think JGP has been poor over the last 6/ 8 months. Was one of the main reasons leinster didn't get over the line last season v la rochelle. Maybe being left out for a game or 2 will bring him back towards his best like VDF this evening.

Besides I think JGP was injured leaving the field this evening after his last poor kick

An upgrade over whoever else is the third lock. Point stands though, Leinster would benefit enormously against those teams they've struggled with for years. One of the SA or English teams could be this years model to add to Saracens and LAR in the past. Best player stuff is neither here nor there. Willie Le roux has world cup medals, is he a world beating full back? Not really. But he does the business in that SA team better than anyone else. Its a very subjective measure. Snyman could well be the answer to a very particular area in which Leinster struggle. It doesn't really matter whether he is a better player than Ringrose or Keenan.

He was in the players section in the stand last night.

I think he was given some extended leave after the world cup to go home to new Zealand for a few weeks. Hopefully he might see some game time next week and over Xmas.

That was shocking in the last final. I couldn't believe my eyes. JGP was also poor kicking.

We lost to these guys 3 years in a row. What stands out to me is, when we lose a key lad, we suffer in quality, LaR don't suffer quite as bad.

Conor Murray not getting any plaudits on the Munster thread! Yikes

Agree, think there’s a spot on the wing for TOB, but ahead of Larmour at the moment. He’s getting on the ball and been tidy but I can’t remember the last time he backed himself to take his man on the outside. Always cutting in against the grain. JOB was poor against Munster but has been good since. We’re missing Lowes power, finishing and boot on the left.

Can we get Stu back! Lol. Goodman can't seem to get it together.

Somehow coming away with 4 wins from the last 4 games so can't complain. Plenty still to be sorted on the training field though on both sides of the ball. Conceding 27 points at home to a second string Sale is really not good enough and I'm sure the players will know that themselves too. A lot of sloppy errors still happening. We're missing a few guys around the place but the team is still close to full strength.

With the interpros on the horizon, I'd imagine they've already identified some of their selections which are likely to be impacted by player management. I can see guys playing one or the other but not both when it comes to the games.

For each game, I'd expect something along the lines of:

Keenan, Larmour, Ringrose, Frawley, Lowe, Byrne, JGP, Conan, Connors, Baird, Molony, McCarthy, Ala'alatoa, Kelleher, Healy

JOB, Russell, Turner, Henshaw, Lowe, Byrne, McGrath, Doris, Penny, Ruddock, Ryan, Jenkins, Furlong, Sheehan, Porter.

It will be interesting to see if opponents have to rotate similarly. I'd expect Crowley and Beirne have to take a break at some point, most likely visiting Connacht. Henderson has already missed some game time with injury so may be exempt from resting.