Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

I suspect Jager and Ahern's presence is as much to do with question marks around Furlong, Henderson and (supposedly) Doris.

This week, I'm happier for Prendergast to get a full go with Leinster and hopefully start against a fairly strong Saracens outfit on Friday night (Billy Vunipola, McFarland, Maitland, Gonzalez).

Cian Prendergast was last man in so first man out when it comes to cover, I'd imagine. Ahern was brought in initially and Prendergast only called in when Ahern was subsequently ruled out with concussion.

Doris carrying a knock was mentioned on a podcast yesterday. I'd still expect him to feature but one to watch, perhaps. I'd also put Aki and Furlong in the same brackets. There's often an indication as to who is fully fit when you see who is released back to the provinces. McCloskey and TOT not released back to Ulster (Furlong and Aki carrying knocks). Ahern called up (POM had a calf injury and whispers about Doris).

Might just indicate that lads aren't in a position to go full throttle in training early in the week and they need a little bit of management through the game week.

In the update, it was noted as a straight swap with CP listed under the training panel members so it seems that Ahern was viewed ahead of him but there are always nuances with this. For example, if POM was injured and not Ahern, I wouldn't have been surprised if CP was called directly into the full squad.

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2024/01/23/prendergast-replaces-ahern-in-ireland-squad-for-training-camp/

Pundits are always pushing the narrative about players moving away from Leinster, but it rarely happens, and when it does happen, it's nearly always because that player is surplus to requirements from our perspective. Tadhg Beirne is probably the only player we have cut loose that has ended up being someone who would likely have had any impact at Leinster. The others (e.g. Conway and Carbery) are players that decided to move on for their own reasons and there's not much we can do about that.

I was following the same discussion and agreed with where it effectively netted out. Leinster can't employ every single player in the country that has any prospect at being a pro player. Is the alternative that Leinster's depth chart at loosehead is Porter, Healy, Loughman, Byrne, Milne, Boyle, McCarthy, Hadden, Foxe?

Yes, three of those have ended up at Munster, and likely a fourth in Milne, but have we actually missed out on anybody? I don't think so, we still have the two highest potential young looseheads in the country in our academy.

Why would Wycherley need to leave? Munster literally only have three looseheads at this point in time: Kilcoyne (35 and likely to retire....or would be shown the door if they had options), Wycherley (I don't think he'll ever be up to the level required so back up is no bad thing for him) and Loughman who has improved significantly with exposure but I'd put around the level of Ed Byrne.

Leinster are absolutely overloaded with looseheads. It makes no sense for them all to remain and Milne's profile makes him the most likely to leave. He enjoyed some game time last season but that was largely due to the unavailability of others. He hasn't had a sniff of late and is 25 now.

It does nobody any good to keep a hold of all these guys. Even with Porter and Healy in the Irish squad, we've Milne and McCarthy playing in the AIL whilst Boyle and Byrne get precious URC minutes.

I can see your point. But, starting for Connacht doesn't work for Deegan. He's going to want to play european matches. If he does leave, a trip to France with Stu could be his vest bet salary wise. But I think Deegan will go to Ulster.

Rumored. Nothing to dispense the rumor. Milne was the 24th man last week.

I'm countering the notion. Milne is vastly better than Wycherly, my opinion, and would make the matchday squads. Wycherly would be dependent on injury for minutes and there's a couple of lads in the academy who could pressure him over the next 18 months. I was saying he should move for minutes to point out the fact that a 3rd choice player doesn't get the matches or minutes they want. I wouldn't want Wycherly, I don't rate him. How long before the calls for Boyle or Pat McCarthy to leave Leinster start to sound?

Lol

I think I mentioned this before, but I think Munster and Ulster have played LAR or Toulouse something like 7 times in the last 2 and a half seasons?

Max Deegan is in the unenviable position that he has a former world player of the year (JVDF), a former lion (Conan), a current world player of the year candidate (Doris) and a current Irish international who is a hybrid lock/forward (Baird) ahead of him. If there is a need at openside flanker Will Connors and Scott Penny step in due to that being their natural position. If Doris is injured, Conan steps in, if Baird is injured Conan or Doris step in. As European games aren't played during international windows, you can expect Leinster will field a full team in them games.

He is just unlucky honestly, at times this season, especially in the URC Deegan has been one of Leinster's best players.

If Deegan were to go to Ulster, he would get game time, but it would also force Ulster to move Nick Timoney to openside flanker permanently in order to facilitate Ewers, Timoney and Deegan.