Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

I think Doak is a 10! Not a 9

I doubt it unless the see their way blocked. Hard to get over nepotism claims

Central contracts aren't the godsend or hack they are made out to be by some. It can be lazy analysis.

They come with strings, you need more depth to cover them, your team is more disrupted, and your players can end up wrecked.

It is a good problem to have. Always good to have more of the best players but there is an argument that Leinster over the last few years have suffered by holding up too much of the Irish team by itself.

Well tell the other provinces complaining earlier in the year for having to rest their few centrally contracted players. Leinster have had to do this for a good chunk of their team for the last decade. Also, talk to Munster when they packed out the Irish team during their peak years and how the feeling was that it took its toll on them at club level.

Having the bulk of your starting team play AIs, 6 nations, Summer Tours takes it toll versus training with your club team. Getting the odd week off from the URC doesnt balance out the effort. Look at Stade Rochelle last season vs this season when it comes to their players being involved in international rugby and the impact it has had. I dont think there is an argument that it is easier to settle in with a new coach, like Leinster are, if your players actually get to train with him for more time.

I said it was a good problem to have, but it would be great if the other provinces could carry some of the load of developing their own elite level players.

You ignored the other provinces complaining about resting their handful of players just a few months ago.

Not sure what is confusing, in general of course Leinster would have had a better chance of winning more matches if the frontline team was available more frequently and not being mandated to rest.

Leinster have managed to be successful over the decade of providing the vast majority of the national team because they are an extremely well run organisation. The central contract savings could have been absolutely squandered but they havent been - they just set the next players up.

When it came to the latter end of the last few competitions Leinster lost by the narrowest of margins. Would the majority of their team not having to carry the country give them the tiniest of improvement that could have given them that extra percent in those situations? I would say yes but understand others disagreeing.

The other provinces do moan about the goodies in the Leinster system. There's no doubt that Leinster prop up the national team and to some extent, the other provinces.

With so many absent so frequently, it's pretty amazing that Leinster are able to absorb the disruption and be a top end team.

Many eyed provincial gluttons have their hopes on the Leinster squad. The transfer listing coming up should prove that.

It's a fact that Leinster do have advantages. And it's good for the national team but, me, being one eyed hate to lose players to any other province. That's just me.

How long before there's cries for Boyle or Paddy Mc to ply their trade elsewhere?

Lol!! Let's do that! A little env there.

Would be fun, not for me tho as I'm a Leinster man. Doesn't mean I can't see the big picture and get annoyed at Leinster fans whining like spoiled brats.

I was critical of Munster not making hay in '06 and '08 and using the success to grow Munster rugby.

Leinster rugby could be accused of similar.

Still completely reliant on the school system for players. The occasional furlong/frawley/osbourne is small return from the development of talent entrusted to the development officers.

Yes the academy improves them but they are coming out of school primed for the pro game not just in coaching but in the attitude that has been fostered to S&C, video analysis, nutrition etc.

This geographic idea while thoughtful, does not hold water, imo. Seriously, Australia has over 125 k adults playing rugby....

How come the kiwis, with a relatively small population are so strong year after year?

I think the tides turning. Looking at the u20's, there's only one Leinsterman in the back row and he's in the Ulster academy. Ulster have produced the best u20 player, imo for this year's u20's. Ward for me is a fantastic prospect! Munster have produced better back rows than Leinster in recent years. So yep, the schools do produce players and so forth but, the level of players coming out of the other provinces is as good in certain positions, if not better.

Interesting to see that the traditional schools are not as dominant as they used to be. Naughton is from Kilkenny, there's 3 lads from Bray and a couple from St Mary's.

Lazy attempt of never dealing with my points.

I wasn’t referring to demographics tho’. It’s about a dozen schools with an enrolment of maybe 5 or 6000 kids. They produce the lions share of Leinster players and it has very little to with anything Leinster (rather than the IRFU) are doing. Say what you like about culture or demographics but Leinster have a magic lantern dropping highly developed young players into thei lap and fans should at least consider that as fortunate when they whine about the sacrifices Leinster make for their poorer cousins. It’s a bad sad look.

Bo**ox. Your point was that Leinster give up continuity and coherence due to their oversized contributions to team Ireland and that has cost them European cups. It’s the equivalent of regarding yourself as a slave for all the work you do because you don’t consider your wages to be relevant compensation.