Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

In fairness he's already competing with Crowley for the ten jersey if we are basing things off Ireland performances which Im sure Farrell is doing. This is about whether Leo should be looking at him as a solid option at ten for Leinster.

Prendergast has not played international rugby yet. You're thinking of Osborne.

Afaik he's had 2 starts at 15 for Leinster, none last season. Leo sees him at 12 and occasionally at 13

Ah, its hard to pick out one moment and hang anything on it but its pretty amazing that he's not been used at all at 15 given what he brought to bear in South Africa. The high ball has been a bit of a problem with many of Leinster's back up options, including JOB who has probably been the best behind Keenan. But at this rate you'd think Osborne will be giving Hugo a run for his money in green, he has a lot to learn in defence cover but his support play, fielding and running are top class. Leo got a lot of credit for pulling the plug on Carbery at 10 and shifting him to 15 in hindsight, but he's missed a trick here.

Leinster viewed frawley as the back up 15

Granted Osborne was needed in midfield with ringrose out

Ringrose was back by bulls game but it would have required a switch from what we had been doing all season.

If they switched late and lost anyway it would have been viewed as panicking.

For me I just want to see if lessons are being learned. If we start with Byrnes at 10 and frawley at 15/12 I'll be discouraged for the season ahead.

I'd continue to use Ross but as a closer from the bench. Let frawley or prendergast start.

No, he's not a 10. He played there in some underage rugby, and had to move there in one Leinster game after a few injuries a few years ago (it didn't go brilliantly).

He's a very good footballer, but there is way too much to being a good 10 than that, and while obviously you want someone quite a bit more athletic than Ross Byrne as your 10, I would say "top end pace" probably isn't in the top 5 things you'd need in a quality 10.

You want someone quick enough to be a breaking threat and keep defenses honest, but they don't need top end winger style pace.

I can see zero logic in overlooking all three of Ciaran Frawley, Sam Prendergast and Harry Byrne to go to Jimmy O'Brien, a guy who has never started a pro game at 10. It's just a complete non-runner.

Sure, he is a good passer, but that doesn't mean he's able to run a game, choose the right options and read defenses. Ross Byrne is vastly superior to him at all three of those much more important aspects.

On this point:

At this stage I think Ross Byrne should be a break-glass selection, he's not good enough, and it's bizarre that Cullen backed him ahead of other options that have a running threat.
It'd be like picking a number 8 that can't carry off the base of the scrum, having a 10 that can't attack the line is just a complete no-no. Why would a team choose that over other options if they want to beat the best teams out there?

I'm definitely not a big fan of Ross, and really hope Leinster move on next year, but it's worth noting that Leinster have beaten lots of the "best teams" with Ross at 10. They absolutely smashed La Rochelle last year (on a day when RB had a super game), and he has beaten plenty of other good teams starting at 10 too (including Toulouse in the 22/23 season).

It all once again speaks to the fact that there are much more criteria to picking a 10 then just a "running threat".

Talk of Beauden Barrett makes me think of his try against Ireland off a scrum in 2016 (from 1:10 in the video). It would interesting to see Leinster try to replicate this play with Jimmy O'Brien at first receiver.

Dirty cheap shot by Sexton as Barrett scores that try too 😁

Bit of digging around suggests that friendly away to Bordeaux on Friday 30th August at 8pm

https://www.ubbrugby.com/actualites/9180-matchs-de-prepa-le-leinster-a-chaban-pau-a-tarbes.html

Then a suggestion on the Northampton fans forum that we are away to them on Saturday 7th September at 2pm

https://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s99.htm?101,17524497 contains this post "I see on the printable version of the fixtures the friendly against Leinster is listed as Saturday 7th September at 2.00pm"

was hoping for one in Donnybrook, I remember seeing them play bath there a few years back. JGP first game I think!

watched the 7’s Keenan not a wing!! He has had a difficult end of season with decisions made. Interesting Leinster moments ahead, who could have thought Keenan has now to defend 15 jersey, all to play for with Osborne now a definite possibility as starter