Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Barrett got two weeks holidays and a 6 week "pre season block" all this has definitely made other NZ players look positively at Leinster as a "sabbatical" option like Japan.

Good money (not as good as Japan), well looked after physically, and a chance to play club rugby in front of massive crowds. (And a good chance of winning things)

You can see the appeal

How could there be instances of a province winning a title without NIQs/signings if it's hardly ever been attempted? Have Leinster ever played a season without NIQs? I can't think of a time when it happened.

Ulster in '99 must have been close, in terms of the XXII for the final anyway. I don't know the background of every player.

thanks for the presale link, worked!

Issues with Sexton aside, I think Ioane is a fantastic signing. He's still only 28 and in the prime of his career. Different sort of player to Barrett, but he has lightning pace which is something we don't possess in our backline.

It's a great sign that some of the best players in the sport want to move to Leinster when they could instead be earning much more money in Japan in a far easier competition.

I'm sure Ill get slated for this but I don't rate Ioane very highly and I've always smiled when I've seen him named to face Ireland as, other than the WC 1/4, he's never played well against us. He's got speed but he's sorely lacking in the brains dept and he's a useless distributor so not particularly solving any problems for Leinster in midfield, other than speed. He is nowhere near the level of JB and I wouldn't expect him to have much impact on the team. Good for Leinster to be the choice destination for sabbatical ABs, with the right selections these guys can make a massive difference, just don't expect it from Ioane.

There have been calls for years for him to move back to the wing from New Zealand fans. I can also see Leinster using him on the wing when they want to go full strength.

New Zealand and Blues fan have been complaining for years that Ioane isn't being utilized fully at 13. He has been used mainly as a bruiser. He isn't the most willing passer, while he has a good rugby IQ, you can tell that he is still not fully comfortable with the position. I can see Leinster giving him game time at 13 when Garry or Robbie aren't available but this screams him play at 14. Yes he hasn't played there for a number of years but he grew up playing the position and on the right wing, the game because alot simpler for him. His speed and x factor on the right wing is exactly what Leinster have been crying out for.

a back line of Gibson-Park, Prendergast, Lowe, Osborne or Henshaw, Ringrose, Ioane and Keenan to go with forwards and that bench is bordering on obscene.

Very strong backline for tomorrow. Starting forwards aren't as strong, but the replacements are obscene.

Happy with that. Strong Ulster back row but Leinster look stronger in all other positions. As above x2, that bench of forwards is absolutely ridiculous.

TOB is going to have a field day.

Really wish we'd stop **** Frawley over by pushing him to 10. Just play him at 12 ffs. How many examples are needed to show that he's not fit for out half.

He may want to, but he's not good enough

Refused to work for me for the Glasgow game, something about a different account.

I had that problem for the last two games. The Ulster one worked though.

The reality is that Frawley is our second or third choice 10 from next season, we’ve committed to the bit.

We know he can do a job there, his real issue has been confidence and / or consistency. I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes tomorrow, I think he’s got all the ability required, he needs to sort out his head.