Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Wales online reporting scarlets after McKee as Marnus VDM off to Munster and Ryan Elias is the only senior hooker now.

Was he a starter v Dragons

His best spell of performances for us was probably October 2024. He started 4 games on the bounce, v Benetton, v Munster, v Connacht and v Lions. He scored tries against Munster and Connacht (and made others v Connacht with his offloading). He played 246 mins that month (from a possible 320).

He was good in a big win over Bath at home in Europe (47-21 in Jan '25), scoring two tries off the bench again. The game was arguably still in the balance when he was introduced.

But I struggle to find too many other examples. He was pretty good on the run in last season, but only as part of a wider team performance.

But he isn't being played in the role that I presume they want to play him in. I do agree with you both that his performances have not been good this season. No argument from me on that. But it must be recognised also that he isn't suited, for whatever reason, to starting games. And due to a Lions Tour, Ireland duty, injuries he has had to start most games this season.

I feel it would be very different if he was fit for the run in and coming on to replace a second row with 50/60 minutes gone. That is where he adds value, against tired teams and defences. If that is worth his salary is another story, but one for him and the Leinster Branch.

To answer your question FtD, I can't give you a game this season where he made a big difference, there potentially isn't one. But he makes a big difference on what the run in looks like for Leinster without him being available to pull from the bench in my opinion.

I agree with your first point. It makes no sense and I don’t understand it but that just seems to be the case. He is likely in the lazy category, is never really involved in rucks, or tackles. Is just a body in the line most of the time. I still feel he will be missed in the knockout stages this season with what he can bring to an attack when on form.

Ringrose looked pretty badly hobbled on the sidelines last week, and is in the under assessment section, so I'm expecting him to miss out.

He went off but subsequently passed a HIA.

He's been operating on one leg since the Italy game. Something clearly not 100%, so I suspect they could be letting him rehab that.

Apologies.

yeah, he got hurt PLAYING FOR LEINSTER. Maybe just dock Leo’s wages for it.

Yeah, Snyman had 2 seasons with the Bulls before he was capped and never started for SA (bar 3 or 4 tests, mostly against minnows). His actual club record with the Bulls isn't extraordinary but Rassie saw exactly what his value as a sub was, largely unrelated to his value as a starter. Both Munster and Leinster had stars in their eyes signing him and clearly didn't look far beyond those medals.

I think I read somewhere that they're expecting ~20,000 on Sunday. Think it was the Irish Times and the article also said that if we had the RDS available, we would have probably played the match there and 20,000 would have been a good attendance in that instance!