Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

P.Walnuts · 01-05-2026 02:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435273#Comment_124435273

Agree re now is not the time to find form at 12, but he covers essentially the entire backline so I'm perfectly fine with him at 23.

P.Walnuts · 01-05-2026 02:47PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435282#Comment_124435282

Forgot about Scarlets.

Yeah it would be mental to write him off, 4 appearances is just not a suitable sample size.

From what I've seen of him at 12 is he is trying a little too much off the cuff stuff, basically none of which has worked.

Henshaw has come in and simplified it by making good, hard carries over the gain line. Osborne has the physicality to do similar imo, and he'll surely learn from those intercepts he threw. Well you would hope so.

Clegg · 01-05-2026 02:48PM

Murray Kinsella iis reporting that Casper Gabriel has turned down an offer from Munster and will instead remain at Leinster.

https://www.the42.ie/caspar-gabriel-leinster-7028790-May2026/

El_Duderino 09 · 01-05-2026 02:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435297#Comment_124435297

Yeah he makes sense at 23. This doesn't mean he won't fund form at 12, but it will likelyncome next year or in the remaining URC games this year. Unwise to hope he finds form in a semi final or final.

AbusesToilets · 01-05-2026 02:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435190#Comment_124435190

I know I harp on about it, but what has Osbourne shown at centre to say he's far better than Tector this season? I think folks are somewhat overselling Osborne's FB performances. He's weak defensively imo, both in his tackling and positioning, and much like Frawley, his lack of pace is a hinderance. Watching him get absolutely burned by McCloskey chasing Smith was embarrassing tbh.

Cooney has been injured, so pretty much a wash this year, but he has good acceleration and pace, which a big weakness in our centres.

FtD v2 · 01-05-2026 02:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435319#Comment_124435319

Heard someone say it recently, think it was on a Molecast possibly, that one of the most annoying aspects of some of his poor play in the last while has been when he just absolutely quits on a play and stops after a ball going to deck or giving up a line break etc. It's stuff like that - a really bad look - that isn't that forgivable for a young player, but confident he'll hear about that in video reviews etc.

FtD v2 · 01-05-2026 02:57PM

Murray Kinsella saying Caspar Gabriel has told Munster to PFO. Good to see.

P.Walnuts · 01-05-2026 03:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435360#Comment_124435360

I haven't actually noticed that, but yeah, that ain't good.

scott1974 · 01-05-2026 03:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435321#Comment_124435321

He was never going to Munster

Puff piece by Murray.

arsebiscuits1 · 01-05-2026 03:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435417#Comment_124435417

A puff piece the eve of a European semi final? I don't think so.

Where there is smoke there is fire and Murray normally has his finger on the pulse. This seems a decent scoop

crisco10 · 01-05-2026 03:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435351#Comment_124435351

Osbourne was our first choice 12 in the run in 2024 and had a great game there against Toulouse in London. If he can get back to that level (and build on it), he could easily be Ireland and Leinsters 12 for years to come.

scott1974 · 01-05-2026 03:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435427#Comment_124435427

It basically says he said no to Munster....

Hardly ground breaking journalism..

Just my option..

AbusesToilets · 01-05-2026 03:37PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435381#Comment_124435381

was really bad vs Edinburgh. The interception off of Furlong, he just throws his hands up and stops playing

FtD v2 · 01-05-2026 03:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435437#Comment_124435437

The very fact he is reporting on it means it's likely there definitely was an approach made. That, in itself, is newsworthy.

Ben Bailey · 01-05-2026 03:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435455#Comment_124435455

So any player, whether contracted or not, or even in an Academy can be 'approached' by any Club with offers. Has the player's current Club / Academy to depend on the player to inform them of offers or does the other Club have to seek permission / notify the player's Club before 'approaching' ?.

This 'I heard it from reliable sources' journalism leaves the journalist open to accusations of writing 'puff' pieces.

Either it's verifiable or it's gossip.

Former Former Former · 01-05-2026 04:25PM

The 42.ie article says "The 42 understands that Munster explored the possibility of signing him ahead of next season."

That could mean literally anything, or indeed nothing. They certainly don't say a contract was offered.

FtD v2 · 01-05-2026 04:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435506#Comment_124435506

All the provinces have the option/availability to offer senior deals to Academy players to the best of my knowledge, it's happened before, i.e. I think Connacht signed Jack Aungier direct from Leinster's Academy, Munster signed Roman Salanoa straight from the Leinster Academy.

There have also been multiple rumours of approaches over the years too - Leinster were widely rumoured to have approached Craig Casey when he was in Munster's Academy.

It definitely happens - like Leinster wouldn't have moved Niall Smyth and Alex Usanov onto senior deals as quickly as they have if they hadn't needed to.

I don't really have an issue with it - it's kind of how the system is supposed to function I guess. If someone else values the player more highly, the player can take the punt and make the move if they want to.

scott1974 · 01-05-2026 05:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435455#Comment_124435455

Sorry, my point was that he was never going to go.. seems a bit of a pointless exercise...

Anyway.. on to tomorrow

realhorrorshow · 01-05-2026 06:10PM

Very brave of Leinster if they didn't offer Gabriel a senior deal to counter Munster.

Heroditas · 01-05-2026 06:12PM

That's a bloody good Toulon team. Can't wait to go tomorrow but also feeling quite nervous!

Madeoface · 01-05-2026 07:19PM

Good to see Penny in there. Disappointed for Frawley but tough game to potentially get a first run at 10 in a long while.

Looking forward to it and a few scoops in the stadium before. Good Toulon team.

johnh6767 · 01-05-2026 08:09PM

Excited as it’s the first real opportunity to right the pain of Northampton which feels like a couple of weeks ago. Let’s hope the pain of losses fuels this team to beat a strong Toulon team. Never have I been so grateful to play at home. Bilbao beckons

ersatz · 01-05-2026 09:07PM

One thing about poor sales for the match is that Leinster fans have been spoiled for many years going late into Europe and very often having home 1/4 and 1/2 finals. It's not that surprising that with money tighter the appeal of these games diminsihes and they're taken for granted. I'd imagine Munster or Ulster would be beating fans back for a home semi in Europe these days.

Ben Bailey · 01-05-2026 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124435598#Comment_124435598

Yes, I had known that was the case.

What I'm asking is whether there is a protocol in place for such approaches. In other pro sports the 'home' Club is asked for it's agreement to speak to players.

The content of any discussions between the player and the Club is confidential and it's then up to the player to convey their decision to their 'home' Club.

rje66 · 01-05-2026 09:52PM

For those travelling from north side area......no trains running tomorrow.

Blut2 · 01-05-2026 09:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124436286#Comment_124436286

Its a combination of all of Aviva fatigue, knockout rugby fatigue, bank holiday weekend, no DARTs, heavy rain forecast.

But to get 35k+ even with all of that is still very good going by any other rugby club in the world's standards. Leinster have just done even better in recent years.

Podge_irl · 01-05-2026 10:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124436401#Comment_124436401

As far as I understand based on the usual rumour mill, any province can offer an academy player a place in their senior squad. The existing province can either try and convince them to stay (e.g. with a senior contract) or let them go but they can't stop them being offered it.

Ben Bailey · 01-05-2026 10:35PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124436430#Comment_124436430

Thanks. But my question is whether these 'approaches' are made covertly to the player or his reps and whether the player's home Club are (or should be made) aware of such approach beforehand by the interested Club.

yosser hughes · 02-05-2026 09:28AM

I'm not confident about today at all. If it rains,and it looks likely, I think we'll be very well beaten. Even if it doesn't, I think we'll be beaten but it might be closer.

This coaching setup has demonstrably taken Leinster backwards and underachieved. I like Leo and he's a nice guy but he should have gone 2 years ago. Hiring Nienaber was a terrible and costly decision.

The long term impact of this remains to be seen. There's a lot of disillusionment out there.

I hope I'm wrong but there's no point in wishful thinking, some people think that because we've been so poor this year somehow, counter-intuitively, we'll emerge victorious as the pressure and expectations are lower than previous years. This is just daft and wooly thinking.

Even if we win today, we're not beating Bordeaux in the final as they most definitely will beat Bath.

sydthebeat · 02-05-2026 10:05AM

If it rains heavily enough to impact the match I think that actually helps leinster.

That's 14 or 15 of the Irish starting pack out there, grizzled and experienced. They're all big men, well capable of turning the screw in a physical battle.

Toulon yes have big men, but more a kin to stallions than clydesdales. Ollivon is a fantastic rugby player, but he's not know for his relentless physicality in the tight, he's known for his rugby brain and skills. Kpoku is a young chap loaned away from racing who is only making his 4th start for toulon. A big specimen but very green. Shioshivlli is a year YOUNGER than kpoku at 19 and only has 5 starts for toulon before today, so even greener than kpoku.

Given a choice of those 3 versus Conan VDF and Doris but sorry, there is simply no choice. You pick our back row every single day of the week.

If, and it's a Big if, we can get parity at scrum time we should be fine. Pearce is a decent ref and not prone to Vibz reffing like carley and Dickson can be.

Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

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