Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Culhane has made good progress this year (injury period aside). Looks like a real prospect. I'd be surprised if he jumps Deegan for a CC final, but I wouldn't object.

Culhane is probably an important part of Leinster's short-medium term future. I'm not sure of that starts next week though. More likely next season.

Biggest decisions for the final are now at tight head and inside centre. Clarkson should start and I think his lack of involvement this week points to that happening. The fact Furlong still isn't ready to start a game after weeks out isn't a good sign either. I'd view this game as a shootout between himself and Slimani for who gets the bench role.

Osborne has played well in his last two appearances at 12. A lot more noise was made about his underperformance before the game against Toulon and not enough about his strong form since, but whatever. That Henshaw is starting with Ringrose would suggest that the former might start next week too. I think I'd go with Osborne though.

I really like that side - and great to see Usanov, Larmour, Lowe, Furlong all back in there from injury and hopefully in the mix for next week.

Almost everyone healthy and in the mix will have played across these two weekends before the final.

Would love a solid, reassuring game for Harry Byrne, especially off the tee to get his confidence back where it needs to be.

Delighted to see Culhane get the chance to continue building on his excellent form. He's kind of a forgotten man in wider Irish rugby circles, but he's definitely a blue chip prospect. He didn't have the hype coming out of U20s as someone like Brian Gleeson (who immediately followed him as the U20s No 8), but Culhane was also someone who really shone brightly at underage levels.

He won Player of the Tournament for the Irish U20s in 21/22 as they won a Grand Slam (the other players to win this award: 2021: Jack van Poortvliet, 2023: Marko Gazotti, 2024: Henry Pollock etc).

I doubt Jimmy makes it (unless there is an injury we don't know about). He's playing well and has rarely enough let us down, but tends to be on the outside.

I cannot see Rieko missing out. He's going to start in the 11 shirt.

Lowe could well be a candidate for the 23 shirt - if, he gets good gametime here and shows well. Having Rieko and Frawley in the 23 gives good flexibility to make changes. For a one-off game like a final, I could definitely see the attraction in having a game breaking player like Lowe on the 23; he doesn't have Osborne's versatility but he's still just a better player right now IMO.

Just annouced

Joe McCarthy would be a massive loss too, with Snyman & Baird already hurt. Having to start Mangan or Deeny in a European Cup Final would be pretty disastrous.

He played his first game last week in months, and yeah he was very good, but it’s not exactly a long track record of form. I’d be happy with him on the bench, but he’s an enormous step down in every way from Ryan & McCarthy

With the way the finals location have fine funnily enough might not be much difference between 1st and 2nd.

Even if they don't they've no stadium to play it in (allegedly gonna be in ravenhill)

Delighted with that Cardiff result. A home semi with a win tomorrow now and a potential final away in South Africa is a different kettle of fish to playing Glasgow away (or wherever it ends up being, should they get there).