Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VI: End of the MOC [Revenge of the STH]

molloyjh · 01-09-2015 8:24am

Buer wrote: »

Think Marsh is a big issue though, to be honest. I think they'll give him a run but it's going to really be sink or swim stuff for him. Going from A team or AIL to senior, pro rugby is a big leap. I'd see Boss starting the first game anyway to hold his hand.

I don't think it's too unlikely to have Nacewa potentially playing 10 down the line during the RWC.

I'd like to think the guy will step up. McGrath and him totally bossed the B&I final 16 months ago. A different level obviously but they were so far above the opposition you'd like to think a year later at least one of them can do a job for us for a few weeks.

.ak · 01-09-2015 8:42am

I think we'll see Denton start at 2. He was electric on Friday night and his work rate really stood out. I'm obviously a big fan of Bryan but he looked a little laboured for some reason on Friday.

EDIT: Obviously meant Dundon...

Buer · 01-09-2015 8:43am

I think we'll see Denton start at 2.

It's a big change for him but I'm always excited to see someone play in a position they've never played before.

vienne86 · 01-09-2015 8:49am

Gutted for Moore not making it to the RWC, but it'll be great to have him in Leinster....he'll have to play as Joe will need him to be fit.

Not a bad team at all. I haven't been following Marsh, but I'm disappointed to hear he hasn't progressed as I expected. Chance for him now.

RobbieRuns · 01-09-2015 8:52am

Marsh is a very good player, he won't let anyone down. Do not get the gloom about him, I think that he will do really well.

01-09-2015 8:53am

If Moore didn't make the Irish squad it will be injury related, which means we won't be seeing him in blue either for some time...

molloyjh · 01-09-2015 9:02am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

If Moore didn't make the Irish squad it will be injury related, which means we won't be seeing him in blue either for some time...

He was training with Ireland last week. I'd say he just wasn't fit enough to get the game time required. Reckon we'll see him in the first couple of weeks.

vienne86 · 01-09-2015 9:03am

Deleted User wrote: »

If Moore didn't make the Irish squad it will be injury related, which means we won't be seeing him in blue either for some time...

I would have though he would be kept tuned up for a call up. But you're right, short term he may not play.

01-09-2015 9:03am

molloyjh wrote: »

He was training with Ireland last week. I'd say he just wasn't fit enough to get the game time required. Reckon we'll see him in the first couple of weeks.

Spotted in a moon boot on Wednesday though...

vienne86 · 01-09-2015 9:04am

Deleted User wrote: »

Spotted in a moon boot on Wednesday though...

That doesn't sound great, even though they seemed to be talking him up until fairly recently.

01-09-2015 9:19am

Could we see Madigan at 9 this season?

Podge_irl · 01-09-2015 9:21am

Deleted User wrote: »

Could we see Madigan at 9 this season?

No, can't possibly see why.

01-09-2015 9:25am

Podge_irl wrote: »

No, can't possibly see why.

Fair enough.

A month ago I'd have laughed at the suggestion. If someone said he'd be backup 9 for the RWC I'd have committed them.

Obviously he is able to do some kind of job there, and a Pienaar type player for us would be perfect right now, especially with Boss / Reddan in their final years.

molloyjh · 01-09-2015 9:28am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Spotted in a moon boot on Wednesday though...

He was out of it and training on Thursday. I stuck up a pic of it on the day.

total former · 01-09-2015 9:30am

So 17 players on RWC duty plus Ruddock and Moore injured and D'Arcy's status unknown.

Tough start for Leo.

Podge_irl · 01-09-2015 9:33am

Deleted User wrote: »

Fair enough.

A month ago I'd have laughed at the suggestion. If someone said he'd be backup 9 for the RWC I'd have committed them.

Obviously he is able to do some kind of job there, and a Pienaar type player for us would be perfect right now, especially with Boss / Reddan in their final years.

Fair enough, him covering 9 at the world cup is completely out of the blue. Leinster have 3 9s in the senior squad and one in the academy. Just doesn't seem necessary or likely as he will not need to cover again anytime soon.

01-09-2015 9:39am

total former wrote: »

So 17 players on RWC duty plus Ruddock and Moore injured and D'Arcy's status unknown.

Tough start for Leo.

True, but he'll be getting back over 1/2 the RWC squad battle hardened and massively confident having just beaten the All Blacks in the final.

Tox56 · 01-09-2015 10:24am

RobbieRuns wrote: »

Marsh is a very good player, he won't let anyone down. Do not get the gloom about him, I think that he will do really well.

He's a player that plays really well at lower levels, but you sort of assume won't be able to do the same things at senior level. That is harsh though because if he never gets the chance to prove himself you can never really know whether that's the case. He got 1 sub appearance like 2 years ago and I'm pretty sure his first and only touch for Leinster was skipping past two people and nearly setting up a try. I hope he gets a few games to at least show what he can do

errlloyd · 01-09-2015 11:09am

If you include Douglas (as would be reasonable considering he's meant to be here) we have a whole starting team and backup front row at the world cup.

Healy, cronin, ross

Douglas, toner

SOB, Murphy, Heaslip

Reddan sexton

Dkearney, Madigan, Luke, kirchener

R Kearney

(Strauss, McGrath, Furlong)

That is outrageous.

Larbre34 · 01-09-2015 11:13am

errlloyd wrote: »

That is outrageous.

Victims of our own mediocrity dear boy!

The Pheasant2 · 01-09-2015 12:27pm

Reinach left out by the Boks for the RWC...would be a delicious signing for us - just what we need. Not that it'll ever happen

padser · 01-09-2015 12:44pm

errlloyd wrote: »

If you include Douglas (as would be reasonable considering he's meant to be here) we have a whole starting team and backup front row at the world cup.

Healy, cronin, ross

Douglas, toner

SOB, Murphy, Heaslip

Reddan sexton

Dkearney, Madigan, Luke, kirchener

R Kearney

(Strauss, McGrath, Furlong)

That is outrageous.

What's truly outrageous is that a team with that quality had a win ratio of less than 50% last year and that our response from Dawson was "let's promote the Assistsnt Coach"

But, to be fair, if we build on our 68-0 start things could look up :-)

In many ways feel very sorry for Leo. Losing 17 players is bad enough, but when Munster lose 6 and Ulster lose 5 it really puts into perspective just how decimated we are relative to the competition

molloyjh · 01-09-2015 1:13pm

padser wrote: »

What's truly outrageous is that a team with that quality had a win ratio of less than 50% last year and that our response from Dawson was "let's promote the Assistsnt Coach"

But, to be fair, if we build on our 68-0 start things could look up :-)

In many ways feel very sorry for Leo. Losing 17 players is bad enough, but when Munster lose 6 and Ulster lose 5 it really puts into perspective just how decimated we are relative to the competition

I still go back to looking at the squad we could feasibly put out at our first home game:

Bent Dundon Moore
Denton McCarthy
Locky Conan Ryan

Boss Marsh
Reid Te'o
Fanning Nacewa McFadden

Byrne, Hagan, RBF, Beirne, Leavy/VDF, McGrath, R Byrne, O'Shea/McGrath

And that with Ed Byrne, Mick Kearney and Rhys Ruddock all injured on top of the 17 away at the RWC.

As a starting XV that's still fairly strong for a RWC period. Marsh is potentially the only real issue in the backline and the pack is pretty solid. Things might get a little ropey in the replacements, but I'd still be pretty happy with that squad all things considered.

thomond2006 · 01-09-2015 1:31pm

Edinburgh (A)
Cardiff (H)
----break----
Dragons (H)
Scarlets (A)
Glasgow (H)
Treviso (A)
Scarlets (H)

Above is Leinster's Pro12 fixtures before the internationals will be back. Of those 7 I think Leinster will be doing well to win 4 with all of those players missing.

molloyjh · 01-09-2015 1:59pm

thomond2006 wrote: »

Edinburgh (A)
Cardiff (H)
----break----
Dragons (H)
Scarlets (A)
Glasgow (H)
Treviso (A)
Scarlets (H)

Above is Leinster's Pro12 fixtures before the internationals will be back. Of those 7 I think Leinster will be doing well to win 4 with all of those players missing.

What's most problematic about the schedule is that we won't really be facing sides badly hit by the RWC in that period. Even Glasgow may be starting to integrate guys back in by the time we face them. Let's see how we go this weekend away to Edinburgh though and take it from there.

thomond2006 · 01-09-2015 2:03pm

molloyjh wrote: »

What's most problematic about the schedule is that we won't really be facing sides badly hit by the RWC in that period. Even Glasgow may be starting to integrate guys back in by the time we face them. Let's see how we go this weekend away to Edinburgh though and take it from there.

Boss, Marsh/Byrne, Fanning, Reid, T'eo, McFadden, Nacewa

Leinster can still put up a good backline but if there are injuries it could look very callow.

.ak · 01-09-2015 2:12pm

Buer wrote: »

It's a big change for him but I'm always excited to see someone play in a position they've never played before.

Denton, Dundon, whatevs. :cool:

shuffol · 01-09-2015 2:21pm

I'd like to see Adam Byrne or Kelleher get some gametime during the WC, Fanning is a steady hand and was very useful to have when there was no-one from the academy deemed ready to step up but with Byrne impressing in pre-season and Kelleher there also I'd like to see one of them get an opportunity in the home games against the Blues or Dragons.

CatFromHue · 01-09-2015 2:38pm

I wouldn't be surprised if we won the first 3 and ended up with 6 wins out of the 7.

padser · 01-09-2015 2:43pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if we won the first 3 and ended up with 6 wins out of the 7.

I'd be utterly shocked if we get 6/7.

I think people are missing the fact that we are essentially playing 80% of our B team with a few C team players against 80% of other peoples A team with some B team players.

Our B team is good, but it's worse than our competitors.

Here's to hoping I'll be shocked!!! (Raises metaphorical pint)

Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VI: End of the MOC [Revenge of the STH]

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