Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XI (The Finals Countdown)

Is porter injured or just behind bent?

Clegg wrote: »

5. James Ryan (28)

Still outrageous that "that's all" he has played.

Incredible.

Leinster have been in transition the last couple of years. A few retirements and some guys moving on. It's amazing the team has been as good as it has.
Rob K is at the stage where he will move on or have to re sign at a lower rate. His age profile works against him and Larmour has been good this season.
It's likely a similar scenario as SOB. With VDF and Leavy being as good as they are and not to mention Penny and Connors, it's unsurprising that SOB was not retained.
I have no idea what will happen with Ferg. I imagine he's going to try to go elsewhere as the influx of wingers coming up and his age makes him expendable.
I hope DK is retained. He's a good player with great experience. I predict Adam B will be in the drivers seat for the 14 jersey and Kelleher will be the back up.
Leinster are producing quality players and the academy lads look fantastic prospects. I think Tommy O Brien will be barging through the door in a couple of years, creating more headaches for Leo.
I think of the lads who have left in recent years and the guys who have come in. The team is still very good and look to be a consistent contender for silverware.

Not yet.

Henry Ford III wrote: »

He has remarkably big hair.

Tomane?

jacothelad wrote: »

Laager......unless they're on the razzle early

Thats the (grandad) joke jaco

Well, the 5th star has eluded us. Disappointing considering the chances we had, but Saracens were just that bit better and everything swung their way.

Hopefully we keep the head down and put in a big performance next week.

We've not been as good this season as were in the last. In big games this year we haven't won the forward collisions like last year. Toulouse away and today's game are the obvious ones. But Bath away was a massive dog fight too. We haven't quite been at that same level of sharpness. Ryan, Healy and Fardy were excellent today. Toned and Conan had good games too. But I just felt that SoB wasn't at the races. Like he knew where to be to make an impact but he couldn't make the big hug or big carry. Hopefully Robyn McBride can give us a bit of an edge.

On top of that I feel our centres were poor as a combination today. Obviously that hasn't been helped by Henshaw's lack of game time through injury. He was decent individually but there wasn't much link. Ringrose was guilty of missing overlaps out wide. Some work needs to be done on that too.

Clegg wrote: »

Posting here as it went to the wrong thread originally.

This one hurts. We were 10 - 0 up and our own errors let Saracens back in at the end of the first half. We played well enough to win I think, especially at the start of teh second, but they kept us out. If we had just kept our heads when it was needed we could've won. Garces made a few howlers, but I don't think that's enough to have turned the game.

Luke Mc and Ringrose were poor, but they had some good moments. SoB was unfortunately anonymous. I think a Leavy or VdF there at openside would've made a more positive contribution.

Didn't see a replay of the Wray break but at the time SOB looked closest to him when he broke through. Delivered some of the finest performances I've seen in a green or blue shirt but didn't look like he could compete with Saracens today. Delighted he secured a great pay day for himself with LI, not sure they're getting the player they imagine though.

baas baa wrote: »

Didn't see a replay of the Wray break but at the time SOB looked closest to him when he broke through. Delivered some of the finest performances I've seen in a green or blue shirt but didn't look like he could compete with Saracens today. Delighted he secured a great pay day for himself with LI, not sure they're getting the player they imagine though.

When you are getting big lads hitting like that time after time, a player with the work rate if VDF is what you want. SOB had a decent game but VDF hits monstrous tackle counts and is always at the ruck fending

Clegg wrote: »

The Munster concern trollers are in full in a couple of threads now.

Sad to see the obvious delight they have in another Irish province losing. Obviously the wrong sort tbh.

It also just is not the same thing. Leinster should have been out in front finishing the first half and start of second half they butchered their chances. The Saracens Munster game felt far more one sided.

I really like Munster and support them to do well. But I guess some on both sides don't have the same ethos.

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

The Munster concern trollers are in full flow in a couple of threads now.

Sad to see the obvious delight they have in another Irish province losing. Obviously the wrong sort tbh.

In fairness to some of the Munster posters, there's a couple of Leinster fans posting in every Munster thread trying to rile them up and cause murder constantly over why some of their NIQs were re-signed etc. It's been going both ways recently.

I'm one of those who is constantly baffled by decisions that the Munster brass take which hurt both them and Irish rugby.