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

Richie_Rich89 · 25-08-2020 4:03pm

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

25-08-2020 4:09pm

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Rockbeast2 · 25-08-2020 4:11pm

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

As much as I hate the thought of it, I think a season long loan for Ross Molony would make the most sense.

Burkie1203 · 25-08-2020 4:12pm

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

With Snyman looking at possibly 9 months on the sidelines Munster will probably be looking for a signing. I wonder if a move south for Ryan Baird for next season could be on the cards? He's getting good gametime at the moment while Ryan's unavailable, but when the latter returns he could be relegated to the stands for the big games. The decision to extend Fardy's deal past the end of this season is looking more and more questionable.

I'd hate to lose him - his display at the weekend was very promising - but from an Irish rugby perspective it would make more sense for him to be starting big games in season '20/'21 compared to being kept out of the first XXIII by Fardy at Leinster.

There is 12 to 14 weeks worth of internationals not available.

Ryan and Toner will be in Ireland squads.

Clegg · 25-08-2020 4:19pm

Baird is going to be with Ireland a lot this season as well. Henderson is out for the foreseeable and Kleyn has picked up another bad neck injury.

Squidgy Black · 25-08-2020 4:23pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Length of his extension wasn't ever published I don't think, but I'd be surprised if it was more than a year again. He'll be 37 next summer.

Podge_irl · 25-08-2020 4:30pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Is Fardy already signed for next season? I'd prefer to lose him than lose Baird for the foreseeable future.

Baird isn't going anywhere and its not worth pretending its a serious possibility.

Richie_Rich89 · 25-08-2020 4:42pm

Burkie1203 wrote: »

There is 12 to 14 weeks worth of internationals not available.

Ryan and Toner will be in Ireland squads.

Are you arguing that Baird will be able to pick up gametime for Leinster during those periods, or that Fardy is necessary because Irish internationals will be unavailable?

On the first point, I'd say Baird will be away with Ireland as well, which would mean he won't be accumulating gametime with Leinster.

If it's the second, I think Molony and Dunne would be a nice pairing for any games that overlap with Tests. Charlie Ryan could bench.

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Burkie1203 · 25-08-2020 4:47pm

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Are you arguing that Baird will be able to pick up gametime for Leinster during those periods, or that Fardy is necessary because Irish internationals will be unavailable?

On the first point, I'd say Baird will be away with Ireland as well, which would mean he won't be accumulating gametime with Leinster.

If it's the second, I think Molony and Dunne would be a nice pairing for any games that overlap with Tests. Charlie Ryan could bench.

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Baird may he away but he is likely to be the one released back to the province for gametime as is the norm.

As Saturdays game showed, an injury or two in one position and a squad can very quickly be light there.

Richie_Rich89 · 25-08-2020 5:06pm

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Baird may he away but he is likely to be the one released back to the province for gametime as is the norm.

As Saturdays game showed, an injury or two in one position and a squad can very quickly be light there.

The thing is he's there or thereabouts for the first XXIII now, and he's developing rapidly. He needs higher level gametime than league fixtures with internationals missing.

Any team is going to struggle with the freak occurrence of losing two of your top four second rows (and the biggest two) in one game. That's why you have steady squad players like Molony and promising young players like Dunne knocking around. I't be far from ideal, but you'd back them to come in and do a job.

salmocab · 25-08-2020 5:09pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

Baird isn't going anywhere and its not worth pretending its a serious possibility.

I can’t believe people are bothering with this, yesterday it was Connacht will be told to lose next weeks match and everyone ignored it but today people have got caught up in it.

Richie_Rich89 · 25-08-2020 6:42pm

salmocab wrote: »

I can’t believe people are bothering with this, yesterday it was Connacht will be told to lose next weeks match and everyone ignored it but today people have got caught up in it.

Given the facts that Connacht can't qualify and Munster can, and they're both branches of the IRFU, I think you'd have to be quite naive not to see the potential for dodgy stuff to go on behind the scenes around this fixture. I'm not sure what form it would take exactly, but you have to ask yourself how things like Craig Joubert (the ref with the highest home team winning percentage - 80%) getting appointed for all three of NZ's knock out games in the 2011 RWC come about.

If the game is close I wouldn't be surprised to see some stuff like Nigel Owens' reffing of the last 10 or 15 minutes of the Munster-Treviso quarter final last season or Scotland getting done for a crooked feed when Japan were hunting a bonus point try.

aloooof · 25-08-2020 6:53pm

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Given the facts that Connacht can't qualify and Munster can, and they're both branches of the IRFU, I think you'd have to be quite naive not to see the potential for dodgy stuff to go on behind the scenes around this fixture. I'm not sure what form it would take exactly, but you have to ask yourself how things like Craig Joubert (the ref with the highest home team winning percentage - 80%) getting appointed for all three of NZ's knock out games in the 2011 RWC come about.

If the game is close I wouldn't be surprised to see some stuff like Nigel Owens' reffing of the last 10 or 15 minutes of the Munster-Treviso quarter final last season or Scotland getting done for a crooked feed when Japan were hunting a bonus point try.

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

salmocab · 25-08-2020 7:13pm

aloooof wrote: »

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

Seriously your wasting your time here.

Richie_Rich89 · 25-08-2020 7:14pm

aloooof wrote: »

Calling into question the integrity of:

1. Munster
2. Connacht
3. The IRFU
4. World Rugby
5. Craig Joubert
6. New Zealand
7. Nigel Owens

Throw in as well that the bolded part isn't actually true.

What's better than a Full House?

What, it was only two of them, was it? I suppose all three would have been a bit too obvious. The refereeing in the final was a joke. There was a good segment on it on Setanta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7C6bTHyC0U

stephen_n · 25-08-2020 7:23pm

It really amazes me, his bait isn’t even that good.

Clegg · 26-08-2020 9:38am

Hope to see more of this from Henshaw in the future. Conway expected him to take contact so started closing him down quickly. Instead he belts an accurate 20 metre pass to the wing, to start a new attack.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1298528019703832576?s=19

Yeah_Right · 26-08-2020 10:48am

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

It's interesting to note that one of the senior locks and blindsides will likely miss out on the 41-man Euro squad. Five locks and two blindsides probably makes most sense in a panel of 41, given that they'll want to squeeze in three 8s and three 7s. That means one of Ryan, Toner, Fardy, Baird, Molony, Dunne, Ruddock and Murphy won't be included.

Oh no. One of those 3 might miss out on Leinster's Euro squad. What a travesty.
:rolleyes:

kmart6 · 26-08-2020 8:28pm

Game for the weekend has to be in jeopardy with the Ulster news, will be interesting to see how it plays out.

KH25 · 26-08-2020 9:45pm

kmart6 wrote: »

Game for the weekend has to be in jeopardy with the Ulster news, will be interesting to see how it plays out.

If cancelled does it have any real impact on the rest of the teams? Both leinster and Ulster are in the semis regardless I think?

kmart6 · 26-08-2020 9:59pm

No it doesn't really other than an uneven number of games played with the exception of the SA teams.

Zzippy · 26-08-2020 10:05pm

KH25 wrote: »

If cancelled does it have any real impact on the rest of the teams? Both leinster and Ulster are in the semis regardless I think?

Not ideal for Ulster in particular. They could do with another game to get up to speed for the semi. Seemed way off the pace on Sunday.

ongarite · 26-08-2020 10:09pm

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

26-08-2020 10:11pm

ongarite wrote: »

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

It's too late surely for the game to ahead even if everyone is found negative tomorrow. Some could still carry it come the weekend.

Buer · 27-08-2020 10:57am

Comfortable BP win for Saracens second string last night at home to Gloucester. Neither side had strong line ups but Gloucester were certainly closer to their first choice.

Momentum and that winning mentality is back in place for Saracens now. Even with the departures, I see them as a far more dangerous opponent than they were 5 months ago. They're still able to put out a team well capable of beating anyone.

Throw in the fact that home advantage is largely eradicated and Saracens are now motoring and I'd be far from confident that Leinster are going to beat them in a month.

sydthebeat · 27-08-2020 12:00pm

Buer wrote: »

Comfortable BP win for Saracens second string last night at home to Gloucester. Neither side had strong line ups but Gloucester were certainly closer to their first choice.

Momentum and that winning mentality is back in place for Saracens now. Even with the departures, I see them as a far more dangerous opponent than they were 5 months ago. They're still able to put out a team well capable of beating anyone.

Throw in the fact that home advantage is largely eradicated and Saracens are now motoring and I'd be far from confident that Leinster are going to beat them in a month.

saracens have had one game to focus on since 19th January this year....
so by the time the game comes around they will have had 244 days of planning... leinster will have to be looking at the endgame of the 19/20 pro 14 in teh 2 weeks preceding this game

Leinster need James Ryan back 100% and need not suffer any more injuries over the next few weeks

Bookies still have leinster 5 point favourites....

id have that a couple of points too generous assuming leinster suffer no front line injuries in the next 3 weeks..... but i think we are guaranteed to suffer at least one.
if we were to lose sexton, henshaw, ringrose, lowe, toner or healy for this game id put the fav tag onto saracens

ongarite · 27-08-2020 5:36pm

ongarite wrote: »

Testing results due tomorrow so will know then.

Game is on, all players tested negative.

28-08-2020 1:14am

Delighted to be wrong

PMC83 · 28-08-2020 11:00am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0moYUz2L1kU

Interesting OTB. Bod saying Sexton is aiming for next world cup. More power to him, would be some feat.

salmocab · 28-08-2020 12:31pm

It wasn’t mentioned much in the build up to the actual rugby but I quite like the New Jersey, the darker couloured shirts look better than the light blue ones did.

baaba maal · 28-08-2020 12:53pm

salmocab wrote: »

It wasn’t mentioned much in the build up to the actual rugby but I quite like the New Jersey, the darker couloured shirts look better than the light blue ones did.

Capitalising the "New" confused me far more than it should have.

salmocab · 28-08-2020 1:03pm

baaba maal wrote: »

Capitalising the "New" confused me far more than it should have.

Bloody auto correct done it, I spotted it at the time but couldn’t be bothered fixing it.

Buer · 28-08-2020 1:07pm

salmocab wrote: »

Bloody auto correct done it, I spotted it at the time but couldn’t be bothered fixing it.

Fuhgeddaboudit.

salmocab · 28-08-2020 1:31pm

Buer wrote: »

Fuhgeddaboudit.

Hey I’m typing here

ongarite · 28-08-2020 1:41pm

Injury update from Leo:
1 week to soon for Furlong..
Dave Kearney's hamstring injury isn't too bad, few weeks out.

Podge_irl · 28-08-2020 2:03pm

ongarite wrote: »

1 week to soon for Furlong..

Shame to see him retire so young.

:pac:

degsie · 28-08-2020 10:32pm

Don't believe the hype!

Buer · 30-08-2020 9:25am

Heartened by the showings of some of the younger guys last night. Milne looked really robust and effective off the bench. It's a shame for him that we are now in knock out rugby as he'd be getting a good run of match time if it was a normal September.

Frawley may have given his Leinster career the kick-start it needed with his showing. There's still a significant back log for the 12 jersey with Henshaw, COB and even ROL competing for time there but he has definitely put his hand up.

The middle tier of players really showed up well and wouldn't look out of place in our first choice 23. Kelleher was the pick of the back three for me and has forced himself into contention for the 23 jersey.

Ed Byrne was extremely solid. Scrummaged well, made 13 tackles in his time on the pitch and carried solidly. It's going to be a ding dong battle between himself and Dooley in future.

Molony was very good. Put in a very busy performance, showing for the ball a lot and getting around the park. The crucial steal on his 5m line was a massive moment for deflating Ulster. Nothing drops heads quicker than turning down an easy 3 and having your lineout pinched.

I don't think Kearney did enough to really cement his spot in the 15 without doubt and, with Cullen saying DK will be back in a matter of weeks, there's a chance we'll revert to Larmour for Saracens. That leaves me very uncomfortable though given the presence of Farrell, Goode and Daly in their team. They'll terrorise us in the back field.

I thought ROL worked his socks off but the competition in midfield is fierce and he needs to start having more stand out moments or I can see him being another Kieran Lewis.

I don't think I need to talk much about the back row. They were all brilliant and comprehensively outplayed their opponents.

Lastly, credit to Cronin and Toner. Ulster put not pressure on but the line out was a well oiled machine.

lotmc · 30-08-2020 10:01am

An Inter-provincial Grand Slam was won yesterday.

30-08-2020 10:06am

Short Highlights

DeHood123 · 30-08-2020 1:22pm

Buer wrote: »

Heartened by the showings of some of the younger guys last night. Milne looked really robust and effective off the bench. It's a shame for him that we are now in knock out rugby as he'd be getting a good run of match time if it was a normal September.

Frawley may have given his Leinster career the kick-start it needed with his showing. There's still a significant back log for the 12 jersey with Henshaw, COB and even ROL competing for time there but he has definitely put his hand up.

The middle tier of players really showed up well and wouldn't look out of place in our first choice 23. Kelleher was the pick of the back three for me and has forced himself into contention for the 23 jersey.

Ed Byrne was extremely solid. Scrummaged well, made 13 tackles in his time on the pitch and carried solidly. It's going to be a ding dong battle between himself and Dooley in future.

Molony was very good. Put in a very busy performance, showing for the ball a lot and getting around the park. The crucial steal on his 5m line was a massive moment for deflating Ulster. Nothing drops heads quicker than turning down an easy 3 and having your lineout pinched.

I don't think Kearney did enough to really cement his spot in the 15 without doubt and, with Cullen saying DK will be back in a matter of weeks, there's a chance we'll revert to Larmour for Saracens. That leaves me very uncomfortable though given the presence of Farrell, Goode and Daly in their team. They'll terrorise us in the back field.

I thought ROL worked his socks off but the competition in midfield is fierce and he needs to start having more stand out moments or I can see him being another Kieran Lewis.

I don't think I need to talk much about the back row. They were all brilliant and comprehensively outplayed their opponents.

Lastly, credit to Cronin and Toner. Ulster put not pressure on but the line out was a well oiled machine.

Comparing ROL to Kieran Lewis is blasphemous...far better player, more physical, better runner and passer

I’d have Ed Bryne good bit ahead of Dooley, more dog in him, better scrummager and carrier

Will Connors for me should be ahead of JVDF, I’d start him, he’s earned it...spring josh off the bench next week

Serious hat tip to Cronin and Dev too, 100% in the line out and Cronin was far more composed than kelleher last week, maybe less pressure from ulster but Kelleher still over threw 2/3 last week that were not contested

salmocab · 30-08-2020 1:31pm

DeHood123 wrote: »

Serious hat tip to Cronin and Dev too, 100% in the line out and Cronin was far more composed than kelleher last week, maybe less pressure from ulster but Kelleher still over threw 2/3 last week that were not contested

In fairness Ulster barely competed in the line out whereas Munster fought for nearly everything. No wayward throws but no pressure either from opposition jumpers.

stephen_n · 30-08-2020 1:54pm

salmocab wrote: »

In fairness Ulster barely competed in the line out whereas Munster fought for nearly everything. No wayward throws but no pressure either from opposition jumpers.

Having a recognized caller with Toner’s experience helps too. It’s very unfair to draw comparisons across those two games.

salmocab · 30-08-2020 1:55pm

stephen_n wrote: »

Having a recognized caller with Toner’s experience helps too. It’s very unfair to draw comparisons across those two games.

Oh yeah that was my point though drawing comparisons between yesterday’s and last weeks line outs is unfair.

armchaircoach · 30-08-2020 2:11pm

For the Cooney try, it looks like there is an Ulster forward who joins in the ruck (previously uncontested) just before Cooney starts his run. Cooney never retreats back onside for this (he was not offside until this point). Marginal call, but you can't override the laws just because someone has done something impressive.

OneLungDavy · 30-08-2020 2:39pm

DeHood123 wrote: »

Will Connors for me should be ahead of JVDF, I’d start him, he’s earned it...spring josh off the bench next week

I'd love to see Connors start too, he consistently influences the game with textbook defending, something VDF fails to do.

Richie_Rich89 · 30-08-2020 4:04pm

armchaircoach wrote: »

For the Cooney try, it looks like there is an Ulster forward who joins in the ruck (previously uncontested) just before Cooney starts his run. Cooney never retreats back onside for this (he was not offside until this point). Marginal call, but you can't override the laws just because someone has done something impressive.

Ball's out fractionally before the Ulster player binds on from what I can see.

Richie_Rich89 · 30-08-2020 4:05pm

DeHood123 wrote: »

Comparing ROL to Kieran Lewis is blasphemous...far better player, more physical, better runner and passer

I’d have Ed Bryne good bit ahead of Dooley, more dog in him, better scrummager and carrier

Will Connors for me should be ahead of JVDF, I’d start him, he’s earned it...spring josh off the bench next week

Serious hat tip to Cronin and Dev too, 100% in the line out and Cronin was far more composed than kelleher last week, maybe less pressure from ulster but Kelleher still over threw 2/3 last week that were not contested

Kieran Lewis was a classy player. Just seemed to lack confidence.

30-08-2020 6:34pm

Do we know who the ref is for next weekend? Brace whistled Leinster off the park last weekend and I'll keep my opinions of Frank Murphy to myself but sufficed to say I don't think he should be involved. Not really sure who else it could be.

The Lost Sheep · 30-08-2020 6:46pm

Wesley Hissing Devil wrote: »

Do we know who the ref is for next weekend? Brace whistled Leinster off the park last weekend and I'll keep my opinions of Frank Murphy to myself but sufficed to say I don't think he should be involved. Not really sure who else it could be.

wont be confirmed yet

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

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