Leinster announce new signings

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/8025.php

Leinster Rugby are pleased to announce the signings of lock Damian Browne and winger Fionn Carr on one year deals respectively and they will link up with the province this summer...

Hooker Richardt Strauss has extended his contract until 2013. Dominic Ryan (21) has also signed a fresh two year deal having featured in 22 games so far this season. The Gonzaga College SJ graduate has also scored four tries in both competitions to date.

Meanwhile, centre Brendan Macken and out-half Ian Madigan have extended their current deals while half backs John Cooney and Ian McKinley have both also signed their first professional deals with the province.

Galway native Browne (30) is a former Ireland Under-21, Connacht and Northampton Saints lock who joins from French Top 14 club C.A. Brive having featured in 30 games so far this season.

Former Leinster Academy graduate Carr (25), meanwhile, returns to his home province having impressed for Connacht and he is the highest try scorer in the western province's history (34 tries in 72 Magners League/Amlin Challenge Cup games) since his move from Leinster in 2008. The Newbridge winger has also represented Ireland at Schools, Under-19, Under-21 and 'A' levels.

Commenting on the new deals Leinster Coach Joe Schmidt said: "We are delighted to announce the signings of two Irish qualified players in Damian and Fionn and we believe that both players have the potential to make an impression over the coming season.

"I know how enthusiastic both players are about linking up this summer, in Fionn's case his arrival will be a homecoming of sorts as he is a graduate from the Leinster Academy.

"Richardt has been a key performer in the Leinster front row this year and his contract extension is a further boost in addition to other recent contract extensions. With the extensions and new contracts for the younger players it is important that we continue to retain our best underage talent from the Leinster Academy."

 

[lynam1104]

Strauss, Ryan and Carr are all good signings don'y really know much about the rest but surly a 30 ear is not the answer to out lock troubles?

 

[psychic duck]

Carr shouldn't have moved to Leinster, he is not guaranteed first team rugby to get into the Ireland team with lots of wingers already there. Jamie Hagan likewise, with Mike Ross already there.

I'm not saying Carr won't get in the Leinster team, but he is in no way guaranteed, and is probably an outsider to be starting

Hugh Farrelly said in January 2010 in the Irish Independent that the IRFU should give Connacht far more players who aren't in the immediate plans of other provinces, and wrote this team as an example of players who would benefit from moves to Connacht

G Duffy; F Carr, T Gleeson, F McFadden, D Kearney; I Keatley, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, S Cronin, B Young; T Hogan, D Toner; J Muldoon (capt), J O'Connor, J Coughlan. Reps: D Varley, J Hagan, I Nagle, Dominic Ryan, D Williams, S Deasy, A Conway

15 months on it's a bit out of date but I understand his point anyway.

The likes of Ian Whitten, Ed O'Donoghue, Scott Deasy and Denis Fogarty would benefit from playing at Connacht

And remember if Leinster win the Heineken Cup, Connacht get a place in it, and some players who don't have a chance in the other provinces reserves could get some good H Cup game time.

 

[munstermuffin]

Psychic duck out of team there you named.
Duffy - Is Connacht
Carr - Leaving but while he won't be a starter for Leinster because Horgan, Kearney x2, Nacewa, Fitzgearld and McFadden all provide competition for back 3 spot. He had to leave Connacht
Gleeson - Probably will end up there
McFadden - Are you crazy he's in Leinster squad alot
D. Kearney - Maybe a move would suit to improve development but he will get plenty of games at RDS due to World Cup
And well as for rest there. Nagle Coughlan Varley and Ian Keatley will all be big part of Munster next season. And Leinster will be using a few too.

On the signings, I don't think either Carr or Browne will be on the full teams although rumours are Schmidt is very keen on Carr. But both will be massive players in the absence of internationals and should be decent squad players

 

[psychic duck]

Psychic duck out of team there you named.
Duffy - Is Connacht
Carr - Leaving but while he won't be a starter for Leinster because Horgan, Kearney x2, Nacewa, Fitzgearld and McFadden all provide competition for back 3 spot. He had to leave Connacht
Gleeson - Probably will end up there
McFadden - Are you crazy he's in Leinster squad alot
D. Kearney - Maybe a move would suit to improve development but he will get plenty of games at RDS due to World Cup
And well as for rest there. Nagle Coughlan Varley and Ian Keatley will all be big part of Munster next season. And Leinster will be using a few too.

On the signings, I don't think either Carr or Browne will be on the full teams although rumours are Schmidt is very keen on Carr. But both will be massive players in the absence of internationals and should be decent squad players

if you read what I said properly, you would see

1. that I did not write that team
2. that team was written in January 2010, and I state that it is out of date
3. it was just there to say a point that there are some players who would benefit from a move to Connacht

 

[coonor]

Fionn Carr is a good signing for both parties concerned. He needed to leave Connacht to gain more experience at top level rugby to get anywhere near the Ireland team. Leinster have a winger that can simply score tries. He will be useful especially if Fitgerald doesn't find any form and Kearney struggles to get back into things.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Fionn Carr is a good signing for both parties concerned. He needed to leave Connacht to gain more experience at top level rugby to get anywhere near the Ireland team. Leinster have a winger that can simply score tries. He will be useful especially if Fitgerald doesn't find any form and Kearney struggles to get back into things.

Not to mention the fact that Fergus will end up in the centre and Shaggy isn't too long for this world. Personally I don't ever see Dave Kearney ever being a Heino cup standard player so for the season after next you'd imagine the back 3 options would be:

Isa
Fitzy
Kearney snr.
Conway
Carr

Meh.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Bloody great news about Strauss. Good news for Leinster and good news for Ireland. How long til we get to see him play in Green?

Glad to see Ryan finally get a senior contract. Also delighted for McKinley. We're lucky he's even able to play. He's a really fantastic outhalf. I think he'd potentially be pushing Sexton for a starting place now if it wasn't for that horrible injury. Set him back big time.

 

[Feicarsinn]

By the sounds of it John Cooney is pretty **** hot as well. Coming onto a pro deal after only a year in the academy is a good indication anyways. It's been a while since we developed a decent scrum half, I'd like to see him do well. He'll get his chance next season with the two boys eyeing up world cup duty and being away for the 6 Nations.

I'm also very pleased about Macken. He's a player I've got a lot of time for. With himself, MC Fadden and O'Malley, we should be set in the centre for a long while yet.

 

[King_D'Arcy]

Cooney's gonna have this Luke McGrath kid pushing him soon enough I'd say though. Have you heard of this guy? He's in 6th year in Michaels. Some of the lads have been saying he's the best senior cup player they've ever seen. He tore England U20's to shreds a week or 2 ago apparently... exciting times!! Although how often do we hear that so-and-so is the best senior cup player ever? In my senior cup year it was all about the Belvo players but Dominic Ryan, a Gonzaga lad, is by far the biggest thing to come from the 2008 senior cup. You can't rely on the senior cup to tell you how a player's pro career will be I guess... Still excited to see how McGrath fares though

 

[munstermuffin]

King Strauss will probably never start for Ireland for simple reason he'll probably be starting on bench and doing a Issac Boss role and well competition for hooker is so strong he'd need to be starting and playing alot of minutes. Which won't happen because I'm sure Cronin was signed as a starter

 

[Feicarsinn]

King Strauss will probably never start for Ireland for simple reason he'll probably be starting on bench and doing a Issac Boss role and well competition for hooker is so strong he'd need to be starting and playing alot of minutes. Which won't happen because I'm sure Cronin was signed as a starter

Having a designated starter in a position like hooker isn't part of Joe Schmidt'a thinking. You only need to look at the loosehead and scrum half situation. Strauss and Cronin will be in competition for a place week in and week out, no doubt. I also don't know where this myth that they're is lots of competition at hooker. Best can't throw, Flannery hasn't played in years, Cronin's work in the tight is below par and I'm not convinced by Varley. Strauss on the other hand has been the best hooker in the Heineken Cup this season.

 

[munstermuffin]

Feic I don't disagree with that. I think Boss is super 9 too but well it simple Strauss will only get in to Irish team if starting and playing 60-70 mins in big games. Flannery will be fit and I'll even predict he will go World Cup. Best is rated highly by Irish management and while he can't throw, he is a leader in the squad and gets plenty game time wit Ulster. Varley isn't international class and Cronin is also ahead of Strauss.
I'm not saying Schmidt has bad game plan because it is very good and works well but while it benefits Leinster it will effect Strauss.

 

[Feicarsinn]

It annoys me when people come out with comments like 'Boss doesn't start enough to be considered for Ireland.' Boss has started fifteen games for Leinster this season. That's more starts than any of Reddan, Stringer or O'Leary have made. For me he should be in the 22 over Tomas "I'm awful" O'Leary and Eoin Reddan.

 

[Peat]

First off, McGrath played against the England U18s, not u20s, and a **** poor team they were so I wouldn't get too carried away. That said, while he's still got a bit of work to do, he looks like he could be the best scrum-half Ireland have ever produced.

If that happens for John Cooney I will be amazed. The Ireland U20 games I watched him in, he was pretty grim. Schmidt's a miracle worker if he can get much change there.

 

[munstermuffin]

Feic when I say starts I mean it in the big games. Yes Boss starts alot but in big games it mostly a replacement role. Now don't get me wrong because Schmidt rotates these guys excellently and it works but in Irish set-up they're looking for starters and then on top of that you need a bit of luck in terms of Kidney has to like you.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Getting back to Luke McGrath, I don't wish to hype a guy while he's still in school but he looks very promising. He's been on the Ireland u18s for the last two years and rumours abound that he was wanted by Mike Ruddock for the Ireland u20s. Some think he'll be ready for the full Leinster team at the start of next season. I disagree but think he might get a few sub appearances before the 2011/12 season is over. McGrath needs to bulk up little but the skills are there - decent pass, good break, strong kicking game and superb defence.

As for Isaac Boss, he's started 3 Heineken Cup games this season when Eoin Reddan has also been fit. I'd take him, Reddan and Tomas O'Leary to the World Cup.

.....and Richardt Strauss is a better hooker than Sean Cronin but it's a great situation for Joe Schmidt to have to deal with next season. 50 minutes of Strauss causing hovoc followed by 30 minutes of Cronin running at tired defences (or vice versa) would be hard to stop.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I would have liked Strauss to come back to the Cheetahs or maybe even shore up the depth at hooker for WP but I guess he is more appreciated there in any case.

 

[munstermuffin]

Snoop 4 scrum halves were fitted out at World cup briefing. Stringer Boss TOL and Reddan.
Felix Jones was also fitted so he must have good chance.
But on rotating issue I agree it great for Leinster and the players are definitely top guys but in Irish Managements eyes they only want guys who are starter

 

[lucky number 7]

I like Strauss ..when is he Irish qualified