Ryan or Ruddock?

[Feicarsinn]

So guys, we got a chance to see our two young flankers in action on the weekend and they suitably impressed. But the question is, which one is better? Personally I've always been in the Ryan camp. The man must be the most aggressive tackler in the country. Just look at his hit on D'arcy in the buildup for the Ulster try.

Currently we have the following backrowers on the books:

Jamie Heaslip
Sean O'Brien
Shane Jennings
Kevin McLaughlin
Stephen Keogh
Rhys Ruddock
Dominic Ryan
Paul Ryan

That's a sick amount of talent to have. Even in a WC season there's going to be serious competition for places. Players like Domo and Rhys shouldn't be content with sitting on the bench, so which one would you shed first?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Personally I like Rhys Ruddock, looks a good quality player. A little raw but looks good when I have seen him. I think however that one of them needs to leave and go and play his trade with Connacht? I presume this has not happened because of the fear they might fall out of the Irish national light, I could well be wrong but from an outsiders view if you play for Connacht it seems x10 harder to play for Ireland compared that to if you played for Leinster or Munster.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well you would, ya Welshie. TBH I wouldn't want to lose either of them. They're both going to be absolutely animal. Problem is Heaslip and O'Brien aren't exactly old men.


The most likely outcome is we'll ship out Kev McLaughlin. He's a good player, was in line for a call up to the national team last year, but the chap can't stay fit. Would be a great signing for Connacht.

 

[munstermuffin]

Both excellent players but I'd prefer Ryan if given the choice as he seems to just have this agression streak insidehim that I like and he'd be more the type of player I'd be in to. Both are super prospects though

 

[durbutter]

Gah, Leinster have a disgusting amount of Backrows and outside backs coming through......

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Gah, Leinster have a disgusting amount of Backrows and outside backs coming through......

The 3 backrowers who finished the game against Ulster were all 20 - Dominic Ryan, Rhys Ruddock and Ben Marshall.

At present I think Dominic Ryan is the better player but he needs to work on his ball handling. He knocks on a huge amount of ball.

 

[MunsterMan]

******** with all your young talent! Both are strong, agressive ********. the young Leinster backrow made bits of an experienced Ulster outfit, with a Bok who has 2 S14 medals in his pocket in Wannenburg, along with a former Ulster captain in Henry and a guy Ulster fans are predicting to be in the running for the Irish #8 jersey down the line (LOL! ) in Diack. Ruddock, Ryan and O'Brien played with an intensity the Ulster 3 didn't look capable of, all 3 made many more yards in contact than they should have been allowed, incredibly tough to bring to the ground. For years the only Irish players you could say that about were David Wallace and Gordon D'arcy. Now Leinster have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to ball carriers, going to have Healy and Cronin in the front row next year too!

McLaughlin and Ruddock are both decent lineout options, where as O'Brien isn't really, which is why he needs to start playing 7 for Leinster ASAP (which would also make him impossible not to pick at 7 for Ireland.

I'd have McLaughlin/O'Brien/Heaslip first choice front backrow. With Ruddock and Jennings/Dominic Ryan ready to come in. O'Brien can move from 6 to 7 to 8 effortlessly, he really is ridiculously talented.

For all your talent in the backrow, the second row is where you need someone coming through. How long will Hines and Cullen last? Hines is 34 and Cullen 32. Toner is an excellent prospect but who else is there? Might need to sign someone?

 

[Peat]

I think Ryan's the better option potentially than Ruddock.

I'm not sure ending them to Connacht is going to do a great deal of good as 6 is currently the one position where Connacht are roughly the equal of the other provinces when Stephen Ferris is injured. Actually, I wouldn't mind have one of them up north for when Ferris is unavailable.

Also, without wishing to sound bitter and twisted, but Ulster's back-row has not been a happy place this season. There's been some fine individual performances but the balance is all wrong. Even when winning, the amount of ball lost at the breakdown is ridiculous when Faloon is not playing. They're big lads and well done to the Leinster babies for overpowering them because it shows they're definitley ready, but that is far from the biggest challenge they'll face.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Probably will need a new lock yeah. Toner is a good player and Eoin Sheriff has the potential to be quite a decent operator. Outside that we look quite weak. Galazara hasn't delivered while the same can be said about Ed O'Donohoe.

It'd be nice if we could lure Dan Tuohy south.

 

[Peat]

Probably will need a new lock yeah. Toner is a good player and Eoin Sheriff has the potential to be quite a decent operator. Outside that we look quite weak. Galazara hasn't delivered while the same can be said about Ed O'Donohoe.

It'd be nice if we could lure Dan Tuohy south.

You can have Ryan "The Full 70" Caldwell and thats your lot!

Didn't Marshall play lock at underage?

 

[Feicarsinn]

Yep, keep for getting about him for some reason.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'd be more than happy to see Ryan Caldwell at Leinster. He's not starting material but he's better than Ed O'Donoghue, Mariano Galarza (those two have been very poor) and Trevor Hogan. Perhaps Caldwell just needs a change of scenery to kick start his career.

Marshall was a 2nd row until this season.

Fionn Carr, Sean Cronin and a quality second row should complete Leinster's transfer activity ahead of next season. Cutting the retired John Fogarty and Ronan McCormack along with Ben Prescott, Clint Newland, Mariano Galarza and Stephen Keogh from the current squad will easily pay for this. A few academy and development players will likely be on the way out too.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I'd have no problem ditching the guys you mentioned. With perhaps Keogh aside, they've all been bloody awful.

 

[Peat]

Actually, I really rate Caldwell. He has all the ingredients physically to be a top class international lock.

There are questions over what goes on inside his skull, but if he's calmed them down then he's far too good to be 4th choice at Ravenhill.

But I'd rather see him experiment on that down in Leinster than hand over Tuohy.

 

[lynam1104]

I prefer Ryan but both are very good players. One bad thing about Ireland having so much back row talent is that many of them may not play very many games it international level.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Keogh has been a decent servant to Leinster but he's got Jamie Heaslip, Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Kevin McLaughlin, Dominic Ryan and Rhys Ruddock ahead of him in the queue for a backrow spot. Weight of numbers rather than any perceived flaws in his game will see him leave. Likewise I think Eoin Sheriff and Paul Ryan could be moved on in the backrow, either Tom Sexton or Jason Harris Wright will be nudged out at hooker due to Sean Cronin's arrival and a few back three players will leave once Fionn Carr joins up with his native province again (Michael Keating and Niall Morris seem the most likely departees).

 

[lucky number 7]

Probably will need a new lock yeah. Toner is a good player and Eoin Sheriff has the potential to be quite a decent operator..

I don't think Sherriff has been given a great shot yet in fairness :/ deserves a few more ML games

 

[Feicarsinn]

I prefer Ryan but both are very good players. One bad thing about Ireland having so much back row talent is that many of them may not play very many games it international level.

I fail to see how that's bad at all.

 

[Peat]

I fail to see how that's bad at all.

Beats your situation at prop and scrum-half!

 

[lynam1104]

I mean for the players them self not for the country but when your enormously talented and can't play at the highest level it must suck.