The Leinster thread

[big ginger 8]

Probably the right time. Was a great player for us, especially in that 2018 season.

 

[big ginger 8]

New contract for Jimmy O'Brien.

 

[big ginger 8]

Leavy now. Good sign.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ronan Kelleher now, I'd say he got a decent pay rise but probably a bit ****** over by Covid.

 

[big ginger 8]

We've got enough Toner for next year.

Really missing the one big announcement.

 

[Leinster Fan]

We've got enough Toner for next year.

Really missing the one big announcement.

Yep, this way is a bit tedious.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Social media manager must be really bored during covid

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

We've got enough Toner for next year.

Really missing the one big announcement.

Furlong?

 

[Leinster Fan]

Furlong?

Think he means staggering the contract announcements over a week instead of just doing them all in one go like they used to.

Furlong is in the IRFU contract category.

 

[irisht]

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of the Guinness Rainbow Cup game against Munster Rugby this Saturday in the RDS Arena (Kick Off: 7.35pm – live on Eir Sport & RTÉ Radio).

Scott Penny has recovered from a hand injury, while Tommy O'Brien has also recovered from an ankle injury and both will train fully this week and will be available for selection.

There was also positive news for four other players who have been on the injured list for a few months.

Will Connors (knee), Garry Ringrose (ankle), Calean Doris (concussion) and James Ryan (concussion) are all due to increase their involvement in training this week and will be further assessed as the week continues before final selection is made.

Jamison Gibson-Park, who sustained a hamstring injury in the build up to the cancelled Toulon game, will also require further assessment this week ahead of selection.

Johnny Sexton is unavailable for selection this week. Sexton entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols after the Exeter game and is having further assessment and once complete and all information is to hand, a further update will be given.

There was no new injury update on the following players:

Jack Dunne (ankle), Jimmy O'Brien (hamstring), Rowan Osborne (hand), Adam Byrne (quad), Dan Leavy (knee), Conor O'Brien (knee) and Max Deegan (knee)

 

[big ginger 8]

Missed it myself but apparently Cullen said negotiations are still ongoing with Furlong and the IRFU.

Believe we're also still awaiting news on Deegan and Frawley renewing?

 

[irisht]

Missed it myself but apparently Cullen said negotiations are still ongoing with Furlong and the IRFU.

Believe we're also still awaiting news on Deegan and Frawley renewing?

thats unclear.

 

[irisht]

His progress helped to make up his mind to prolong his stay in Dublin, rather than look for more game-time elsewhere in Ireland.

He said: "It was a pretty easy decision, I love playing here. I supported Leinster all my life, it's great to play for the province you supported growing up.

"I'm only 21, I know there's a lot of good back rows in Leinster — especially in the openside flanker position — but I back my ability and getting these big games under my belt will be a good process for me to get ahead of the other flankers."

Scott Penny.

 

[big ginger 8]

Really a dramatic transformation from when he first came over. Wish him the best in retirement. Really helped gives us a great platform for the young lads the last few seasons and stepped up when needed.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Enjoy your retirement Benty. Great servant to Leinster after a tricky start.

 

[munstermuffin]

To be fair to Bent he was thrown in to a shark tank when he arrived. And to be fair was always going to be on a hiding to nothing regarding the start as he was set up to fail. But in fairness steadied the waters, got himself settled, kept the head down and well helped Leinster immensely especially in Pro14 games and went about his work quietly.
He was a superb squad player that filled that gap whenever needed.

 

[Groundhog]

Michael Bent performances were a lot like what feminists on twitter call posts about calling out manspreading: necessary and brave

 

[big ginger 8]

Not ideal, especially if HB and Frawley are also out.

Cullen Issues Injury Update Ahead of Trip to France - Leinster Rugby

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against La Rochelle in the Stade Marcel Deflandre (Kick Off: 3.00pm (Irish time) and live on BT Sport & RTÉ Radio). After the game against Munster Rugby at the weekend Cullen reported a...

www.leinsterrugby.ie

 

[munstermuffin]

Not ideal, especially if HB and Frawley are also out.

Cullen Issues Injury Update Ahead of Trip to France - Leinster Rugby

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against La Rochelle in the Stade Marcel Deflandre (Kick Off: 3.00pm (Irish time) and live on BT Sport & RTÉ Radio). After the game against Munster Rugby at the weekend Cullen reported a...

www.leinsterrugby.ie

More importantly fair play to Leinster for keeping Sexton out.

But equally serious questions need to be asked about Sexton and his future now. At 35 I hope he doesn't sacrifice years later in life for an extra year or 2

 

[big ginger 8]

Ruddock and Byrne ruled out of trip to Galway

Head coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup game against Connacht Rugby.

www.leinsterrugby.ie

On the other day I think some people are seeing it as worse than it was (not that it was great or anything). A number of small things that effected the scoreboard didn't go our way, of course you expect a few in any game but normally at least one or two would have benefitted us:

• Larmour throws a poor pass inside off a linebreak in their 22, McGrath knocks on and LAR exit
• Byrne crossfielder takes a bad bounce and goes over Lowe's head when it's at least a linebreak in their 22 if he catches it
• Baird can't quite gather the ball when he would have scored if he caught it, LAR win a penalty off the scrum, then off the subsequent lineout and stretch their lead
• LAR player is fully tackled and held by Kelleher but Carley doesn't penalise it a phase or two later and West knocks over the drop goal

That's ignoring Byrne missing a kick early on that he makes 9/10 times and the fact we played 52 minutes with really only two backrowers. Losing Ruddock was huge in my opinion. He was stopping LAR's big carriers on the gainline and allowing VDF to focus on poaching. Baird made as many tackles in his 52 minutes as Ruddock did in 28, VDF isn't a good enough poacher to have to be both the main tackler and groundhog, not being able to get turnovers really cost us as did our unusually inaccurate performance at the breakdown. I think the kicking game was also a massive factor in the loss, La Rochelle absolutely destroyed us there. Our main kicking options were McGrath and Lowe who are both just way too inconsistent to be relied upon in that manner. Keenan's most obvious weakness as a 15 has to be his kicking it's also something our centres don't really do despite both being useful enough at it.

Obviously it doesn't do to decry injuries but I do think the result could have been quite different if we had Doris, JGP and one of Sexton or HB.