The Leinster thread

[munstermuffin]

Yeah that's him. He picked up a contract with Leinster this season. Good to see Leinster use the AIL. Simon Shawe and Aaron Dundon have also picked up deals based on performances in that league.

Shane Jennings has been called up by Ireland for the test against France. David Wallace is nursing a hamstring injury.

In fairness Shawe earned that as I thought he coped well last season despite being thrown in at deepend. Dundon is I presume going to be fighting for A team seen as competition is fierce for hooker.

But Snoop that Auva'a is hardly young enough for development contract is he.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Auva'a is World Cup cover rather than a serious option for the bigger Pro 12 and Heineken Cup games. He's basically replacing Paul Ryan, Eoin Sheriff and Stephen Keogh.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Aye, Auva'a is nothing special. He'll probably get a few A appearances, but after the WC it's by and large back to the AIL for him.

 

[big ginger 8]

Was at the match 14-13 to Leinster can't understand why Hagan isn't ahead of Hayes and Buckley. Carr is just incredibly fast but we already knew that. Hudson has bulked up and got a lot faster since school. Looked very sharp tonight. Also thanks to his G.A.A. (was a Dublin minor in Football) good under the high ball and has a good boot. Petty for him as well cause he won't get a shout.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Was at it too. Hudson, Sheridan and Berquist impressed among the backs with van der Merwe, Hagan and Ruddock the pick of the forwards. The scrum was excellent with Somerville and Henderson is all sorts of trouble. Lots of missed tackles but it was Leinster's first run out of the season (as opposed to the Rebels 3rd match on tour with a stronger team) so mistakes were bound to happen.

 

[Conal]

how is toner developing???? has he bulked up yet???
also is ruddock still looking like a future ireland regular?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Toner didn't really stand out but he was part of a good scrummaging and lineout unit. Since it's the first pre-season game, I wouldn't read too much into anyone's form since this was more about gaining fitness than anything else.

Ruddock looked as though he'll push to start in the Heineken Cup this season.

 

[big ginger 8]

Have to say wasn't really impressed with Sheridan was alright but decision making was poor always looked for contact.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'll admit that I'm not generally a fan of Sheridan for the reason you state. He's a big, bruising back and there isn't much subtlety to his game. However last night I thought he looked good. He tackled really well, always broke the gainline (making one excellent break) and showed better hands than I'd previously given him credit for.

 

[big ginger 8]

I suppose just felt there was a few occaisions where he could have spread it. What do you think the chances of Hudson getting much game time are?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

This season I'd say they're slim. He has Horgan, D Kearney, Fitzgerald, Carr and Conway also fighting for the wing spots. McFadden and Nacewa could play there too. Carr only has a one year contract and Horgan is getting on in years so Hudson might have a better chance of breaking through in 2012/13. One theings certain though and that's Joe Schmidt will pick anyone regardless of age if they're showing form.

 

[big ginger 8]

I know he can play fullback but do you know if he can play anywhere else?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Think he lined up at outside centre for the As in a game last year but he's a more natural back three player.

 

[coonor]

Very good win their and its great to see our scrum is continually improving. Hagan is going to learn so much at Leinster and is surely going to be Ross's successor both in the green and blue jersey. Brilliant final try aswell. Carr showed real pace and the pass to Hudson was sexy.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Isaac Boss and Sean Cronin have been named in the starting line up following their selection in the Ireland World Cup squad earlier this week. Boss links up with Ian Madigan at half-back in a backline which also includes Luke Fitzgerald and Eoin O'Malley who makes his return from injury and lines up alongside Eamonn Sheridan at centre.
Andrew Conway, who was a replacement in Leinster's victory over the Melbourne Rebels last weekend, starts at full-back with Fionn Carr completing the back three.

Rhys Ruddock leads the team which shows two debutants in the pack - Ireland hooker Cronin and former Northampton second row Damian Browne. Ruddock switches to number eight and forms a back-row alongside Kevin McLaughlin and Dominic Ryan, with Shane Jennings named on an extended replacements bench alongside the likes of Mat Berquist and Devin Toner.

Tickets will be available on the gate from €10 (adult) and €5 (child), while stand tickets cost €20. Tickets are also available ONLINE HERE, the Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), Spar (Donnybrook) and from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

LEINSTER:

15: Andrew Conway
14: Fionn Carr
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Eamonn Sheridan
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Ian Madigan
9: Isaac Boss

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Sean Cronin
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Damian Browne
5: Steven Sykes
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Jack McGrath/Simon Shawe
18: Jack O'Connell
19: Devin Toner
20: Shane Jennings
21: John Cooney/Cillian Willis
22: Mat Berquist
23: Brendan Macken
24: Jason Harris-Wright
25: Mark Flanagan
26: Leo Auva'a
27: Darren Hudson

Strong team. Interesting to see how Browne and Cronin got on in their debut, how Sykes looks on his first start, how Conway takes to the fullback role and if Hagan can build on last week's showing.

Leinster Under-18 schools, sponsored by Nivea for Men, defeated a Languedoc selection 40-14 in a hot and humid evening in Gruisson on Wednesday night...

Tries by Rory Moloney, Stephen O'Neill, David Doyle, Peader Timmins, Harrison Brewer (2) and five conversions by Stephen O'Neill made up the Leinster scorers. The team are now preparing for their second fixture on Saturday afternoon in Stade de la Mediterannee in Beziers with a kick off time of 4.30 p.m.

LEINSTER SCHOOLS (UNDER-18):
Thomas Young (St. Mary's College)
Eoghan McKeever (CBC Monkstown)
Cameron Higgs (Pres Bray)
Silvio Borza (Terenure College)
Shane De La Hunt (Kilkenny College)
Joseph Carroll (Terenure College)
Graham Reynolds (The King's Hospital)
Dylan Donnellan (Clongowes Wood College SJ)
Ross Malony (St. Michael's College)
Rory Maloney (Cistercian College Roscrea)
Robert Somerville (Terenure College)
Peader Timmins (Clongowes Wood College SJ)
Jack O'Neill (Castleknock College)
Harrison Brewer (Terenure College)
Dan Leavy (St. Michael's College)
David Doyle (Terenure College)
Nick McCarthy (St. Michael's College)
Bobby Holland (St. Michael's College)
Conor McKeon (Gonzaga College SJ)
Dermot Lavelle (Gonzaga College SJ)
Rory O'Loughlin (St. Michael's College)
Stephen O'Neill (Terenure College)
Ross Bailey Kearney (Kilkenny College)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College)
Matthew Madigan (Terenure College)
Ruadhan Magee (CUS)
Ian Fitzpatrick (The King's Hospital)
Cormac Brennan (Cistercian College Roscrea)

This is a very strong age group, the backrow in particular.

 

[big ginger 8]

Do you know how Tomas Young got on being training with all summer holds the school record for tyre flips.

Anyone going to match tonight? I am good entertainment for a fiver.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

14-19 win for Northampton. The result is insignificant since it's more about performances. More significant are some allegations Brian Mujati is making about a couple of Leinster forwards on twitter.

http://twitter.com/#!/bvmujati

If anyone at Leinster rugby is found guilty of racist abuse, I hope their contracts are terminated immediately.

Back to the game, Northampton were full value for their win and were much better up front but impotent behind the scrum. Their only try came from an intercept of an Eamonn Sheridan pass. For Leinster, Rhys Ruddock and Fionn Carr were most impressive with Mat Berquist, Devin Toner, Dominic Ryan and Brendan Macken also putting in good shifts.

 

[dangandan]

Supposedly was fellow South Africans Steven Sykes and Heinke van der Merwe calling Mujati a baboon throughout the game. Not familiar with the racial slur but if it is as serious as it sounds i hope they both get lengthy punishments. I doubt they'd have their contracts terminated. Leinster are making an investigation anyway.

http://www.espnscrum.com/scrum/rugby/story/147218.html?addata=chromium

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I think you've to make an example of people who are guilty of this sort of thing. Terminating their employment is about as strong a statement as you can make.

That said, at the moment these are merely allegations, albeit serious allegations. If they're found to have no case to answer, I hope the person responsible for making these allegations is brought to book too.

 

[coonor]

If these allegations are true these players should face very harsh punishments and lengthy bans. If true these players have disgraced themselves, Leinster and the whole of rugby. No matter how good players are they should respect all opposition and the game. It is unacceptable and quite appalling to think that some people believe they have the right to discriminate anyone inside or outside the game.