The Leinster thread

[munstermuffin]

Agree Feic but the gap in standard is so big that there has to be more to it.

 

[big ginger 8]

I think one reaon is that most of the Leinster schools have junior schools so the players are playing matches and developing there skills from a very young age. Yes people are members of a club from a young age but usually the standard of the Dad's coaching in the clubs are terrible.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0420/1224314968405.html

The (Royal Dublin Society) continues to press ahead with plans to sell the naming rights to its main arena, where Leinster rugby plays its home matches. The funds would be used to help fund a proposed €17 million redevelopment of the stadium that would boost capacity to 23,000.

This has been rumoured for quite some time. I suspect it's the old, decrepit Anglesea Stand which will be redeveloped. Hopefully corporate boxes are part of any planned new stand since it's one area where Leinster aren't getting any revenue at present. There are no corporate boxes in the showgrounds as it stands.

23,000 is probably about right in terms of capacity, especially with the Aviva Stadium only a few hundred metres down the road for bigger games.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

There's a rumour on Boards.ie that Gavin Thornbury, Dan Leavy, Brian Byrne and Edward Byrne are going straight from school into the Leinster academy. They'll be joined by Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Cathal Marsh and Jack Conan. One prop, one hooker, two second rows, three backrows and a flyhalf. Eamonn Sheridan and Ciaran Ruddock are moving on.

 

[big ginger 8]

Very interesting. Byrne brothers and Leavy I can understand bt I've never been that impressed by Thornbury must be the lack of 2nd rowers.

Suprised to see Ruddock go as well even tough he hasn't been played to much.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

The Byrne's and Leavy have the potential to be Leinster and Ireland regulars in a few years time. I don't know much about Thornbury other than the fact that he's enormous and has lots of international underage experience at u18s and u19s. It'd be great if he or Tadhg Beirne could develop. Second row is a massive problem area. In the last two years Leinster have signed Ed O'Donoghue, Steven Sykes, Damien Browne, Brad Thorn, and Tom Denton to try fill the hole. They've also tried to shift Kevin McLoughlin there and brought Neilus Keogh from the AIL into the A team to see if he can do a job. Academy second rows Ciaran Ruddock and Ben Marshall are just a bit too small for that position and not as talented as the backrow options coming through.

I think it's interesting that 7 of the 8 supposed new academy intake are forwards. Leinster are better known as a team that develop backs instead of fatties so it'd be brilliant if they can get half a pack out of this intake. Next year I'd say there'll be a return to type with a lot of talented backs coming into their final year in school.

 

[big ginger 8]

Yeah Billy Dardis and Harrison Brewer are pretty much certs for the academy next year I'd say.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

They'd be the first two who come to my mind too. It looks like Brewer has been converted to inside centre at this stage. I've been impressed with Cian Kelleher whenever I've seen him play too. Any idea if Gonzaga's Conor McKeon is in 5th or 6th year?

 

[big ginger 8]

I think 5th year but I'm not entirely certain.

 

[profitius]

They'd be the first two who come to my mind too. It looks like Brewer has been converted to inside centre at this stage. I've been impressed with Cian Kelleher whenever I've seen him play too. Any idea if Gonzaga's Conor McKeon is in 5th or 6th year?

Theres lots of hype around some young players but for me the most impressive I've seen is McKeon. He'll walk into the academy in the next year or two.

 

[big ginger 8]

Apparently Nacewa will be allowed sign up until 2014 which is brilliant and Fitzgerald is "close" to resigning with Leinster again brilliant news.

 

[Peat]

I think it's interesting that 7 of the 8 supposed new academy intake are forwards. Leinster are better known as a team that develop backs instead of fatties so it'd be brilliant if they can get half a pack out of this intake. Next year I'd say there'll be a return to type with a lot of talented backs coming into their final year in school.

Considering your recent academy output, wouldn't you say that was a bit outdated? At the moment you develop everything, in sickeningly vast quantities. The only areas you've really failed to date with over the past five years or so is the second row and scrum-half... and even then Devin Toner and Luke McGrath's not that bad.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Yeah, it's probably a bit outdated. Recently Leinster has become a backrow factory but in the tight five they're still lagging a bit. Of the first choice tight five (Healy-Strauss-Ross-Cullen-Thorn), only Cian Healy has been produced by the Leinster academy. Jack McGrath, Jamie Hagan, Martin Moore and Devin Toner are all talented but it'd be hard to say any will be top class internationals. The Byrne's certainly have that potential and I assume if Thornbury is going straight into the academy that he's very highly rated too.

 

[Feicarsinn]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/26404.php

That's right folks, Gordon D'arcy has managed to get himself a two year central contract. The mind boggles.

 

[munstermuffin]

It a joke that it seems the Older you get over 30 the more value you earn.
Best bit of business Leinster have done though is managing to get a loophole and extend his contract. Really think he is as vital as BOD to that unit

 

[psychic duck]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/26404.php

That's right folks, Gordon D'arcy has managed to get himself a two year central contract. The mind boggles.

sentiment probably, but to be honest I think Leinster should have used the funds on that two year contract to keep Luke Fitzgerald (who's name wasn't on the list of contract renewals)

D'Arcy has had his day and beyond the end of the season he will be just delaying Fergus McFadden rise, whilst Fitzgerald is a skillful player who didn't get right up to his best after a long injury has showed signs of recovering his form from what I've seen

it should be D'Arcy who goes to France and gets a decent paycheck by some team in France not Fitzgerald

I see Leo Auva'a got a two year contract, he looks a very decent player in the RaboPro12 Leinster side, shame he doesn't get a glimpse of H Cup action

 

[Peat]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

PD, that money wasn't Leinster's to assign. 'Twas the Irish set-up's choice.

Conspiracy theory: They're deliberately sabotaging the national team's chances to justify their recent NIQ decisions.

 

[osullie6]

it should be D'Arcy who goes to France and gets a decent paycheck by some team in France not Fitzgerald

Darcy, as an Irish player who has played his entire career in Ireland, would be foolish to finish his career abroad as if he did so he'd lose out on a massive tax rebate when he eventually does call it quits. He'd have to be offered truly astonishing money from a foreign club to make it worth his while financially.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

There's no place for sentiment in pro sport. Gordon D'arcy will be a 34 year old centre at the end of his international contract. He's still a good club player but I'm unconvinced that he's international class any longer. That said, if he's taken a pay cut or is on a performance related deal, re-signing him isn't so bad. Personally, I'd rather the international contracts he, Paddy Wallace and Donnacha O'Callaghan got went to others. If somebody like Luke Fitzgerald has to move abroad because three ageing players who won't make the next world cup got contracts, there's something wrong with the IRFU's contracting policy.

 

[munstermuffin]

There's no place for sentiment in pro sport. Gordon D'arcy will be a 34 year old centre at the end of his international contract. He's still a good club player but I'm unconvinced that he's international class any longer. That said, if he's taken a pay cut or is on a performance related deal, re-signing him isn't so bad. Personally, I'd rather the international contracts he, Paddy Wallace and Donnacha O'Callaghan got went to others. If somebody like Luke Fitzgerald has to move abroad because three ageing players who won't make the next world cup got contracts, there's something wrong with the IRFU's contracting policy.

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I agree with this Snoop and let's not forget Central Contracts aren't done on a 1-15 basis etc and we don't need a 12 really on a Central contract like if D'Arcy didn't get national contract the tax rule was a big enough incentive to keep him at Ireland . Him and Downey can play for Ireland on provincal contracts for example like use these on guys in their prime and who have most value