The Leinster thread

[big ginger 8]

Forgot to post this. Good players been brought in good to see some exciting outside backs.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I had a go at making a side of Leinster products playing outside of the province next season. Can anyone improve?


15) Felix Jones - Munster
14) Niall Morris - Leicester Tigers
13) Eamon Sheridan - London Irish
12) Ian Keatley - Munster
11) Andrew Conway - Munster
10) Johnny Sexton - Racing Metro
9) Cillian Willis - Sale Sharks

8) Michael Noone - Leicester Tigers
7) Niall Ronan - Munster
6) Robin Copeland - Cardiff Blues
5) Eoin Sheriff - Saracens
4) ????
3) Jamie Hagan - London Irish
2) Tom Sexton - Melbourne Rebels
1) Shane Cahill - Rotherham ***ans

I'd go with:
Jones, Morris, McSharry, Downey, Conway, Sexton, Willis; Murphy (Brumbies), Sexton, Hagan, Kearney, Gannon, Copeland, Ronan, Noone

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Forgot to post this. Good players been brought in good to see some exciting outside backs.

The academy outside backs could have a big role next season. Compared to 2012/13. Nacewa has retired and both Conway and Carr have left. Fitzgerald is coming back from injury and Rob Kearney will have his game time managed after a Lions tour. That leaves just Kirchner, Dave Kearney, McFadden and Hudson as senior outside backs. Kirchner may not even arrive until November.

 

[big ginger 8]

The academy outside backs could have a big role next season. Compared to 2012/13. Nacewa has retired and both Conway and Carr have left. Fitzgerald is coming back from injury and Rob Kearney will have his game time managed after a Lions tour. That leaves just Kirchner, Dave Kearney, McFadden and Hudson as senior outside backs. Kirchner may not even arrive until November.

Agreed presume the pecking order will be something like Byrne, SCM, Boyle, Dardis.

Be interesting if this scenario allows Dardis gametime can't wait to see how he gets on at the top level nad look forward to seeing more of Bynre.

Also presume Reid and O'Shea might both be used in the back three.

 

[munstermuffin]

Always thought Dardis was involved already in some way. I know he was in school just thought he was around scene as his name was frequently mentioned. Dempsey will be great influence if its a 15 he wants to be or where do Leinster fans see him

 

[Groundhog]

He was on the Leinster Schools team if that's what you mean. He was on it last year as well, so that's probably why you've heard him mentioned so much.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Props: Healy, Ross, Hagan, McGrath, Bent, Moore, Dooley, Byrne
Hookers: Strauss, Cronin, Byrne
Second Rowers: Toner, McCarthy, Timmins, Thornbury
Back Rowers: O'Brien, Heaslip, McLaughlin, Murphy, Ruddock, Ryan, Leavy, van der Flier
Scrum Halves: Boss, Cooney, McGrath, Shanahan
Fly Halves: Madigan, Marsh*, Reid, Crosbie
Centres: O'Driscoll, Macken, Daly, Farrell
Back Three: Kearney, McFadden, Kearney, Byrne

Above are 39 Leinster players on summer tours. Matt O'Connor has some amount of talent to work with. I wonder how many of the above will play in rounds 1 and 2 of the Pro 12 or will they be held back to give them a longer summer break. If they are, O'Connor will still have a fair degree of talent to work with the for the first game of the season. He could, injury permitting, pick a team backboned like this:
15. Kirchner
14. Hudson
13. O'Malley
12. D'arcy
11. Fitzgerald
10. Gopperth
9. Reddan
1. O'Connell
2. Dundon
3. Furlong
4. Cullen
5. Roux
6. Marshall
7. Jennings
8. Auva'a
Bench: Tracy, AN Other, AN Other, Denton, Gilsenan, Griggs, Goodman, Coghlan Murray

Not too shabby.

 

[big ginger 8]

Bit iffy sticking Timmins, Shanahan and Farrell in there as none have contracts. Shanahan is also rumoured to be in talks with Ulster which is a pity. Also Timmins is predominantly an 8.

Agree with your overall point though.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Bit iffy sticking Timmins, Shanahan and Farrell in there as none have contracts. Shanahan is also rumoured to be in talks with Ulster which is a pity. Also Timmins is predominantly an 8.

Agree with your overall point though.

I has Timmins down as a 2nd row to fill out the numbers and also because that's where he's been playing of late for Ireland u20s. Doesn't he have another year at u20 level?

Farrell's performances in the JWC competition certainly warrant a contract. He looks like a quality player. His yellow card was stupid and cost Ireland but his attacking game is excellent. His style of play reminds me of Aurélien Rougerie or Stirling Mortlock [/hype]. A powerful player with good ball skills. Could be one to watch. He's impressed me more than Tom Daly in the tournament so far.

 

[big ginger 8]

I has Timmins down as a 2nd row to fill out the numbers and also because that's where he's been playing of late for Ireland u20s. Doesn't he have another year at u20 level?

Farrell's performances in the JWC competition certainly warrant a contract. He looks like a quality player. His yellow card was stupid and cost Ireland but his attacking game is excellent. His style of play reminds me of Aurélien Rougerie or Stirling Mortlock [/hype]. A powerful player with good ball skills. Could be one to watch. He's impressed me more than Tom Daly in the tournament so far.

Yeah Timmins has another year played for the u19's in the interpros if I remember right.

I expect Farrell will get the contact, the main reason he didn't get it I'd say is because of the leg break that kept him out for so long.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I expect Farrell will get the contact, the main reason he didn't get it I'd say is because of the leg break that kept him out for so long.

You'll know this better than I; didn't Farrell play SCT at 10 for Castleknock for at least one year?

 

[big ginger 8]

You'll know this better than I; didn't Farrell play SCT at 10 for Castleknock for at least one year?

Not that I can remember and I've never heard of him playing there, although he may well have in preseason or in a cup match. I know for definite he was playing centre 2 years ago, in the cup. I remeber him running rings around the winger we had playing centre.

 

[big ginger 8]

MO'C's first press conference. Some encouraging signs both from the pov of him as Leinster coach and Schmidt as Ireland coach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kJgwteSjTN0

New headshots of the players, of note are Darragh Fanning and Tom Farrell both being there.

 

[big ginger 8]

Someone on Boards noticed something worrying O'Malley is not included in the headshots and his profile is no longer with the squad on the Leinster website. Is it possible he's had to retire because of his injuries? Hope not he had talent and it' s position where Leinster aren't stacked with options.

 

[Feicarsinn]

He was in preseason earlier anyway (evidence below.) T'would be a blow, but I'm not going to jump to any conclusions on the basis of a missing picture.

http://instagram.com/p/ceDI1wIogQ/

 

[munstermuffin]

Thinks he still their alright, know a lad who's in the know with Leinster and he mentioned O'Malley as 1 they really need to make the big step up this year

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Very happy that Tom Farrell has been brought into the academy. Thought he looked like a proper player in the JWC. Seemed as though he's a powerful lump like Brendan Macken but with handling ability more akin to Eoin O'Malley. Whoever is going to replace Brian O'Driscoll in future has a massive job on their hands and Tom Farrell seems to have the most rounded skill set of the contenders. All aboard the hype train.

 

[munstermuffin]

The worst thing any Leinster youngster can do is replace BOD as it's impossible but they must be their own guy and be able to prosecute their skillset to max

 

[Feicarsinn]

Bloody horses, ruining the sod.




Also, Kirchner is with South Africa for TRC, so he'll miss the start of the season.

 

[profitius]

Very happy that Tom Farrell has been brought into the academy. Thought he looked like a proper player in the JWC. Seemed as though he's a powerful lump like Brendan Macken but with handling ability more akin to Eoin O'Malley. Whoever is going to replace Brian O'Driscoll in future has a massive job on their hands and Tom Farrell seems to have the most rounded skill set of the contenders. All aboard the hype train.

He is a high class player. BODs successor alright. He could even be a bolter for the 2015 world cup!