The Leinster thread

[big ginger 8]

But weren't they moving him around a few games last year in A he played at 12 I think it was or certainly moved in there early

He's always been a back three player.

Anywho Cian Healy just won the ice bucket challenge.

[video=youtube_share;8lAU2cbWibk]http://youtu.be/8lAU2cbWibk[/video]

 

[munstermuffin]

He's always been a back three player.

Anywho Cian Healy just won the ice bucket challenge.

[video=youtube_share;8lAU2cbWibk]http://youtu.be/8lAU2cbWibk[/video]

I know that but at stage last year they were trying him at 12. It's obviously a plan abandoned.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

So the kids are getting their annual bashing in Franklins Gardens! 26-0 after 46 minutes!

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well I can't say I'm surprised.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Kelleher and Leavy touch down, 26-12, that's a bit more surprising!

 

[big ginger 8]

Fulltime 33-21, not too bad.

 

[Amiga500]

So.... J10 back in D4?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Looks like it. People like to bash the Irish Independent but given that paper's ties with Leinster Rugby and the number of stories they're running about the re-signing, I'm inclined to believe they're right.

I think it probably means Jonny Sexton is coming back to play 10 with Ian Madigan replacing a soon to retire Gordon D'arcy at 12.

Jimmy Gopperth is likely on the way out. I'm sure there'll be calls for Connacht to sign him but for all the talk of Gopperth being a poor 10 (in comparison to Sexton), he's better than Connacht. He could go to one of the top clubs in Europe and compete for a starting job.

 

[munstermuffin]

The only question I'd ask. Will it cost IRFU more now than before if Sexton comes back. Last time he wanted â'¬400k but now he'll get â'¬500k over 4 years. Not saying he isn't worth it but more shouldn't they have just given him his deal at start and saved him going to France for 2 years.

 

[big ginger 8]

The only question I'd ask. Will it cost IRFU more now than before if Sexton comes back. Last time he wanted €400k but now he'll get €500k over 4 years. Not saying he isn't worth it but more shouldn't they have just given him his deal at start and saved him going to France for 2 years.

Well that's what happens when you **** up, you get ****ed one way or the other.

 

[munstermuffin]

Fully agree but more interestingly it's being reported Sexton's deal will make history as it'll be the first deal that allows the province andsponsors to top up on his IRFU deal and will set an interesting precedent. IRFU will probably pay €450K, Leinster €100K??? and sponsors some more. It'll be good way of keeping our stars as well as getting some big names back in. Ulster have Mr McIllroy for support, We can call some JP guy Leinster well any resident in D4 has €1m resting under a bed

 

[Feicarsinn]

I've heard Munster pay Damien Varley and Stephen Archer in turnips.

 

[munstermuffin]

I've heard Munster pay Damien Varley and Stephen Archer in turnips.

If that's how bad your jokes have gone I think you should hand back your TRFie

On sidenote though I think it's great provinces are allowed privately top up a players contract. It keeps us alot more competitive.

 

[big ginger 8]

Some pretty interesting selection from both teams for tomorrow's Leinster vs Ulster match.

Leinster: Z Kirchner; F McFadden, B Macken, N Reid, D Fanning; J Gopperth, L McGrath: C Healy, B Byrne, M Ross; K McLaughlin, M McCarthy; J Conan, S Jennings, S O'Brien (Capt.)
Replacements: TBC.
Ulster: L Ludik; M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, P Marshall: A Warwick, R Herring, W Herbst; D Tuohy, F van der Merwe; R Diack, S Reidy, R Wilson (Capt.)
Replacements: R Murphy, J Andrew, D Fitzpatrick, A O'Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, C Ross, N Williams, C Black, K McCall, B Ross, L Stevenson, M MCComish, M Heaney, D Shanahan, S O'Hagan, R Adair, J Stockdale, R Scholes, R Andrew

 

[Peat]

Teams for the friendly

15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Luke McGrath; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Mike McCarthy, 6 Jack Conan, 7 Shane Jennings, 8 Sean O'Brien.

Subs tbc tomorrow.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Leinster, Pre-Season Friendly, Tallaght Stadium, Saturday 30th August (kick off 16:00):
I (15-9) L Ludik, M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall;
(1-9); A Warwick, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, R Diack, S Reidy, R Wilson (C);
Replacements: R Murphy, J Andrew, D Fitzpatrick, A O'Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, C Ross, N Williams, C Black, K McCall, B Ross, L Stevenson, M MCComish, M Heaney, D Shanahan, S O'Hagan, R Adair, J Stockdale, R Scholes, R Andrew


Conan at 6 and SOB at 8 is an interesting one. Reckon Leinster have the better pack named and Ulster the better back-line, save for the artist formerly known as Taliban Ian.

 

[munstermuffin]

Teams for the friendly

15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Luke McGrath; 1 Cian Healy, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 Mike Ross, 4 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Mike McCarthy, 6 Jack Conan, 7 Shane Jennings, 8 Sean O'Brien.

Subs tbc tomorrow.

Ulster XV and replacements to face Leinster, Pre-Season Friendly, Tallaght Stadium, Saturday 30th August (kick off 16:00):
I (15-9) L Ludik, M Allen, J Payne, S Olding, C Gilroy, I Humphreys, P Marshall;
(1-9); A Warwick, R Herring, W Herbst, D Tuohy, F van der Merwe, R Diack, S Reidy, R Wilson (C);
Replacements: R Murphy, J Andrew, D Fitzpatrick, A O’Connor, N McComb, C Joyce, C Ross, N Williams, C Black, K McCall, B Ross, L Stevenson, M MCComish, M Heaney, D Shanahan, S O’Hagan, R Adair, J Stockdale, R Scholes, R Andrew


Conan at 6 and SOB at 8 is an interesting one. Reckon Leinster have the better pack named and Ulster the better back-line, save for the artist formerly known as Taliban Ian.

Great to see Olding back. Hopefully he can get back to standard he was at and push on again

 

[ruggabee]

I wana see Reid push on. He's got the size, pace and a 2nd 5 skill set set I like to see. Very professional if used right. As muffin said, Olding is great to see back and I can't wait to see what he can do with his conditioning. Mclaughlin will be interesting. Not international interesting but interesting. Please bring in a back three player that can displace McFadden. He's ****ing ordinary compared to his international counterparts. But I guess he does the job at club level. It's nice to see Conan being brought in but I hope he doesn't get shifted around and ends up at 8 in the future. There's something to him. Hope he has the brains and attitude. McGrath.. I duno. From what I've seen he can't pass. In professional rugby at half back and you can't pass that well? I hope he steps up. Luckily Murray is young.

Go leinster...

 

[big ginger 8]

Pretty harsh on McFadden and especially McGrath there. His pass isn't the best but he's really improved it and should be ahead of Boss at this stage. He's a fantastic talent.

 

[ruggabee]

Pretty harsh on McFadden and especially McGrath there. His pass isn't the best but he's really improved it and should be ahead of Boss at this stage. He's a fantastic talent.

Maybe I'm being harsh on McGrath considering he's young but McFadden? He's peaked. He will pump the legs and that's it. Boring. But yes I might have been harsh on McGrath but you look at the southern counterparts who come through with ease when it comes to basic skill sets and it's not promising. When someone doesn't spark he will be nothing more than solid, so I don't understand the hype.

 

[Peat]

Should be ahead of Boss sounds like damning with faint praise tbh...

Also, Noel Reid's got the size, compared to who, Matt Giteau? He's tall, but there's no meat to him unless something's changed since Argentina. Good luck to him, he's proved a lot of people wrong so far, but if he's got the tools to go all the way at 12 I will be quite surprised.

There's quite a disparity between jumping options on a second look. No pressure on the young Mr Byrne.