The Leinster thread

[munstermuffin]

No idea. Would hate to see it but could understand.

There'll be a huge number of players who are on good wages yet aren't on the international radar. They could be low hanging fruit when it comes to cost cutting.

I think for a lot in not just Leinster but all provinces regardless of if there is options abroad will be cut under current climate. Like watching Leinster last night I'd argue Fardy was the weak link when introduced. Not a dig at him but more he is aging and while experience is key and hindsight is a great thing that could arguably have been a lot of cash saved. As he is unlikely to ever break back in to Leinster 23 again when fully fit. Now again I understand reasons why he was kept and obviously hindsight is a great thing. Most provinces are around the 45 players mark I think including some academies and I have heard they wand to reduce this down to roughly 33/34 contracted players. This will be interesting because take Leinster for example now. When you take away national call ups and injuries am I close to 20. That means there may be 15-20 actual professional players with supplementary AIL guys which is the route being talked about.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Tommy O'Brien out for 6 to 8 weeks. Pity because he's a real talent and was getting a lot of game time. If he can stay fit over the next few years he's almost guaranteed to end up playing for Ireland imo. Leaves us a bit light an centre, might see Hawkshaw getting a start at 12.

Baird back in training apparently, be great if he could prove fitness and potentially get into the Ireland squad.

 

[big ginger 8]

15. Jimmy O'Brien (22)
14. Cian Kelleher (17)
13. Liam Turner (2)
12. Ciarán Frawley (28)
11. Dave Kearney (152)
10. Harry Byrne (14)
9. Luke McGrath (132)
1. Peter Dooley (79)
2. James Tracy (114)
3. Michael Bent (145)
4. Devin Toner (252)
5. Scott Fardy (65)
6. Dan Leavy (66)
7. Scott Penny (17)
8. Rhys Ruddock (178) CAPTAIN

16. Dan Sheehan (3)
17. Michael Milne (12)
18. Ciarán Parker (2)
19. Ross Molony (100)
20. Josh Murphy (36)
21. Hugh O'Sullivan (23)
22. David Hawkshaw (2)
23. Ryan Baird (12)

I'm a bit disappointed Sheehan hasn't gotten another start but great to see Leavy starting and Baird back.

 

[big ginger 8]

Ciaran Parker has had surgery on his thumb and will be out for a few weeks. Furlong also isn't progressing as well as hoped.

Can't seem to find information on if Tom Clarkson is fit or not but this potentially leaves us with Bent as the only fit tighthead.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Get Salanoa or Aungier back for a week.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ciaran Parker has had surgery on his thumb and will be out for a few weeks.

I hope England go in dry on Saturday

 

[munstermuffin]

Get Salanoa or Aungier back for a week.

Salanoa not much use as he is crocked lol

 

[Leinster Fan]

Salanoa not much use as he is crocked lol

So is every tighthead in country seems like. Marty Moore to start the Six nations.

 

[munstermuffin]

So is every tighthead in country seems like. Marty Moore to start the Six nations.

Ha that will be really scratching the surface. To be fair Bent is probably twice the player now than he was when he arrived.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Ha that will be really scratching the surface. To be fair Bent is probably twice the player now than he was when he arrived.

Rushing him into the Ireland team did him no favours. Copped a lot of abuse and deserves a lot of credit for sticking around when he'd have been entirely jusitifed looking elsewhere.

Focusing on tighthead completely has helped him massively too. Been a huge asset locking down the scrum for the Pro14 the last few years.

 

[munstermuffin]

Rushing him into the Ireland team did him no favours. Copped a lot of abuse and deserves a lot of credit for sticking around when he'd have been entirely jusitifed looking elsewhere.

Focusing on tighthead completely has helped him massively too. Been a huge asset locking down the scrum for the Pro14 the last few years.

Well has served his purpose as a solid squad player

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Benty has been a worldie since covid, if he was younger he'd be in the Ireland 23 on form

 

[big ginger 8]

Cullen also confirmed that Rory O'Loughlin hadn't made sufficient progress from his shoulder injury last week to be considered for the Cardiff game and will again be assessed this week ahead of the trip to Wales.

There was though some positive news for Leinster centre Conor O'Brien who has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring injury and took part in on-field training last week. O'Brien will continue to be assessed as he builds his involvement over the coming weeks.

There was no update on the following players who remain unavailable for selection:

Tadhg Furlong (calf), Ciarán Parker (thumb), Tommy O'Brien (ankle), Jack Conan (neck), Garry Ringrose (jaw), Max Deegan (knee), Jordan Larmour (shoulder), Vakh Abdaladze (back) and Adam Byrne (hamstring)

 

[Leinster Fan]

Centre injuries are really stacking up. Frawley and Turner the only fit players right now and both first choices have gone and gotten injured with Ireland. Hopefully O'Loughlin can get fit, if Henshaw/Ringrose are still out him and Frawley are our probably best options for Europe. This is his last chance to get a game before then though. Jimmy O'Brien would be another option as well.

 

[Leinster Fan]

No context, just think Michael Bent deserves a mention for how good he's been this year.

 

[big ginger 8]

No context, just think Michael Bent deserves a mention for how good he's been this year.

He's been great and based on Lancaster's update today he's going to need to keep it up. Looks like Furlong is at best borderline for Europe.

 

[big ginger 8]

Stolen from boards.ie, the Leinster squad for Europe. It seems there is no cap on numbers due to Covid-19.

Leinster squad

LH Prop(5)
Cian Healy(33)
Ed Byrne(27) - injured
Peter Dooley(26)
Michael Milne(21)
Marcus Hanan(20)

TH Prop(6)
Michael Bent(34)
Tadhg Furlong(28) - injured
Andrew Porter(24)
Vakh Abdaladze(24) - injured
Ciaran Parker(24) - injured
Tom Clarkson(20)

Hooker(5)
Sean Cronin(34)
James Tracy(29)
Ronan Kelleher(22)
Dan Sheehan(22)
John McKee(20) - injured

Lock(9)
Scott Fardy(36)
Devin Toner(340
Ross Molony(26)
James Ryan(24)
Jack Dunne(22)
Ryan Baird(21)
Charlie Ryan(21)
Brian Deeny(20) - injured
Joe McCarthy(19)

Backrow(12)
Rhys Ruddock(30)
Jack Conan(28) - injured
Josh Van Der Flier(27)
Dan Leavy(26)
Josh Murphy(25)
Will Connors(24)
Max Deegan(24) - injured
Caelan Doris(22)
Scott Penny(21)
Martin Moloney(21) - injured
Sean O'Brien(20)
Alex Soroka(19)

Scrumhalf(6)
Jamie Gibson Park(28)
Luke McGrath(27)
Rowan Osborne(24)
Hugh O'Sullivan(22)
Paddy Patterson(21)
Cormac Foley(21)

Outhalf(4)
Jonathan Sexton(35) - injured
Ross Byrne(25)
Harry Byrne(21)
David Hawkshaw(21)

Centre(7)
Robbie Henshaw(27) - injured
Rory O'Loughlin(26) - injured
Garry Ringrose(25) - injured
Conor O'Brien(24) - injured
Ciaran Frawley(22)
Tommy O'Brien(22) - injured
Liam Turner(21)

Back Three(12)
Dave Kearney(31)
James Lowe(28)
Adam Byrne(26) - injured
Cian Kelleher(26)
Hugo Keenan(24)
Jimmy O'Brien(23) - injured
Jordan Larmour(23) - injured
Michael Silvester(22)
Aaron O'Sullivan(20)
Andrew Smith(20)
Niall Comerford(20)
Max O'Reilly(20)

 

[Leinster Fan]

Frawley and Turner are the only fit Leinster centres. Although I think ROL is expected back for Europe.

O'Loughlin might be ready for this weekend to be fair, but that's not 100% going off this weekend's injury update. Should be back for Europe presumably but wouldn't be ideal to throw him in with no game time. Turner can't start against Montpeilliers, not ready. Hopefully Jimmy O'Brien gets back in time too, Lowe's injury should leave a spot for him in the team. My team was a definite worst case scenario, it's unlikely to be that bad. McGrath, R.Byrne, Kearney, Frawley, O'Loughlin, Keenan, O'Brien is a long way off a first choice team but has a lot of potential and should be able to get the job done.

Shifting threads cause it's more relavant here.

 

[big ginger 8]

Game off this weekend.

Scarlets have Covid.

 

[Leinster Fan]

It's pointless trying to think about a team this week without an injury update, so I'm not going to bother. A lot of players in the maybe category though, Ryan went off for a HIA at the end on Saturday, Connors, JOB and Lowe are also in the hard to tell category. Lock selection is going to be really hard if Ryan is fit. One of Baird/Toner/Fardy will miss out entirely.

Assuming Ringrose is out I'd like to see Frawley start.

Edit: as it turns out I'm an idiot and there is an injury update.

Cullen issues squad update ahead of European campaign

Head coach Leo Cullen has issued a squad update ahead of Saturday's Heineken Champions Cup game away to Montpellier.

www.leinsterrugby.ie

Parker is gone back to Jersey.

JOB, Sexton and Connors look good.

Ringrose, Ryan and Lowe to be monitored over the week.

Ed Byrne definitely out. Furlong is back into the no further updates category which isn't promising.

Leaves us with something like

1. Healy
2. Kelleher
3. Porter
4. Baird/Fardy/Toner
5. Ryan if fit
6. Ruddock
7. Van der Flier/Connors/Leavy
8. Doris
9. McGrath
10. Sexton
11. Lowe/Kearney
12. Henshaw/Frawley
13. Ringrose/Henshaw
14. Keenan
15. O'Brien
16. Tracy
17. Dooley
18. Bent
19. ???
20. ???
21. JGP
22. Ross Byrne probably
23. O'Loughlin maybe

7 is impossible to pick. Could go anyway. Lock is the same. Wouldn't be surprised to see Bent and Tracy start in the front row too. McGrath has been playing well so might have the edge on JGP. Would hate to see Harry Byrne miss out but don't think you can pick him ahead of one of the others away in France. If Lowe is fit interesting to see if they go for JOB or Keenan at fullback. O'Brien has to be in the 23 on current form.