Injury Outlook

[Pendragon]

I would have to agree. Henry put in some big shifts in the RWC, Ruddock has to do more to displace him, he is getting there and is still improving from his long lay off, but I would not put him ahead of Henry just now.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Ruddock would be one of the first names on the team sheet for me. I'd probably have Henry on the bench but would also like a ball carrier there, there's no standout candidate though if you assume that Jamie starts. Obviously Stander could do that and all going well it would be great to see it, but then we'd have no proper cover at 7 if SOB got injured.

[molloyjh]

Ruddock would be one of the first names on the team sheet for me. I'd probably have Henry on the bench but would also like a ball carrier there, there's no standout candidate though if you assume that Jamie starts. Obviously Stander could do that and all going well it would be great to see it, but then we'd have no proper cover at 7 if SOB got injured.

Yeah we'd have no 7 cover without Henry while with him we have cover across the back row. Plus the guy is proven at this level. I don't want Stander playing for Ireland. We have no shortage of indigenous talent in the back row, we don't need foreign players to fill spots. It was different for Payne as we simply didn't have options in the centre after Drico left. Project players should be there to fill holes that we have, not take spots away from Irish guys.

The reason I'd have Ruddock starting is because we'll be starting McGrath at LH and so won't have the same carrying we'd have from an in-form Healy. And with Hendo not in the row we'll be lacking carriers in the tight 5. We need someone like Rhys to ensure it's not just Seanie doing that stuff. If it is then teams can focus on him and shut him down. Plus Ruddocks form recently has been better than Henrys IMO.

All that means that we'll likely be missing a good few of our pack to the 6 Nations. We'll probably be looking at something like the below (with guys like Cronin/Strauss, Madigan and D Kearney possibly getting released for games and maybe Conan and Reid coming back in):

Bent Tracy Furlong
Molony Triggs
Ryan Murphy VDF

McGrath Marsh
Te'o Ringrose
Nacewa Kirchner McFadden

Dundon, Dooley, RBF, Denton, Leavy, Boss, Byrne, Crosbie

[Ruckedtobits]

This is Joe you're dealing with. There are no automatic starters until he sees how they:
a) Do their homework and training prep; and
b) How they work within the Squad, doing things the way he wants them and playing within the Unit.

Having watched some Leinster and Irish training sessions over the past 5 years, it is fascinating to read some of the views expressed on Babbling, Munstersfans, The42 etc. which seem to assume that one moment, or even a half dozen moments, within the previous 5 months, determine who is going to be selected or, possibly even more unfair if its your career, who deserves to be selected, at international level.

That is not the way it works and never will. Any Head Coach who has been in situ for a while knows what parts of his team works, what parts he wants / needs to improve and what parts he needs to replace. Joe is a real, objective, task-master who needs to replace PO'M and PO'C immediately. None of the candidates give him the same skill-set as PO'M, ball-carrier, defensive line-outs, intrinsic leadership and good reading of the game in attack and defense. Rhys gives him some of those skills. CJ gives him other of tbose skills. SO'B could give him more than those skills, selected alongside Henry, but its a different balance than playing Sean as an out and out ball-carrying No 7.
In regard to replacing PO'C, in the absence of Hendo, none of the candidates, possibly bar Ryan, provide the strength to play TH lock and be a real line-out option. If Ryan is missing due to injury, this may also impact on the back-row selection, because of effect on line-out. Its not quite a jigsaw, but its pretty close.

So, no pre-determination, no selection based on a few golden moments or even the accumulation of stats. This is now about the assessment by JS, Easterbunny, Greg Feek and whoever else joins the management over the next three weeks, as to what combinations work best to do the most effective job against our first two opponents, Wales and France (A). 5 day turnaround so they lmust prepare for both games together, including selection.

Watch that space, because what has gone before counts for nothing

[molloyjh]

This is Joe you're dealing with. There are no automatic starters until he sees how they:
a) Do their homework and training prep; and
b) How they work within the Squad, doing things the way he wants them and playing within the Unit.

Having watched some Leinster and Irish training sessions over the past 5 years, it is fascinating to read some of the views expressed on Babbling, Munstersfans, The42 etc. which seem to assume that one moment, or even a half dozen moments, within the previous 5 months, determine who is going to be selected or, possibly even more unfair if its your career, who deserves to be selected, at international level.

That is not the way it works and never will. Any Head Coach who has been in situ for a while knows what parts of his team works, what parts he wants / needs to improve and what parts he needs to replace. Joe is a real, objective, task-master who needs to replace PO'M and PO'C immediately. None of the candidates give him the same skill-set as PO'M, ball-carrier, defensive line-outs, intrinsic leadership and good reading of the game in attack and defense. Rhys gives him some of those skills. CJ gives him other of tbose skills. SO'B could give him more than those skills, selected alongside Henry, but its a different balance than playing Sean as an out and out ball-carrying No 7.
In regard to replacing PO'C, in the absence of Hendo, none of the candidates, possibly bar Ryan, provide the strength to play TH lock and be a real line-out option. If Ryan is missing due to injury, this may also impact on the back-row selection, because of effect on line-out. Its not quite a jigsaw, but its pretty close.

So, no pre-determination, no selection based on a few golden moments or even the accumulation of stats. This is now about the assessment by JS, Easterbunny, Greg Feek and whoever else joins the management over the next three weeks, as to what combinations work best to do the most effective job against our first two opponents, Wales and France (A). 5 day turnaround so they lmust prepare for both games together, including selection.

Watch that space, because what has gone before counts for nothing

I agree with that for the most part. What has gone before does count for something though. A familiarity with the systems and players as well as a proven ability to perform at the required level will all impact decisions. Other than that I'm just giving what I think will happen, rather than what I demand must happen or anything like that.

[Dave Cahill]

Healy has gone under the knife to have his troublesome knee joint cleaned up a smidge, a slap of paint on his meniscus and a dado rail on his patella. Leinster 'hope' he'll be back for the game against Bath.

[simonokeeffe]

Healy has gone under the knife to have his troublesome knee joint cleaned up a smidge, a slap of paint on his meniscus and a dado rail on his patella. Leinster 'hope' he'll be back for the game against Bath.

handy ban so

[molloyjh]

Healy has gone under the knife to have his troublesome knee joint cleaned up a smidge, a slap of paint on his meniscus and a dado rail on his patella. Leinster 'hope' he'll be back for the game against Bath.

Dragons game so, to get him game time for the 6Ns.

[Fred Funk]

What happened to Trigger?

[nc6000]

What happened to Trigger?

He had an ankle operation back in December I think.

[molloyjh]

What happened to Trigger?

He had an ankle operation back in December I think.

Yeah, he was expected to be out for 6 weeks. That would see him back sometime around the end of the month.

[LeinsterLeader]

Marty - torn hamstring - out for a few months
JS - Not a bother (apparently). Contrary to populer belief did pass his HIA on Saturday

[riocard911]

Marty - torn hamstring - out for a few months
JS - Not a bother (apparently). Contrary to populer belief did pass his HIA on Saturday

George Hook'll be interested to hear that.

[simonokeeffe]

Marty - torn hamstring - out for a few months
JS - Not a bother (apparently). Contrary to populer belief did pass his HIA on Saturday

George Hook'll be interested to hear that.

George Hook's strategy to restore Munster ascendency is to call for all Leinster players to retire for their own good or be suspended
Heaslip should have been sent off for blocking in the second HC final win was another

[Dave Cahill]

Isa out for a fortnight or three weeks according to Leo


RBF out for three or four months

[nc6000]

Marty - torn hamstring - out for a few months
JS - Not a bother (apparently). Contrary to populer belief did pass his HIA on Saturday

George Hook'll be interested to hear that.

George Hook's strategy to restore Munster ascendency is to call for all Leinster players to retire for their own good or be suspended
Heaslip should have been sent off for blocking in the second HC final win was another

I've long given up reading anything from him or listening to anything he says.

[LeinsterLeader]

Isa out for a fortnight or three weeks according to Leo


RBF out for three or four months

Cheers Dave. Its after taking me 20 ins to work out who RBF was. Didn't like to ask and display my ignorance

[OTT]

Isa out for a fortnight or three weeks according to Leo


RBF out for three or four months

Cheers Dave. Its after taking me 20 ins to work out who RBF was. Didn't like to ask and display my ignorance

I would say it was the best news of the day when you found out.

[LeinsterLeader]

Isa out for a fortnight or three weeks according to Leo


RBF out for three or four months

Cheers Dave. Its after taking me 20 ins to work out who RBF was. Didn't like to ask and display my ignorance

I would say it was the best news of the day when you found out.

Well not quite but embarrassingly I have to admit to being a bit relieved

Apologies RBF and get well soon!

Isa being out is a Fupin disaster though

[simonokeeffe]

Is Ed Byrne fit again?

Michael bent suddenly becomes an eighty minute player, at tighthead!