Things are looking up

[Dave Cahill]

Im being relentlessly optimistic and praising improved defence

Not many huge pitches in league but will be interesting to see if more teams target us with wide wide game and how we adapt. Think McQuilkin will see that coming

New midfield will help improve it

Why didn't he see it coming on Saturday? Its not like Connacht playing a wide game was the biggest shocker in the sport since Webb-Ellis picked up the ball. Our defence isn't really improved at all. In our last 5 games of the season we conceded 3 tries to Connacht, 2 tries to Ulster, 3 tries to Treviso (admittedly in a complete rout), 3 tries to Ulster and 3 tries to Edinburgh. It is, at best, no worse than last year.

A new midfield might help improve it, when they play for Leinster, if they get a run of games together, if Leo is allowed to pick them.

[simonokeeffe]

We kicked very loosely, one try (first try) Reddan kicked before a line had a chance to form, and not like Kurt can suddenly make Strauss, Ross, and Triggs run like gazelles. Nor did he legislate for multiple turnovers off a misfiring lineout

Henshaw will probably only play half the league games but he is an excellent defender, Ringrose will trust him, and none of our centres will be defending like bumper cars

[hugonaut]

I know this is a positive string so...

There might have been something to have been positive about last January - there isn't now. It has been a dreadful season, our worst since Gary Ella was in charge. The crowds have been cr@p, the rugby has been poor, the air of fragility about the team is palpable, I've never felt more like a customer than this season. If it weren't for the introduction of HH13 in the RDS bars meaning I never have to drink Carlsberg again, this season would have nothing whatsoever to recommend it.

Thought last season was a lot worse. I remember regularly feeling a real sense of frustration leaving the RDS [and Lansdowne Road] last season and I haven't often felt that this year. With that said, the lows have been lower – the two Wasps games in particular were really, really abject.

As I said in another thread though, the second season was the tough one for both O'Connor and Foley [in Munster]. It has become a cliché over the last decade or so, but if you're not getting better, you're getting worse. We very obviously need to sharpen our skills and add different strings to our attacking game, and the first step to that would be employing an innovative skills/attack coach ... unfortunately we've got nobody in the management/coaching side of things [bar KmcQ] who has any meaningful managerial or coaching contacts outside of Leinster.

I would also be of the opinion that the management [Mick Dawson and Guy Easterby] are not up to scratch on this issue, and the make-up of the Professional Game Board isn't a patch on what it was four or five years ago. To be frank, while there are some pretty knowledgable and sound people still involved, there are also some complete tools to whom I wouldn't give five minutes of a year when they were talking ... and I'd narrow that down to thirty seconds when they were talking about rugby.

With that said, I actually have a lot of personal faith in Leo and Girve. My main concern for next season is that they think that the job of rebuilding the squad is largely done, because I think that we are – at best – halfway there. There have been really significant plusses this season in the emergence of Dooley, Tracy, Molony, Mick Kearney [belatedly], JVDF, Luke McGrath and Garry Ringrose, but we need to see the same sort of influx again next season with Dan Leavy, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Ross Byrne, Tom Daly, Adam Byrne and hopefully Billy Dardis too all getting a push in selection.

[domhnallj]

If that's the case then they should get/ask Joe and his team to open a few doors to decent contacts.

[Oldschoolsocks]

If that's the case then they should get/ask Joe and his team to open a few doors to decent contacts.

So he can Second them to the Irish camp and then rob them leaving us with back at square one?

[domhnallj]

If that's the case then they should get/ask Joe and his team to open a few doors to decent contacts.

So he can Second them to the Irish camp and then rob them leaving us with back at square one?

Positive thread OSS, positive.

[Oldschoolsocks]

If that's the case then they should get/ask Joe and his team to open a few doors to decent contacts.

So he can Second them to the Irish camp and then rob them leaving us with back at square one?

Positive thread OSS, positive.

Sorry DJ, sun must have gotten to me, I do have a point though tbf.

[simonokeeffe]

On the squad makeup, short and medium term our cup runneth over in every position in the pack bar tighthead eg we're losing McCarthy, Triggs, and probably Thornbury in the next 12 months but second row still looks solid

If Byrne AND Dardis push through next season back 3 starts to look a whole lot better

Nice battle brewing for number 22 too

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I no longer see it myself and I wouldn't have thought this was the case, but apparently Dardis is still very highly rated.

[the spoofer]

Is the professional games board the same as the rugby management committee?

If it is then there is nobody on that who played in the 5 point try era.

[simonokeeffe]

Is the professional games board the same as the rugby management committee?

If it is then there is nobody on that who played in the 5 point try era.

Easterby at least is on it (PGB)

[Ruckedtobits]

When they played may not be as relevant as when and what level they coached. Is Jenno not on it now?

[COYBIB]

I think across the back-line in general (except outside backs) we're f%~ked. There's not much even in the academy to bring through in terms of volume, but losing Kelleher was a big blow, we really, urgently need to bring through two to three top class back three players at this point, all the ones that were around are in Connacht and Munster. Our centre pairing is solid in Henshaw and Ringrose, but I expect both of them to be regular internationals and the only other centres in the squad are Tom Daly and Noel Reid. Brewer in the academy, not sure how he's looking, but we let three centres go this season (O'Shea, Farrell and Crosbie - obviously Te'o leaving too).

I know he was a flop at Munster, but I'd consider giving Matt D'Arcy a contract for the year and see if we can harness his talent. We need the depth anyway and he was the best centre in the AIL before going to Munster.

Not sure Dardis is sticking around either. Things are bleak in the backline "production line" unfortunately, and beyond Ringrose and hopefully Byrne, there doesn't seem to be much else.

[simonokeeffe]

Reid is grand for home games, or the weaker ones away, when both sides missing internationals

This is medium term but any smart or ambitious back (3) would look at our stock and think right 2017 theres plenty of opportunities there

[goreyguy]

I know he was a flop at Munster, but I'd consider giving Matt D'Arcy a contract for the year and see if we can harness his talent. We need the depth anyway and he was the best centre in the AIL before going to Munster.

nothing to suggest leinster are capable of developing raw talented players in the backline.. Darcy would be better off going to Connacht.

[goreyguy]

Things are bleak in the backline "production line" unfortunately, and beyond Ringrose and hopefully Byrne, there doesn't seem to be much else.

that's been the case for some time.. bar the exceptional talent that is Ringrose leinster haven't developed a back of high quality in quite some time.. let alone multiple ones.

We can hold out hope for Byrne but his lack of gametime to date isn't encouraging... he does of course have a lot of experience ahead of him even if most of those players are past their best and almost undroppable it appears.

[bails]

Expect Joey Carberry to be given a contract and then be fast tracked ahead of Marsh and Ross Byrne

I think that the next Leinster back line dynasty will be built around Carberry. It's amazing how players develop quickly around a skilled OH

[simonokeeffe]

if we count Ruddock as a good coach and Leo as bad our good and bad coaches go in twos so we're due 2 good coaches

Ruddock & Williams
Ella & Kidney
Cheika & Joe
MOC & leo

[wise7]

Building a backline around an outhalf requires the 10 has excellent game management capabilties above all else. A 10 with potent skills at making breaks does not necessarily mean he can get the best out his backline and run the game territorially. Carberry is an ideal 15 where his aerial skill and counter-attacking would be class. Byrne is the type of rounded 10 a backline can be moulded around, in my opinion.