Leinster squad evolution

[simonokeeffe]

So we are possibly keeping Hirst and Thornbury going on the list of players leaving.

Triggs remaining if Mickey Mac doesn't recover sufficiently perhaps. Otherwise we have 7 senior locks plus James Ryan joining the academy to join David O'Connor. Probably overkill.

Gibson-Park yet to be announced would leave us with a 42 man senior squad with 22 of them born in the 90s.

Gotta be a good sign. I have older things in my fridge.

I make it 6, but I got our number of centres wrong so am only cautiously raising this

Triggs/McCarthy
Thornbury
Nagle
Toner
Kearney
Molony

You just named 7......

My point was it is either Triggs or McCarthy OTHERWISE we have 7

I'm 0 for 2 now

[goreyguy]

Dooley's been looking good in fairness.

yep no worries about LH apart from Healy being so injury prone.

TH needs furlong to step up and a young lad to emerge.

[riocard911]

I've been impressed by Dooley any appearance he's made. He also has a serious air about him you need at the coalface.....

[COYBIB]

As it stands, our senior squad for next season: (with possibly some further departures still to be confirmed and hopefully some arrivals still to be confirmed)

Loosehead: J.McGrath, Healy, Dooley, E.Byrne
Hooker: Strauss, Cronin, Tracy, B.Byrne
Tighthead: Ross, Furlong, Bent
Lock: Toner, McCarthy, M.Kearney, Molony, Triggs, Nagle, Thornbury
Backrow: Heaslip, O'Brien, Ruddock, van der Flier, Murphy, Leavy, Conan, Ryan
Scrumhalf: Reddan, L.McGrath
Outhalf: Sexton, Marsh
Centre: Henshaw, Ringrose, Reid, Daly
Back Three: Fitzgerald, Nacewa, R.Kearney, D.Kearney, Kirchner, McFadden, A.Byrne

[erskinechilders]

Whats the story with Ross Byrne? Carbery looked very good in the final over the weekend yet Byrne had up until this point had looked nailed on the take over from Sexton. Is he injured? has Carbery jumped over him at this point?

[hugonaut]

Whats the story with Ross Byrne? Carbery looked very good in the final over the weekend yet Byrne had up until this point had looked nailed on the take over from Sexton. Is he injured? has Carbery jumped over him at this point?

He had a back injury [bulging disk] and then syndesmosis a.k.a. a high ankle sprain. There was an interview with him in the program for the Treviso game.

[wise7]

Byrne essentially lost a lot of this season. According to the interview in the Treviso programme, he had a lingering disc problem giving him pain down the leg that lasted until November. He featured well in two A games and for UCD until he picked up an ankle injury in training in January that required surgery. He came back for the colours match but not fully ready. A couple of AIl games before the semi against 'tarf in which he managed the game very well and completed his first 80 mins in 3 months.

[COYBIB]

Just looking over the Leinster squad for next season, if Mike McCarthy is fit and able to do another year, I think we should cut either Triggs or Thornbury, and I'm leaning tomorrows the former.

We'd have 5 starting quality locks in:

Toner (29, 6'11", 124kg)
Kearney* (25, 6'5", 112kg)
McCarthy (34, 6'4", 115kg)
Molony (22, 6'6", 107kg)
Nagle** (27, 6'7", 114)

and then we would have a lock development player in the senior squad:

Gavin Thornbury (22, 6'8", 109kg)***

*who was absolutely excellent when he got playing this season, very optimistic about his future

**assuming he can rediscover his pre-sabbatical form, where he did well but had many Munster stalwarts and internationals ahead of him at the time in O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan, Mick O'Driscoll getting serious minutes on the pitch and I think Dave Foley was coming through a purple patch of form too, you also had some persistent injuries holding him back, which all seemed resolved now - he could potentially be a very astute signing. Mick Kearney looked like a bit of a gamble that looks to be coming good, Nagle could definitely fall under that category too, I wouldn't be surprised if he was able to force his way into our best match day 23.

***who has the physical attributes to kick on, but would be a useful player to give opportunities to in the Pro12 and B&I Cup.

I think that's a very strong Second Row roster, there's plenty of youth and emerging talent, I don't think Triggs brings anything above what is already there, he would be taking up game time from fellas we want to develop and retain here for the long term, we'd also have James Ryan potentially getting fast tracked through also, and possibly most importantly, releasing Triggs would free up a NIQ spot and also he's probably on a decent wedge, certainly more than the likes of Thornbury who would be released instead.

All of this depends on Mike McCarthy of course, but if we have him next season, I'd cut Triggs.

[BlueWheels]

As it stands, our senior squad for next season: (with possibly some further departures still to be confirmed and hopefully some arrivals still to be confirmed)

Loosehead: J.McGrath, Healy, Dooley, E.Byrne
Hooker: Strauss, Cronin, Tracy, B.Byrne
Tighthead: Ross, Furlong, Bent
Lock: Toner, McCarthy, M.Kearney, Molony, Triggs, Nagle, Thornbury
Backrow: Heaslip, O'Brien, Ruddock, van der Flier, Murphy, Leavy, Conan, Ryan
Scrumhalf: Reddan, L.McGrath
Outhalf: Sexton, Marsh
Centre: Henshaw, Ringrose, Reid, Daly
Back Three: Fitzgerald, Nacewa, R.Kearney, D.Kearney, Kirchner, McFadden, A.Byrne

You can add Jamison Gibson-Park to the list at No 9

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/p ... -1.2645333

[leinsterforever]

If Grenoble go down, maybe Leinster should try to make a swoop for Aly Muldowney? He could have two good seasons left in him after the current one, and there might be a bit of a hole in the squad if McCarthy and Triggs finish up/leave. I'd say Muldowney would complement Dev pretty well

[simonokeeffe]

If Grenoble go down, maybe Leinster should try to make a swoop for Aly Muldowney? He could have two good seasons left in him after the current one, and there might be a bit of a hole in the squad if McCarthy and Triggs finish up/leave. I'd say Muldowney would complement Dev pretty well

depends whether he has a relegation clause or not

class player but IMO a fit Mick Kearney would be best compliment for Dev if those two left but hey dreams v reality etc

[goreyguy]

If Grenoble go down, maybe Leinster should try to make a swoop for Aly Muldowney? He could have two good seasons left in him after the current one, and there might be a bit of a hole in the squad if McCarthy and Triggs finish up/leave. I'd say Muldowney would complement Dev pretty well

depends whether he has a relegation clause or not

class player but IMO a fit Mick Kearney would be best compliment for Dev if those two left but hey dreams v reality etc

Mick Kearney is fit.

[riocard911]

If Grenoble go down, maybe Leinster should try to make a swoop for Aly Muldowney? He could have two good seasons left in him after the current one, and there might be a bit of a hole in the squad if McCarthy and Triggs finish up/leave. I'd say Muldowney would complement Dev pretty well

depends whether he has a relegation clause or not

class player but IMO a fit Mick Kearney would be best compliment for Dev if those two left but hey dreams v reality etc

Mick Kearney is fit.

True. He played for 'Tarf at the weekend.

[simonokeeffe]

@riocard the premise was for next season though (with departure of others), and by fit I mean over his shoulder niggle thats been plagueing him

[Ruckedtobits]

Given where he started, IMO Nagle has made huge progress this Season and may have passed out Mick Kearney now that Dev is happy to play TH in scrums. Nagle has real line-out ability and Dev and himself will both develop more as ball carriers. I certainly wouldn't go chasing Muldowney at that age whilst we have a fit Kearney, Nagle and (more bulky) Molony.

[Dave Cahill]

Given where he started, IMO Nagle has made huge progress this Season and may have passed out Mick Kearney now that Dev is happy to play TH in scrums. Nagle has real line-out ability and Dev and himself will both develop more as ball carriers. I certainly wouldn't go chasing Muldowney at that age whilst we have a fit Kearney, Nagle and (more bulky) Molony.

Agreed. I didn't have that high an opinion of Nagle whatsoever, but he has been really excellent. Not just surpassing low expectations excellent, but actual excellent.

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah Nagle has massively surpassed expectations to say the least, proven to be a good signing

Probably is ahead of MK right now

[molloyjh]

Yeah Nagle ahead of Kearney is about right for me. He was a guy I thought was worth a punt at the start of the season. Shot to nothing type signing. He's looking a lot more like a shrewd signing at this stage. Has worked out really well for us.

[wixfjord]

Second row is one of the last areas we need to recruit in I think.
Dev signed on for three years, and he's our only Irish squad member.
All of Molony, Kearney, Nagle and Mike Mac (if he continues) will be available, plus we've the looming presence of James Ryan to give gametime to!

For me, the most pressing concerns in terms of recruitment are outside back (an exciting NIQ to replace Isa/ZK would be great) and TH (reckon Ross' race is run. We could do with a Nathan White style signing for a year or two to bridge the gap).

As an aside, has there ever been a Leinster side that's less reliant on imports? Only Isa is making our first choice starting 15 at the moment. It's a great sign and hopefully will be taken into account by IRFU.

[simonokeeffe]

On your aside, no dont think there has

I'd rather milk Ross for another year and bring Marty back a year early under auspices of 2019 preparation