In defence of Dave Kearney and Fergus McFadden

[Dave Cahill]

I heard he's electric, but not everyone agrees with that

[Peg Leg]

I heard he's electric, but not everyone agrees with that

Worst era ever

[BlueBlue]

I wonder how many players out there would be prepared to do what Fergus did to save the win (and the home semi final) against Edinburgh?

Last season someone said that yeah he was a good player and all but he wouldn't be selected by a top european team - which is a point you hear now and again and it has one fatal flaw. Between 2010/11 and 2012/13 Fergus started 17 european games (playing in a further 7) winning two European Cups and a Challenge Cup in the process. Leinster were a top, the top indeed, european team and Fergus was a regular selection.

+ Another

[BlueBlue]

Don't think that's really what COYBIB was saying, but obviously any team with Brad Barritt would have zero chance of winning a European cup, just like a team with Shaun Payne and Trevor Halstead would never get within an asses roar of winning a Heineken cup. Or a team with Ben Cohen and Mike Tindall would never win a World Cup.

Well, in addition to starting half of the group games in 2010/2011, McFadden started five out of six pool games, the semi-final and the final in 2011/2012. Since McFadden actually was a starter in a team that WON the competition, COYBIB's assertion that "neither are good enough to be first choice in a team that has aspirations to be amongst the European elite" has no real basis in reality.

I'd agree with that. The idea that you need 15 excellent starters / the best of their craft is bunk.

[goreyguy]

Don't think that's really what COYBIB was saying, but obviously any team with Brad Barritt would have zero chance of winning a European cup, just like a team with Shaun Payne and Trevor Halstead would never get within an asses roar of winning a Heineken cup. Or a team with Ben Cohen and Mike Tindall would never win a World Cup.

Well, in addition to starting half of the group games in 2010/2011, McFadden started five out of six pool games, the semi-final and the final in 2011/2012. Since McFadden actually was a starter in a team that WON the competition, COYBIB's assertion that "neither are good enough to be first choice in a team that has aspirations to be amongst the European elite" has no real basis in reality.

I'd agree with that. The idea that you need 15 excellent starters / the best of their craft is bunk.

That version of McFadden is much superior to the current one however.

[leinsterforever]

That version of McFadden is much superior to the current one however.

Was he? It might be that it's just more difficult to look good due to the general malaise at the moment

[ronk]

The grief McFadden gets particularly annoys me. There was mild uproar when he got selected for Ireland to play against Italy last year from the bench. He played 3 different positions in that game on and off and did well. End result? People still giving out. Now, I know that's Italy but McFadden has played everywhere in the backline from 10 to 15 for Ireland. He got his international debut as a 10 in the Churchill cup in a galaxy far far away and I think was player of that tournament. As you say he kicks goals and his record I would imagine is good. I always thought he was really a centre but when he got frustrated moving around the backline he asked Schmidt to be considered for just one position and wing it was. He is a good finisher and hits like a train, so it works well, though I do admit to wanting to see a return to him playing more than one position. This man is a weapon that any team would want in their backline.

With dave Kearney, he just needs an injury free pre-season to get himself together and get some confidence back. The stat about beating the most defenders in the 6nations a few years ago is oft repeated but it does show that he is a good attacker, to me he just hasn't had a fair shake injury-wise since then. He likes to cut in from the wing defensively. It won a 6 nations and that is too quickly forgotten, but when he wasn't as sharp against Argentina he had a poor outing. It happens to everyone. Like I say, a good pre-season and some confidence back and that's a top class winger on the books right there.

I think this is a good topic you've brought up and should be addressed. The expectation of "big signings to excite the fans" has got a bit mad. Like what players out there are "good enough for Leinster?" The springbok fullback was signed and he is meh. Someone like James Lowe is not good enough for Leinster. Niall Morris' welcome was at best lukewarm. Time was pilgrim, a winger from Leicester with European experience was a good signing. Maybe Rihad Mahrez would excite people, I dunno. I am surprised just how Ulster pulled off the coup of signing Piatau. But they pay him around half a million not euros. It really makes me question are they paying their home-grown backs as much as they should? I wonder what those guys are on. I know a lot of the grief comes from other fans of other provinces in relation to international stuff, but my bottom line is that leinster fans and Irish supporters in general need to get behind these lads who are giving it everything they can and are bloody good players. I'd accept kirchner could maybe give a bit closer to everything, but McFadden and Dave Kearney's effort need a bit of support.

Leinster do have a problem with depth right now. Hardly surprising. In recent seasons they've lost: boss, reddan, madigan, darcy, o'malley, Fitzgerald. I don't think I'm missing anyone else?

They were silly in investing too much time and money in tiquiri and I'd also argue gopperth. Bizarrely Matt O'Connor wanted to invest more in tiquiri. Gopperth has done well at wasps, maybe I'm wrong about him but time will tell. They will need young fellas to step out of their comfort zones to fill the squad gaps. Maybe that's no bad thing. We will get a good indication on the value of the 7s project this year too. Hopefully it will help Daly to hit the ground running and I'd be keeping an eye on Goggin and Wooton in Munster too.

BOD

[Fan with smartphone]

That was a (clearly poor) attempt at humour I made there ronk. This forum could really be doing with a "tongue firmly in cheek" imoji to help me out.

[brotheroffrank]

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/dave-kearn ... he-season/

It’s been nearly 14 years to the day since some of us first had the privilege of seeing Dave wearing the Leinster Rugby jersey for the first time. As we reflect on his career, the overriding feeling may be similar to his; that of gratitude.

To have had such a long time supporting Dave playing for our team (and country) is the stuff dreams are made of....and will continue to be remembered...it’s been an incredible journey, there are those of us that consider certain days in the past 14 years as some of the most special moments of our lives, ones that we will cherish deeply. There have been plenty of challenges along the way, ups and downs, but we know DK wouldn’t change a thing (well, perhaps one or two plays; or perhaps not... ; and we have been happy supporters of the cause and DK's efforts alongside the team we support...

Many Leinster fans will proudly wear our OLSC legends "Kearnage" T Shirts (sometimes under our jerseys!)....and remember Dave...there is still plenty more to be done...enjoy every moment you have during your last few weeks as a Leinster player....do all you can to help this team finish the season on a high so that you can lift the Trophy before us and hear our Roar!!

Thanks Dave!

[wixfjord]

What a career.

Massive respect for DK I have to say. He has had a brilliant career and scored a ton of tries.

I'd have a lot more respect for someone like him who has more than maxed out his natural talent compared to other wingers of his era who clearly haven't taken things as seriously in terms of diet, fitness and game smarts and haven't maxed theirs out at all.

[Oldschoolsocks]

A true professional.

[curates_egg]

A true professional.

I thought he was a journeyman

Hard to leave him out of a team of players who were blood and guts of this Leinster machine that Cheika founded. Cullen and Jennings, Healy, Isa, Ferg, Bentie, Molony and McGrath - long-serving first team players, who had no problem turning in a strong 80 minute performance in the rain in Newport in November.

We've been very lucky to have him. I hope we get to give him a great send off this weekend. Against Munster: hardly a more fitting end, if it does turn out to be his last cap.

[Oldschoolsocks]

A true professional.

I thought he was a journeyman

Hard to leave him out of a team of players who were blood and guts of this Leinster machine that Cheika founded. Cullen and Jennings, Healy, Isa, Ferg, Bentie, Molony and McGrath - long-serving first team players, who had no problem turning in a strong 80 minute performance in the rain in Newport in November.

We've been very lucky to have him. I hope we get to give him a great send off this weekend. Against Munster: hardly a more fitting end, if it does turn out to be his last cap.

A Journeyman is a true professional, it’s implied in the definition…

[blockhead]

I'd say I wasn't alone in the great days of 2018 thinking that with the arrival of JLo and the emergence of Larmour it was the end of the road for DK and the like. He was yesterdays man, time to head west.
But he recovered from his injuries and in 2018-19 scored 6 tries, followed by 12 the next season and 10 more after that.
He looked fitter and faster than he ever had, showed true blue character.

[jezzer]

Great player for us. A lot of more highly touted wingers came and went, but the last man standing was always Dave. Huge finishing record and very low error count, not a bad combo for someone "Daverage".

Maith an fear !!

[riocard911]

Dave Kearney always gave everything, be it on pitch or when rehabbing to get back from serious injuries. Even at the end of his Leinster career he's producing the goods - see the wonderful break he made last Saturday vs the Sharks to get us going forward again after we'd just conceded the first try. Best of luck for the future, DK!

[hugonaut]

Huge amount of time for DK. Written before about how well he plays winger ... if you wanted a role model to show young players technical aspects of playing on the wing, you would do well to look at footage of DK. Knows the position inside and out and plays it very crisply.

Very similar in a number of ways to Girvan at fullback. Both of them very understated, non-performative, non-attention seeking players whose fundamentals were rock solid, who took the game very seriously and who both had this big dose of bravery right in the middle of their character. Never flaked out when the going got tough. Real Leinster players.

[cheggers]

A couple of trademark Dave Kearney spins would go down well tomorrow. He's a great finisher that suited the Joe schmidt game plan very well. A super professional and a proper leinster servant.

I've great memories of the (no limits) robert/dave kearney chants on the Northampton terrace 2013 when he then had to walk across the pitch through the terrace to get out of the stadium.
Shoes off for the boys in blue is another (john delany) classic to be revived!

[Serb]

A couple of trademark Dave Kearney spins would go down well tomorrow. He's a great finisher that suited the Joe schmidt game plan very well. A super professional and a proper leinster servant.

I've great memories of the (no limits) robert/dave kearney chants on the Northampton terrace 2013 when he then had to walk across the pitch through the terrace to get out of the stadium.
Shoes off for the boys in blue is another (john delany) classic to be revived!

Ah yeah, remember those chants from the Matt O’Connor years, crowd stayed behind at Franklin’s Gardens chanting that after our 40-5 demolition of Northampton.