Isa Nacewa officially named club captain 2016/2017

[leinsterforever]

And how many NIQ scrum half's with a contract for next season are there?

Just the one, but theres 3 back 3 players in a team v one 9

Youd imagine Connacht would get one/retain one especially with Leader looking like retiring and Poolmans injury troubles but by no means certain

This. An NIQ utility back (even if just for the back 3) takes up 8% of the places available to Ireland. An NIQ 9 takes up 25%. Big difference there. With Leinster contributing 2 back 3 players to the Irish squad compared to Ulster contributing no 9s we've another big difference there. The 2 things simply aren't the same at all, regardless of how much some people out there try to equate the 2.

And for as much grief as Nucifora gets I really don't think he's that bad at all. If Leinster don't extend Kirchner and give regular game time to Rob, Dave and at least 1 of the Academy lads then DN and the IRFU should be happy. If we do that there actually won't be a single position on the park that Leinster are not contributing at least 1 player (if not more) to Ireland. And I'd hope the IRFU would be more than happy to tell us we can do what we want re Isa.

If you look at a matchday squad, there would be two nines versus maybe four back three players, so from that point of view the number of scrum-halves goes up a bit.

The worry if Nacewa isn't retained would be what happens at full-back when Rob Kearney isn't available. Wing looks relatively okay with DK, McFadden, Adam Byrne, Barry Daly, Rory O'Loughlin, Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour and Ian Fitzpatrick but the options don't appear to be as good for 15. Dardis could get some gametime, but is he good enough to play every game RK misses? I suppose DK could play some full-back if we don't have Nacewa or another NIQ

[simonokeeffe]

Carberry can play 15 a bit too, think Reid played there before but thats robbing Peter to pay Paul, wouldnt include ROL in our wing cover just yet

when you break it down to wings v fullbacks like that it does look like an issue alright; one more year for Isa

[molloyjh]

If you look at a matchday squad, there would be two nines versus maybe four back three players, so from that point of view the number of scrum-halves goes up a bit.

Even looking at overall numbers in the Irish squad (which is what the IRFU will be looking at), there are generally 6 back 3 players in an Irish squad at any one time (2016 6Ns squad had Earls, Fitz, Kearney x 2, Trimble & Zebo). Leinster generally provide 2-3 to that (same squad had 3 - Fitzy & Kearney x 2 with Ferg who came in later for Dave). That's 33-50% of the back 3 players in the squad. Compared to Ulsters 0% of scrum halves. No matter what ways you look at it we are doing our part in an area we want to hold onto an NIQ, Ulster are not. That's a pretty major distinction.

Now look at the players Leinster contribute at the moment:

LH: McGrath, Healy
HK: Cronin, Strauss/Tracy
TH: Furlong (had been 2 for the last few years)
LK: Toner (had been 2 for the last few years)
BS: Ruddock
OS: SOB, VDF
N8: Heaslip, Murphy

SH: McGrath (had been 2 for the last few years)
OH: Sexton, Carbery
IC: Henshaw
OC: Ringrose
WG: D Kearney
FB: R Kearney

Only 2-3 of them weren't developed in Leinster. Pretty sure nobody can say we aren't doing our part. How many club teams in the NH provide that kind of coverage for their national team?

[cormac]

I make it that Isa's 14 point haul on Saturday has lifted him up to 4th in the list of Leinster's point scorers in the professional era. Puts him on 544 points in total (38 tries, 77 penalties, 3 drop goals and 62 conversions). He's now one point ahead of Brian O'Meara.

He's got a way to go to catch up on the three ahead of him though. In third it's Ian Madigan with 827pts, second is Johnny Sexton with 1,165pts and still on top is Felipe Contepomi with 1,225pts.

[leinsterforever]

If you look at a matchday squad, there would be two nines versus maybe four back three players, so from that point of view the number of scrum-halves goes up a bit.

Even looking at overall numbers in the Irish squad (which is what the IRFU will be looking at), there are generally 6 back 3 players in an Irish squad at any one time (2016 6Ns squad had Earls, Fitz, Kearney x 2, Trimble & Zebo). Leinster generally provide 2-3 to that (same squad had 3 - Fitzy & Kearney x 2 with Ferg who came in later for Dave). That's 33-50% of the back 3 players in the squad. Compared to Ulsters 0% of scrum halves. No matter what ways you look at it we are doing our part in an area we want to hold onto an NIQ, Ulster are not. That's a pretty major distinction.

Now look at the players Leinster contribute at the moment:

LH: McGrath, Healy
HK: Cronin, Strauss/Tracy
TH: Furlong (had been 2 for the last few years)
LK: Toner (had been 2 for the last few years)
BS: Ruddock
OS: SOB, VDF
N8: Heaslip, Murphy

SH: McGrath (had been 2 for the last few years)
OH: Sexton, Carbery
IC: Henshaw
OC: Ringrose
WG: D Kearney
FB: R Kearney

Only 2-3 of them weren't developed in Leinster. Pretty sure nobody can say we aren't doing our part. How many club teams in the NH provide that kind of coverage for their national team?

You'd expect Leinster to be producing more players for Ireland than the other Provinces though. But I'd agree with your general premise that the demonisation of Nucifora is unfair. On the whole I agree with his plans. Ulster will have got seven good years out of a high quality NIQ. What other NIQs have stayed at one province that long? It's time to move on and look at other options. Cooney, Blade and Marmion are all at a similar level, so maybe they can tempt one of them from Connacht. Maybe it would be worth looking at Michael Heaney again as well

[goreyguy]

I wonder would people be so happy with Nucifora if some of leinsters best young talent leaves for other provinces.

[riocard911]

I wonder would people be so happy with Nucifora if some of leinsters best young talent leaves for other provinces.

Shhhh! Don't be givin him ideas, in ainm Dé!!!

[goreyguy]

I wonder would people be so happy with Nucifora if some of leinsters best young talent leaves for other provinces.

Shhhh! Don't be givin him ideas, in ainm Dé!!!

He already has those ideas.. lost Kelleher, likely to lose more.

[neiliog93]

But given the situation around Kelleher's frustrations and dodgy relationship with Leo, I'm not sure we can blame Nucifora there (although he may have capitalised upon Kelleher's discontent). I wonder is there a possibility of converting Ross Byrne to centre or fullback? I just really don't want to lose him because he's bloody good. I know Joey was a fullback at underage level but he moved from UCD to 'Tarf just to get game time at 10 and he's done so well at 10 that I can't see him shifting back to 15.

[molloyjh]

I wonder would people be so happy with Nucifora if some of leinsters best young talent leaves for other provinces.

Shhhh! Don't be givin him ideas, in ainm Dé!!!

Players have minds of their own. He can encourage players to do things, but they make the decision. It's not like Nucifora breaks into their homes and steals them from their beds. Kelleher is hardly the first Academy player to leave Leinster for another province on the hopes of getting more game time.

It's hilarious the massive lack of any form of objectivity from some people on this.

[Dave Cahill]

The people who grinned themselves to death
Smiled so much they failed to take a breath.

[fourthirtythree]

The Queen of France just touchd this Globe
And the Pestilence darted from her robe
But our good Queen quite grows to the ground
And a great many suckers grow all around

[jezzer]

There was a young man from Madras
Whose balls were both made of brass
In stormy weather
They clacked together
And sparks flew out of his ass.

[Grumpy Old Man]

A canner exceedingly canny
One evening remarked to his granny
A canner can can
Anything that he can
But a canner cant can a can can he

[simonokeeffe]

Bhi subh milis ar bhascrann an doras
Ach bhuch me an tine
Ionaim ard airigh
Mar smaoinigh me ar an la
A bhaigh an bhascrann glann
Agus an lamha beag ar aire

[LeinsterLeader]

I don't know what the f%~k is going on here.

I mustn't be a "Real" rugby guy

[riocard911]

Bhi subh milis ar bhascrann an doras
Ach bhuch me an tine
Ionaim ard airigh
Mar smaoinigh me ar an la
A bhaigh an bhascrann glann
Agus an lamha beag ar aire

Iontach, Simon!!!

[Dexter]

I don't know what the f%~k is going on here.

I mustn't be a "Real" rugby guy

It's real rugby "blokes", ok? "Blokes"....

[Peg Leg]

I don't know what the f%~k is going on here.

I mustn't be a "Real" rugby guy

It's real rugby "blokes", ok? "Blokes"....

Jeez bra, calm down.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I don't know what the f%~k is going on here.

I mustn't be a "Real" rugby guy

A thorough grounding in Housemartin's discography would be considered by some to be a bit too proletarian for "real rugby blokes" so you're probably still on with a shout of promotion to the exalted status of honorary ex-Michael's dude.


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