Leinster Senior Squad 2017/2018

[Ruckedtobits]

Great signing. Big, mobile, tough, good at breakdown & lineout and will make his carries & tackles. Will hopefully aid Molony/Ryan's development too.

Hopefully, Molonys biggest problem appears to be his inability to carry the bulk required on his frame and retain his athleticism.

That's my own analysis as well. However, there have been others who came through that phase and ultimately proved that skill and brawn can co-exist. Former NZ second-row, Ian Jones, was one I remember in particular and he certainly became a top-line 2nd row with top level mobility.

[goreyguy]

Great signing. Big, mobile, tough, good at breakdown & lineout and will make his carries & tackles. Will hopefully aid Molony/Ryan's development too.

Hopefully, Molonys biggest problem appears to be his inability to carry the bulk required on his frame and retain his athleticism.

That's my own analysis as well. However, there have been others who came through that phase and ultimately proved that skill and brawn can co-exist. Former NZ second-row, Ian Jones, was one I remember in particular and he certainly became a top-line 2nd row with top level mobility.

yeah he is still young and it could just be a matter of time, but it seems to be his biggest problem at the moment.

[simonokeeffe]

Ulster fans getting more irked now even with their 2 furriner backrowers next season

42 says deal is explicitly lock only

I'm a huge Scott Fardy fan but as a 6, not sure what to make of signing him in particular, would have preferred a second rowier second row, but again I'd have reasonable faith in Leo Cullen when it comes to second rows

Pleasantly mildly surprised we were allowed this, but Toner misses half the season, the tape holding McCarthy together is getting dog eared, hes an improvement on Triggs, Fardy is available all year, MK has suffered with form/injury or injury/form, Ryan still has to play a senior game, Molony is producing that difficult second album, so 3 NIQs it is for next season so

Presume Triggs is off and hence being allowed - also with McCarthy likely gone, its no big surprise imo. Fardy is a bit of a surprise though - not proven as a lock imo, although he would probably be fine. That said if we start to see him in the backrow next year I'm sure there would be some eyebrows raised. No good new for Rhys Ruddock I would have thought

Getting an NIE lock is the most surprising part for me

Second row was never going to be long term for Ruddock, he just needs to stay fit and fight for backrow spots

[goreyguy]

Fardy has played flanker for the last few seasons, but before that he played almost exclusively as a lock. 21/23 starts in the second row in his first two seasons for the Brumbies.

[munster#1]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?











Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

[Golf Man]

Ulster fans getting more irked now even with their 2 furriner backrowers next season

42 says deal is explicitly lock only

I'm a huge Scott Fardy fan but as a 6, not sure what to make of signing him in particular, would have preferred a second rowier second row, but again I'd have reasonable faith in Leo Cullen when it comes to second rows

Pleasantly mildly surprised we were allowed this, but Toner misses half the season, the tape holding McCarthy together is getting dog eared, hes an improvement on Triggs, Fardy is available all year, MK has suffered with form/injury or injury/form, Ryan still has to play a senior game, Molony is producing that difficult second album, so 3 NIQs it is for next season so

Presume Triggs is off and hence being allowed - also with McCarthy likely gone, its no big surprise imo. Fardy is a bit of a surprise though - not proven as a lock imo, although he would probably be fine. That said if we start to see him in the backrow next year I'm sure there would be some eyebrows raised. No good new for Rhys Ruddock I would have thought

Getting an NIE lock is the most surprising part for me

Second row was never going to be long term for Ruddock, he just needs to stay fit and fight for backrow spots

Why? you have one at the moment - hardly a stretch to replace him - you have NIQ second row, scrum half and 2 in the back 3. You don't need front row or backrow NIEs. In the last 10 years Leinster have nearly always had at least 2 NIE starters and usually another one on the bench - for the 3 Heineken cups you had 5 NIQs in the 23 - I don't think there was any sense that was going to change. The question to my mind is if Kirchner is going will he be replaced?

[fourthirtythree]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?











Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

You're not wrong.

[simonokeeffe]

M1 you rascal

@GM its replacing the NIQ lock with another thats surprising to me as that seems to be what Nucifora is trying to cut out eg FVDM, Pienaar, Botha, Clarke, Saili tbc

I'd say zero chance of Kirchner being replaced (by an NIQ)

[munster#1]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?











Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

You're not wrong.

It would be interesting to see what the actual number is, and then compare it to centers at Munster.

Crazy how 2 clubs with the same gene pool struggle in two very different positions.

[goreyguy]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?











Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

You're not wrong.

It would be interesting to see what the actual number is, and then compare it to centers at Munster.

Crazy how 2 clubs with the same gene pool struggle in two very different positions.

both provinces are getting their act together somewhat at both positions..

[Jonny tight lips]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?

Nah just the 9

up outa that garden









Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

[Peg Leg]

Yet another lock signing by Leinster, ye lads really like to collect locks don't ye?

That must be about 25 signed in the pro era?











Warning this is just a joke, please don't take offence.

You're not wrong.

It would be interesting to see what the actual number is, and then compare it to centers at Munster.

Crazy how 2 clubs with the same gene pool struggle in two very different positions.

But he's the first flanker since '08

[Peg Leg]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

[goreyguy]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

he the short term gap between what we have now and James Ryan.

a damien browne type wouldn't fit into our current playing style.

[Peg Leg]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

he the short term gap between what we have now and James Ryan.

a damien browne type wouldn't fit into our current playing style.

Damien Browne with hands. Need a clear out merchant for ball protection at ruck time.
No pressure on Ryan then...

[goreyguy]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

he the short term gap between what we have now and James Ryan.

a damien browne type wouldn't fit into our current playing style.

Damien Browne with hands. Need a clear out merchant for ball protection at ruck time.
No pressure on Ryan then...

there is plenty of pressure on Ryan.. nature of the system though isn't it..

[hugonaut]

That's a surprising and very good signing. Dev plays on the right of the second row these days, so Fardy will likely be expected to scrummage in the left slot, the less draining of the two. Maybe there are some questions over his scrummaging ability as he has played in the backrow so much, but he's a big unit at 198cm and 114kg and the strength is there. Hopefully all it will take is practice and effort to acclimatize. He's a first rate lineout option too - exceptionally good. He was a big target for the Wallabies throught the world cup ... because Pocock and Hooper are a pair of stumps, in fairness.

Outside the set pieces, his play around the park in 2015 RWC was first rate, and for a tall man he is really effective at the breakdown. Here's hoping everything goes well.

[paddyor]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

I'm a little weary of this signing tbh, our experience with SH locks is more miss than hit and this one has played most of his career in tha backrow (though he does have expereince in the 2nd row). You'd have to think he's not a TH lock and with McCarthy and likely Triggs going that leaves us with Toner and Kearney (he is IIRC).

[johng]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

I'm a little weary of this signing tbh, our experience with SH locks is more miss than hit and this one has played most of his career in tha backrow (though he does have expereince in the 2nd row). You'd have to think he's not a TH lock and with McCarthy and likely Triggs going that leaves us with Toner and Kearney (he is IIRC).

You can't be weary of it already. It was only announced this morning.

[MunsterSugar]

Like what I've seen of fardy insofar as he is a nuts and bolts type but wouldn't assume he is the answer to our 2nd row problems. I had a Damien Browne mkII in mind myself.

I'm a little weary of this signing tbh, our experience with SH locks is more miss than hit and this one has played most of his career in tha backrow (though he does have expereince in the 2nd row). You'd have to think he's not a TH lock and with McCarthy and likely Triggs going that leaves us with Toner and Kearney (he is IIRC).

He started his career as a TH lock. Can play both sides