Leinster Senior Squad 2017/2018

[Dave Cahill]

Cronin is surely a national contract?

Nope - Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, DevinToner, Seán O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Rob Kearney are Leinsters centrally contracted players according to Thornley

No Furlong?

Not according to Thornley - not really that surprising, he only became a 'strategic' in the last 12 months or so

[arsebiscuits1]

Issuing the length of time for contracts would make for much easier speculation

I heard somewhere that Murphy was only given a year - sensibly cautious with him having no rugby this season and the riches we have.

You'd have to assume Ed Byrne was only given a year contract too. He must be extremely highly rated within Leinster to have been given 2 contracts having played 2 senior games in recent memory. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way.

Thankfully the Leavy and Conan rumours Southwest and North respectfully turned out to be false.

As the saying goes, you can take the boy out of Dublin... well actually I suppose you can't...

[goreyguy]

Based on recent selections, but with no immediate memory of original contract terms, a little surprise at inclusion of Nagle AND Kearney. With Ryan's return expectedand possible return from NZ of our former Academy player, I would have thought this would be a choice of one of them.

Not sure what is happening with thornbury, would be surprised now if he signed with leinster.

Locks for next season:
Scott Fardy
Devin Toner
Ian Nagle
Mick Kearney
Ross Molony
James Ryan

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Cronin is surely a national contract?

Nope - Cian Healy, Jack McGrath, DevinToner, Seán O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Johnny Sexton, Robbie Henshaw, Rob Kearney are Leinsters centrally contracted players according to Thornley

Don't think that's right about Henshaw. Pretty sure he's on a Leinster contract initially because Nucifora didn't want him to go from Connacht to a central deal. But that it changes from a Leinster one to a central one at some stage, could well be this summer but I'm pretty sure he's not on one now.

[Dave Cahill]

I'd say its accurate because it came out in a piece that was published shortly after the IRFU started getting criticised over Ryan wanting to play anywhere but Munster. The list of names have the finger prints of Browne all over them

Edit: it was the complete set that Thornley had, for the entire four (three actually as no connacht players are centrally contracted) provinces - which in itself is weird, as no journalist has ever put such a list together before. Its like the provinces publishing their accounts publically the year that Eamon Ryan had his broadcasting thingy

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Good news all round.

Especially happy for Nagle and Ed Byrne. For different reasons it would have been very hard to imagine them earning contract extensions a year ago.

Now to worry about who we haven't signed up

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'd say its accurate because it came out in a piece that was published shortly after the IRFU started getting criticised over Ryan wanting to play anywhere but Munster. The list of names have the finger prints of Browne all over them

Edit: it was the complete set that Thornley had, for the entire four (three actually as no connacht players are centrally contracted) provinces - which in itself is weird, as no journalist has ever put such a list together before. Its like the provinces publishing their accounts publically the year that Eamon Ryan had his broadcasting thingy

http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/36936.php#.WOTK_caCOK0

If you read that it's very careful not to say who the contract is with.

Someone in LR told me about the above so pretty confident about it.

[Dave Cahill]

Well they never say who the contract is with, but look who is announcing it - whilst its not a universal constant, its a handy rule of thumb that the contract is with whoever announces it.

So if you add that to what Thornley wrote and when it was written...

On St Patricks Day last year, in The Long Hall pub, I bumped into a then senior member of the Leinster coaching team and I asked him about a rumour I had heard about Steve Crosbie leaving - he categorically denied it

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I heard about it after the contract was announced though. Like I said, from what I was told the contract was initially with Leinster (I think for a year) before changing to a central one, so it's not like the IRFU weren't involved.

[BoscoBoy]

I'd say its accurate because it came out in a piece that was published shortly after the IRFU started getting criticised over Ryan wanting to play anywhere but Munster. The list of names have the finger prints of Browne all over them

Which Ryan is that?

[goreyguy]

I'd say its accurate because it came out in a piece that was published shortly after the IRFU started getting criticised over Ryan wanting to play anywhere but Munster. The list of names have the finger prints of Browne all over them

Which Ryan is that?

Donnacha

[curates_egg]

Based on recent selections, but with no immediate memory of original contract terms, a little surprise at inclusion of Nagle AND Kearney. With Ryan's return expectedand possible return from NZ of our former Academy player, I would have thought this would be a choice of one of them.

That was the one that jumped out at me too. If they are will to ride pine, they are decent squad players to have. The more the merrier I say.

In the same light, and while I am delighted, we will now have some very high quality back rows picking splinters out of their arses at points of the season next season.

[simonokeeffe]

Croninto be bumped up to central surely

[Ruckedtobits]

Good news all round.

Especially happy for Nagle and Ed Byrne. For different reasons it would have been very hard to imagine them earning contract extensions a year ago.

Now to worry about who we haven't signed up

Or even at Christmas just gone.

[fourthirtythree]

Why? He has to get back playing and get his jersey back yet. There's a hooker on central already and the IRFU would probably gamble that Leinster really want to keep him.

[Ruckedtobits]

Croninto be bumped up to central surely

Wouldn't have thought so @sok, given the progress of Scannell and the prospects emerging elsewhere including Treacy, McCartney, Heffernan, Herring and even Marshall.

[goreyguy]

no way cronin is getting a central.

maybe he signed a 3 year deal in 2015, along with McFadden.

[cormac]

Croninto be bumped up to central surely

I'd say there's as much chance of you or I getting a central contract.

[Gearzbox2]

Heard a rumour awhile back Racing were looking to get him, ROG supposedly wanted him over...
Probably absolute horse manure but who knows!!!!...

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I wouldn't fancy moving to a new country with newborn twins, it'd be an absolute nightmare.