Academy 2017/2018

[Dave Cahill]

I still think the Pro14 should allow every club sign a player from a Tier 2/3 country that doesn't count as a foreign player and if they make the matchday squad the team gets an extra spot on the bench

[Keith]

I still think the Pro14 should allow every club sign a player from a Tier 2/3 country that doesn't count as a foreign player and if they make the matchday squad the team gets an extra spot on the bench

It's kind of hilarious to see the reactions to this. The same people who complain about teams not helping the tier 2 countries are complaining about this guy who is being looked at in the sub academy.

The last time I checked the provinces are still allowed to have foreign players in their squads and if the improbable happens and he actually plays for Leinster, great...hopefully he can also one day play for the USA and promote rugby in Hawaii, a potential hotbed for rugby given it's islander routes.

[ronk]

I still think the Pro14 should allow every club sign a player from a Tier 2/3 country that doesn't count as a foreign player and if they make the matchday squad the team gets an extra spot on the bench

An extra spot on the bench is too much of an advantage and would encourage gaming the rules.

Luke Mcgrath could have been Canadian until he was capped, Heaslip an Israeli, the would have been a premium on guys like Stan Wright.

[COYBIB]

This being blown out of proportion. By the sounds of it he's a american football player who didnt get offered a free ride scholarship, took up rugby, did well on the American circuit, went looking for trials with big clubs, Leinster gave him a trial, he did well enough / showed enough potential that they'd take a look at him in the sub academy, it's an interesting story, but nothing more, he's on the absolute fringes and we'll likely never hear about him again, but certainly it doesn't seem like a Leinster initiated global player hunt that ended up with scouts finding this guy in Hawaii.

[Dave Cahill]

Don't get me wrong, I have issues with importing players into the academy system who aren't Irish (in any of its many forms), and particularly from other Tier 1 countries. The ultimate purpose of the academy system is to produce players for the Irish team. Now as part of a structured 'outreach' and lower tier development programme, thats fine - but bringing lads in directly from South Africa, or Georgia or wherever isn't something we should be doing.

This lad is not an academy player though - he is in the sub-academy. Is there anyone under the age of 19 or 20 playing first team AIL rugby who isn't on a full academy contract who doesn't actually have some link to their provincial sub-academy. There wouldn't be very many

[Dave Cahill]

An extra spot on the bench is too much of an advantage and would encourage gaming the rules.

Luke Mcgrath could have been Canadian until he was capped, Heaslip an Israeli, the would have been a premium on guys like Stan Wright.

Seeing as Stan was the highest paid player in the province at the time, I don't know how much more of a premium there could be!

There are ways of gaming the rules in everything, look at the french reaction to the JIFF regulations, but with a proper structure and regulation it can be done.

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster players in Ireland u20 squad:

Prop
Jordan Duggan(Naas/Newbridge College)
Jack Aungier(St. Marys/Suttonians RFC)
Joe Byrne(DUFC/Blackrock College)

Hooker
Ronan Kelleher(Lansdowne/St Michaels College)

Second Row
Jack Dunne(DUFC/St Michaels College)
Cormac Daly(Clontarf/North Kildare RFC)
Charlie Ryan(UCD/Blackrock College) - u19

Backrow
Max Kearney(DUFC/Belvedere College)

Scrumhalf
Hugh O'Sullivan(Clontarf/Belvedere College)

Outhalf
Conor Dean(St. Marys/Blackrock College)
Harry Byrne(UCD/St. Michaels College) - u19

Outside Backs
Tommy O'Brien(UCD/Blackrock College)
Sean O'Brien(Clontarf/Mullingar RFC)
Michael Silvester(DUFC/Clongowes Wood College)
Peter Sullivan(Lansdowne/St. Andrews College)

[mildlyinterested]

A Leinster u19 full game versus Worcester can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sTfmPo2Rs0

[scentofgunpowder]

Impressive team, skill levels were miles ahead of Worcester’s.

Who would be considered the biggest prospects in that team? I thought 7, 8, 10, and 15 were very impressive, especially the 7.

[mildlyinterested]

Impressive team, skill levels were miles ahead of Worcester’s.

Who would be considered the biggest prospects in that team? I thought 7, 8, 10, and 15 were very impressive, especially the 7.

In that team, 7 - Scott Penny, 10 - David Hawkshaw would probably be the two highest rated prospects along with probably the number 12 - David Ryan.

That wasn't the strongest u19 side possible as it was a warm up, the number 8 is Ruadhan Byron and the 15 is Rob Russell.

[mildlyinterested]

Des Berry has published his top 6 academy prospects not including Larmour:

Josh Murphy
Caelan Doris
Ronan Kelleher
Hugh O'Sullivan
Jimmy O'Brien
Tommy O'Brien

[Peg Leg]

No Kelly?

[mildlyinterested]

No Kelly?

yeah surprised he ommitted him. No Aungier too is notable.

https://amp.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... ssion=true

although he mentions him as a future pro.

[mildlyinterested]

Prop
Oisin Heffernan(Year 3/Terenure) - started at 3.
Vakh Abdaladze(Year 1/Clontarf) - injured.
Jack Aungier(Year 1/St. Marys) - Ireland u20's.

Jordan Duggan(Naas) - Ireland u20's.
Joe Byrne(DUFC) - game cancelled.

Hooker
Sean McNulty(Year 3/UCD) - started at 2, 1 try.
Ronan Kelleher(Year 1/Lansdowne) - Ireland u20's.

Dan Sheehan(DUFC) - didn't play this weekend.
Eoghan Clarke(Wanderers) - unknown.
Cathal Duff(Naas) - started at 2.

Lock
Oisin Dowling(Year 1/Lansdowne) - bench.

JJ O'Dea(Old Wesley) - started at 4.
Cormac Daly(Clontarf) - Ireland u20's.
Jack Dunne(DUFC) - Ireland u20's.

Backrow
Peadar Timmins(UCD) - didn't play this weekend.
Josh Murphy(Year 3/UCD) - didn't play this weekend.
Will Connors(Year 2/UCD) - irish 7's.
Caelan Doris(Year 1/St. Marys) - injured.

Ronan Foley(UCD) - started at 6.
Alan Francis(Blackrock) - started at 7.
Ronan Watters(St. Marys) - started at 7.

Scrumhalf
Charlie Rock(Year 3/Lansdowne) - didn't play this weekend.
Hugh O'Sullivan(Year 1/Clontarf) - Ireland u20's.

Patrick Patterson(UCD) - started at 9.

Outhalf
Ciaran Frawley(Year 1/UCD) - started at 10, 1 con.

Conor Dean(St. Marys) - bench, 1 con.
Harry Byrne(UCD) - Ireland u20's.
Conor Kelly(Clontarf) - bench.

Outside Backs
Ian Fitzpatrick(Year 4/Lansdowne) - Ireland 7's.
Conor O'Brien(Year 2/Clontarf) - started at 13.
Jimmy O'Brien(Year 2/UCD) - Ireland 7's.
Hugo Keenan(Year 2/UCD) - Ireland 7's.
Terry Kennedy(Year 2/St. Marys) - Ireland 7's.
Jordan Larmour(Year 2/St. Marys) - Ireland Camp.
Jack Kelly(Year 2/DUFC) - game cancelled.
Gavin Mullin(Year 1/UCD) - started at 12.
Tommy O'Brien(Year 1/UCD) - Ireland u20's.

Chris Carey(Old Belvo) - started at 11.
Myles Carey(St. Marys) - started at 11.
Tommy O'Callaghan(Old Wesley) - started at 14.
Craig Kennedy(St. Marys) - started at 14.
James Moriarty(DUFC) - game cancelled.
Sean O'Brien(Clontarf) - Ireland u20's.
Michael Silvester(DUFC) - Ireland u20's.
Peter Sullivan(Lansdowne) - Ireland u20's.

[mildlyinterested]

future academy players Scott Penny & Ryan Baird impressive for Michaels yesterday.
while David Hawkshaw went off injured in belvedere game on sunday.

[riocard911]

future academy players Scott Penny & Ryan Baird impressive for Michaels yesterday.
while David Hawkshaw went off injured in belvedere game on sunday.

And it's looking like he's out for the rest of the campaign. Barring a miracle Belvo can forget the triple.

[mildlyinterested]

Ireland U20 v France U20, U20 Six Championship, Stade Chaban Delmas, Bordeaux. Kick-Off: 9.00pm (local time) / (8.00pm Irish time)

15. Michael Silvester (Dublin University/Leinster) (4)
14. Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) (0)
13. David McCarthy (Garryowen/Munster) (4)
12. Tommy O'Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster) (5) Captain
11. James McCarthy (UL Bohemian/Munster) (0)
10. Harry Byrne (UCD RFC/Leinster) (0)
9. Jonny Stewart (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (10)
1. Jordan Duggan (Naas/Leinster) (4)
2. Ronan Kelleher (UCD/ Leinster) (8)
3. Jack Aungier (St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) (0)
4. Cormac Daly (Clontarf FC/Leinster) (0)
5. Jack Dunne (Dublin University FC/Leinster) (0)
6. Matthew Dalton (Malone RFC/Ulster) (0)
7. Aaron Hall (Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) (0)
8. Jack O'Sullivan (UCC RFC/Munster) (0)

Replacements:
16. Diarmuid Barron (Garryowen FC/Munster0 (1)
17. James French (UCC RFC/Munster) (0)
18. Tom O'Toole (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (0)
19. Ronan Coffey (Shannon RFC/Munster) (0)
20. Sean Masterson (Corinthians RFC/Connacht) (4)
21. Hugh O'Sullivan (Clontarf FC/Leinster) (0)
22. Angus Curtis (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (1)
23. Angus Kernohan (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) (0)

[mildlyinterested]

Eoghan Clarke(Hooker) involved with Ireland u20 this week.

[mildlyinterested]

Stats for Leinster u20's according to irish rugby website:

Jack Aungier - 6'2 114kg
Joe Byrne - 6'2 119kg
Jordan Duggan - 6'1 113kg

Ronan Kelleher - 6'1 106kg

Jack Dunne - 6'7 110kg
Charlie Ryan(u19) - 6'7 108kg
Cormac Daly - 6'6 111kg

Max Kearney - 5'10 91kg

Hugh O'Sullivan - 5'9 81kg

Harry Byrne(u19) - 6'2 90kg
Conor Dean - 6'0 80kg

Peter Sullivan - 6'2 95kg
Sean O'Brien - 6'1 96kg
Tommy O'Brien - 6'0 89kg
Michael Silvester - 6'0 81kg

[arsebiscuits1]

Impressive enough. Most of them seem to be playing at their fighting weight except Ryan, O'Sullivan, Dean and Silvester. And all don't need a huge amount to go. Given they're still sub academy I'm pretty impressed. Obviously weight will only tell a fraction of their make up.

Tommy looks to have bulked up this year. I think he was in at about 82 last season. Injury layoff and full academy this year probably helping that.

Looking back over the names Aungier is very undersized for a tighthead. Will be interesting to see how this affects this scrum. He's got a reasonably bulky Jack Dunne behind him at least. But the French U20s are normally monsters