Leinster's 2nd Row options

[Jonny tight lips]

True but would of been balanced to ask him both questions, then ask if it drive him to join Munster

Beirne took a pay cut (outbid by Scarlets!!!) to play for Ireland.

He had no interest in joining Munster and would have stayed where he was if he wasn’t in the picture for caps. I have no idea to what extent he choose Munster over other provinces.

I’ve head him speak a few times and I sense some real animosity towards leinster, from the last interview with Luke it seems like he felt he wasn’t supported through his rehab. Luke mentioned how he got some treatment that Bernie didn’t get because he was a senior player and Bernie mentioned how he was a Luke’s place really frustrated (reading between the lines he was pissed off). Just an interesting story as he redeemed himself beating leinster in a semi final only fir the next chapter to be them getting the better of him twice the next year. His next move is to move to Leinsters biggest rivals. It’s a good story but to get it you have to ask him about his losses as well as his wins ..... by the end of it there will be a good book there.

[mildlyinterested]

Academy locks

Oisin Dowling(21/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - Academy Year 2, potential 6 long term.
Jack Dunne(20/St. Michaels/DUFC) - Academy Year 1
Ryan Baird(19/St. Michaels/DUFC) - Academy Year 1

Charlie Ryan(20/Blackrock/UCD) - Sub-Academy
Brian Deeny(U19/Wexford/Clontarf)- Sub-Academy
Cian Prendergast(U19/Newbridge/UCD) - Sub-Academy, potential 6 long term.

[paddyor]

True but would of been balanced to ask him both questions, then ask if it drive him to join Munster

Why? He did 3 years in the academy working pizza delivery in Base across the road from the rds and at the end all he got was a shitty t shirt maybe a few other bits. It was massive for him to come back and be a winner like that. There was no malice in leinsters decision but it’s still a kick in gut to a young guy like that. I ended sitting near his family for the home game during the 6n last season. He was the best player on the pitch that day IMO and you could tell it meant the world to them. Wouldn’t begrudge him any of it.

So Tadhg, how cr@p was it to lose a final against Leinster, the club that rejected you?

F that balance, sometimes it’s superfluous.

Edit: Seeing your response there. There probably is some animosity but do we really need to know how he was beating himself up over losing a trophy to Leinster?

[ronk]

Do we think he was happy for his former teammates and team winning a 4th star or was he shouting for Racing?

I had assumed the former.

[COYBIB]

The IRFU are behind the large scale recruitment of bringing Irish eligible players home, including sourcing Irish qualified players into academies (do you think Leinster went the length and breadth of England looking for Aaron O'Sullivan for example?)

If Beirne had a choice, do you think he'd choose Munster given the sh*t show they've become, or would he choose his home province where his school mates play and to live around his other mates and family whilst being in the tri-pod of himself, mid-30's Toner and Ryan? These players don't choose Munster, the IRFU do. Leinster was never on the table for Beirne. I doubt he'd say in interview "Well, I would have loved to go home after proving myself and winning trophies with Leinster, but I was only offered a contract to play in Munster, so at least I don't have to get on a plane to see the family".

[ronk]

That and there was a jersey open in Munster. He walked onto the starting XV as partner for Klein but would have competed with Fardy, Toner and Ryan.

Ulster would have been a good place to form a partnership with Henderson, but maybe they are too similar.

[Jonny tight lips]

True but would of been balanced to ask him both questions, then ask if it drive him to join Munster

Why? He did 3 years in the academy working pizza delivery in Base across the road from the rds and at the end all he got was a shitty t shirt maybe a few other bits. It was massive for him to come back and be a winner like that. There was no malice in leinsters decision but it’s still a kick in gut to a young guy like that. I ended sitting near his family for the home game during the 6n last season. He was the best player on the pitch that day IMO and you could tell it meant the world to them. Wouldn’t begrudge him any of it.

So Tadhg, how cr@p was it to lose a final against Leinster, the club that rejected you?

F that balance, sometimes it’s superfluous.

Edit: Seeing your response there. There probably is some animosity but do we really need to know how he was beating himself up over losing a trophy to Leinster?

I would think it’s more interesting to see how he felt with the adversity than the success and also it’s a natural part of the story so to skip it because the interviewer is your mate is stupid. Sometimes Fitzgerald fails to ask difficult questions and when he dose he sounds apologetic asking them.

If you were asking a leinster player who played in 15-16 about the Connacht Rivelry you would expect a question about loosing the Pro14 final and you normally get one.

[paddyor]

Going to Scarlets to continue his career is a story of adversity. Tbh I’ve no interest hearing him dwell on a defeat. All you’ll get are platitudes and cliches.

[mildlyinterested]

Mick Kearney & Ross Molony have really stepped up this season.

Nice to see Dowling make his debut recently against Ulster, interesting to see how he develops.. could have join senior squad next season? i'm not sure.

If Ryan Baird is healthy, it looks like Leinster will have both 1st choice second rows for Ireland under-20 this season, with him and Charlie Ryan.

[wixfjord]

Some positive sounding news on Fardy: https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-far ... 1-Jan2019/

While Fardy appeared to be suggesting that the IRFU’s desire to ensure opportunities for Irish-qualified players might count against him, it’s understood that the union would not have an issue with Leinster re-contracting the Australian.

However, Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

Excellent stuff. Having him, JGP and Lowe available to play during WC would be a huge benefit.

[hugonaut]

Mick Kearney & Ross Molony have really stepped up this season.

Nice to see Dowling make his debut recently against Ulster, interesting to see how he develops.. could have join senior squad next season? i'm not sure.

If Ryan Baird is healthy, it looks like Leinster will have both 1st choice second rows for Ireland under-20 this season, with him and Charlie Ryan.

I've been happy with the form of Molony and Kearney this season, both of them are good workers.

Ross already has 77 Leinster appearances to his name at 24 years old, and has zero profile outside of Leinster ... a real 'Patriot Way' type of player. Very mature from the day he came into the professional set-up [his first year in the Academy was 2013-14], good effort levels and a wise head on his shoulders. His tackle completion has improved each year over the last two seasons, which was a problem for him previously.

Talent-wise he's not in the same class as Ryan, Henderson or Beirne, but he's really building a solid career for himself. I think there are more talented guys below him as well but it's very difficult to see them hoovering up the same amount of appearances as he has in as short a period of time.

I think he's really quite an interesting case, because he was the first second row in a long time – since Dev – that went into the academy, got the push to play games at the end of his tenure there and moved forward without any fanfare. We did it in every other position, but seemed to have a problem with doing it in the row. Lads were always injured or were put on a slower pathway and baby-stepped up ... with Molony it seemed like, 'f*ck it, just pick him, what's the worst that could happen?'

It's not as though he was a big stand-out at U20s level; to my mind he was about the same calibre as the Leinster guys that preceded him [Mick Kearney in 2011, Alan O'Connor in 2012 and Gavin Thornbury in 2013] ... maybe a little better, but not anything that'd make you sit up and take notice. Anyway, it was a good precedent to set. Fair play to him and to Leo for picking him.

[curates_egg]

Some positive sounding news on Fardy: https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-far ... 1-Jan2019/

While Fardy appeared to be suggesting that the IRFU’s desire to ensure opportunities for Irish-qualified players might count against him, it’s understood that the union would not have an issue with Leinster re-contracting the Australian.

However, Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

Excellent stuff. Having him, JGP and Lowe available to play during WC would be a huge benefit.

There is an unlikely scenario where JGP goes to Japan.

[Oldschool]

Some positive sounding news on Fardy: https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-far ... 1-Jan2019/

While Fardy appeared to be suggesting that the IRFU’s desire to ensure opportunities for Irish-qualified players might count against him, it’s understood that the union would not have an issue with Leinster re-contracting the Australian.

However, Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

Excellent stuff. Having him, JGP and Lowe available to play during WC would be a huge benefit.

That would be brilliant.
Retaining Fardy would be the sort of signing that would make a another HEC doable.
He's been a great signing and we're due some consideration post RWC given the number of players we'll be contributing to the RWC and the tightness of next season's schedule.

[mildlyinterested]

Mick Kearney & Ross Molony have really stepped up this season.

Nice to see Dowling make his debut recently against Ulster, interesting to see how he develops.. could have join senior squad next season? i'm not sure.

If Ryan Baird is healthy, it looks like Leinster will have both 1st choice second rows for Ireland under-20 this season, with him and Charlie Ryan.

I've been happy with the form of Molony and Kearney this season, both of them are good workers.

Ross already has 77 Leinster appearances to his name at 24 years old, and has zero profile outside of Leinster ... a real 'Patriot Way' type of player. Very mature from the day he came into the professional set-up [his first year in the Academy was 2013-14], good effort levels and a wise head on his shoulders. His tackle completion has improved each year over the last two seasons, which was a problem for him previously.

Talent-wise he's not in the same class as Ryan, Henderson or Beirne, but he's really building a solid career for himself. I think there are more talented guys below him as well but it's very difficult to see them hoovering up the same amount of appearances as he has in as short a period of time.

I think he's really quite an interesting case, because he was the first second row in a long time – since Dev – that went into the academy, got the push to play games at the end of his tenure there and moved forward without any fanfare. We did it in every other position, but seemed to have a problem with doing it in the row. Lads were always injured or were put on a slower pathway and baby-stepped up ... with Molony it seemed like, 'f*ck it, just pick him, what's the worst that could happen?'

It's not as though he was a big stand-out at U20s level; to my mind he was about the same calibre as the Leinster guys that preceded him [Mick Kearney in 2011, Alan O'Connor in 2012 and Gavin Thornbury in 2013] ... maybe a little better, but not anything that'd make you sit up and take notice. Anyway, it was a good precedent to set. Fair play to him and to Leo for picking him.

Id have rated him a better player at under-20 level than Kearney, O'Connor and Thornbury. With the biggest question being would he be able to bulk up enough for pro rugby. He is the only academy lock from the trio he was in with who didn't suffer from injury problems while in the academy, something Thornbury and Beirne really suffered with. Physically he wasn't as good an athlete as those two either.

So because he was a good all round rugby player and didn't have the injury problems of his elder academy teammates, he was able to accumulate a lot of caps at a young age. He has filled out a good bit as he aged which is reflected in his improved play. He seems to be a leader during pro 14 play and it wouldn't surprise me if in the future he captained Leinster.

[artaneboy]

Some positive sounding news on Fardy: https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-far ... 1-Jan2019/

While Fardy appeared to be suggesting that the IRFU’s desire to ensure opportunities for Irish-qualified players might count against him, it’s understood that the union would not have an issue with Leinster re-contracting the Australian.

However, Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

Excellent stuff. Having him, JGP and Lowe available to play during WC would be a huge benefit.

Edit: Curates beat me to it...

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[artaneboy]

Some positive sounding news on Fardy: https://www.the42.ie/leinster-scott-far ... 1-Jan2019/

While Fardy appeared to be suggesting that the IRFU’s desire to ensure opportunities for Irish-qualified players might count against him, it’s understood that the union would not have an issue with Leinster re-contracting the Australian.

However, Leinster are keen to retain Fardy beyond this summer and it’s understood that there have been positive discussions with the 34-year-old about extending his deal.

Excellent stuff. Having him, JGP and Lowe available to play during WC would be a huge benefit.

There is an unlikely scenario where JGP goes to Japan.

Why unlikely? He could be an injury away from selection.


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[ChrisUppy]

EDIT: Messed up quotes

[ChrisUppy]

There is an unlikely scenario where JGP goes to Japan.

Why unlikely? He could be an injury away from selection.


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Murray, Marmion, McGrath, Blade ahead of him and the possibility of Ireland bringing only two scrumhalfs could see him needing two or three injuries to get a look in. I saw an interview he did with Murray Kinsella recently also where he said Joe hadn't been in touch

[mildlyinterested]

3 2nd rows in 40-man Ireland u20 squad

Ryan Baird(St. Michaels/DUFC)
Charlie Ryan(Blackrock/UCD)
Brian Deeny(Wexford/Clontarf) - u19

[artaneboy]

There is an unlikely scenario where JGP goes to Japan.

Why unlikely? He could be an injury away from selection.


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Murray, Marmion, McGrath, Blade ahead of him and the possibility of Ireland bringing only two scrumhalfs could see him needing two or three injuries to get a look in. I saw an interview he did with Murray Kinsella recently also where he said Joe hadn't been in touch

C’mon- Blade is only ahead of him, as he’s IQ now. I like Blade, but Jamie is ahead of him on ability.

To my view he’s at or close to the level of both Marmion and McGrath. When he becomes IQ, availability will tell the tale. Nothing in it.


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