Leinster's Backrow Options

[Ruckedtobits]

+1 @hugonaut.
It's a very hard world in Pro rugby, regardless of the quality of the opposition as a team. Talking to players theyll tell you that although teams like Zebre or Kings may not be going great, they both have second and back-row forwards built like WWF guys, except they hit you to hurt. There are a lots of hard men through the Pro14, always on the lookout from a serious hit on the Leinster "kids".

Doris is very durable and maybe he'll end up like Stander, the Ultra carrier. Deegan is full of skills and whatever doubts there are, concern his hardness and durability. They've both matched all expectations this year so far, but there are more boxes to tick before they finish.

But think Skinstad (Deegan) and Berger (Doris) rather than parallels or comparisons from these shores. We want them to play a decade of top, hard, rugby, not 3 years of glittering stardom.

[Oldschool]

+1 @hugonaut.
It's a very hard world in Pro rugby, regardless of the quality of the opposition as a team. Talking to players theyll tell you that although teams like Zebre or Kings may not be going great, they both have second and back-row forwards built like WWF guys, except they hit you to hurt. There are a lots of hard men through the Pro14, always on the lookout from a serious hit on the Leinster "kids".

Doris is very durable and maybe he'll end up like Stander, the Ultra carrier. Deegan is full of skills and whatever doubts there are, concern his hardness and durability. They've both matched all expectations this year so far, but there are more boxes to tick before they finish.

But think Skinstad (Deegan) and Berger (Doris) rather than parallels or comparisons from these shores. We want them to play a decade of top, hard, rugby, not 3 years of glittering stardom.

Amen to all of that.

[backrower8]

I am a big fan of both Deegan and Doris but just to be fair to Doris at the same age (just before his 21st birthday) Deegan had only started 2 games for Leinster. Maybe your expectations of Doris at his age are to high?

When Deegan was in his maiden season (16-17) he was 5 months younger than Doris started this season and he was competing with Jamie & Jack for the 8 jersey and who between them started 19 times with 3 bench appearances and soaked over 1,500 minutes. So there wasn't much room at the Inn. Whereas this year there has only been Jack (9 starts) and Max (3 starts at #8) to contend with.

My expectations are unduly raised by the repeated chattering of Doris as rugby deity in the media. The second he was selected at 8 and Deegan wasn't it was presented as "he has surpassed Deegan" who was on "a sticky wicket" and in danger of being "moved on". All of which was hyperbole when it was first printed and shown to be so across the season.

Hope Doris does really well. So far so reasonably good all things considered...but no more than that for me just yet.

I would even consider sacrificing Josh Murphy for him if it was a straight choice, but he hasn't even convincedme of that yet and I think Josh has stagnated this year. (I presume it is tricky being in final Med and being a pro player).

[ronk]

We also had Jordi Murphy and SOB as options there

[mildlyinterested]

We also had Jordi Murphy and SOB as options there

did we really though?

[hugonaut]

Two short interviews with Max Deegan in today's papers:

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 36220.html
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3833054

[mildlyinterested]

at least Deegan seems to be content with his progress.

[Ruckedtobits]

Interesting perspective. He clearly understands that when entered the Leinster Senior back-row world, multi-populated with current Irish internationals, there was no chance of jumping the queue for game time. Possibly he might have progressed faster elsewhere, but would he have developed as well, or learned as much about positions 6 and 7?

Conan has taken far longer to become as effective a player at international level as iappeared possible when he debuted at Provincial level. Even his (Conan's) cameo against Wales now suggests that Stander's most effective position for his future Irish career may be No 6, not 8, with PO'M and Tadgh Beirne also serious candidates for that jersey, Conan and Deegan regularly in the same backrow offers interesting options, not least for attacking ball-carrying.

Deegan might be seen in the Farrell Head Coach era as one of the possible Irish bench options for the back-row.

He's possibly closer that he thinks, but still a long road from perfection.

[backrower8]

Interesting perspective. He clearly understands that when entered the Leinster Senior back-row world, multi-populated with current Irish internationals, there was no chance of jumping the queue for game time. Possibly he might have progressed faster elsewhere, but would he have developed as well, or learned as much about positions 6 and 7?

Conan has taken far longer to become as effective a player at international level as iappeared possible when he debuted at Provincial level. Even his (Conan's) cameo against Wales now suggests that Stander's most effective position for his future Irish career may be No 6, not 8, with PO'M and Tadgh Beirne also serious candidates for that jersey, Conan and Deegan regularly in the same backrow offers interesting options, not least for attacking ball-carrying.

Deegan might be seen in the Farrell Head Coach era as one of the possible Irish bench options for the back-row.

He's possibly closer that he thinks, but still a long road from perfection.

He is a special one. Not the finished article, but right on track and ready for a break-through soon.

Our international back row has been blunt for a long time through POM (the boi can jump but not carry) & CJ the South African battering ram, work-horse, 8. We can do better with players developed here.

[betty swallocks]

Is Max Deegan tied down contractually for next season?

[limecat]

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 3668529152

Leinster Rugby can confirm that Dan Leavy had an initial scan yesterday on a complex knee ligament injury but needs further assessment this week. He has been ruled out for the remainder of the season and into next season to include the Rugby World Cup.

[mildlyinterested]

If he plays at all next season he will be doing well.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I would hope that he was going to get a contract anyway but I would assume that Connors will definitely get one now as long he proves his fitness.

Crazy how things turn out, things looked bad for him at various stages and now he could turn out to be a really important player for us at the start of next season. Jordi is gone, SOB will be gone (can't see him playing for us if he doesn't make the World Cup squad but don't think his LI contract starts until November/December), Josh will be in Japan, and Leavy will be injured.

[mildlyinterested]

maybe Max Kearney or Alex Penny gets offered a trial for WC period.

Ronan Watters could get an academy deal too.

[mildlyinterested]

SOB appears to be off this week.

[hugonaut]

I would hope that he was going to get a contract anyway but I would assume that Connors will definitely get one now as long he proves his fitness.

Crazy how things turn out, things looked bad for him at various stages and now he could turn out to be a really important player for us at the start of next season. Jordi is gone, SOB will be gone (can't see him playing for us if he doesn't make the World Cup squad but don't think his LI contract starts until November/December), Josh will be in Japan, and Leavy will be injured.

It's pretty strange alright, considering that he's been absent for the whole season. He looked decent over a short run of games last season and parlayed that into a contract when Jordi left and it looked like we'd be short ... but without ever standing out, to be frank. It was more the circumstances that got him the deal: Connacht were interested in taking him out of the academy and Leinster felt they had to respond. Then he got injured, Scott Penny slotted in like he was born there and it looked as though there wasn't going to be any space for him next season.

Now SOB is going to be off the books at the start of next season, Leavy is going to be out for a long time, and JVDF is going to Japan, so there's going to be gametime to be had. Connors didn't really have to do much to get his senior contract, he did nothing wrong when it looked like he was going to lose out for next season, and he hasn't done anything to get his job back!

[cormac]

Will Connors is back in full-time training this week.

[Flash Gordon]

SOB appears to be off this week.

Yep. Probably keen to avoid the Monday review! Hopefully he'll get a bit of R&R and come back firing!

[ronk]

Will Connors is back in full-time training this week.

A miracle

[backrower8]

maybe Max Kearney or Alex Penny gets offered a trial for WC period.

Ronan Watters could get an academy deal too.

Alex, as in UCD wing-forward, Irish Club XV and Scott's older brother by 5 years?