Leinster Senior Squad 2017/2018

[goreyguy]

Senior Squad next season

Loosehead Prop
Peter Dooley - Signed contract in 2016

Lock
Ross Molony - Signed contract in 2016

Centre
Garry Ringrose - Signed contract in 2016

Plenty of talk about Dardis but none about the above three who, along with Dardis, Byrne and Daly were promoted from the academy at the end of last season. At the time Peter Smyth, the Leinster Rugby Academy Manager, said: “....A number of players graduating from the Academy have secured professional contracts for the upcoming season with Leinster and elsewhere....

They surely would've nailed these guys down to 2 years right?

They did.

[Xanthippe]

Senior Squad next season

Loosehead Prop
Peter Dooley - Signed contract in 2016

Lock
Ross Molony - Signed contract in 2016

Centre
Garry Ringrose - Signed contract in 2016

Plenty of talk about Dardis but none about the above three who, along with Dardis, Byrne and Daly were promoted from the academy at the end of last season. At the time Peter Smyth, the Leinster Rugby Academy Manager, said: “....A number of players graduating from the Academy have secured professional contracts for the upcoming season with Leinster and elsewhere....

They surely would've nailed these guys down to 2 years right?

They did.

Damn. At the start of silly season each year I need to have a 'small' issue to worry about and now that's been taken away I'll have to look for another.

[Fireworks]

Senior Squad next season

Loosehead Prop
Cian Healy - Signed central 3yr contract in 2016
Jack McGrath - Signed central 3yr contract in 2016
Ed Byrne - Signed contract in 2017
Peter Dooley - Signed contract in 2016

Hooker
Richardt Strauss - Signed contract in 2017
Sean Cronin - Signed 3yr contract in 2015
James Tracy - Signed contract in 2016
Bryan Byrne - Signed contract in 2017

Tighthead Prop
Michael Bent - Signed contract in 2016
Tadhg Furlong - Signed contract in 2016
Andrew Porter - Signed contract in 2017

Lock
Scott Fardy - Signed 2 yr contract in 2017
Devin Toner - Signed central 3yr contract in 2017
Ian Nagle - Signed contract in 2017
Mick Kearney - Signed contract in 2017
Ross Molony - Signed contract in 2016
James Ryan - Signed contract in 2017

Backrow
Jamie Heaslip - Signed central 3 yr contract in 2017
Sean O'Brien - Signed central 3 yr contract in 2016
Rhys Ruddock - Signed contract in 2016
Jordi Murphy - Signed contract in 2017
Jack Conan - Signed contract in 2017
Josh Van Der Flier - Signed contract in 2016
Dan Leavy - Signed contract in 2017
Peadar Timmins - Signed contract in 2017

Scrumhalf
Jamie Gibson Park - Signed 3 yr contract in 2016
Luke McGrath - Signed contract in 2017
Nick McCarthy - Signed contract in 2017

Outhalf
Jonathan Sexton - Signed central 4 yr contract in 2015
Cathal Marsh - Signed contract in 2016
Ross Byrne - Signed contract in 2017
Joey Carbery - Signed contract in 2017

Centre
Noel Reid - Signed contract in 2017
Robbie Henshaw - Signed 3yr contract in 2016
Tom Daly - Signed contract in 2017
Garry Ringrose - Signed contract in 2016
Rory O'Loughlin - Signed contract in 2017

Back Three
Isa Nacewa - Signed 2yr contract in 2016
Rob Kearney - Signed central 3 yr contract in 2015
Fergus McFadden - Signed 3yr contract in 2015
Dave Kearney - Signed contract in 2016
James Lowe - Signed 3yr contract in 2017
Barry Daly - Signed contract in 2017
Adam Byrne - Signed contract in 2017

Looks good. Do we need an extra 3 and 9. I would think the 2 TH's is a (no pun intended) light considering one will be gone on international duty. One injury during an international window and we are back to the academy or AIL.

[goreyguy]

Well thats the idea of academy no?

[erskinechilders]

Looks good. Do we need an extra 3 and 9. I would think the 2 TH's is a (no pun intended) light considering one will be gone on international duty. One injury during an international window and we are back to the academy or AIL.

JAGER! JAGER! JAGER!

[johng]

I think 44 is the most we have ever had. (Munster have had more) There are always weaknesses somewhere. Also a couple of THs in 3rd year academy.

[Xanthippe]

I think 44 is the most we have ever had. (Munster have had more) There are always weaknesses somewhere. Also a couple of THs in 3rd year academy.

Did we not have 47 last season?

[johng]

Did we? I thought it was 42. We had a few Ail guys in during the WC ok. Maybe I wasn't counting them. Or maybe we had 47 over the full season but not at any one time?

[wixfjord]

I wonder will Dave Kearney be moved to 15 a bit more next year. Would make sense. We've plenty of wing talent in the squad and more coming through.
With Isa presumably having 1 yr left and RK/Carbery likely with Ireland and ZK/Dardis gone we might be a bit light there. Or else Lowe might be played there a bit.

[Dave Cahill]

Did we? I thought it was 42. We had a few Ail guys in during the WC ok. Maybe I wasn't counting them. Or maybe we had 47 over the full season but not at any one time?

We used 59 players in 04-05 (it was a bad season injurywise in Ireland, Munster had to use 62 players!)

[Fireworks]

Well thats the idea of academy no?

Good point well made. Still think 4 TH's is safer. They must be very confident with the progress of Porters conversion as with only 3 to select from he will see a lot of game time next year.

[goreyguy]

Well thats the idea of academy no?

Good point well made. Still think 4 TH's is safer. They must be very confident with the progress of Porters conversion as with only 3 to select from he will see a lot of game time next year.

yeah personally i'd keep ross for another year..

[Xanthippe]

Well thats the idea of academy no?

Good point well made. Still think 4 TH's is safer. They must be very confident with the progress of Porters conversion as with only 3 to select from he will see a lot of game time next year.

Hago's back in Dublin at the moment - just saying'

[wixfjord]

Watched Fardy captain the Brumbies this morning, quality player in the tight. Big ruck effort and his lineout, particularly defensive lineout, is POM esque. Great leap. He reminds me a bit of a mix between Ruddock and Molony, should be a good man to bring on the latter.

Oh, and James Lowe has had a fairly big part in the try of the season today too. Not bad!
https://twitter.com/JudgeRugby/status/8 ... 6133214208

[neiliog93]

We will definitely be vulnerable at tight-head next season. People might point to young guys unexpectedly stepping up in other positions over the last couple of seasons, but I don't see that happening as soon as next season for Loughman, Heffernan or Porter. If Furlong or Bent gets injured, we'll have Loughman on the bench for European cup games. Can't see him being ready to lock down the scrum against a big French or English pack.

Technically we are allowed another NIQ signing. I wonder would we be allowed get Cittadini in? He had a good 6 Nations for Italy in the scrum and in the loose, is 34 years old and is currently getting relegated from the Top 14 with Bayonne. An experienced, relatively affordable old head and could put in a shift for a season. One year would probably be enough for at least one of Loughman, Heffernan or Porter to be ready for the rigours of a Munster interpo or facing down Toulon, Saracens, Clermont etc.

[wixfjord]

Watching Fardy for Brumbies again this morning. He's top turnover stealer in the competition. Good carrier, light on his feet and excellent defensive lineout.
He's definitely a signing designed to speed us up even more. Trade off will be tight work, but I'm very excited to see him in blue.

[erskinechilders]

Watching Fardy for Brumbies again this morning. He's top turnover stealer in the competition. Good carrier, light on his feet and excellent defensive lineout.
He's definitely a signing designed to speed us up even more. Trade off will be tight work, but I'm very excited to see him in blue.

Is that on the deck or in the line out or both? just interested to see!

[wixfjord]

Watching Fardy for Brumbies again this morning. He's top turnover stealer in the competition. Good carrier, light on his feet and excellent defensive lineout.
He's definitely a signing designed to speed us up even more. Trade off will be tight work, but I'm very excited to see him in blue.

Is that on the deck or in the line out or both? just interested to see!

On the deck!

[erskinechilders]

Jesus with Dan Leavy second in the Pro12 this could become a real strength of ours! Players like furlong and mcgrath could probably be a bit better at it but still, having 2 poachers is a very good things, 3 if you include vdF

[simonokeeffe]

Having a pilfering lock would add a whole new dimension

Trolls can f off touching this but by my count we will be down to 5 non Leinster produced IQ players (Cronin Strauss Bent Nagle Henshaw), even with Munster just for the sake of harmony