Leinster Senior Squad 2017/2018

[the spoofer]

This won't be popular but I think at this stage Sean O'Brien is a waste of a contract for Leinster. I've looked back at the last 4 seasons and his Leinster minutes are as follows:

2016-17 487
2015-16 319
2014-15 487
2013-14 386

I'd hate to lose one of Ruddock, JVDF, Leavy, Conan or Deegan to keep SOB at this stage.

[mildlyinterested]

This won't be popular but I think at this stage Sean O'Brien is a waste of a contract for Leinster. I've looked back at the last 4 seasons and his Leinster minutes are as follows:

2016-17 487
2015-16 319
2014-15 487
2013-14 386

I'd hate to lose one of Ruddock, JVDF, Leavy, Conan or Deegan to keep SOB at this stage.

Leinster don't pay his contract.

Agreed, but we have managed to avoid losing any of them yet, hopeful we can keep that up... given his injury history I doubt if they leave it will be gametime related.

If it was about ensuring the young backrows stayed, Leinster should probably be moving on from Heaslip too.

[Dave Cahill]

Also, he's not really being paid for Leinster minutes.

If there were no Lions tour this summer, I would suggest that his calf would be risked

[mildlyinterested]

Also, he's not really being paid for Leinster minutes.

If there were no Lions tour this summer, I would suggest that his calf would be risked

agreed.

[Dexter]

Hopefully we get to the final then, so our injured players can be tested for match fitness - just like last year!

[simonokeeffe]

The IRFU are paying him so meh
Now if he were to come off a central then it gets interesting and we'd probably then be better off spending it elsewhere

[naraic]

This won't be popular but I think at this stage Sean O'Brien is a waste of a contract for Leinster. I've looked back at the last 4 seasons and his Leinster minutes are as follows:

2016-17 487
2015-16 319
2014-15 487
2013-14 386

I'd hate to lose one of Ruddock, JVDF, Leavy, Conan or Deegan to keep SOB at this stage.

I'm sure the IRFU are happy to keep him for Ireland

I wouldn't be surprised if he had more Ireland minutes than Leinster minutes over those four seasons.

I'm also happy to have him when fit (as long as we are not paying him)

[Dave Cahill]

Well we saw tonight the vast gap between potential and achievement

[leinsterforever]

Fullback is the one area of the squad that I would have some concerns about. Ideally we need a good nuts and bolts 15 who can also act as a playmaker. Is there anyone in the squad who fits that profile? Most of the options can do one but not the other - basics but not playmaking, or vice versa.

James Ryan's Ireland selection has shifted my consciousness a bit when it comes to thinking about strength in the second row. I think Toner, Fardy and Ryan could be really good.

[Morf]

You'd like to sign Bin Smuth then?

[ronk]

First time watching Fardy since we signed him. He's big, athletic and a ball hawk.

He makes loads of turnovers, but doesn't try to steal the ball every ruck.

[cormac]

I may well have missed it but has there been an official announcement regarding contract extensions for the coaching staff?

[Dave Cahill]

I may well have missed it but has there been an official announcement regarding contract extensions for the coaching staff?

No you havent, there hasn't been and Leinster need a dedicated forwards coach and a defense coach

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'm fairly certain that I've read "expected to be announced in the coming days" or words to that effect a good few times over the last couple of months. It all seems very odd to me, get the feeling something is up.

[wixfjord]

On Fardy, he was up until a few weeks ago the top turnover player in Super Rugby. Missed a few games so that might've changed but that's a fairly startling stat for a guy who'll be playing 2nd row for us. Imagine having him, Heaslip and SOB/Leavy/VDF on the pitch next year will give us serious turnover potential.
Good defensive lineout too.
Would worry a bit about him at scrum time however.

[simonokeeffe]

On Fardy, he was up until a few weeks ago the top turnover player in Super Rugby. Missed a few games so that might've changed but that's a fairly startling stat for a guy who'll be playing 2nd row for us. Imagine having him, Heaslip and SOB/Leavy/VDF on the pitch next year will give us serious turnover potential.
Good defensive lineout too.
Would worry a bit about him at scrum time however.

Europe yes, league depends who hes partnered with.

[the spoofer]

Wasn't the latest media report that the coaches were all ready to sign up but IRFU were looking for clear job descriptions before they would sign off on the contracts.

[wixfjord]

On Fardy, he was up until a few weeks ago the top turnover player in Super Rugby. Missed a few games so that might've changed but that's a fairly startling stat for a guy who'll be playing 2nd row for us. Imagine having him, Heaslip and SOB/Leavy/VDF on the pitch next year will give us serious turnover potential.
Good defensive lineout too.
Would worry a bit about him at scrum time however.

Europe yes, league depends who hes partnered with.

Ah we should be grand for the majority of the league no matter who we play, it's the Euro games and knockout league/Munster games that we really need Fardy's quality to shine through.

[simonokeeffe]

On Fardy, he was up until a few weeks ago the top turnover player in Super Rugby. Missed a few games so that might've changed but that's a fairly startling stat for a guy who'll be playing 2nd row for us. Imagine having him, Heaslip and SOB/Leavy/VDF on the pitch next year will give us serious turnover potential.
Good defensive lineout too.
Would worry a bit about him at scrum time however.

Europe yes, league depends who hes partnered with.

Ah we should be grand for the majority of the league no matter who we play, it's the Euro games and knockout league/Munster games that we really need Fardy's quality to shine through.

the bit of leadership and experience should help too
bar Toner then the entire pack would be competitive-good over the ball

[mildlyinterested]

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

Sean McNulty - Academy Year 3
Ronan Kelleher - Academy Year 1

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

Oisin Heffernan - Academy Year 3
Jeremy Loughman - Academy Year 3
Jack Aungier - Academy Year 1

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

Oisin Dowling - Academy Year 1

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
Max Deegan - Signed contract in 2017

Josh Murphy - Academy Year 3
Will Connors - Academy Year 2
Caelan Doris - Academy Year 1

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

Charlie Rock - Academy Year 3
Hugh O'Sullivan - Academy Year 1

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

Ciaran Frawley - Academy Year 1

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

Conor O'Brien - Academy Year 2
Jimmy O'Brien - Academy Year 2
Gavin Mullin - Academy Year 1
Tommy O'Brien - Academy Year 1

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

Ian Fitzpatrick - Academy Year 4
Hugo Keenan - Academy Year 2
Terry Kennedy - Academy Year 2
Jordan Larmour - Academy Year 2
Jack Kelly - Year 2