Inside Centre if/when Nacewa Retires

[mildlyinterested]

thoughts on COB/Frawley at the weekend?

heard Daly will be in squad too next season.

[wixfjord]

To my untrained eye Frawley and COB look like they have far more potential than Daly, albeit Daly could prove to be a very useful source of go forward in the lesser Pro14 games if used correctly. He should be watching tapes of Andrew Goodman all summer.

[Flash Gordon]

Would Larmour be an option at centre? His footwork is so good and he's great at getting through traffic.

Larmour played schools rugby and underage Leinster rugby at 13. He was scoring tries from that position (and not just one a game) for our U-18's. He played with a big lad inside him (Peter Sullivan who has played Ireland U-20's) in school, and any space at all and he could score a length of the field try - the Munster wonder try was the type of score I saw pretty frequently through schools and Leinster underage.

There is a question about his size but he's in great shape and size wise he's probably built similarly to the O'Driscoll/D'Arcy model. The question is whether with the way the game has gone, would that model survive? He has switched in to 13 for Leinster occasionally and once for Ireland, so it's an option that is certainly being considered!

[mildlyinterested]

Would Larmour be an option at centre? His footwork is so good and he's great at getting through traffic.

Larmour played schools rugby and underage Leinster rugby at 13. He was scoring tries from that position (and not just one a game) for our U-18's. He played with a big lad inside him (Peter Sullivan who has played Ireland U-20's) in school, and any space at all and he could score a length of the field try - the Munster wonder try was the type of score I saw pretty frequently through schools and Leinster underage.

There is a question about his size but he's in great shape and size wise he's probably built similarly to the O'Driscoll/D'Arcy model. The question is whether with the way the game has gone, would that model survive? He has switched in to 13 for Leinster occasionally and once for Ireland, so it's an option that is certainly being considered!

I don't think they are considering him as a potential 13 long term, just has the ability to cover there if needs be.

[neiliog93]

I want him with as much time and space as possible, and where his lack of height will be the least of an issue. Back three please!

[Blue not red blood]

Isa is being sent into a home capsule at end of season
It will be opened in October

[mildlyinterested]

so scenarios:

In a european game if Henshaw is missing due to injury:

1. Ringrose/ROL
2. Reid/Ringrose
3. Academy/Ringrose

In pro 14 games minus internationals:

1. Reid/ROL
2. Daly/ROL
3. Academy/ROL

[mildlyinterested]

Looks like we have this issue this weekend..

[Jcahill1]

Not tested enough for this weekend obviously, but I thought Ciaran Frawley has gone very well in his brief cameos at 12.

[mildlyinterested]

Not tested enough for this weekend obviously, but I thought Ciaran Frawley has gone very well in his brief cameos at 12.

Yeah, think he is the best hope at the moment. No fear in defence either.

[neiliog93]

I would definitely prefer Frawley to Reid or Tom Daly (or Carbery for that matter), and I'm also a little uncomfortable with Ringrose being shifted to 12. In all likelihood I think that's what they'll do for Munster though, with ROL or maybe Larmour at 13.

[hugonaut]

I have a strong feeling it'll be Ringer at No12 and Locko at No13. It might seem a bit iffy to go so far to avoid picking Reider, but hear me out:

Locko has started 4 games against Munster [all 4 games played between the two sides in the last two seasons] since making the squad and played 80 minutes in each of them – three of them at No13 and one of them at No14.

Conversely, Reider has played 100 games for Leinster and has never started a game against Munster. That doesn't happen by accident with three different coaches in charge [Schmidt, O'Connor, Cullen]. He has been used as a sub in 4 games against them for a total of 67 minutes.

1] 16 minutes in the home game in October 2012 [W, 30-21 - we had a massive injury crisis at the time, check this match report for the line-up: https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/report/lei ... 21-munster ];
2] 4 mins in the home game in Oct 2016 [W, 25-14];
3] 25 mins in the Dec 2016 game in Thomond [L, 17-29]; and
4] 22 mins in the Dec 2017 game in Thomond, [W, 34-24].

I quite like Reider, but I think I'm realistic about him: he's a good passer and a well-balanced runner, but he's not physical enough to play No12 at the sharp end of the season. He's not a good enough tackler, not a strong enough carrier, and a rabbit at the breakdown. He has almost completed stepped away from kicking out of hand [17 kicks in 18 games this season, i.e. less than 1 kick a game] and hasn't kicked a goal for Leinster – conversion, penalty or drop - in his career. So there are holes in his game.

[mildlyinterested]

I have a strong feeling it'll be Ringer at No12 and Locko at No13. It might seem a bit iffy to go so far to avoid picking Reider, but hear me out:

Locko has started 4 games against Munster [all 4 games played between the two sides in the last two seasons] since making the squad and played 80 minutes in each of them – three of them at No13 and one of them at No14.

Conversely, Reider has played 100 games for Leinster and has never started a game against Munster. That doesn't happen by accident with three different coaches in charge [Schmidt, O'Connor, Cullen]. He has been used as a sub in 4 games against them for a total of 67 minutes.

1] 16 minutes in the home game in October 2012 [W, 30-21 - we had a massive injury crisis at the time, check this match report for the line-up: https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/report/lei ... 21-munster ];
2] 4 mins in the home game in Oct 2016 [W, 25-14];
3] 25 mins in the Dec 2016 game in Thomond [L, 17-29]; and
4] 22 mins in the Dec 2017 game in Thomond, [W, 34-24].

I quite like Reider, but I think I'm realistic about him: he's a good passer and a well-balanced runner, but he's not physical enough to play No12 at the sharp end of the season. He's not a good enough tackler, not a strong enough carrier, and a rabbit at the breakdown. He has almost completed stepped away from kicking out of hand [17 kicks in 18 games this season, i.e. less than 1 kick a game] and hasn't kicked a goal for Leinster – conversion, penalty or drop - in his career. So there are holes in his game.

fairly damning stuff.. says a lot about leinsters inability to identify and develop an effective inside centre.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Reid isn't in good form and I wouldn't pick him this weekend, but not sure that not being picked against Munster says all that much. He's never been first choice and I'd imagine that if you went through the team sheets that Darce, Mads, and Henshaw would be the 12s for the most part. it's not like we've played people out of position to avoid picking him.

Apologies for repeating myself but we need another 12 who can set targets in midfield, we really lack that when Robbie and Isa are missing. Ringrose does a decent job of it but definitely want someone else to do it when the internationals are away.

[Ruckedtobits]

Rory O'Loughlin certainly put his hand up yesterday in the second half against Munster. He played 12 alongside Garry Ringrose and hardly put a foot wrong in defence. We know he can attack but if his performance yesterday is a measure of Stuart Lancater's focus for three days, just imagine what two months pre-season might bring

[Blueberry]

Agreed ROL make a big impact when he came on...very promising !!

[mildlyinterested]

Yeah it was promising.

[mildlyinterested]

"The Leinster standard here with the young guys coming through and the future that they'll create for themselves if they stay humble and keep working hard is going to be pretty phenomenal to watch.

"I'll be in the first-row seat keeping an eye on these guys."

Sticking around?

[Xanthippe]

"The Leinster standard here with the young guys coming through and the future that they'll create for themselves if they stay humble and keep working hard is going to be pretty phenomenal to watch.

"I'll be in the first-row seat keeping an eye on these guys."

Sticking around?

Academy/A team coach?

[Laighin Break]

"The Leinster standard here with the young guys coming through and the future that they'll create for themselves if they stay humble and keep working hard is going to be pretty phenomenal to watch.

"I'll be in the first-row seat keeping an eye on these guys."

Sticking around?

Don't think so. Hasn't it been said elsewhere that he's definitely moving back?