Leinster Squad 18-19

[wixfjord]

Slimming down seemed to work for Healy last year.

Healy was fat in all honesty.

Beast now.

This is literally the opposite of the truth. Healy is the only prop I’ve ever seen with a six pack! His body fat has always been incredibly low.

[Morf]

Slimming down seemed to work for Healy last year.

Healy was fat in all honesty.

Beast now.

This is literally the opposite of the truth. Healy is the only prop I’ve ever seen with a six pack! His body fat has always been incredibly low.

You missed Brian Mujati recently so.

[leinsterforever]

Andrew Sheridan too

[wixfjord]

I bow to your superior knowledge of topless props!

[OTT]

I bow to your superior knowledge of topless props!

BJ Botha *DROOL*

[mildlyinterested]

Blackrock have only 6 ex-players in squad, must be lowest number ever.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Sexton is the new captain. Rhys is the new VC.

[deco]

Sexton is the new captain. Rhys is the new VC.

Makes sense, Rhys will be around for most of the games Sexton isn't. From the IT:

Johnny Sexton named Leinster captain for new season
Leo Cullen: ‘Johnny is a player and person always striving to improve and get better’

Johnny Sexton will captain Leinster for the upcoming campaign, with fellow Ireland international Rhys Ruddock his vice-captain.

The 33-year-old St Mary’s College RFC man takes over from the recently retired Isa Nacewa.

Sexton, who has won 76 Ireland caps and has represented the British and Irish Lions on 14 occasions, made his Leinster debut in January 2006 and has added a further 147 caps since then, becoming the all-time leading Leinster points scorer in the process with 1,344 points to date.

In his time with Leinster he has won four Heineken Champions Cup trophies, a Challenge Cup trophy and three Celtic League/Pro14 trophies.

Ruddock, 27, is also a St Mary’s College RFC club man and has won 19 Ireland caps. He made his Leinster debut in December 2009 and has won 142 caps in total for Leinster, scoring seven tries. He has won a Challenge Cup, three Pro12/14 titles and added a Heineken Champions Cup medal last season.

Commenting on the appointment of both Sexton and Ruddock, head coach Leo Cullen said:

“Johnny is a player and person who is always striving to improve and get better and he has driven incredibly high standards during his time at Leinster, where he has become one of the most decorated players in the game.

“He has already carried out the role of captain of the team on a number of occasions and we are very fortunate to be able to announce Johnny as club captain for the 2018/19 season as he is a player that greatly deserves this honour.

“He is hugely excited by the challenge of leading his teammates over the course of the season as we look to maximise the team’s potential.

“Likewise Rhys, we have seen him grow into an outstanding leader at Leinster and indeed he has captained Ireland on tour to Japan and again last season against Fiji and I think that this appointment today is further evidence of that growth.


“You couldn’t get two players that better represent the values and behaviours that we want to be judged on than Johnny and Rhys and I look forward to working even closer with them over the coming months.”

Leinster play Montauban this Friday away from home in the first of their pre-season friendlies. They will then face Newcastle Falcons at Energia Park on Friday August 17th at 7pm.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3588882

[BlueWheels]

Sexton is the new captain. Rhys is the new VC.

Not exactly a surprise, doubt if anyone will have an argument with that!!

"Sexton leads the drive for 5" has a nice sound to it

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I will never accept Ruddock's age, there's no way he's 27...he must be at least 32 given that he's been playing for us for so long.

[hugonaut]

I will never accept Ruddock's age, there's no way he's 27...he must be at least 32 given that he's been playing for us for so long.

Yeah, it's pretty amazing – he has played 8 seasons as a senior member of the squad for us already. You'd think that'd make him 30 at least. Great selections as captain and vice-captain.

[ChrisUppy]

I will never accept Ruddock's age, there's no way he's 27...he must be at least 32 given that he's been playing for us for so long.

Yeah, it's pretty amazing – he has played 8 seasons as a senior member of the squad for us already. You'd think that'd make him 30 at least. Great selections as captain and vice-captain.

He captained the team for the first time 7 years ago also. A team containing a certain Isa Nacewa no less. In fact he captained Leinster (if I'm correct) 5 years before Nacewa ever did

[Peg Leg]

I will never accept Ruddock's age, there's no way he's 27...he must be at least 32 given that he's been playing for us for so long.

Yeah, it's pretty amazing – he has played 8 seasons as a senior member of the squad for us already. You'd think that'd make him 30 at least. Great selections as captain and vice-captain.

And yet the medal haul is a fair reflection of the injury strife. But I'm with LRIP RE:age, he should be thrown into a pond to see if he floats!

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster have 44 senior players:
- 26 forwards - 8 props(4/4), 3 hookers, 6 second rows, 9 backrows.
- 18 backs - 2 scrumhalves, 2 outhalves, 14 outside backs.

plus:
- 7 academy forwards, 2 props, 1 hooker, 3 second rows, 1 backrow.
- 12 academy backs, 2 scrumhalves, 2 outhalves, 8 outside backs.

9 players 30 and over:
Fardy(34), Sexton(33), Kearney(32), McFadden(32), Bent(32), Cronin(32), Toner(32), SOB(31), Healy(30).

8 senior players not from Leinster underage system:
Bent(NZ), Cronin(Munster), Fardy(Oz), Nagle(Munster), JGP(NZ), Tomane(Oz), Henshaw(Connacht), Lowe(NZ).

Youngest senior player: Caelan Doris(20)
Youngest academy player: Aaron O'Sullivan(18)

[Xanthippe]

He captained the team for the first time 7 years ago also. A team containing a certain Isa Nacewa no less. In fact he captained Leinster (if I'm correct) 5 years before Nacewa ever did

Nah - it was only 15 days.

Rhys was 10th Feb v Aironi and Isa was 25th Feb v Treviso

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Players out of contract post WC:

Cian Healy(32)
Jack McGrath(30)
Sean O'Brien(32)
Jonathan Sexton(34)
Robbie Henshaw(26)
Rob Kearney(33)

[arsebiscuits1]

Leinster Players out of contract post WC:

Cian Healy(32)
Jack McGrath(30)
Sean O'Brien(32)
Jonathan Sexton(34)
Robbie Henshaw(26)
Rob Kearney(33)

Am I right in saying they're all centrally contracted players?

All would be in with a fair shout of renewals except for SOB

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Players out of contract post WC:

Cian Healy(32)
Jack McGrath(30)
Sean O'Brien(32)
Jonathan Sexton(34)
Robbie Henshaw(26)
Rob Kearney(33)

Am I right in saying they're all centrally contracted players?

All would be in with a fair shout of renewals except for SOB

Yeah, only reason we know their contract length.

[ChrisUppy]

He captained the team for the first time 7 years ago also. A team containing a certain Isa Nacewa no less. In fact he captained Leinster (if I'm correct) 5 years before Nacewa ever did

Nah - it was only 15 days.

Rhys was 10th Feb v Aironi and Isa was 25th Feb v Treviso

Hat tip!

[mildlyinterested]

LH Prop
Cian Healy(30) - 191 Leinster Caps & 81 Irish Caps.
Jack McGrath(28) - 133 Leinster Caps & 50 Irish Caps.
Ed Byrne(24) - 23 Leinster Caps.
Peter Dooley(24) - 47 Leinster Caps.

TH Prop
Michael Bent(32) - 106 Leinster Caps, 48 Taranaki Caps, 11 Hurricane Caps & 4 Irish Caps.
Tadhg Furlong(25) - 84 Leinster Caps & 26 Irish Caps.
Andrew Porter(22) - 30 Leinster Caps & 8 Irish Caps.
Vakh Abdaladze(22) - 2 Leinster Caps
Jack Aungier(19) - Uncapped.
Michael Milne(18/19) - Uncapped.

Hooker
Sean Cronin(32) - 153 Leinster Caps & 62 Irish Caps.
James Tracy(27) - 66 Leinster Caps & 6 Irish Caps.
Bryan Byrne(24) - 26 Leinster Caps.
Ronan Kelleher(20) - Uncapped.

Lock
Scott Fardy(34) - 22 Leinster Caps, 82 Brumbie Caps & 39 Australian Caps.
Devin Toner(32) - 218 Leinster Caps & 60 Irish Caps.
Ian Nagle(29) - 18 Leinster Caps, 31 Munster Caps, 2 Newcastle Caps & 4 London Irish Caps.
Mick Kearney(27) - 35 Leinster Caps & 68 Connacht Caps.
Ross Molony(24) - 64 Leinster Caps.
James Ryan(22) - 15 Leinster Caps & 11 Irish Caps.
Oisin Dowling(21) - Uncapped.
Jack Dunne(19) - Uncapped.
Ryan Baird(18/19) - Uncapped.

Backrow
Sean O'Brien(31) - 116 Leinster Caps & 51 Irish Caps.
Rhys Ruddock(27) - 142 Leinster Caps & 19 Irish Caps.
Jack Conan(26) - 74 Leinster Caps & 9 Irish Caps.
Josh Van Der Flier(25) - 60 Leinster Caps & 10 Irish Caps.
Dan Leavy(24) - 54 Leinster Caps & 10 Irish Caps.
Josh Murphy(23) - 9 Leinster Caps.
Will Connors(22) - 3 Leinster Caps.
Max Deegan(21) - 21 Leinster Caps.
Caelan Doris(20) - 1 Leinster Cap.
Scott Penny(18/19) - Uncapped.

Scrumhalf
Jamie Gibson Park(26) - 51 Leinster Caps,
Luke McGrath(25) - 95 Leinster Caps & 6 Irish Caps.
Nick McCarthy(23) - 28 Leinster Caps.
Hugh O'Sullivan(20) - Uncapped.
Patrick Patterson(19/20) - Uncapped.

Outhalf
Jonathan Sexton(33) - 148 Leinster Caps & 76 Irish Caps.
Ross Byrne(23) - 49 Leinster Caps.
Ciaran Frawley(20) - 3 Leinster Caps.
Harry Byrne(19) - Uncapped.

Centre
Joe Tomane(28) - 46 Montpellier Caps, 68 Brumbie Caps & 17 Australian Caps.
Noel Reid(28) - 100 Leinster Caps & 1 Irish Cap.
Robbie Henshaw(25) - 24 Leinster Caps, Connacht Caps & 36 Irish Caps.
Tom Daly(25) - 10 Leinster Caps.
Rory O'Loughlin(24) - 42 Leinster Caps & 1 Irish Cap.
Garry Ringrose(23) - 50 Leinster Caps & 14 Irish Caps.
Conor O'Brien(22) - 3 Leinster Caps.
Jimmy O'Brien(21) - Uncapped.
Gavin Mullin(20) - 1 Leinster Cap.
Tommy O'Brien(20) - Uncapped.

Back Three
Rob Kearney(32) - 197 Leinster Caps & 86 Irish Caps.
Fergus McFadden(32) - 169 Leinster Caps & 34 Irish Caps.
Dave Kearney(29) - 122 Leinster Caps & 17 Irish Caps.
James Lowe(26) - 13 Leinster Caps, 39 Chiefs Caps & 29 Tasman Caps.
Barry Daly(25) - 27 Leinster Caps.
Adam Byrne(24) - 38 Leinster Caps & 1 Irish Cap.
Hugo Keenan(22) - 2 Leinster Caps.
Jordan Larmour(21) - 22 Leinster Caps & 6 Irish Caps.
Jack Kelly(20) - Uncapped.
Michaels Silvester(20) - Uncapped.
Aaron O'Sullivan(18) - 1 Wasps Cap.