Leinster Squad 18-19

[The Doc]

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

I doubt Kearney or Healy will get renewed central contracts post WC - possibly not Sexton.

I'd assume central contracts at the beginning of a WC cycle will have an eye on the next WC

[Ruckedtobits]

A lot of mouths to feed and a lot of players to get adequate game time. Albeit with possibly 19/ 20 National Squad players, without a full B&I schedule a lot of players will be short of match sharpness.

[johng]

There is a new hiberno Welsh comp replacing the b&I. Kicking off at the start of the season

[Ruckedtobits]

There is a new hiberno Welsh comp replacing the b&I. Kicking off at the start of the season

But only lasting about 6 weeks. Over before the end of October, hence Nucifora trying to get alterations in AIL for next Season, to slot in more contracted players' game time.

[mildlyinterested]

which have apparently been rejected, cant they just play A games against the provinces if they need to give lads warm up games?

[johng]

There is a new hiberno Welsh comp replacing the b&I. Kicking off at the start of the season

But only lasting about 6 weeks. Over before the end of October, hence Nucifora trying to get alterations in AIL for next Season, to slot in more contracted players' game time.

Yeah I saw that ok. Tough circle to try and square.

Also. I don't think I have ever seen this place go nearly 2 days without a post before. Even in the silly season.

[blockhead]

There is a new hiberno Welsh comp replacing the b&I. Kicking off at the start of the season

But only lasting about 6 weeks. Over before the end of October, hence Nucifora trying to get alterations in AIL for next Season, to slot in more contracted players' game time.

Yeah I saw that ok. Tough circle to try and square.

Also. I don't think I have ever seen this place go nearly 2 days without a post before. Even in the silly season.

We're all at the Horse Show.

[Dave Cahill]

I was at Taste of Cavan.

Surprisingly, it isn't Bacon and Cabbage.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Sean Cronin has somehow managed to overcome the death of his international career (and being a national disgrace) by...being in Ireland camp right now.

Rumours of his demise were greatly exaggerated.

[leinsterforever]

A lot of mouths to feed and a lot of players to get adequate game time. Albeit with possibly 19/ 20 National Squad players, without a full B&I schedule a lot of players will be short of match sharpness.

I was thinking that it was somewhat surprising that they didn't add a club hooker to the squad for extra depth (and maybe one or two more players in other positions as well). I suppose the reduced amount of 'A' gametime available now would be a consideration when they're weighing up what squad size would be optimal

[mildlyinterested]

still think a hooker is needed.. given Kelleher's injury record.

they were looking at having two academy hookers, but that didn't work out.

[wixfjord]

An interesting interview in yesterday's Indo Life magazine (don't @ me!) with Scott Fardy and his wife. Seems like they had a tough time last year after the birth of their first child. He comes across very well I must say.

[johng]

Hey! @you yah bastid

[mildlyinterested]

internationals to be rested even more this season than usual...

[Dave Cahill]

internationals to be rested even more this season than usual...

Its likely alright - it will make defending the Pro14 title very difficult on the grounds that it will be Pro14 games that those additional rests will affect

[hugonaut]

internationals to be rested even more this season than usual...

Its likely alright - it will make defending the Pro14 title very difficult on the grounds that it will be Pro14 games that those additional rests will affect

Always likely to happen this season. If Fardy stays fit and healthy we should be okay – he's the key. We won't have very much access to Dev and we'll have very little to James Ryan, so SF will have to carry a big load in the second row. It's a very big step down from Fardy to Molony and then a step down again to Mick Kearney and Nagle, who have been disappointing over the last two seasons. To be brutally honest, they haven't been at the required standard. 461 mins for Kearney and 360 mins for Nagle tells the story – the coaches don't seem to rate/trust either of them, and Nagle in particular made very little contribution.

Could do with Ross Molony finding better form this season – he improved his tackling last season [he used to miss loads] but other than that it was an iffy season for him. He's a better handler than he had the opportunity to show last year, and it'd be good to see him used to try and steal some more lineouts at the front.

Other than that I think we'll be okay. Little experience in the backrow with so many players involved with Ireland [Leavy, SOB, Conan, Ruddock, JVDF] but loads of talent in Deegan and Doris.

[leinsterforever]

The problem is the lack of grunt in the second row when Ryan, Toner and Fardy are absent. You only needed to watch the Connacht and Treviso matches to see that it was quite an issue. Molony and even Nagle are okay at playing the role of athletic line-out lock, but they really need to be paired with a heavyweight partner. Munster's fourth and fifth choice locks - O'Shea, Wycherley - are probably a lot more physical than their Leinster counterparts

Apart from Jack Dunne coming into the squad, nothing much has changed, and it's probably unrealistic to expect him to be able to step up and deliver this season. I just wonder whether it would have been worth having a look at Mark Flanagan, Cormac Daly (he's supposed to have outshone Mick Kearney for Clontarf last year, right?) or Sean McCarthy - even if just on a short-term deal or trial basis to see if they could do any better. If they could find someone who could fill the role at Pro14 level that Quinn Roux fills at international level for Ireland that would be enough

Kearney's supposed to be a good trainer, so maybe they figure that's of more value, since he probably won't be playing much

[mildlyinterested]

And a second row pairing of Fardy/Molony lacks power in the scrum too.

I'd have given Daly a trial post JWC fwiw, but I guess he has had a two year trial in the sub-academy.

If we were going to go after a power lock that's irish then John Madigan is the obvious player, but unlikely.

[hugonaut]

And a second row pairing of Fardy/Molony lacks power in the scrum too.

I'd have given Daly a trial post JWC fwiw, but I guess he has had a two year trial in the sub-academy.

If we were going to go after a power lock that's irish then John Madigan is the obvious player, but unlikely.

It's pretty apparent that there's a role there for Mick Kearney to fill, but he has to play better and be more of a presence on the pitch – physically and verbally. I don't think there's physically much between himself and Ulster's Alan O'Connor, for example, but O'Connor's leadership and aggression make him a much more valuable player for his province

Kearney is a decent Pro14-level player. He has previously shown the ability to play at this level – moreso at Connacht than here, admittedly. He's 27 this season, he should be entering his prime given his position. He's got a good situation at Leinster – I think he really needs to try and take mental stock of what he's currently doing, get advice from the coaches of what he needs to do better, and make a very big effort to change his habits to see how he can improve and get more time on the pitch. That might mean more effort than reward: always being the first person out on the pitch, trying to burst guys in training, cleaning up diet to the level of absolutely no craic, doing extra flexibility/fitness/skill sessions etc. But he's on the edge in terms of his position in the squad, and where would you rather be than Leinster?

Molony's position is certainly not impregnable at the moment. He didn't have a particularly good season last year. Given Kearney's advantages over him as a scrummager, there's 250/300 mins of gametime up for grabs there alongside Scott Fardy.

[mildlyinterested]

If he could step up it would be great but performances to date would give you much faith that he will.

While Molony didn't have a particularly good season last season, he was better than Kearney.