Wright ruled out for season

[tate]

f%~k balls

[BlueBlue]

Sorry stan, thats bad luck

[ceemec]

However, Stan's injury also presents an opportunity for Jack McGrath, Jack O'Connell and Stewart Maguire. All three players have impressed me enormously for 'A' sides and the Irish underage teams in recent years. They're all physically developed and they're all very hungry, but crucially they all lack game time. If the Leinster website is correct, they only have 1 full cap (as a sub) and 11 'A' caps between them. In my opinion, if each of those guys can turn around at the end of this season (before the age of 21/22) and say that they each participated in 5 or 6 first team fixtures and held their own, then the loss of Stan will all have been worthwhile.

With Dawson already confirming Leinster will be looking to bring in a foreign replacement, I can't see Wright's absence providing much opportunity for any of the younger props. McGrath could possibly get a bit more of a look in but with 5 other props there (after the new arrival) I can't see this being of benefit to any player really aside from Ross.

[Aussiedub]

However, Stan's injury also presents an opportunity for Jack McGrath, Jack O'Connell and Stewart Maguire. All three players have impressed me enormously for 'A' sides and the Irish underage teams in recent years. They're all physically developed and they're all very hungry, but crucially they all lack game time. If the Leinster website is correct, they only have 1 full cap (as a sub) and 11 'A' caps between them. In my opinion, if each of those guys can turn around at the end of this season (before the age of 21/22) and say that they each participated in 5 or 6 first team fixtures and held their own, then the loss of Stan will all have been worthwhile.

With Dawson already confirming Leinster will be looking to bring in a foreign replacement, I can't see Wright's absence providing much opportunity for any of the younger props. McGrath could possibly get a bit more of a look in but with 5 other props there (after the new arrival) I can't see this being of benefit to any player really aside from Ross.

With Healy out for till I few weeks into the season, then for AI's/6Nations and preparing for RWC then he will be very limited in terms of gametime available which will really leave VDM and Ross available (assuming Ross doesn't get called up) and the young lads. Serious problems if injury to any of the first 3 as we would be totally screwed in teh HC with 2 subs on the bench..

[Vamos los azules]

It's 23 man squads in the Magners this season as well. It's completely unrealistic to expect that Healy, Ross, VdM, McCormack as experienced players will be enough with the number of matches and the absence of international players. Fair enough, start trying to bring McGrath and the academy guys through in the Magners but it's not the kind of position where you can just throw the young inexperienced guys in and expect them to become world class props on the back of a few games in the senior squad. Healy is still very young himself and has a long way to go.

Even assuming no more injuries (and I wouldn't be 100% confident of Mike Ross playing this weekend with the way he went down holding his calf on Friday night - can't see him being risked in a friendly if there's even the slightest doubt) Healy is likely to be rested/off on international duty fairly regularly. If Ross plays and goes well enough to get called in to the Ireland team he'll then become less available to Leinster, which leaves VdM and Ronnie leading the kids.

It also leaves us with Healy, Ross, VdM, McCormack all needing to be available for Heineken matches or we're looking at playing development/academy players with a handful of caps. Even having the other 4 all available is not strong enough for the Heineken imo. Our opponents don't exactly have weak scrums.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Absolutely gutted and wish him the best of luck in his recovery. Hopefully it's not quite as bad as feared.

Just gonna throw this out there...there was talk a while ago of CJ staying until January, could that deal be revived?

[Oldschool]

Oh God, what a nightmare! Worst news since Gleeson announced his retirement.

Personally, for Ireland's sake, I think they should go with Ross. At least for a few months. In the last five or so years, at one time or another Birch, Fogs, Stan, Keogh and McLaughlain all made themselves first choice players and in some cases internationals by being given a decent run of matches.

You need game time to get match fit and until Ross gets a decent run of it he'll just be unfairly judged as unfit and lazy. It's impossible for him to ever make an impression with the game time he's been getting.

I know Sky have a tendancy to fall in love with players and then laud them as God's gift to rugby but Ross made Barnes' GP Team of the Year before he signed and then he spent a season on our bench. Fair enough if Stan was keeping him out but now that he is injured Ross must be used for the sake of the Irish scrum.

Agree!
Kidney is a lucky so and so and if he is a good strategist he'll make sure we sign a LH instead of TH, so that Ross is guaranteed to get his game.
We'll probably end up with a utility prop.

[dipper]

Terrible news. I overheard Schmidt saying it was his achilles on Friday after the match but was really hoping they were mistaken. Ross really has to show his worth now.

[johng]

Kidney is a lucky so and so and if he is a good strategist he'll make sure we sign a LH instead of TH, so that Ross is guaranteed to get his game.
We'll probably end up with a utility prop.

Let's look at what we have.

Ciano: LH only.

Hank the Tank: LH who can play TH.

Ronnie: LH mostly.

McGrath: Plays both not sure which he prefers.

Ross: TH only

We are a bit LH heavy.

I can see us signing someone who plays both, but we need a TH to back up Ross. (If he can up his workrate and string a run of games together)

The 2 Lads in the academy (& probably McGrath) would not be ready for HC, and despite playing 10 mins in our HC final, I would not be too confident of Ronnie either.

So, just to have 4 HC standard props, we need a decent signing, either behind or ahead of Ross.

[tackle-bag]

McCormack isn't even up to ML standard; it's beyond me how he's still a professional rugby player. I'd much rather see a young lad struggle a bit in the scrum but carry the ball enthusiastically (and benefit from the overall experience) than I would see Ronnie get mullered by his opposite number in the set piece and contribute absolutely nothing around the park.

[CiaranIrl]

This is the worst news in a long while.

Ugh...

We need a new tighthead prop, quick smart.

[Darce]

A real kick in the b*%&!x.
An absolute stalwarth for us and at 32 it will be nigh on impossible to come back stronger and fitter

Steady on old bean. Still would have a good 3 years in him after a comeback

[tackle-bag]

If we're signing a new player, the guy we should be looking at is WP Nel. Picked in most commentators' Super 14 team of the season, he's one of the finest scrummaging THs on the planet. He's also only 24 and inexplicably hasn't yet played for the 'boks, so he could even fall into the 'project player' bracket if he enjoyed playing here along with his old mate Richardt Strauss. I advocated going for him when we signed Van der Merwe instead, would really love to see him in Leinster colours.

[johng]

An "All Saffer front row", Eh!
Are we Ulster in disguise? Are we Uuuulster in disguise?

Be fun when we play them, and Sarries.

[Broken Wing]

Dubs and Stan out in the same weekend? FFS. Once again the gods spread cheeks and apply c0ck to ass.

[ratpack]

Absolutely gutted for Stan, real shame, he's gonna missed a lot around the squad. Hope he makes a full recovery.

The Beast is out of favour with the Saffies as well so i'd throw him into the mix as well. Realistically I think it's gotta be a Saffer because of Kolpak.

[tackle-bag]

Absolutely gutted for Stan, real shame, he's gonna missed a lot around the squad. Hope he makes a full recovery.

The Beast is out of favour with the Saffies as well so i'd throw him into the mix as well. Realistically I think it's gotta be a Saffer because of Kolpak.

The Beast is a LH though, we need someone who is stronger on the TH side.

I'm telling you people, WP Nel is the way forward! I read something a while back about him being disillusioned by the failure of PdeV to take any real notice of him. One enjoyable season getting paid good money to play top class rugby in front of the RDS faithful and who knows what might happen.

[ellandleinster]

Best of luck with the recovery Stan. We need you back soon

[ratpack]

Absolutely gutted for Stan, real shame, he's gonna missed a lot around the squad. Hope he makes a full recovery.

The Beast is out of favour with the Saffies as well so i'd throw him into the mix as well. Realistically I think it's gotta be a Saffer because of Kolpak.

The Beast is a LH though, we need someone who is stronger on the TH side.

I'm telling you people, WP Nel is the way forward! I read something a while back about him being disillusioned by the failure of PdeV to take any real notice of him. One enjoyable season getting paid good money to play top class rugby in front of the RDS faithful and who knows what might happen.

Yeah I realise that Beast is a loosey but with Ross and HVDM able to cover the tight it gives us a bit more wiggle room. Agreed about Nel though.

Haha, i think the goons over on munsterfans would have kittens at the prospect of us fielding an all Saffer front row.

[tackle-bag]

Just to put the skills of WP Nel in context, for people who may not watch a huge amount of South African/Super 14 rugby, here's a quick sample:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdeKRlAI89o

Between 1.10 and 1.50 on that video, there are two examples of simply devastating scrummaging from a 23 year old Nel leading directly to tries for the Cheetahs. I remember watching that match and thinking he was a future great of world rugby; it really beggars belief that the Springboks have simply ignored him.

Oh, and the victim in the link above? Guthro Steenkamp, the incumbent Springbok loosehead, who featured in a pack that overpowered the All Blacks' scrum on Saturday.