Rumour Mill

[Oldschoolsocks]

And the award for pedantry goes to…

[Colmodon]

A name for the rumour mill, anyone heard anything about Leon McDonald being lined up as Stu's replacement?

[wixfjord]

A name for the rumour mill, anyone heard anything about Leon McDonald being lined up as Stu's replacement?

That would make a lot of sense alright.

Birch mentioned he had heard someone who worked with Goodman and McDonald was at both Crusaders and Tasman.

There has been talk of him moving to the NH also.

[sunshiner1]

by Colmodon


A name for the rumour mill, anyone heard anything about Leon McDonald being lined up as Stu's replacement?

Looks to be a quality coach and someone who is being groomed for bigger things in New Zealand. No idea if the rumour is true but don't hate the idea of him coming here.

[Topdawg]

by Colmodon


A name for the rumour mill, anyone heard anything about Leon McDonald being lined up as Stu's replacement?

Looks to be a quality coach and someone who is being groomed for bigger things in New Zealand. No idea if the rumour is true but don't hate the idea of him coming here.

Also Leon McDonalds son is currently living in Dublin playing for Mary’s on the ail

[neiliog93]

For next season, what about Rory Sutherland to Leinster? Ulster are getting Kitschoff, and Sutherland, a Test Lion, isn't making the Scotland squad, so would be available during the RWC.

Healy will be retiring, Ed Byrne is nearly 30 and hasn't quite made the top-level grade (and is a bit injury-prone), and it seems a little soon for Milne (and much too soon for Hernan and others). Vakh may be moving on now that he isn't IQ, which would create an NIQ space. We look vulnerable at loosehead next season - arguably more vulnerable than at tighthead.

[munster#1]

For next season, what about Rory Sutherland to Leinster? Ulster are getting Kitschoff, and Sutherland, a Test Lion, isn't making the Scotland squad, so would be available during the RWC.

Healy will be retiring, Ed Byrne is nearly 30 and hasn't quite made the top-level grade (and is a bit injury-prone), and it seems a little soon for Milne (and much too soon for Hernan and others). Vakh may be moving on now that he isn't IQ, which would create an NIQ space. We look vulnerable at loosehead next season - arguably more vulnerable than at tighthead.

Leinster currently have 4 NIQ players, but the limit is loosely set at 3.

Is there someone else leaving along with Vakh?

Edit: sorry, I know that may have come across as being shitty, but it’s a genuine question.

[Xanthippe]

For next season, what about Rory Sutherland to Leinster? Ulster are getting Kitschoff, and Sutherland, a Test Lion, isn't making the Scotland squad, so would be available during the RWC.

Healy will be retiring, Ed Byrne is nearly 30 and hasn't quite made the top-level grade (and is a bit injury-prone), and it seems a little soon for Milne (and much too soon for Hernan and others). Vakh may be moving on now that he isn't IQ, which would create an NIQ space. We look vulnerable at loosehead next season - arguably more vulnerable than at tighthead.

Leinster currently have 4 NIQ players, but the limit is loosely set at 3.

Is there someone else leaving along with Vakh?

Edit: sorry, I know that may have come across as being shitty, but it’s a genuine question.

Vakh has a contract till summer 2024 so not so sure he is leaving at the moment

[Serb]

There’s no real limit on NIQ players, if a club needs someone, the IRFU will make it happen. I always found it petty when provincial fans try to get one up on other provinces for it, every province is guilty of it.

Sutherland specifically isn’t an option as he has rumoured to be signed on with the Kobe Steelers in Japan. We definitely have a depth issue on both sides of the front row, it’ll be interesting to see how we tackle it. I think it’s likely we try and fast track the kids as the plan A and only dip into the market if there’s really no option.

Jack Boyle is year 2, only 20 now, but I wonder if he could make his debut this weekend, or failing that, be involved in South Africa.

[enby]

Must be a barrel load of Welsh players who would find a 2 Yr contract over here to be an attractive prospect. McBryde should have the inside track on who would do a decent job

[neiliog93]

There's a few good standard looseheads in Wales with plenty of international caps, but who are currently out of international selection favour: Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas (the prop), Rob Evans, and Rhodri Jones.

Rhys Carré or Wyn Jones are better than any of the above, but obviously currently in the Wales set-up.

[ronk]

For next season, what about Rory Sutherland to Leinster? Ulster are getting Kitschoff, and Sutherland, a Test Lion, isn't making the Scotland squad, so would be available during the RWC.

Healy will be retiring, Ed Byrne is nearly 30 and hasn't quite made the top-level grade (and is a bit injury-prone), and it seems a little soon for Milne (and much too soon for Hernan and others). Vakh may be moving on now that he isn't IQ, which would create an NIQ space. We look vulnerable at loosehead next season - arguably more vulnerable than at tighthead.

I haven't seen Healy retiring confirmed. Seems unlikely for a guy who's still in the Irish 23.

Would be strange for Dooley to leave with he thought he only had a year to wait.

Sutherland doesn't really make sense.

[neiliog93]

Healy will be 36 at the RWC, and with a lot of mileage on the clock after breaking through at a young age.

[paddyor]

Scott Robertson to Fiji for the RWC and then onto the AB job after.

[naraic]

Healy will be 36 at the RWC, and with a lot of mileage on the clock after breaking through at a young age.

While retiring after the RWC is sort of common I feel its an odd decision and mainly motivated by contract structures.

The hardest part of a rugby season for a player is preseason (quote from John Hayes in an interview he gave after he retired) so once thats done why not finish the season.

That said if Healy is retained I'd try to use him as little as possible in league games as we focused on giving minutes to younger talent.

[FtD]

There was an interesting snippet on an short internet video doing the rounds from the Good, the Bad and the Rugby Podcast Australia which is a chat between Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, where Mitchell is slagging Giteau that every decision he made in his career he made motivated by cash.

During the discussion Giteau rejects this premise wrt to the Toulon move, claiming he had an offer at the same time, for more cash, to move to Leinster, which he turned down.

Very interesting - he joined Toulon in 2011, when Leinster were the dominant force in European rugby.

[hugonaut]

There was an interesting snippet on an short internet video doing the rounds from the Good, the Bad and the Rugby Podcast Australia which is a chat between Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, where Mitchell is slagging Giteau that every decision he made in his career he made motivated by cash.

During the discussion Giteau rejects this premise wrt to the Toulon move, claiming he had an offer at the same time, for more cash, to move to Leinster, which he turned down.

Very interesting - he joined Toulon in 2011, when Leinster were the dominant force in European rugby.

He had an offer from Leinster, he decided to go to Toulon. Toulon's payment structure was very opaque [as I have written about before] with massive amounts offered in bonuses, including 100%+ of the nominal wage figure as incentives.

It worked out for him, he did really well on the pitch and earned boatloads of cash. Would have loved to have seen him at Leinster, a brilliant player.

[Oldschoolsocks]

There was an interesting snippet on an short internet video doing the rounds from the Good, the Bad and the Rugby Podcast Australia which is a chat between Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, where Mitchell is slagging Giteau that every decision he made in his career he made motivated by cash.

During the discussion Giteau rejects this premise wrt to the Toulon move, claiming he had an offer at the same time, for more cash, to move to Leinster, which he turned down.

Very interesting - he joined Toulon in 2011, when Leinster were the dominant force in European rugby.

He had an offer from Leinster, he decided to go to Toulon. Toulon's payment structure was very opaque [as I have written about before] with massive amounts offered in bonuses, including 100%+ of the nominal wage figure as incentives.

It worked out for him, he did really well on the pitch and earned boatloads of cash. Would have loved to have seen him at Leinster, a brilliant player.

So… could it be said he did a Tubridy?

[FtD]

There was an interesting snippet on an short internet video doing the rounds from the Good, the Bad and the Rugby Podcast Australia which is a chat between Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau, where Mitchell is slagging Giteau that every decision he made in his career he made motivated by cash.

During the discussion Giteau rejects this premise wrt to the Toulon move, claiming he had an offer at the same time, for more cash, to move to Leinster, which he turned down.

Very interesting - he joined Toulon in 2011, when Leinster were the dominant force in European rugby.

He had an offer from Leinster, he decided to go to Toulon. Toulon's payment structure was very opaque [as I have written about before] with massive amounts offered in bonuses, including 100%+ of the nominal wage figure as incentives.

It worked out for him, he did really well on the pitch and earned boatloads of cash. Would have loved to have seen him at Leinster, a brilliant player.

Yeah, seems to actually be quite a bit of coverage on it, but somehow it all went over my head back then.

I've seen some articles in the Belfast Telegraph (of all places) claiming it was 2009 when Leinster tried to bring him in, after Sexton broke his hand against South Africa in Nov '09. It claimed the IRFU intervened and blocked the move. It also suggests he was keen on the move.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spor ... n%20Sexton.

Who else has there been in the past 20 years who Leinster pursued or were close to signing? Would be interesting to see how things could have turned out in certain scenarios.

[arsebiscuits1]

Yeah, seems to actually be quite a bit of coverage on it, but somehow it all went over my head back then.

I've seen some articles in the Belfast Telegraph (of all places) claiming it was 2009 when Leinster tried to bring him in, after Sexton broke his hand against South Africa in Nov '09. It claimed the IRFU intervened and blocked the move. It also suggests he was keen on the move.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/spor ... n%20Sexton.

Who else has there been in the past 20 years who Leinster pursued or were close to signing? Would be interesting to see how things could have turned out in certain scenarios.

Wasn't there an extremely high profile All Black back who was a hairs breadth for signing for us?

The exact name escapes me but I think it was along the likes of Conrad/ Ben Smith? Maybe Ryan Crotty?