Rumour Mill

[Dave Cahill]

most of the locks youve listed have played little senior rugby and leinster need a big experienced tough SOB at 5 and they dont have that.

Thats certainly true, but I think that it's something the coaching team believe can better get through 'up-coaching' (just threw up a little in my mouth there, sorry) rather than by buying in.

[riocard911]

most of the locks youve listed have played little senior rugby and leinster need a big experienced tough SOB at 5 and they dont have that.

Thats certainly true, but I think that it's something the coaching team believe can better get through 'up-coaching' (just threw up a little in my mouth there, sorry) rather than by buying in.

Céard é an scéal, Dave? Can we look forward to a grand Blues Talk season preview next week?

[ronk]

there is a fairly big hole at 5 at the moment and only going to get bigger when Toner goes.

James Ryan might disagree with that. Toner will certainly be a huge loss though, guys that size who are good footballers are very rare. We're not short of locks, we currently have Baird, Ryan, Molony, Dunne, and Toner in the senior squad and Deeny, Ryan and ors in the academy, we just have to work out how best to use them and thats a coaching thing.

To my mind, the biggest gap in the squad is at 6 - Rhys Ruddock is grand when fit, is Josh Murphy ready for the step up or will they move Conan in there more often. I think that the semi final last year exposed Baird at 6 (at least at this point in his career and at that level) quite badly

Basically Fardy at the peak of his powers.

Signing another lock was politically tough after having so many for so long. It's awkward for the national team in a way what Fardy wasn't (he moved to suit us, not us moving guys around as we would with a monster tighthead lock). And any players worth signing ain't cheap.

[mildlyinterested]

listening to Ross Byrne on a podcast, he confirms that the IRFU approached him about moving away from Leinster and he said that he never thought a second about leaving leinster.

22/23 mins in: https://soundcloud.com/richie-allen-3/r ... episode-63

[ronk]

Thank BOD he didn't go. We now know that there was no barrier to losing both of them after Salanoa.

The Carbery as backup for the RWC issue wouldn't have been fully solved. So the IRFU would have gone ahead with moving Carbery once the option was on the table.

The result would have blown up Leinster's season and depending on how far along the Burns deal was the Irish depth chart would be down one or would have had 2 internationals still competing for a club jersey.

[deco]

listening to Ross Byrne on a podcast, he confirms that the IRFU approached him about moving away from Leinster and he said that he never thought a second about leaving leinster.

22/23 mins in: https://soundcloud.com/richie-allen-3/r ... episode-63

I love hearing players saying stuff like that. I'd rather a player who bleeds Leinster, rather than someone who'll jump ship on a promise. Unfortunate that the IRFU seem to punish the former and reward the latter.

[Xanthippe]

there is a fairly big hole at 5 at the moment and only going to get bigger when Toner goes.

Hang on - I though we all agreed just this week that Alan Spicer is the saviour of Leinster Rugby?

[mildlyinterested]

listening to Ross Byrne on a podcast, he confirms that the IRFU approached him about moving away from Leinster and he said that he never thought a second about leaving leinster.

22/23 mins in: https://soundcloud.com/richie-allen-3/r ... episode-63

I love hearing players saying stuff like that. I'd rather a player who bleeds Leinster, rather than someone who'll jump ship on a promise. Unfortunate that the IRFU seem to punish the former and reward the latter.

Theres plenty more stories like that. 2 recent lions are just a few who have turned down multiple approaches.

[Oldschool]

there is a fairly big hole at 5 at the moment and only going to get bigger when Toner goes.

Hang on - I though we all agreed just this week that Alan Spicer is the saviour of Leinster Rugby?

You haven't heard the rumour then?
The one about him going to Munster after the RWC when their RWC winning SR signing has left these shores.

[ronk]

there is a fairly big hole at 5 at the moment and only going to get bigger when Toner goes.

Hang on - I though we all agreed just this week that Alan Spicer is the saviour of Leinster Rugby?

You sure that wasn't last week?

[leinsterforever]

there is a fairly big hole at 5 at the moment and only going to get bigger when Toner goes.

James Ryan might disagree with that. Toner will certainly be a huge loss though, guys that size who are good footballers are very rare. We're not short of locks, we currently have Baird, Ryan, Molony, Dunne, and Toner in the senior squad and Deeny, Ryan and ors in the academy, we just have to work out how best to use them and thats a coaching thing.

To my mind, the biggest gap in the squad is at 6 - Rhys Ruddock is grand when fit, is Josh Murphy ready for the step up or will they move Conan in there more often. I think that the semi final last year exposed Baird at 6 (at least at this point in his career and at that level) quite badly

James Ryans ability to be a top tier 5 looks doubtful to me, may be more suited to 4. Even if he can return to previous levels, most of the locks youve listed have played little senior rugby and leinster need a big experienced tough SOB at 5 and they dont have that.

Yeah, I'd really like to see Ryan as the loosehead lock, being the main lineout operator alongside a gnarled tighthead lock in the mould of a Brad Thorn. If signing someone like Skelton isn't on the table then developing Dunne for that role might be the best option.

I'm far from convinced that Ryan and Baird is going to be a heavyweight enough pairing against the very best opposition.

[leinsterforever]

I wonder what kind of weight Joe McCarthy will end up at in a few years' time. He's a good prospect as a tighthead lock.

[curates_egg]

listening to Ross Byrne on a podcast, he confirms that the IRFU approached him about moving away from Leinster and he said that he never thought a second about leaving leinster.

22/23 mins in: https://soundcloud.com/richie-allen-3/r ... episode-63

Thanks for sharing: that was great (despite the way too many references to the senior cup).
I’m definitely on the running 10 side of the debate, but pure blue bloodedness trumps everything. I’m happy to admit that I was wrong, and Ross is my new messiah. That interview just oozes dedication to Leinster.

[mildlyinterested]

GT

Granted, Skeltons don’t exactly fall off trees and, no less than many others, Leinster are actively looking for such an import; but the timing of the new Japanese league in May shrinks the options for a short-term signing a la Thorn in 2011-12.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4682169

[mildlyinterested]

ROC struggling for content: https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 99382.html

Leinster will face stiff competition to retain the services of three of their Ireland internationals beyond the end of this season, with a number of clubs in England and France preparing to make offers to Rhys Ruddock, Ross Byrne and Andrew Porter.

[ronk]

ROC struggling for content: https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 99382.html

Leinster will face stiff competition to retain the services of three of their Ireland internationals beyond the end of this season, with a number of clubs in England and France preparing to make offers to Rhys Ruddock, Ross Byrne and Andrew Porter.

I'm guessing they have the same agent.

[hugonaut]

ROC struggling for content: https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 99382.html

Leinster will face stiff competition to retain the services of three of their Ireland internationals beyond the end of this season, with a number of clubs in England and France preparing to make offers to Rhys Ruddock, Ross Byrne and Andrew Porter.

I'm guessing they have the same agent.

All with Navy Blue, Niall Woods' firm [source: https://www.navyblue.ie/clients/international/ ]

[Ruckedtobits]

Sure, you really can see Irish players wanting to sign up to the English Premiership, given the state of that country. Or maybe they'll choose France where they can play 25 plus games a season and watch Ireland play in a foreign language.

Somehow, with the prospect of being involved, at last, in a decent quality League and much more cohesion between the Provincial and National calendars, I can't see players like those looking to foreign shores. If you've been involved in winning dressing rooms, it's very difficult to accept anything less.

[mildlyinterested]

it's been rare for stuff like this to be in the papers recently.. suppose it's to be expected given the financial situation in irish rugby.

[mildlyinterested]

Players likely out of contract:

Jonathan Sexton(36/St. Marys/St. Marys) - central contract until 2022
Sean Cronin(35) - signed 1 yr contract in 2021
Devin Toner(35/Castleknock/Lansdowne) - signed 1 yr contract in 2021
Cian Healy(33/Belvedere/Clontarf) - central contract until 2022
Rhys Ruddock(30/Exile/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Jamison Gibson Park(29) - signed 3yr contract in 2019
Robbie Henshaw(28) - central contact until 2022
Tadhg Furlong(28/New Ross RFC/Clontarf) - central contract until 2022
Ed Byrne(28/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Josh Van Der Flier(28/Wesley/UCD) - signed 2 yr contract in 2020
Dan Leavy(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Peter Dooley(27/Birr RFC/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
Adam Byrne(27/Naas RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Rory O'Loughlin(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Ross Byrne(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Garry Ringrose(26/Blackrock/UCD) - central contact until 2022
Josh Murphy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Will Connors(25/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Conor O'Brien(25/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Andrew Porter(25/St. Andrews/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Vakh Abdaladze(25/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Max Deegan(24/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Jordan Larmour(24/St. Andrews/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Ciaran Frawley(23/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Tommy O'Brien(23/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Caelan Doris(23/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Dan Sheehan(23/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
Jack Dunne(22/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Ryan Baird(22/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Harry Byrne(22/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020