Next seasons squad & team

[hugonaut]

Mark Flanagan could join french club Mont-de-Marsan in Pro D2.

Interesting! I was hoping that he'd end up in Grenoble with Bernard Jackman [@ Jauzy19: They are both from the same club in north Dublin, Clontarf RFC].

I think a spell in France is exactly what the lad needs [as I wrote before in the Contract Renewals thread: http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... &start=340 ] – Pro D2 is a tough league, with a lot of rugby week in week out against grizzly old pros. The standard of coaching wouldn't be anywhere near as good as what he has been getting at Leinster, but that lad needs more games, not more coaching. He could put twenty games under his belt next season if he's lucky, which is probably fifteen more than he'd get at Leinster.

[awol]

Maybe im in the minority here, but im actually pretty optimistic about next season.

Do i think we will struggle for the conintuity we have enjoyed over the last few seasons, yes.

However - what we do have

1. A host of younger players ready to step up and some slightly more experienced guys ready to help them.
2. The simple fact that a lot of clubs thrive on being back to the wall for a short period. Look how Leinster played earlier in the year with feck all resources.
I reckon that environment while building a team is healthy and drives a hunger for younger players. Long term, not something you can always live with, but nows the chance to step up.
3. Brian O Driscoll.
4. Brian O Driscoll.
5. Brian O Driscoll.
6. A new coach who has a good record, and possibly some good ideas around keeping us playing something similar to the style we are accustomed to.
7. Leo Cullen sticking around - the guy is the archtypal leader in the dressing room. I hope there is some space for him in the LR setup when he retires.
8. Ian Madigan steping up in a manner that reminded me of a younger Jonny Sexton a few years back.
9. Opportunitiy for new signings to make a mark with a/the top ranked european club. It dosent get much better.

Ultimately if we want to be the best, and stay near the top, this transition has to happen. Players come and go, but as long as your building the right structures you have a better chance of making it sustainable.
That i think has happened. Hence i am optimistic.

So.... Heres hoping for more Silverware, over to the team and coaches

[Fireworks]

Transition is a concept that should not exist in a well run club. The planning should always be in place to have young player coming up to fill the shoes of those leaving us and new signings identified to fill any gaps. New coaches can bring change but it is being handled well in this case as the rest of the coaching team is staying in place so we have continuity.

There can be a sort of transition when you get hit by the perfect storm of a group of guys going together through retirement or injury and suddenly you are left short but I do not think we have that issue. I still think we have a strong squad and if fitz can get fit we have the guys to challenge for more silverware next year.

[ronk]

Transition is a concept that should not exist in a well run club. The planning should always be in place to have young player coming up to fill the shoes of those leaving us and new signings identified to fill any gaps. New coaches can bring change but it is being handled well in this case as the rest of the coaching team is staying in place so we have continuity.

There can be a sort of transition when you get hit by the perfect storm of a group of guys going together through retirement or injury and suddenly you are left short but I do not think we have that issue. I still think we have a strong squad and if fitz can get fit we have the guys to challenge for more silverware next year.

Why not, transitions can be as much about coaching, tactics, systems and the laws as about player age profiles. It's not like the game is evolving in a clear direction for indefinite periods—the direction of the adaptation itself changes, sometimes quickly.

Munster/Irish rugby developed a system that required players to be adapted (over a period of years) to that system. It gave us the ability to punch above our weight because no one else was willing/able to subsume their entire rugby culture to the vision of 2 coaches. The decision to change direction in the 2000 6N was a huge one that wasn't without its benefits.

We choose a young group of players and turned them into the golden generation by allowing them to grow experienced together. The risk of transition was worth the reward, we put out some of the most experienced sides in rugby history.

[Ruckedtobits]

awol wrote
However - what we do have

1. A host of younger players ready to step up and some slightly more experienced guys ready to help them.
2. The simple fact that a lot of clubs thrive on being back to the wall for a short period. Look how Leinster played earlier in the year with feck all resources.
I reckon that environment while building a team is healthy and drives a hunger for younger players. Long term, not something you can always live with, but nows the chance to step up.
3. Brian O Driscoll.
4. Brian O Driscoll.
5. Brian O Driscoll.
6. A new coach who has a good record, and possibly some good ideas around keeping us playing something similar to the style we are accustomed to.
7. Leo Cullen sticking around - the guy is the archtypal leader in the dressing room. I hope there is some space for him in the LR setup when he retires.
8. Ian Madigan steping up in a manner that reminded me of a younger Jonny Sexton a few years back.
9. Opportunitiy for new signings to make a mark with a/the top ranked european club. It dosent get much better.

Ultimately if we want to be the best, and stay near the top, this transition has to happen. Players come and go, but as long as your building the right structures you have a better chance of making it sustainable.
That i think has happened. Hence i am optimistic.

+1

I am with you awol. Reasons for optimism far outweight reasons for gloom or even pessimism. The graph is upward, as is the momentum and our prospects are good if not great. That does not mean it will be easy, but that is how we learn and last year we learned a lot - ask Jordi Murphy, Noel Reid, Andy Conweay or Jack McGrath. The game is about being competiticve and then winning. We are the former, we must be the latter!

[ronk]

It's hard to know. We have a lot of challenges but we've a strong squad with a good mix of youth and experience. We were off the pace early last season and it cost us, but we finished really well.

Things change very quickly though. Munster's peak (in some ways) was their quarter final in 2009 and domination of the Lions. The game is changing again and while certain patterns have emerged, it's still not fully clear. The Welsh provinces might not be too far from getting their act together and we can see the talented young teams that they're building. The English clubs appear to have become a bit more sensible and there's a buzz around Lancaster. The big French clubs are bigger again and there are teams like Treviso and Glasgow that are right on the edge of making a big step up.

Tactically, we were quick to change systems at a time when the game was moving away from the structured phases gameplan. Teams have been adapting by either copying our tactics or by coming up with their own innovations. It's easier when teams don't understand what you're doing or how to stop you, you can get away with things.

Now we have a new challenge. We're moving to an Australian coach with extensive English experience at a time when every other head coaching position in Ireland is now filled with New Zealanders. There's a new round of changes to the laws and now is the time to be gaining experience in the tactics that will win the next World Cup (so we can expect to see the directions teams are taking).

[tigerburnie]

When do your guys start their training, is it after the USA tour, or will you be waiting for BOD and co to return from Australia?

[ronk]

When do your guys start their training, is it after the USA tour, or will you be waiting for BOD and co to return from Australia?

We have a designated rest period and full pre-season (10 weeks I think). Players who show up late due to going on tour start preseason later and therefore miss the start of the season

[Alternative Ulster]

Seem to remember the last Lions tour there were 3 preseasons.

Non Intl players started at the beginning of July and summer tour started a bit later, then Lions.

It means players start in 3 bunches. 1st start in the Pre season friendlies. 2nd group after a couple of Rabo games and Lions just before the HC.

[cormac]

Seem to remember the last Lions tour there were 3 preseasons.

Non Intl players started at the beginning of July and summer tour started a bit later, then Lions.

It means players start in 3 bunches. 1st start in the Pre season friendlies. 2nd group after a couple of Rabo games and Lions just before the HC.

We might get those involved in the North America tour a little earlier this season. Last season the tour to NZ finished on 23rd June whereas they're finished on 15th June this year. Also the Pro12 season started on weekend of 31 Aug - 2 Sep whereas next season it doesn't start until weekend of 6-8 Sep. Effectively an extra 2 weeks on those who toured last season. Unfortunately the later start to the Pro12 means we'll have one less match to prepare for start of HEC, i.e. there will be five Pro12 games before first HEC match compared to six last season.

[jauzy19]

Mark Flanagan could join french club Mont-de-Marsan in Pro D2.

Done deal.

[Oldschool]

In relation to transition and the evolution of the game.
How do people see the new scrum laws affecting the game. (Binding and enforcement of straight put in)
Will they speed up the game as intended?
Will the heavy scrummaging teams still have a big advantage?
Who will be the winners and/or losers? Heavy packs or mobile packs or will it be a trade off.
Are there any other law changes coming?

[Fireworks]

In relation to transition and the evolution of the game.
How do people see the new scrum laws affecting the game. (Binding and enforcement of straight put in)
Will they speed up the game as intended?
Will the heavy scrummaging teams still have a big advantage?
Who will be the winners and/or losers? Heavy packs or mobile packs or will it be a trade off.
Are there any other law changes coming?

We are now entering the dark and unknowable region called the front row. I apologise in advance to any front row experts for the opinions I am about to share.

I would think that a lot of the collapsed scrums occur because of one or more props not being able to get a bind and the collision putting them off balance. From what I have read and seen these new rules should avoid this happening. Hopefully it will speed up the game. It should benefit good scrummagers rather than monsters as the monsters area of power was the hit.

The straight feed will be fun. I think a lot of teams will be heading to the bar to find some old hookers to come out and explain to the current guys how you use your foot to "hook" the ball back. It also opens up the possibility of real competition for the ball and more balls against the head.

I would like to see new proposed rules being trialed at club level in advance to them being agreed so that coaches at senior level can get their heads around the reality.

[Peg Leg]

In relation to transition and the evolution of the game.
How do people see the new scrum laws affecting the game. (Binding and enforcement of straight put in)
Will they speed up the game as intended?
Will the heavy scrummaging teams still have a big advantage?
Who will be the winners and/or losers? Heavy packs or mobile packs or will it be a trade off.
Are there any other law changes coming?

We are now entering the dark and unknowable region called the front row. I apologise in advance to any front row experts for the opinions I am about to share.

I would think that a lot of the collapsed scrums occur because of one or more props not being able to get a bind and the collision putting them off balance. From what I have read and seen these new rules should avoid this happening. Hopefully it will speed up the game. It should benefit good scrummagers rather than monsters as the monsters area of power was the hit.

The straight feed will be fun. I think a lot of teams will be heading to the bar to find some old hookers to come out and explain to the current guys how you use your foot to "hook" the ball back. It also opens up the possibility of real competition for the ball and more balls against the head.

I would like to see new proposed rules being trialed at club level in advance to them being agreed so that coaches at senior level can get their heads around the reality.

I would have said the hit was a once off from the entire pack, the trick for the props was setting position and binding. After that it's the technical scrumaging that must still require huge upper body strength to cope with the forces involved, let alone the fact that you are trying to one arm wrestle your opponent.

[ronk]

I would have said the hit was a once off from the entire pack, the trick for the props was setting position and binding. After that it's the technical scrumaging that must still require huge upper body strength to cope with the forces involved, let alone the fact that you are trying to one arm wrestle your opponent.

I think it will come back to the ref, as always. If props can continue to con refs (and they will) then we'll continue to have collapses, but some of the time it will be more obvious, I expect.

The issue with crooked feeds is that there still isn't an actual definition of a straight feed. Refs use indicators to decide if the ball was straight at a lineout, e.g. the position of the hands of the lock (sometimes neglecting the position of the jumper). Exactly how straight does the ball have to be at a scrum to be able to call it straight.

[Alternative Ulster]

Between the 2 front rows would be an improvement.

[JB1973]

In relation to transition and the evolution of the game.
How do people see the new scrum laws affecting the game. (Binding and enforcement of straight put in)
Will they speed up the game as intended?
Will the heavy scrummaging teams still have a big advantage?
Who will be the winners and/or losers? Heavy packs or mobile packs or will it be a trade off.
Are there any other law changes coming?

We are now entering the dark and unknowable region called the front row. I apologise in advance to any front row experts for the opinions I am about to share.

I would think that a lot of the collapsed scrums occur because of one or more props not being able to get a bind and the collision putting them off balance. From what I have read and seen these new rules should avoid this happening. Hopefully it will speed up the game. It should benefit good scrummagers rather than monsters as the monsters area of power was the hit.

The straight feed will be fun. I think a lot of teams will be heading to the bar to find some old hookers to come out and explain to the current guys how you use your foot to "hook" the ball back. It also opens up the possibility of real competition for the ball and more balls against the head.

I would like to see new proposed rules being trialed at club level in advance to them being agreed so that coaches at senior level can get their heads around the reality.

Most top level hookers now are bascially an extra prop! this new rule should allow the smaller hookers to come back into the game as it places more emphasis on actuallu hooking the ball rather than just scrummaging the again if any hooker actually strikes for the ball in the current games the scrum would likley collapse on top of him!.

Also I;'d like to see the banning of these non grip jerseys for front row forwards i don;t think they help at all

[JB1973]

In relation to transition and the evolution of the game.
How do people see the new scrum laws affecting the game. (Binding and enforcement of straight put in)
Will they speed up the game as intended?
Will the heavy scrummaging teams still have a big advantage?
Who will be the winners and/or losers? Heavy packs or mobile packs or will it be a trade off.
Are there any other law changes coming?

We are now entering the dark and unknowable region called the front row. I apologise in advance to any front row experts for the opinions I am about to share.

I would think that a lot of the collapsed scrums occur because of one or more props not being able to get a bind and the collision putting them off balance. From what I have read and seen these new rules should avoid this happening. Hopefully it will speed up the game. It should benefit good scrummagers rather than monsters as the monsters area of power was the hit.

The straight feed will be fun. I think a lot of teams will be heading to the bar to find some old hookers to come out and explain to the current guys how you use your foot to "hook" the ball back. It also opens up the possibility of real competition for the ball and more balls against the head.

I would like to see new proposed rules being trialed at club level in advance to them being agreed so that coaches at senior level can get their heads around the reality.

Most top level hookers now are bascially an extra prop! this new rule should allow the smaller hookers to come back into the game as it places more emphasis on actuallu hooking the ball rather than just scrummaging the again if any hooker actually strikes for the ball in the current games the scrum would likley collapse on top of him!.

Also I;'d like to see the banning of these non grip jerseys for front row forwards i don;t think they help at all

[simonokeeffe]

even with hit depowered (which should stop early engagement nonsense too) if you want to attack another team's scrum you still can