Leinster v Edinburgh Fri 31 Oct

[cormac]

Squad for this game could be "interesting" given the injuries and international squad selections.

Props: Bent, Furlong, Ed Byrne, Dooley
Hookers: Dundon, Bryan Byrne - Strauss might be released from Ireland squad as he needs game-time.
Locks: Douglas, Denton (injured?), Marshall, Thornbury
Back-row: Conan, Jennings (?), McLaughlin (?), vd Flier, Leavy - will be Jenno's 200th game for Leinster if he plays
Scrum-half: Boss, McGrath
Fly-half: Gopperth, Marsh
Centre: Reid, Macken, Te'o
Back 3: Fanning, Fitzgerald, Kirchner, Dave Kearney (?), Mick McGrath

[sontaran man]

Nice to see a game with a bit of coherent structure and gamplan in this one.A game where we are in control on the pitch and the scoreboard for a change.

[cormac]

Kirchner hasn't been included in the Bok squad.

[neiliog93]

Reddan might be released because he was on the bench last week and will likely be on bench for Ireland too. Strauss will definitely be released from Ireland camp - he's third choice hooker for Ireland and desperately needs gametime.

Mike Mac will be released too - he'll be on the bench at best for Ireland even with the injury crisis (but probably behind Dave Foley and therefore 4th choice), and was on the bench last week against Castres so he's fresh enough. Dom Ryan will also probably be released as the 4 Irish backrows in the matchday squad are likely to be POM, Heaslip, Henry and Ruddock/O'Donnell. D.Ryan probably won't be in the matchday squad against the Saffers.

[paddyor]

AFAIK they shipped a lot of injuries at the weekend, in particular the Scottish captain gilchrist. Good chance to field a few youngsters

[sewa]

Reddan might be released because he was on the bench last week and will likely be on bench for Ireland too. Strauss will definitely be released from Ireland camp - he's third choice hooker for Ireland and desperately needs gametime.

Mike Mac will be released too - he'll be on the bench at best for Ireland even with the injury crisis (but probably behind Dave Foley and therefore 4th choice), and was on the bench last week against Castres so he's fresh enough. Dom Ryan will also probably be released as the 4 Irish backrows in the matchday squad are likely to be POM, Heaslip, Henry and Ruddock/O'Donnell. D.Ryan probably won't be in the matchday squad against the Saffers.

Any source for these releases? Personally I am not expecting anyone to be released from Joe camp

[cormac]

Reddan might be released because he was on the bench last week and will likely be on bench for Ireland too. Strauss will definitely be released from Ireland camp - he's third choice hooker for Ireland and desperately needs gametime.

Mike Mac will be released too - he'll be on the bench at best for Ireland even with the injury crisis (but probably behind Dave Foley and therefore 4th choice), and was on the bench last week against Castres so he's fresh enough. Dom Ryan will also probably be released as the 4 Irish backrows in the matchday squad are likely to be POM, Heaslip, Henry and Ruddock/O'Donnell. D.Ryan probably won't be in the matchday squad against the Saffers.

Wouldn't share your confidence about player release, don't recall players being released back to us last year for the equivalent game away to the Dragons. I think it would be to Strauss' benefit for him to play on Friday as he's only got 86 minutes on the pitch so far this season, but I wouldn't be confident about him being available.

[neiliog93]

I'm an eternal optimist. Generally if someone isn't going to be in the matchday 23 and/or needs gametime, there's a good chance that they'll be released for their province.

[simonokeeffe]

From BBC
Meanwhile, Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist, who was set to skipper Scotland in the autumn Tests, will have surgery later this week on the broken arm he suffered during his team's win over Lyon last Friday.
Flanker Hamish Watson has had surgery on a fractured jaw while fellow back row Roddy Grant will undergo surgery on Monday to correct a fractured bone in his cheek.
...He also believes Phil Burleigh has "grade two or three medial ligament damage", predicting lay-offs of between "six to 12 weeks" for those badly injured.
Sam Beard had to go off with a head knock, while Edinburgh lost Scotland duo Alasdair Dickinson and Dougie Fife to unspecified injuries prior to the game.

Missing to Scotland Squad
Dickinson, Ford, Fife, heathcote, Visser

[goreyguy]

perfect game for luke mcgrath to start

[neiliog93]

perfect game for luke mcgrath to start

Edinburgh are utterly useless. Good game for young players.

[sewa]

Sounds like they are in an injury crisis, Scotland only have two teams to select from too. Should be a five pointer

[simonokeeffe]

only downer is theyre missing way fewer players than we are, we should have enough in the backline for it though

[molloyjh]

I'm an eternal optimist. Generally if someone isn't going to be in the matchday 23 and/or needs gametime, there's a good chance that they'll be released for their province.

There's an Ireland open training session on Friday I believe and they're all only going into camp this week. I'd be surprised to see players being released tbh. Still, something like this isn't that bad, even if I'd switch the scrum-halves:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

09. Boss
10. Gopperth
11. Fitz
12. Reid
13. Te'o
14. Fanning
15. Kirchner

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan
21. L McGrath
22. Crosbie/Marsh
23. M McGrath

[offshorerules]

From BBC
Meanwhile, Edinburgh lock Grant Gilchrist, who was set to skipper Scotland in the autumn Tests, will have surgery later this week on the broken arm he suffered during his team's win over Lyon last Friday.
Flanker Hamish Watson has had surgery on a fractured jaw while fellow back row Roddy Grant will undergo surgery on Monday to correct a fractured bone in his cheek.
...He also believes Phil Burleigh has "grade two or three medial ligament damage", predicting lay-offs of between "six to 12 weeks" for those badly injured.
Sam Beard had to go off with a head knock, while Edinburgh lost Scotland duo Alasdair Dickinson and Dougie Fife to unspecified injuries prior to the game.

Missing to Scotland Squad
Dickinson, Ford, Fife, heathcote, Visser

Crikey.

[curates_egg]

Still, something like this isn't that bad:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan

I know it's Halloween but seeing that pack line-up would terrify me.

[Peg Leg]

Still, something like this isn't that bad:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan

I know it's Halloween but seeing that pack line-up would terrify me.

You an Edinburgh fan?

[Fred Funk]

I'm an eternal optimist. Generally if someone isn't going to be in the matchday 23 and/or needs gametime, there's a good chance that they'll be released for their province.

There's an Ireland open training session on Friday I believe and they're all only going into camp this week. I'd be surprised to see players being released tbh. Still, something like this isn't that bad, even if I'd switch the scrum-halves:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

09. Boss
10. Gopperth
11. Fitz
12. Reid
13. Te'o
14. Fanning
15. Kirchner

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan
21. L McGrath
22. Crosbie/Marsh
23. M McGrath

Macken should be in the mix too?

[molloyjh]

Still, something like this isn't that bad:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan

I know it's Halloween but seeing that pack line-up would terrify me.

Yeah the pack isn't great, but the Byrne twins looked good in the few senior appearances they've had this season. Bent will do a job. The second row is decent enough, even if Douglas hasn't impressed me to any huge degree so far. The back row is pretty green but there's lots of potential there. I'd say they'd get us past a weakened Edinburgh side. The bench is an issue though. I forgot about Furlong mind you so I'd say he'd be in there instead of Heffernan.

[molloyjh]

I'm an eternal optimist. Generally if someone isn't going to be in the matchday 23 and/or needs gametime, there's a good chance that they'll be released for their province.

There's an Ireland open training session on Friday I believe and they're all only going into camp this week. I'd be surprised to see players being released tbh. Still, something like this isn't that bad, even if I'd switch the scrum-halves:

01. E Byrne
02. B Byrne
03. Bent
04. Denton
05. Douglas
06. Leavy
07. VDF
08. Conan

09. Boss
10. Gopperth
11. Fitz
12. Reid
13. Te'o
14. Fanning
15. Kirchner

16. Dundon
17. Dooley
18. Heffernan
19. Marshall
20. Coughlan
21. L McGrath
22. Crosbie/Marsh
23. M McGrath

Macken should be in the mix too?

Macken was the only fit back not selected for the Wasps game. Even a not fully fit Luke, who was never going to feature, got selected ahead of him. MOC simply isn't a fan and I don't see him getting much, if any, game time for the rest of the season. He's going to need to move on if he wants a future in the game.