Leinster Squad 20-21

[mildlyinterested]

Probably had another year in him but if it means having budget for all the younger highly rated players I’ve no issue with him heading off. Dunne needs to con through at this stage and the three in the academy look promising

I'm not ITK on contracts, but one thing I've learned over the last ten or fifteen years is that rumour and speculation, even in national newspapers, are wrong just as often as they are right. I certainly remember Luke Fitzgerald 'signing for Munster' in the past!

I reckon we'll keep Dev. We just don't have enough depth there atm. Fardy his off, I'd assume. Ryan and Baird will be regular internationals. Dunne is not at all an established player.
So Molony and who, then?
Unless there are plans to dip into the Leinster diaspora again? Thornbury? Certainly not the O'Conners up North.

Thornbury re-signed with Connacht.

[FLIP]

I'm not ITK on contracts, but one thing I've learned over the last ten or fifteen years is that rumour and speculation, even in national newspapers, are wrong just as often as they are right. I certainly remember Luke Fitzgerald 'signing for Munster' in the past!

I reckon we'll keep Dev. We just don't have enough depth there atm. Fardy his off, I'd assume. Ryan and Baird will be regular internationals. Dunne is not at all an established player.
So Molony and who, then?
Unless there are plans to dip into the Leinster diaspora again? Thornbury? Certainly not the O'Conners up North.

Thornbury re-signed with Connacht.

Contracts mean nothing, or does that only apply when a certain team wants you?

[mildlyinterested]

I reckon we'll keep Dev. We just don't have enough depth there atm. Fardy his off, I'd assume. Ryan and Baird will be regular internationals. Dunne is not at all an established player.
So Molony and who, then?
Unless there are plans to dip into the Leinster diaspora again? Thornbury? Certainly not the O'Conners up North.

Thornbury re-signed with Connacht.

Contracts mean nothing, or does that only apply when a certain team wants you?

Nucifora has no interest in sending players back to leinster, so realistically it won't be happening this summer, can't rule it out in the future though and he'd certainly strengthen leinster.

hopefully the release of Beirne and Thornbury are their subsequent emergence and improvement has been a lesson to leinster.

[John23]

Was it not a mitigating factor that especially in the case of Beirne and Thornbury that they were constantly injured during their academy days so no body of work to accurately assess them on?

[mildlyinterested]

Was it not a mitigating factor that especially in the case of Beirne and Thornbury that they were constantly injured during their academy days so no body of work to accurately assess them on?

he was healthy in his final season for leinster, but was released anyway after a few appearances.. it's a mitigating factor but given he has turned into a lions level player you'd hope leinster will have learned a few lessons from that given he was released while squad players like Mick Kearney and Ian Nagle were retained.

Same goes for Thornbury who returned from NZ and was looking for a pro contract.

Leinster seemed happier to rely on low ceiling players like Kearney and Nagle instead of rolling with some high upside projects in Beirne and Thornbury, you'd hope going forward that this wouldn't happen again given Beirne is now our biggest rivals best player.

I don't think similar would happen today but you never know, see Cormac Izuchukwu.

Some may think this over-critical but I think a organization such as leinster will be evaluating themselves and trying to ensure that athletes such as Beirne and Thornbury who they had invested heavily in and are quite rare in irish rugby are not lost again in the future.

Leinster have been quite lucky to have James Ryan and Ryan Baird come out of u20 rugby ready to play top level rugby almost immediately... and this has helped cover up the loss of Beirne and Thornbury to other provinces.

[arsebiscuits1]

If Toner goes I wonder would someone like Jack Regan be worth a look?

Haven't seen much of him in Super Rugby but he didn't blag his way to a contract lol

[mildlyinterested]

If Toner goes I wonder would someone like Jack Regan be worth a look?

Haven't seen much of him in Super Rugby but he didn't blag his way to a contract lol

recent interview I read seemed like he was getting some interest from back here, but didn't sound like in a hurry to return to covid restrictions.

Worth a look for sure, another case of NZ coaching really improving a big raw athletic irish lock.

Doubt it will happen this summer though.

[Dave Cahill]

Considering our squad structure it is essential that we retain one of Toner or Fardy, or we sign a replacement of similar profile to Fardy/Hines/Triggs

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Rugby Head Coach Leo Cullen has issued an injury update ahead of Friday’s Heineken Champions Cup last-16 game against Toulon in the RDS Arena (KO: 5.30pm – live on BT Sport and RTÉ Radio).

There is positive news for winger Cian Kelleher who has recovered from his hamstring injury and is due to train this week.

A number of players though require further assessment before a final call will be made on their availability after picking up injuries against Munster Rugby at the weekend.

Johnny Sexton has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols and will be assessed as the week progresses and Ross Byrne will also require further assessment after he took a knock to his knee against Munster.

Vakh Abdaladze will again look to increase his involvement in team training this week as he continues to recover from a long-standing back injury

Unfortunately, Scott Penny has been ruled out of the Toulon game having sustained an injury to his hand against Ospreys.

There was no update on a number of players who remain unavailable to Cullen this week:

Garry Ringrose (ankle), Will Connors (knee), James Ryan (concussion), Rowan Osborne (hand), Jimmy O’Brien (hamstring), Tommy O’Brien (ankle), Adam Byrne (quad), Caelan Doris (concussion), Dan Leavy (knee), Conor O’Brien (knee) and Max Deegan (knee).

[munster#1]

Worrying to see no update on Doris but great to see that he is being given the time required to come good.

Hopefully this layoff is precautionary and he returns in even better shape than before.

[mildlyinterested]

they've been quite secretive lately so will be interesting to see who trains today.

[Jonny tight lips]

Surprised nothing on James Ryan, sometimes you wonder why they bother to give this update.

[mildlyinterested]

Surprised nothing on James Ryan, sometimes you wonder why they bother to give this update.

media is the only reason they give it.

[cormac]

Doris appears to be taking a relatively active role in training. Would at least suggest he's making some progress.

[cormac]

Ross Byrne taking part in training too.



https://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/775639021/5000/

[mildlyinterested]

interestingly Lancaster mentioned that Frawley was one of the key players injured at the moment in his media conference from yesterday.

[Serb]

Don’t like that they don’t mention all the injured players in the update. Maybe keeping the opposition guessing who exactly is unavailable?

[Dave Cahill]

Don’t like that they don’t mention all the injured players in the update. Maybe keeping the opposition guessing who exactly is unavailable?

Or, the law. Injury information is personal data and explicit permission is required from the player to discuss it in public.

[Serb]

Ah yeah, not expecting explicit details, but it’s not illegal to say someone is unavailable for selection.

[LeinsterLeader]

Well done Scott! Well deserved

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/penny-name ... -gen-star/