Tighthead Prop going forward

[The Doc]

Vakh named in Georgia squad, presumably thats him off at the end of the season.

Seeing reports from Georgian fans, it seems he was mullered in the scrum against Uruguay but was decent around the park. Really strange to see him even get a call up as Georgia are usually stacked in the front row, with players who have multiple starting appearances across various clubs in France.

Yeah but he's locked in now. He mightn't get another game for a few years but they have him as a development option now



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[ronk]

Senior
Tom Clarkson(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - 6'1, 118kg

Clarkson was a standout at u20 level, since then he has probably gone on to gain AIL experience and been exposed to pro level as a tighthead, not the biggest or the most powerful tighthead, he has struggled at times in the scrum especially when facing south african opposition.

Academy
Temi Lasisi(21/Enniscorthy RFC/Lansdowne) - 6'0, 116kg


Lasisi is a relatively recent convert from loosehead prop, a position he excelled at for ireland u20, he started all three of this seasons A games at tighthead and has been playing there regularly for Lansdowne in the AIL.

The Chile game is the perfect opportunity to test both Clarkson and Lasisi. Give them both a half against gnarled South American props and it will do them both the world of good!

We sorta have to anyway. We have 6 props on international duty.

[hugonaut]

Sub-Academy
Tom Connolly(22/Galwegians/DUFC) - 6'3, 125kg
Paddy McCarthy(U20/Blackrock/DUFC)
Adam Deay(U19/Tullow RFC/Lansdowne)

Connolly is a convert from backrow, who has excelled after moving to dublin and playing for trinity, he trained with leinster during preseason and was involved with the A team, it wouldnt be a huge surprise to see him get a contract next season as he is having a strong season in the AIL. McCarthy is a top tier athlete and while playing loosehead at the moment, he is expected to play tighthead for the irish 20s. Deay, who is a big powerful ball carrier, alternated with Andrew Sparrow for this season leinster u19s and was recently named in the ireland u19 squad and a NTS squad.

Connolly is a big unit. He looks like a pro already: https://inpho.ie/assignment/LWnEG6s8hF7 ... wdXR3nQ..a

This is from a Leinster session back in March of this year. Didn't realise that he had been in camp last season.

[ronk]

Sub-Academy
Tom Connolly(22/Galwegians/DUFC) - 6'3, 125kg
Paddy McCarthy(U20/Blackrock/DUFC)
Adam Deay(U19/Tullow RFC/Lansdowne)

Connolly is a convert from backrow, who has excelled after moving to dublin and playing for trinity, he trained with leinster during preseason and was involved with the A team, it wouldnt be a huge surprise to see him get a contract next season as he is having a strong season in the AIL. McCarthy is a top tier athlete and while playing loosehead at the moment, he is expected to play tighthead for the irish 20s. Deay, who is a big powerful ball carrier, alternated with Andrew Sparrow for this season leinster u19s and was recently named in the ireland u19 squad and a NTS squad.

Connolly is a big unit. He looks like a pro already: https://inpho.ie/assignment/LWnEG6s8hF7 ... wdXR3nQ..a

This is from a Leinster session back in March of this year. Didn't realise that he had been in camp last season.

Seems to be a bit of a Dan Sheehan build.

As an aside, there were a lot of faces at that training session who are no longer with the province. We've changed a lot.

[mildlyinterested]

Paddy McCarthy started at tighthead for Trinity at the weekend.

[dobby15]

Senior
Tom Clarkson(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - 6'1, 118kg

Clarkson was a standout at u20 level, since then he has probably gone on to gain AIL experience and been exposed to pro level as a tighthead, not the biggest or the most powerful tighthead, he has struggled at times in the scrum especially when facing south african opposition.

Academy
Temi Lasisi(21/Enniscorthy RFC/Lansdowne) - 6'0, 116kg


Lasisi is a relatively recent convert from loosehead prop, a position he excelled at for ireland u20, he started all three of this seasons A games at tighthead and has been playing there regularly for Lansdowne in the AIL.

The Chile game is the perfect opportunity to test both Clarkson and Lasisi. Give them both a half against gnarled South American props and it will do them both the world of good!

We sorta have to anyway. We have 6 props on international duty.

Yep will be interesting to see how they go. I would probably start with Lasisi just to see how he goes as its a win, win situation this kind of friendly

[mildlyinterested]

id be surprised if Tom Connolly is not involved.

[sunshiner1]

by mildlyinterested

id be surprised if Tom Connolly is not involved.

Rumour has it that Connacht are talking to him. If Leinster don't offer him something soon he'll be off West I'd say.

[Ruckedtobits]

by mildlyinterested

id be surprised if Tom Connolly is not involved.

Rumour has it that Connacht are talking to him. If Leinster don't offer him something soon he'll be off West I'd say.

Leinster should keep Connolly, at least until he's put in difficulties - if that occurs. He's a long way from his potential because he's so big. But watching him try to clear their No 18 from a breakdown, he doesn't yet look as strong as his size would suggest. He needs lots of work on his "agility", apart altogether from his transmission of leg power through to his upper body, which is the essential component for a THP. If he gets to that point, he'll be a go-to THP for as long as he can stay fit.

Good luck to him with his work-ons.

[Ruckedtobits]

by mildlyinterested

id be surprised if Tom Connolly is not involved.

Rumour has it that Connacht are talking to him. If Leinster don't offer him something soon he'll be off West I'd say.

Leinster should keep Connolly, at least until he's put in difficulties - if that occurs. He's a long way from his potential because he's so big. But watching him try to clear their No 18 from a breakdown, he doesn't yet look as strong as his size would suggest. He needs lots of work on his "agility", apart altogether from his transmission of leg power through to his upper body, which is the essential component for a THP. If he gets to that point, he'll be a go-to THP for as long as he can stay fit.

Good luck to him with his work-ons.

[mildlyinterested]

by mildlyinterested

id be surprised if Tom Connolly is not involved.

Rumour has it that Connacht are talking to him. If Leinster don't offer him something soon he'll be off West I'd say.

Rather he went west tbh, he is a galway man after all.

[scentofgunpowder]

Wonder if Leinster will look at Illo, given he is out of contract next year.

[sunshiner1]

by scentofgunpowder

Wonder if Leinster will look at Illo, given he is out of contract next year.

Doubt it. He hardly torn up trees out west.

[sunshiner1]

by Ruckedtobits

Leinster should keep Connolly, at least until he's put in difficulties - if that occurs. He's a long way from his potential because he's so big. But watching him try to clear their No 18 from a breakdown, he doesn't yet look as strong as his size would suggest. He needs lots of work on his "agility", apart altogether from his transmission of leg power through to his upper body, which is the essential component for a THP. If he gets to that point, he'll be a go-to THP for as long as he can stay fit.

Good luck to him with his work-ons.

Agreed. I'd rather he stayed here and worked on making himself a top player. With the RWC we'll need extra players and our development of props is second to none.

[joooooe]

While watching Ireland v Australia at the weekend I looked up Allan Ala'alatoa, Michael's little big brother. I then linked through to Michael's bio and noticed on his Wikipedia page that in his time at Crusaders he scored 28 points. This surely means that at some point he kicked a penalty or drop goal and now I'm very curious.

[FLIP]

While watching Ireland v Australia at the weekend I looked up Allan Ala'alatoa, Michael's little big brother. I then linked through to Michael's bio and noticed on his Wikipedia page that in his time at Crusaders he scored 28 points. This surely means that at some point he kicked a penalty or drop goal and now I'm very curious.

From what I've seen it happened in the Super Rugby Aotearoa season, but none of the matches have him down as scoring a penalty - maybe in a preseason match?

[naraic]

While watching Ireland v Australia at the weekend I looked up Allan Ala'alatoa, Michael's little big brother. I then linked through to Michael's bio and noticed on his Wikipedia page that in his time at Crusaders he scored 28 points. This surely means that at some point he kicked a penalty or drop goal and now I'm very curious.

It's recorded here as a penalty during the super rugby season and wiki cribs their stats for him from this website.

https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/players/mich ... 23585.html

I suspect it's a mistake. It's not recorded here

https://all.rugby/player/michael-alaalatoa

[ronk]

https://all.rugby/player/michael-alaalatoa

Or wiki is wrong

[joooooe]

While watching Ireland v Australia at the weekend I looked up Allan Ala'alatoa, Michael's little big brother. I then linked through to Michael's bio and noticed on his Wikipedia page that in his time at Crusaders he scored 28 points. This surely means that at some point he kicked a penalty or drop goal and now I'm very curious.

It's recorded here as a penalty during the super rugby season and wiki cribs their stats for him from this website.

https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/players/mich ... 23585.html

I suspect it's a mistake. It's not recorded here

https://all.rugby/player/michael-alaalatoa

That second link has him scoring no points for the whole of 2020/21, the season in which (according to the first link) he scored a penalty.

[naraic]

While watching Ireland v Australia at the weekend I looked up Allan Ala'alatoa, Michael's little big brother. I then linked through to Michael's bio and noticed on his Wikipedia page that in his time at Crusaders he scored 28 points. This surely means that at some point he kicked a penalty or drop goal and now I'm very curious.

It's recorded here as a penalty during the super rugby season and wiki cribs their stats for him from this website.

https://www.itsrugby.co.uk/players/mich ... 23585.html

I suspect it's a mistake. It's not recorded here

https://all.rugby/player/michael-alaalatoa

That second link has him scoring no points for the whole of 2020/21, the season in which (according to the first link) he scored a penalty.

Agreed.

The first link is where wiki took its stats from (if you look at the references) and I think it's wrong.