Leinster Academy 2021-22

[mildlyinterested]

Will Twomey Munster under 18s captain 2019 is now training with Leinster 19s

ex-Glenstal, must be heading to trinity. Good player, but leinster have better prospects at his position/age grade in Martin, Gibbons and Brownlee.

Could go to Nure with the Skehan connection, also speaking of 12s do you know if Hugo McWade is involved with Leinster this summer?

I think so but not 100% on that.

[Workhorse]

They are training with sub academy and not the 19's. afaik

Which is what they said...

Not quite. I believe Barry Gray might be in that group too, not sure if there any other 19s are.. Martin's not which I guess is surprising.

It really is exactly what they said. You could acknowledge that other posters know just as much if not more than you at times every so often.

[mildlyinterested]

Which is what they said...

Not quite. I believe Barry Gray might be in that group too, not sure if there any other 19s are.. Martin's not which I guess is surprising.

It really is exactly what they said. You could acknowledge that other posters know just as much if not more than you at times every so often.

More than happy for other people to contribute to the thread.

I've never claimed to be the fountain of all knowledge or have more insight that anyone else. It's not a competition

I just clarified that they are training right now with the sub academy, not next year, as was stated.

[backrower8]

Success in the cup is the not the same thing as producing players capable of playing professional rugby. They are correlated but not the same thing. Blackrock seems to be better at winning cups than Michael's (possibly due to better overall squad strength) but Michael's seem to be better at producing superb individual players (who might be part of Michael's squads that are overall weaker than their Belvedere/Blackrock competitors).

The fact that both Blackrock and Belvedere literally have twice the number of pupils is relevant.

[backrower8]

remarkably only 1 player from st. michaels in the academy and 7 from blackrock.

2 from Gerards, 2 from club rugby, 1 from roscrea, 1 from belvedere, 1 from clongowes, 1 exile and 1 from ulster

The fact that 14 of the 46 senior player contracts (post Rob & Ferg) are St Michael's players has a fair bit to do with that. The likes of Baird H.Byrne, Penny, Dunne, Ja Ryan, R.Kelleher & Deegan were all fastracked through the Academy, as in given senior contracts before 3rd year Academy.

5 from Clongowes, 4 from Blackrock, 2 each from Belvedere and St Andrew's

[mildlyinterested]

remarkably only 1 player from st. michaels in the academy and 7 from blackrock.

2 from Gerards, 2 from club rugby, 1 from roscrea, 1 from belvedere, 1 from clongowes, 1 exile and 1 from ulster

The fact that 14 of the 46 senior player contracts (post Rob & Ferg) are St Michael's players has a fair bit to do with that. The likes of Baird H.Byrne, Penny, Dunne, Ja Ryan, R.Kelleher & Deegan were all fastracked through the Academy, as in given senior contracts before 3rd year Academy.

5 from Clongowes, 4 from Blackrock, 2 each from Belvedere and St Andrew's

it was remarkable due to michaels SCT winning side has to date only produced 1 academy player.. this obviously will rise but is somewhat surprising there isn't more players from that side in the academy at this stage.. but I guess they did disappoint this season.

[backrower8]

remarkably only 1 player from st. michaels in the academy and 7 from blackrock.

2 from Gerards, 2 from club rugby, 1 from roscrea, 1 from belvedere, 1 from clongowes, 1 exile and 1 from ulster

The fact that 14 of the 46 senior player contracts (post Rob & Ferg) are St Michael's players has a fair bit to do with that. The likes of Baird H.Byrne, Penny, Dunne, Ja Ryan, R.Kelleher & Deegan were all fastracked through the Academy, as in given senior contracts before 3rd year Academy.

5 from Clongowes, 4 from Blackrock, 2 each from Belvedere and St Andrew's

it was remarkable due to michaels SCT winning side has to date only produced 1 academy player.. this obviously will rise but is somewhat surprising there isn't more players from that side in the academy at this stage.. but I guess they did disappoint this season.

Nah, your comment was about the number of Michael's goys in the whole of the Academy, not just about 1 year. If Messrs. Baird, H.Byrne, Dunne and Penny weren't fast tracked there would currently be 5 in the Academy. The main point remains that 1 average sized school has produced 1 third of the senior squad with most of those players not required to do a full 3 years in the Academy.

Michael's have 15 on Leinster's books, 14 on senior contracts.
Clongowes have 6, 5 on senior contracts (without Ferg & Rob)
Blackrock have 10, 4 on senior contracts.

As I am sure you know well, most of the 2019 cup-wining side were 4th and 5th years and most of the potential Academy talent only left school this summer - so they weren't expected to walk out of school and into contracts 1 month later. In addition to Smith who is in year 1, there are 6 of the 2019 side in with a shot of of making Academy. I think 3 of them will probably make it - but there is only 1 that I feel confident of. Boyle. That would make 4, potentially 7, from a starting side and "normal service" resumed...we'll see.

Anyway, as you say yourself, winning cups does not get you a pro contract. I don't think the cup-winning sides from Belvo or Rock have seen significant numbers come through to the pro ranks.

As for the 2020 Michael's team, they did indeed "disappoint", nobody more so than themselves. Underachievement at Cup-time remains an issue on Ailesbury Road - but the school is half the size of Rock and Belvo, so these things will happen.

But I think you know all this...I just can't resist the bait

[EnergiaPark70]

The fact that 14 of the 46 senior player contracts (post Rob & Ferg) are St Michael's players has a fair bit to do with that. The likes of Baird H.Byrne, Penny, Dunne, Ja Ryan, R.Kelleher & Deegan were all fastracked through the Academy, as in given senior contracts before 3rd year Academy.

5 from Clongowes, 4 from Blackrock, 2 each from Belvedere and St Andrew's

it was remarkable due to michaels SCT winning side has to date only produced 1 academy player.. this obviously will rise but is somewhat surprising there isn't more players from that side in the academy at this stage.. but I guess they did disappoint this season.

Nah, your comment was about the number of Michael's goys in the whole of the Academy, not just about 1 year. If Messrs. Baird, H.Byrne, Dunne and Penny weren't fast tracked there would currently be 5 in the Academy. The main point remains that 1 average sized school has produced 1 third of the senior squad with most of those players not required to do a full 3 years in the Academy.

Michael's have 15 on Leinster's books, 14 on senior contracts.
Clongowes have 6, 5 on senior contracts (without Ferg & Rob)
Blackrock have 10, 4 on senior contracts.

As I am sure you know well, most of the 2019 cup-wining side were 4th and 5th years and most of the potential Academy talent only left school this summer - so they weren't expected to walk out of school and into contracts 1 month later. In addition to Smith who is in year 1, there are 6 of the 2019 side in with a shot of of making Academy. I think 3 of them will probably make it - but there is only 1 that I feel confident of. Boyle. That would make 4, potentially 7, from a starting side and "normal service" resumed...we'll see.

Anyway, as you say yourself, winning cups does not get you a pro contract. I don't think the cup-winning sides from Belvo or Rock have seen significant numbers come through to the pro ranks.

As for the 2020 Michael's team, they did indeed "disappoint", nobody more so than themselves. Underachievement at Cup-time remains an issue on Ailesbury Road - but the school is half the size of Rock and Belvo, so these things will happen.

But I think you know all this...I just can't resist the bait

Does it not help that Leinster under 18s and 19s coaches have been Michaels . Picking huge amount of players from this school due to favouritism can also be a contributing factor

[mildlyinterested]

Yeah there's some questionable inclusions in last years 18s for sure.

[backrower8]

It might result in some limited bias at underage level, but I doubt Leinster Rugby would tolerate that.

It certainly has nothing to do with those that get Academy and Senior contracts, which is what we’ve been focusing on here.

[backrower8]

Yeah there's some questionable inclusions in last years 18s for sure.

I note the U18s retained their title last year, winning all their competitive matches. I’d say questionable inclusions weren’t limited to one school either.

[mildlyinterested]

Yeah there's some questionable inclusions in last years 18s for sure.

I note the U18s retained their title last year, winning all their competitive matches. I’d say questionable inclusions weren’t limited to one school either.

probably not, but there was certainly some questionable michaels players involved.

[backrower8]

Well that’s just your opinion which you likely won’t be backing up by naming players and alternatives and certainly won’t be balancing your critique by naming other questionable selections from other schools and their betters. It’s just having a dig at a coach.

The evidence of a winning campaign suggests that all the players involved were of a high standard. At best there were some close calls. Questionable players don’t get carried to straight wins in a competitive tournament.

[mildlyinterested]

i'm just saying players who couldn't make the bench for their SCT side, probably shouldn't have been in the leinster schools squad or at least their inclusion looks pretty questionable in retrospect.

[mildlyinterested]

Anyway some more players involved with 19's:

Prop
Ben Popplewell(Wexford RFC)
Hugh Flood(Belvedere)
Rory McGuire(Blackrock)
Aaron Rowan(Blackrock)
Dylan Lynch(Dundalk RFC)
Oisin Michael(Cill Dara RFC)

Hooker
Howard Noonan(Greystones RFC)
Scott Barron(Blackrock)
Fred Happonen(St. Gerards)

Lock
Sean Walsh(Seapoint RFC)
Paul Deeny(Wexford RFC)
Mark Morrissey(Blackrock)
Ruairi Clarke(Cill Dara RFC)

Backrow
Donough Lawlor(Newbridge)
Dylan Ryan(St. Michaels)
Louis Gainfort(Wexford RFC)
Stephen Woods(St. Michaels)
James Culhane(Blackrock)
Fionn McWay(Portlaoise RFC-Roscrea)
Conor Booth(St. Michaels)
Conor Duffy(Tullow RFC)
Abdul Olaosebikan(Balbriggan RFC)
Luke Dunleavy(Newbridge)

Scrumhalf
Conor Duggan(Castleknock)
Oisin Devitt(Clongowes)
Michael Moloney(Blackrock)

Outhalf
Fionn O'Hara(Mullingar RFC)
Finn McCarrick(Belvedere)
Eoin Quinn(CBC Monkstown)

Outside Backs
Daniel Hawkshaw(Belvedere/Centre)
Hugo McWade(St. Michaels/Centre)
Karl Martin(Boyne RFC-Old Belvedere/Centre)
Fionn Gibbons(Castleknock/Centre)
Ben Brownlee(Blackrock/Centre)
Aitzol King(Balbriggan RFC-CUS/Wing)
Jack Hanlon(Tullow RFC/Wing)
Shane Mallon(Roscrea/Wing)
Dylan O'Grady(Belvedere/Fullback)

[mildlyinterested]

Very good interview with Noel Mc: https://open.spotify.com/episode/76WLeClsNJJGhcEGK2qs7j

[mildlyinterested]

Former Leinster underage 2nd row Jack Regan has been named in Otago’s squad for the upcoming Mitre 10 Cup.

[Pilotman123]

Former Leinster underage 2nd row Jack Regan has been named in Otago’s squad for the upcoming Mitre 10 Cup.

What school did he go to?

[mildlyinterested]

Former Leinster underage 2nd row Jack Regan has been named in Otago’s squad for the upcoming Mitre 10 Cup.

What school did he go to?

St. Brendan's CS

[Up Wexford]

Daithi Regans young fella?