Leinster Squad 21-22

[mildlyinterested]

Given the announcement I thought I'd start this thread highlighting players we are still waiting to hear on:

LH Prop
Cian Healy(33/Belvedere/Clontarf) - central contract until 2022
Ed Byrne(28/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Peter Dooley(27/Birr RFC/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
Andrew Porter(25/St. Andrews/UCD) - central contract until 2025
Michael Milne(22/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
--
Marcus Hanan(21/Clane RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Jack Boyle(19/St. Michaels/UCD) - Academy Yr 1

TH Prop
Michael Alaalatoa(30) - signed contract in 2021
Tadhg Furlong(28/New Ross RFC/Clontarf) - central contract until 2025
Vakh Abdaladze(25/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Tom Clarkson(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2021
--
Temi Lasisi(20/Enniscorthy/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 1

Hooker
Sean Cronin(35) - signed 1 yr contract in 2021
James Tracy(30/Newbridge/UCD) - signed 2yr contract in 2021
Ronan Kelleher(23/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2021
Dan Sheehan(23/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
--
John McKee(21/Campbell/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Lee Barron(20/St. Michaels/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1

Lock
Devin Toner(35/Castleknock/Lansdowne) - signed 1 yr contract in 2021
Ross Molony(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Josh Murphy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
James Ryan(25/St. Michaels/UCD)- central contract until 2023
Jack Dunne(23/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Ryan Baird(22/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
--
Charlie Ryan(22/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 3
Brian Deeny(21/Wexford RFC/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 3
Joe McCarthy(20/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2

Backrow
Rhys Ruddock(30/Exile/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Jack Conan(29/St. Gerards/Old Belvedere) - signed contract in 2021
Josh Van Der Flier(28/Wesley/UCD) - signed 2 yr contract in 2020
Dan Leavy(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Will Connors(25/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Max Deegan(24/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Caelan Doris(23/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Scott Penny(22/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
--
Martin Moloney(21/Athy RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 3
Sean O'Brien(21/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 2
Alex Soroka(20/Belvedere/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 2
Mark Hernan(21/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 1

Scrumhalf
Jamie Gibson Park(29) - signed 3yr contract in 2019
Luke McGrath(28/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Nick McCarthy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contact in 2021
--
Cormac Foley(21/St. Gerards/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 3
Ben Murphy(20/Pres Bray/Old Wesley) - Academy Yr 1

Outhalf
Jonathan Sexton(36/St. Marys/St. Marys) - central contract until 2022
Ross Byrne(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Harry Byrne(22/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
David Hawkshaw(22/Belvedere/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2021

Centre
Robbie Henshaw(28) - central contact until 2022
Rory O'Loughlin(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Garry Ringrose(26/Blackrock/UCD) - central contact until 2025
Conor O'Brien(25/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Ciaran Frawley(23/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
--
Liam Turner(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 3
Jamie Osborne(20/Naas RFC/Naas) - Academy Yr 2

Back Three
Dave Kearney(32/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed 2yr contract in 2021
James Lowe(29) - signed 3yr contract in 2020
Adam Byrne(27/Naas RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2020[
Hugo Keenan(25/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Jimmy O'Brien(24/Newbridge/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
Jordan Larmour(24/St. Andrews/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Tommy O'Brien(23/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
--
Andrew Smith(21/St. Michaels/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 2
Niall Comerford(21/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 2
Max O'Reilly(21/St. Gerards/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2
Rob Russell(22/St. Michaels/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1
Chris Cosgrave(20/St. Michaels/UCD) - Academy Yr 1

[johng]

Did Jamie Osbourne get promoted to the full academy during the season?

PS: thanks for your efforts on this thread. Great to refer back to throughout next season.

[ronk]

7 tightheads doesn't seem possible. We may be losing McGrath as well.

[blockhead]

Anybody else think we need to recruit a back 3 player?
We have Kearney, Lowe, Larmour and Keenan covering the 3 spots. We've been blessed so far that none of them are injured. Big drop down to Kelleher and he is leaving. Hard to rely on poor oul Adam Byrne, the lad is cursed with injuries.
Any of the others likely to make a breakthrough?
Any chance of getting our prodigal son (Conway) back?

[wixfjord]

Anybody else think we need to recruit a back 3 player?
We have Kearney, Lowe, Larmour and Keenan covering the 3 spots. We've been blessed so far that none of them are injured. Big drop down to Kelleher and he is leaving. Hard to rely on poor oul Adam Byrne, the lad is cursed with injuries.
Any of the others likely to make a breakthrough?
Any chance of getting our prodigal son (Conway) back?

In normal times it might be an option, but we have JOB, TOB, ROL, Osborne, Turner and MOR along with presumably one of Byrne/Kelleher. Lots of potential and bodies there.

I am surprised CK is on the move though.

[ronk]

MOR was decent Pro14 level and is gonna get better. Osbourne is a bolter. Plenty of other talent but worth tracking JOB.

If I was going to raid Munster for back 3 players I'd go for someone younger than Conway.

[Dave Cahill]

Darren Sweetnam?

[ronk]

Darren Sweetnam?

Wasn’t even thinking of him (or anyone specifically), but it would be hard to look past him if Leinster actually wanted to make a signing (which I don’t think they do).

I’d been more learning towards Nash or Daly.

[leinster23]

I can't see us being a particularly attractive destination for a young Munster lad, none of them could crack the current 23, if I were Daly I'd be more interested in Connacht especially seeing how well Wooton has done up there. Ulster seem to be overflowing with young wingers at the moment though, be interesting to see if they can hold on to them. They've already lost Kernohan to the championship and he was relatively highly rated.

We're in a weird situation in the back three right now, we've got four very good options who all deserve to start and there's a big drop off after that. Right now we're leaving one of Lowe/Dave out of the team which is a great position to be in but we're two injuries away from it being a worry. That said, I think Jimmy O'Brien played well enough this year to suggest that he's good enough to be the next man up going into next year, assuming CK does leave (or maybe regardless, he did start ahead of him for the European group games this year). Adam Byrne is an viable option when fit but injuries are a killer for him. You've got O'Loughlin as well who's shown he can be solid in Europe and can do a job out wide. Max O'Reilly is on an upward curve now too. There are enough options there that a signing doesn't seem necessary and it'll be hard to attract anyone anyway since no one is the price bracket we'd be looking at would be able to make the 23 when fit.

[ronk]

Situation could change in Ulster depending on contract renewals for Ludik and Faddes, and the injury situation with Addison.

I don't see anyone else moving anyway.

The problem with the back 3 in Connacht is that a fair few players have looked great there but never threatened to step up at a higher level. It might be a good move but sets a ceiling on your career.

Daly can either sit in Munster and wait/hope someone gets injured or he can try and cash in and move to somewhere else while he has a bit of a buzz around him.

That last option might not be an option if he signed his extension before Zebo came back.

[carlow man]

Munster must be losing someone at 15. Either Gallagher or haley. Theres no way those 2 and zebo are all going to be kept interested for the season. Fat boy will be chosen at fb meaning one of haley or Gallagher goes in at 23. Or daly gets the bench spot cos he covers the back 3. Personally I'd take Daly if we could get him, alternatively I think haley would be a great signing if we got him. He would look so much better playing our style of rugby rather than that muck they keep persisting with.

[Serb]

I doubt they’re losing anyone else. The Zebo signing looks like a quick and opportunistic one. I believe van Graan mentioned that he only realised a deal could be made in April, so within the last two weeks.

I think Conway is the most likely player to suffer next season. He hasn’t played a whole lot (9 times all season, zero tries), but he has really looked terrible in the games he did feature in.

He took time out for personal reasons during the season, so maybe has other things going on in his life, so can’t really be too critical about him, but purely on rugby terms, you’d want Earls, Zebo and Haley on the pitch as your best back three at the moment.

[carlow man]

The strange thing is that munster didn't need to sign zebo. They should have been looking to sign a European level hooker and/or tighthead prop. Their front 5 are miles off being a genuine contender at champions cup level so spunking money on zebo who will do a year and then look for another pay cheque is hardly planning for the future.

[munster#1]

Have Leinster announced many departures?
The only one that I have noticed is Fardy.

[cormac]

Have Leinster announced many departures?
The only one that I have noticed is Fardy.

Most departures from the senior squad are often only announced just in advance of the awards dinner they usually have towards the end of the season.

[munster#1]

Have Leinster announced many departures?
The only one that I have noticed is Fardy.

Most departures from the senior squad are often only announced just in advance of the awards dinner they usually have towards the end of the season.

Thanks, I was wondering alright, because you’d imagine a few would have to leave to make room for academy graduates.

[riocard911]

The strange thing is that munster didn't need to sign zebo. They should have been looking to sign a European level hooker and/or tighthead prop. Their front 5 are miles off being a genuine contender at champions cup level so spunking money on zebo who will do a year and then look for another pay cheque is hardly planning for the future.

Craziest bit is they got the IRFU to put up some of the cash. Does anyone on here seriously believe Zebo is gonna make the Ireland squad? I don't. But if he does - on merit - more power to him. Seems to me they brought him back to strengthen the waning Munster brand/"culture" - take your pick - put bums on seats and sell jerseys. Oh, and give Ireland's rugby journos something to ooh and ah about....

[Serb]

I don’t know what the fuss about Zebo is tbh. He’s a decent player who became available at short notice and from the sounds of things, Munster were able to leverage the “coming home” narrative to get him below market value. It’s a one year contract too so the player is footing all the risk.

I look at it as a sound piece of business on their part. I wouldn’t read much into the IRFU co-funding piece — the money was there, €600,000 from reports, clearly some of it from the IRFU. I bet that’s not uncommon and would imagine we’re benefiting from the exact same arrangement for some of our players (central contracts aside).

The only reason it was made public was because van Graan / Munster made shîte of the comms around funding saying they had to let players go due to budget constraints and then had to justify the cash when they went on a spending spree right after.

[Twist]

The strange thing is that munster didn't need to sign zebo. They should have been looking to sign a European level hooker and/or tighthead prop. Their front 5 are miles off being a genuine contender at champions cup level so spunking money on zebo who will do a year and then look for another pay cheque is hardly planning for the future.

Craziest bit is they got the IRFU to put up some of the cash. Does anyone on here seriously believe Zebo is gonna make the Ireland squad? I don't. But if he does - on merit - more power to him. Seems to me they brought him back to strengthen the waning Munster brand/"culture" - take your pick - put bums on seats and sell jerseys. Oh, and give Ireland's rugby journos something to ooh and ah about....

If that's all it is then it's not a bad idea. Every bit of revenue is precious now, and if he generates more money than he costs then it'll be worth it.

But I don't think thats it. He's their record try scorer and he's still good enough to score tries at HECC level at least. He showed at Racing that his ceiling is still quite high, even if he's not consistent enough. I'd imagine Munster would fancy their system to get that consistency out of him.

[ronk]

I'd be skeptical of just how much revenue he'd bring in. Munster didn't mind losing him before at his peak (they let themselves be outbid).

His brand has gone backwards since & value has to be seen in the context of Racing cutting him because he's too expensive for them right now.