Leinster Squad 21-22

[the spoofer]

add Rhys Ruddock to that who ended a great season injured..

100%. Our best forward last year [in my opinion] edging out JVDF, Kelleher and Porter.

I'd like to see him made club captain. Sexton played under 400mins in 2019-20 and under 240 mins in 2020-21 ... I just don't see how that is a good fit with the role of captaining the club, especially as we will now be entering into what should be a more challenging era in the league. I think it would be much better for us if we had a captain who was available for selection and in the side a lot more often.

To me it looks like Rhys is on the outside looking in at the national team under Farrell: he was capped just once [and then dropped] over the last 18 months, despite being obviously the best blindside in the country. I think at international level our No6 and No8 jerseys will be going through the trio of Conan, Doris and Coombes over the next couple of years as Farrell starts looking towards building his squad for the 2023 RWC.

Rhys would be 32 at that World Cup, which is by no means outside the window for a test backrower [Vermeulen was 33 at RWC19 and Kieran Read turned 34 during the tournament], but it looks as if - to quote Darren Cave – his "face doesn't fit". The upside of that is that he should be available for Leinster more often. I think we tend to play better when he is in the team, regardless of the opposition.

Any ideas why "his face doesn't fit"? He's a decent lineout option, he hurts people, carries well, cleans out like a monster. I just don't see why.

[FLIP]

add Rhys Ruddock to that who ended a great season injured..

100%. Our best forward last year [in my opinion] edging out JVDF, Kelleher and Porter.

I'd like to see him made club captain. Sexton played under 400mins in 2019-20 and under 240 mins in 2020-21 ... I just don't see how that is a good fit with the role of captaining the club, especially as we will now be entering into what should be a more challenging era in the league. I think it would be much better for us if we had a captain who was available for selection and in the side a lot more often.

To me it looks like Rhys is on the outside looking in at the national team under Farrell: he was capped just once [and then dropped] over the last 18 months, despite being obviously the best blindside in the country. I think at international level our No6 and No8 jerseys will be going through the trio of Conan, Doris and Coombes over the next couple of years as Farrell starts looking towards building his squad for the 2023 RWC.

Rhys would be 32 at that World Cup, which is by no means outside the window for a test backrower [Vermeulen was 33 at RWC19 and Kieran Read turned 34 during the tournament], but it looks as if - to quote Darren Cave – his "face doesn't fit". The upside of that is that he should be available for Leinster more often. I think we tend to play better when he is in the team, regardless of the opposition.

Any ideas why "his face doesn't fit"? He's a decent lineout option, he hurts people, carries well, cleans out like a monster. I just don't see why.

He doesn't look angry enough, doesn't make enough highlight reel moments, doesn't have the media darling following, is actually good in measurable and quantifiable means.

[ronk]

Rolls away after tackles and rejoins the line quickly.
Doesn't pull enough jerseys
Can play a match without handbags
No cheapshots
So not really your typical blindside if your typical blindside for 20 years is Alan Quinlan or Peter O'Mahony.

[Morf]

Any ideas why "his face doesn't fit"? He's a decent lineout option, he hurts people, carries well, cleans out like a monster. I just don't see why.

Lineout defence. Not as good as POM in that regard.

[FLIP]

Any ideas why "his face doesn't fit"? He's a decent lineout option, he hurts people, carries well, cleans out like a monster. I just don't see why.

Lineout defence. Not as good as POM in that regard.

IMO It's a bit of a red herring as we seemed to do better while POM was banned in that regard.

[ronk]

I think if we look at blindsides in the pro era in Ireland we see 3 types. 1st is the superstar athletic monster with back speed and tighthead lock power. Elsom and Ferris fit this mould. You pick them. There may be some debate about playing them in the row.

The others are a trade-off, and some fans strongly lean towards one or another. There's the tight 6, kinda Welsh who's very clearly a 6 and plays a lot close to the ruck but can play wider. They carry hard, and pair well with groundhog/linking opensides. Easterby and Ruddock are the main examples.

The other is the general backrow who plays 6. Plays across the backrow and is really a 7 who's too tall and almost mobile enough. They are lighter and do good lineout work because they are so easy to lift. They pair really well with a ball carrying 7. Best examples are Quinlan and POM.

The preference thing is part of it for Ruddock. But I think the bigger one is the string of injuries and never getting a sustained run of form at the right time. Same as with Dave Kearney. He's not older than guys already in the squad, but he's old to be bringing back into the squad and that makes it an uphill struggle.

[Morf]

Any ideas why "his face doesn't fit"? He's a decent lineout option, he hurts people, carries well, cleans out like a monster. I just don't see why.

Lineout defence. Not as good as POM in that regard.

IMO It's a bit of a red herring as we seemed to do better while POM was banned in that regard.

I don't necessarily swallow this but it's the go to line for journos with less Kool-ade in their tummies and I feel like Ireland coaches have referred to it at times also among the hard to define traits for POM.

[mildlyinterested]

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
Michael Milne(22/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
--
Marcus Hanan(21/Clane RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Temi Lasisi(19/Enniscorthy/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 1
Jack Boyle(18/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 2022
Andrew Porter(25/St. Andrews/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Vakh Abdaladze(25/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Tom Clarkson(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2021

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
James Ryan(25/St. Michaels/UCD)- central contract until 2023
Jack Dunne(22/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
Josh Murphy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
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

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 2022
Conor O'Brien(25/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Ciaran Frawley(23/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
David Hawkshaw(22/Belvedere/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2021
--
Liam Turner(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 3
Jamie Osborne(19/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

[ronk]

I thought I liked out depth at lock until I realised that if we decided to start 3 locks and put 2 on the bench SA style then we’d be using our full senior panel.

We won’t because we don’t have 2 locks who play blindside, but it shows you.

A few positions there were the new schedule takes pressure off, e.g. loosehead and outhalf.

[backrower8]

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
Michael Milne(22/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - signed contract in 2021
--
Marcus Hanan(21/Clane RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Temi Lasisi(19/Enniscorthy/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 1
Jack Boyle(18/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 2022
Andrew Porter(25/St. Andrews/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Vakh Abdaladze(25/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Tom Clarkson(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2021

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
James Ryan(25/St. Michaels/UCD)- central contract until 2023
Jack Dunne(22/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
Josh Murphy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
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

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 2022
Conor O'Brien(25/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Ciaran Frawley(23/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
David Hawkshaw(22/Belvedere/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2021
--
Liam Turner(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 3
Jamie Osborne(19/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

great list thanks.

67 players/ 46 senior/ 21 academy
64 Irish + 2 IQ + 1 NIQ
60 Leinster generated: 49 schools/ 40 from 5 schools/ 30 from 2 schools/ 21 from 1 school/ 11 clubs
4 other Irish provinces/exiles
6 Central Contracts

[ronk]

4 from other provinces? I have Cronin, Ruddock and Henshaw. Are you counting McCarthy? Why not count Sexton then.

[Purist98]

4 from other provinces? I have Cronin, Ruddock and Henshaw. Are you counting McCarthy? Why not count Sexton then.

John McKee is from Ulster

[ronk]

4 from other provinces? I have Cronin, Ruddock and Henshaw. Are you counting McCarthy? Why not count Sexton then.

John McKee is from Ulster

Thanks. I'd didn't know about him. Now that we have an example of it happening it might be worth asking the question, if he went from school to the Leinster sub academy instead of the full academy is he still an import.

[mildlyinterested]

4 from other provinces? I have Cronin, Ruddock and Henshaw. Are you counting McCarthy? Why not count Sexton then.

John McKee is from Ulster

Thanks. I'd didn't know about him. Now that we have an example of it happening it might be worth asking the question, if he went from school to the Leinster sub academy instead of the full academy is he still an import.

Yes.

[Oldschool]

I thought I liked out depth at lock until I realised that if we decided to start 3 locks and put 2 on the bench SA style then we’d be using our full senior panel.

We won’t because we don’t have 2 locks who play blindside, but it shows you.

A few positions there were the new schedule takes pressure off, e.g. loosehead and outhalf.

While we're not going to get him it does make the idea of Kleyn a little more appealing. IE someone who could do a job in the league and perhaps HCC pool stages.

[mildlyinterested]

I thought I liked out depth at lock until I realised that if we decided to start 3 locks and put 2 on the bench SA style then we’d be using our full senior panel.

We won’t because we don’t have 2 locks who play blindside, but it shows you.

A few positions there were the new schedule takes pressure off, e.g. loosehead and outhalf.

While we're not going to get him it does make the idea of Kleyn a little more appealing. IE someone who could do a job in the league and perhaps HCC pool stages.

there is no appeal to signing Kleyn for me.

anyway it's never happening.. if he leaves Munster it will be for France.

[joooooe]

John McKee is from Ulster

Thanks. I'd didn't know about him. Now that we have an example of it happening it might be worth asking the question, if he went from school to the Leinster sub academy instead of the full academy is he still an import.

Yes.

On that basis Ian Dowling is an import to Munster from Leinster.

[mildlyinterested]

Thanks. I'd didn't know about him. Now that we have an example of it happening it might be worth asking the question, if he went from school to the Leinster sub academy instead of the full academy is he still an import.

Yes.

On that basis Ian Dowling is an import to Munster from Leinster.

Yep, he was.

[Oldschool]

I thought I liked out depth at lock until I realised that if we decided to start 3 locks and put 2 on the bench SA style then we’d be using our full senior panel.

We won’t because we don’t have 2 locks who play blindside, but it shows you.

A few positions there were the new schedule takes pressure off, e.g. loosehead and outhalf.

While we're not going to get him it does make the idea of Kleyn a little more appealing. IE someone who could do a job in the league and perhaps HCC pool stages.

there is no appeal to signing Kleyn for me.

anyway it's never happening.. if he leaves Munster it will be for France.

On your last line we are assuredly agreed.

[mildlyinterested]

LH Prop
Cian Healy(33/Belvedere/Clontarf)
Ed Byrne(28/Clongowes/UCD) -
Peter Dooley(27/Birr RFC/Lansdowne)
Michael Milne(22/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - injured(calf)
--
Marcus Hanan(21/Clane RFC/Old Belvedere)
Temi Lasisi(19/Enniscorthy/Lansdowne) - injured(shoulder)
Jack Boyle(18/St. Michaels/UCD) - injured(leg)

TH Prop
Michael Alaalatoa(30)
Tadhg Furlong(28/New Ross RFC/Clontarf) - absent due to lions
Andrew Porter(25/St. Andrews/UCD) - injured(foot)
Vakh Abdaladze(25/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf)
Tom Clarkson(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - injured(hamstring)

Hooker
Sean Cronin(35)
James Tracy(30/Newbridge/UCD)
Ronan Kelleher(23/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - absent due to lions
Dan Sheehan(23/Clongowes/Lansdowne)
--
John McKee(21/Campbell/Old Belvedere)
Lee Barron(20/St. Michaels/DUFC) - injured(shoulder?)

Lock
Devin Toner(35/Castleknock/Lansdowne)
Ross Molony(27/St. Michaels/UCD)
James Ryan(25/St. Michaels/UCD)
Jack Dunne(22/St. Michaels/DUFC) - injured(ankle)
Ryan Baird(22/St. Michaels/DUFC)
--
Charlie Ryan(22/Blackrock/UCD) - injured(shoulder)
Brian Deeny(21/Wexford RFC/Clontarf)
Joe McCarthy(20/Blackrock/DUFC) - injured(hamstring)

Backrow
Rhys Ruddock(30/Exile/St. Marys)
Jack Conan(29/St. Gerards/Old Belvedere) - lions
Josh Van Der Flier(28/Wesley/UCD)
Dan Leavy(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - injured(knee)
Josh Murphy(26/St. Michaels/UCD)
Will Connors(25/Clongowes/UCD) - injured(knee)
Max Deegan(24/St. Michaels/Lansdowne)
Caelan Doris(23/Blackrock/DUFC)
Scott Penny(22/St. Michaels/UCD)
--
Martin Moloney(21/Athy RFC/Old Belvedere)
Sean O'Brien(21/Blackrock/UCD)
Alex Soroka(20/Belvedere/Clontarf) - injured(shoulder?)
Mark Hernan(21/St. Michaels/Lansdowne)

Scrumhalf
Jamie Gibson Park(29)
Luke McGrath(28/St. Michaels/UCD)
Nick McCarthy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - injured(foot)
--
Cormac Foley(21/St. Gerards/Lansdowne)
Ben Murphy(20/Pres Bray/Old Wesley) - injured(foot?)

Outhalf
Jonathan Sexton(36/St. Marys/St. Marys)
Ross Byrne(26/St. Michaels/UCD)
Harry Byrne(22/St. Michaels/Lansdowne)

Centre
Robbie Henshaw(28) - lions
Rory O'Loughlin(27/St. Michaels/UCD)
Garry Ringrose(26/Blackrock/UCD) - injured(shoulder)
Conor O'Brien(25/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf)
Ciaran Frawley(23/Skerries RFC/UCD) - injured(shoulder)
David Hawkshaw(22/Belvedere/Clontarf)
--
Liam Turner(22/Blackrock/DUFC)
Jamie Osborne(19/Naas RFC/Naas)

Back Three
Dave Kearney(32/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - injured(ankle)
James Lowe(29)
Adam Byrne(27/Naas RFC/UCD)
Hugo Keenan(25/Blackrock/UCD)
Jimmy O'Brien(24/Newbridge/UCD)
Jordan Larmour(24/St. Andrews/St. Marys) - injured(groin)
Tommy O'Brien(23/Blackrock/UCD) - injured(hamstring)
--
Andrew Smith(21/St. Michaels/Clontarf)
Niall Comerford(21/Blackrock/UCD)
Max O'Reilly(21/St. Gerards/DUFC)
Rob Russell(22/St. Michaels/DUFC)
Chris Cosgrave(20/St. Michaels/UCD)