The Leinster Front Row preview 2021/22

[Oldschool]

Andrew Porter practising binding on the loosehead side in this: https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 32808?s=19

no sign of healy at tight.

Team selection is going to be informative.

[ronk]

He was sub sub helping with the warm up during pre-season. In a 3 v 3 warm up.

Not really proof of anything.

[OneLungDavy]

He was sub sub helping with the warm up during pre-season. In a 3 v 3 warm up.

Not really proof of anything.

Yep, more than likely nothing.

[backrower8]

We'll know soon enough. The change in Porter's body shape is almost as dramatic as the signing of another Tier 1 TH.

[limecat]

Porter @ 1, Healy looks to be sub tighthead

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 33603?s=19

[the spoofer]

Hands up, I was wrong. I just hope it works out for Leinster and Ireland.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

More on it here…

https://www.the42.ie/andrew-porter-loo ... -Sep2021/

To me it sounds like Healy has actually moved to TH as opposed to just covering for now? Leo references the Nyakane move too.

[allezlesverres]

I'm not at all surprised by Porter at loosehead - I think that's been mooted for some time from an Irish perspective, and that was the only reason I could think of that the IRFU would have sanctioned the new TH NIQ. It will definitely be interesting to see how he goes.

I thought the Healy thing was someone having a laugh so I was really amazed to see him on the bench as TH sub. It's either (a) madness; (b) genius or (c) an emergency option. If it was (c) though, surely the obvious short term solution is just keep him and Porter on the sides they are used to. Is it possible IRFU said that Porter wasn't allowed to play TH anymore if they agreed to the NIQ TH? It's baffling stuff but I have to admit, I can't wait to see how it plays out.

[fourthirtythree]

I'm not at all surprised by Porter at loosehead - I think that's been mooted for some time from an Irish perspective, and that was the only reason I could think of that the IRFU would have sanctioned the new TH NIQ. It will definitely be interesting to see how he goes.

I thought the Healy thing was someone having a laugh so I was really amazed to see him on the bench as TH sub. It's either (a) madness; (b) genius or (c) an emergency option. If it was (c) though, surely the obvious short term solution is just keep him and Porter on the sides they are used to. Is it possible IRFU said that Porter wasn't allowed to play TH anymore if they agreed to the NIQ TH? It's baffling stuff but I have to admit, I can't wait to see how it plays out.

Obviously I'm hoping B and Leo suggests watching the Lions (who would have been better if Porter hadn't got injured at tighthead and if Healy had been selected at loosehead) play South Africa with Nyakane switching sides between tests informed the move. Which suggests they seem to think it might not be permanent.

If it's the IRFU not allowing a TH signing, why would we need one if we weren't moving Porter? If the signing was allowed as there is a worry of Furlong leaving this isn't a great help.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I suppose one way of looking at it is that Healy could be a good stopgap until Clarkson is ready. Maybe they think that's a better way to go than just playing Vakh and I can sort of see the logic in that. I like Vakh but his injury record isn't great and Cian Healy is still Cian Healy.

[fourthirtythree]

I suppose one way of looking at it is that Healy could be a good stopgap until Clarkson is ready. Maybe they think that's a better way to go than just playing Vakh and I can sort of see the logic in that. I like Vakh but his injury record isn't great and Cian Healy is still Cian Healy.

Obviously I'd have Cian Healy everywhere if we could multiply him.

[Morf]

As a player my main issue with being moved from TH is the vast difference in wages between the two positions.

Could be fine if you stay in Ireland/Leinster but if you do consider a move abroad then elite THs are demanding a lot more coin.

[ronk]

As a player my main issue with being moved from TH is the vast difference in wages between the two positions.

Could be fine if you stay in Ireland/Leinster but if you do consider a move abroad then elite THs are demanding a lot more coin.

I dunno. The tighthead thing in rugby mirrors the left tackle situation in American Football. They're key players still of course but right tackles are appreciated a lot now too. More play goes down the right so they need to do more run blocking. They are also coming up against better rush rushers. Even Michael Oher, the guy in the Blind Side book moved to right tackle.

The Lions lost the scrummaging battle as much at loosehead as as anywhere else.

Porter isn't moving to take a pay cut. If anything it raises his value.

[Morf]

I hope for him you're right but if I was looking at wages of LHs across the major leagues and I didn't have a commitment from LR/IRFU that my value would be matched I would certainly have to consider it.

[mildlyinterested]

move to tighthead was Healys idea:

“It’s something he wants to explore at this stage of his career and he put his hand up for it,” Leo Cullen said of Healy’s move from loose to tight. “It’s not like I went to him – he came to me! He’s pretty incredible. Vakh (Abdaladze) played in that development game for Munster yesterday (Friday) so that was a good hit out for him. “He came through that well and the match minutes are valuable for him. Hopefully Vakh will continue to progress.”

[Dave Cahill]

Considering all the conversation last week was about Porters move to loosehead, we never got to see how he performed on that side really - not his fault, a lot of the scrums were very messy. Cian on the other hand had a couple of 'clean' scrums where he did very well.

[Ruckedtobits]

Two of the keys aspects of LH play at the top level are a) how strong your left shoulder / arm power is to prevent the TH bind twisting the shoulder (downward) and b) what power you can generate from your legs to drive 'through' the TH's right shoulder.

Porter was up against a high-quality scrummager on Sat and there wasn't a conclusive "victory" for either player. IMO, that counts as a very good return outing for Porter and encourages McBride & Cullen to keep working on Porter's re-construction as a LH.

[Laighin Break]

Interesting that Healy would volunteer that. He moved himself from first choice LH for Leinster and Ireland (albeit now with competition from Porter) to second choice TH for Ireland and a battle against Ala'alatoa to be second choice for Leinster.

Would be interesting to see what 4 props would be picked, and where, if all were fit for a H Cup game

[blockhead]

Anybody else think that Dan Sheehan will be pressurised to move south for the good of the country? Woodie of the unbelievables was eulogising about him awhile back. They have fup all down there at the moment don't they, young hookers I mean.

[ronk]

No. In the pro era Munster have a type (Woody was before).

They've tended towards often-small tough abrasive players who throw well and came through as specialist hookers rather than primary ball carriers or auxiliary backrows or monster ex-props. Cronin had unusual speed but they were meh, nice to have but not worth compromising for and he left.

They're mostly been happy with what they have and haven't made their big signings at hooker. They spend elsewhere: like outhalf, lock, big South African centre,or prop (while they were allowed), fullback.

There's no indication that fans or coaches see it differently either in terms of unhappiness with their current players or how they use them.

Sheehan would have to match to their way of playing unless he had a Beirne level reputation and even then that would only go so far. He's not there yet.

They're opportunistic so they wouldn't refuse him if he landed in their lap but they're not going to wine and dine him. Sheehan needs TLC to get the best out of him.