Leinster v Dragons Sat 18th Feb 7.35 RTE

[Serb]

Had a feeling Boyle would be involved alright. Really like the team and great to see Jenkins involved.

[ronk]

Player release has been kind to us, especially our backline.

We have a really strong backrow, no real gaps in the team. Inexperience on the bench but nothing too major and some experience too.

[wixfjord]

The addition of the returning Irish guys makes that team a lot stronger.

Jenkins back is a massive one.

Surprised with Joe McCarthy not making it, I wonder if he has been pulled by Faz and co due to someone else getting a knock?

Boyle, Barron & Clarkson will be a very interesting front row to see.

[wixfjord]

Angus O’Brien, Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (c); Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Ryan Woodman, Lewis Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Jordan Williams

Unavailable: Gonzalo Bertranou (foot), Joe Davies (knock), Elliot Dee (collarbone), Ollie Griffiths (pec), Harrison Keddie (hamstring), George Nott (knee), Aneurin Owen (knee), Will Rowlands (shoulder), David Richards (hamstring)

International duty: Leon Brown, Rio Dyer, Bradley Roberts, Aaron Wainwright (all Wales)

[Xanthippe]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Jimmy O’Brien (65)
14. Jordan Larmour (83)
13. Liam Turner (13)
12. Jamie Osborne (29)
11. Dave Kearney (179)
10. Harry Byrne (43)
9. Luke McGrath (187)
1. Michael Milne (25)
2. John McKee (12)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (39)
4. Ross Molony (155)
5. Brian Deeny (8)
6. Rhys Ruddock (217) CAPTAIN
7. Scott Penny (50)
8. Max Deegan (91)

16. Lee Barron (2)
17. Jack Boyle (0)
18. Thomas Clarkson (22)
19. Jason Jenkins (9)
20. Will Connors (30)
21. Nick McCarthy (56)
22. Charlie Tector (3)
23. Rob Russell (13)

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Not sure I’d fancy being a tiring Dragons player in the second half with both Jenkins AND Connors to come off the bench. They’re going to be the Leinster version of The Bash Brothers

[wixfjord]

JJ Hanrahan on the bench for a depleted Dragons side in the URC during the 6N. Still only 30.

That was some fall from grace.

[Xanthippe]

Angus O’Brien, Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (c); Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Ryan Woodman, Lewis Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Jordan Williams

Unavailable: Gonzalo Bertranou (foot), Joe Davies (knock), Elliot Dee (collarbone), Ollie Griffiths (pec), Harrison Keddie (hamstring), George Nott (knee), Aneurin Owen (knee), Will Rowlands (shoulder), David Richards (hamstring)

International duty: Leon Brown, Rio Dyer, Bradley Roberts, Aaron Wainwright (all Wales)

So they have 9 injured and 4 on international duty - our version of their injury/unavailable list would be

Unavailable: Ed Byrne (knee); Cormac Foley (hamstring); Ciaran Frawley (knee); Tadhg Furlong (calf); Jamison Gibson Park (hamstring); Cian Healy (hamstring); Robbie Henshaw (wrist); Martin Molony (knee); Charlie Ngatai (hamstring); Tommy O’Brien (knee) (10)

International duty:
Ryan Baird; Ross Byrne; Jack Conan; Caelan Doris; Hugo Keenan; Ronan Kelleher; James Lowe; Andrew Porter; Garry Ringrose; James Ryan; Johnny Sexton; Dan Sheehan; Josh van der Flier (all Ireland) (13)

I wonder how many times on Saturday the commentators will reference the fact that they are short 13 players and completely overlook our 23!!!!!

[ronk]

I'd assume that Joe McCarthy is unavailable one way or another if he didn't make the 23 and Deeny is starting.

Although Deeny is progressing fairly quickly.

[Theleinsterlad]

For those who have seen him, how excited should we be at what prospect Boyle could be for us?

[riocard911]

For those who have seen him, how excited should we be at what prospect Boyle could be for us?

Very, IMO. Potentially Ciano 2.0. Here's wishing him a long and successful career!!!

[Laighin Break]

For those who have seen him, how excited should we be at what prospect Boyle could be for us?

I've never seen him but am very excited based on comments from posters of this forum!

[wixfjord]

For those who have seen him, how excited should we be at what prospect Boyle could be for us?

Others will have seen his school performances more, but from my POV he was an absolute freak for the U20s, particularly in the carry.

Has been flagged from a long way off as a big talent and a potential test player.

One thing that might challenge him is his natural size. He's not small, but nothing out of the ordinary for a modern LH.
Listed at 17st bang on on the LR site, which is a stone lighter than Ed Byrne is listed for example.

Looks to have bulked up in last year or so during injury though and at 6'1 he has the frame for more.

[backrower8]

He is a very good prop - but he is not the Messiah. Not yet anyway.

Originally a #8, he is a great ball player, both in tight and wider out.

Schools doesn't allow the scrum technique to develop but he was very solid across two years of Ireland 20s.

I saw him play 40 mins for UCD against Shannon three weeks ago, the only rugby he has played since October. He did a bit of everything without being spectacular, including grunting-out a try from short range.

It was notable how much he has bulked up, but that was really needed. As wixfjord said above, at 6 foot 1 he can carry it and add some more...although if 45 minutes ball-in-play time becomes the norm in pro rugby then nobody will want to be much more than 118kg.

He has a better frame that the Byrne Bros. ever did to bulk up.

Dragon's at home with his school mate Barron at hooker also on the bench with him is as good as it gets. We'll see.

[Theleinsterlad]

Great thx guys really looking forward to seeing him progress

[ronk]

Bolting props are usually the ones with freak strength and explosiveness.

If you're a more technical, less athletic one then you will need time (Clarkson). If you're a ball carrier moving from a different position like the backrow then you need time to fill out and to develop technique (Milne).

From what I've seen of Boyle, he's not been a teenage powerlifter, so it'll be a bit slower for him. But really he's just a talented player making his debut young. We want him developed right, not quickly.

[Hoofhearted]

JJ Hanrahan on the bench for a depleted Dragons side in the URC during the 6N. Still only 30.

That was some fall from grace.

A fine rugby player who has an eye for a gap, he can pass, tackle, kick to a high standard. He just isn't a European Cup level or International level 10. He probably stayed at Munster too long and when he moved, he moved to the wrong team. He probably/possibly could have reached a higher level if he had better coaching from his U20 years to 25/26. Unfortunately he was at Munster for those years and at the time they were absolute garbage.

[elephantman]

Dragons RFC: Angus O’Brien, Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (c); Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Ryan Woodman, Lewis Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Jordan Williams

I think that Dragons team will give Leinster a more competitive game than Cardiff did three weeks ago.

[blockhead]

JJ Hanrahan on the bench for a depleted Dragons side in the URC during the 6N. Still only 30.

That was some fall from grace.

A fine rugby player who has an eye for a gap, he can pass, tackle, kick to a high standard. He just isn't a European Cup level or International level 10. He probably stayed at Munster too long and when he moved, he moved to the wrong team. He probably/possibly could have reached a higher level if he had better coaching from his U20 years to 25/26. Unfortunately he was at Munster for those years and at the time they were absolute garbage.

Yeah, he was the Gavin Coombes of his era, promise wise.
"Move over Johnny" was the din coming from down south.

[pangurban1]

JJ Hanrahan on the bench for a depleted Dragons side in the URC during the 6N. Still only 30.

That was some fall from grace.

He fooled me for long enough, I thought he would go all the way.

[Theleinsterlad]

JJ Hanrahan on the bench for a depleted Dragons side in the URC during the 6N. Still only 30.

That was some fall from grace.

A fine rugby player who has an eye for a gap, he can pass, tackle, kick to a high standard. He just isn't a European Cup level or International level 10. He probably stayed at Munster too long and when he moved, he moved to the wrong team. He probably/possibly could have reached a higher level if he had better coaching from his U20 years to 25/26. Unfortunately he was at Munster for those years and at the time they were absolute garbage.

Yeah, he was the Gavin Coombes of his era, promise wise.
"Move over Johnny" was the din coming from down south.

That’s interesting that you say that and I might get done for saying this but to me from what I’ve seen of Coombes so far he is not at the level that a lot of the red glassed media believe him to be. I think he is very one dimensional in his carry and has yet to use the full force of his build in power tackles that stop the opponent dead in his tracks and start pushing him back. I believe there is the possible talent there but it’s not being coached into him as of yet. Conan is still the better option for that type of player in my eyes.