wixfjord wrote: ↑March 5th, 2023, 11:35 am
There are a couple of places down the depth chart that we need to start making a few decisions on imo. Not immediately apparent because others are fit/playing well, but third choice TH and third choice 9 are big weaknesses in the squad for me.
If Furlong/Mike goes down we'll have to bring in either Vakh or Clarkson. Neither look remotely ready for that level so we'll play Cian there and hope he can stand up.
Clarkson has been really disappointing given the time invested in him. Needs to start showing more.
Third choice 9 is a concern too. Again if JGP/McGrath go down we'll have to bring in Foley/McCarthy. Recently every time McCarthy comes on he plays poorly and makes stupid errors. He's now 27 and has shown no sign of improvement since he came back from Munster imo. Foley to me looks a better bet but was poor when given time earlier in the year was well off too.
Thank god Luke is having a belter of a season.
Foley had a couple of exit kicks charged down but I don't remember him being particularly poor in any other respect. I always rated the guy
Was really poor against Ospreys.
Thought he was really going to kick on based on last years performances but hasn't really this year.
wixfjord wrote: ↑March 5th, 2023, 11:35 am
There are a couple of places down the depth chart that we need to start making a few decisions on imo. Not immediately apparent because others are fit/playing well, but third choice TH and third choice 9 are big weaknesses in the squad for me.
If Furlong/Mike goes down we'll have to bring in either Vakh or Clarkson. Neither look remotely ready for that level so we'll play Cian there and hope he can stand up.
Clarkson has been really disappointing given the time invested in him. Needs to start showing more.
Third choice 9 is a concern too. Again if JGP/McGrath go down we'll have to bring in Foley/McCarthy. Recently every time McCarthy comes on he plays poorly and makes stupid errors. He's now 27 and has shown no sign of improvement since he came back from Munster imo. Foley to me looks a better bet but was poor when given time earlier in the year was well off too.
Thank god Luke is having a belter of a season.
Foley had a couple of exit kicks charged down but I don't remember him being particularly poor in any other respect. I always rated the guy
Was really poor against Ospreys.
Thought he was really going to kick on based on last years performances but hasn't really this year.
2 starts and an injury will stunt any player's growth
Every player benefits from playing consistently. James Ryan made this exact point in a recent OTB interview when saying that all that has changed for him is staying injury free and playting regularly.
Of course the pro game in a club like Leinster doesn't allow for much development in the saddle for any but the Alpha players. Especially the young players who get 10-20 minutes a few times a year, possibly weeks or months apart. It is so high pressure to be able to come on and just make things happen, whether the ball comes near you or not.
the-goon2 wrote: ↑March 6th, 2023, 3:02 pm
Shouldn't we be getting an injury update from the match around now. There are a few lads that took knocks in that game.
mildlyinterested wrote: ↑March 6th, 2023, 2:34 pm
Foley kicked on last season as he was playing regularly at AIL level, he wasnt doing that this season prior to injury and his play suffered for it.
Young 9s need to play lots of games to develop. I think this has stunted the development of a few Leinster 9s in recent years. The game time doesn't need to be for the first team - AIL is fine at that stage as so much of the development is about decision-making. Let them play 25 games a year from 18-23 and you'll have a better player at the end of it. Leinster have done the opposite with Rowan Osborne, Cormac Foley and Nick McCarthy, taking them out of UCD and Trinity and having them play fewer minutes.
Scrum half is and has always been our weakest position, we just don’t produce them. Luke the only decent Leinster homegrown 9 from the pro era (Cooney only really blossomed in Ulster).
Leinster have been excellent at identifying, developing and maximizing talent across the pitch so the fact that Patterson is thriving south of the Mason Dixon is frustrating. I wonder if he could be tempted back (JGP and Luke are in their 30s).
I still think Foley has potential. He had one bad game so deserves another (several) chance. Completely agree with previous points on game time for a 9. Particularly pertinent for Foley who I think was a late convert to the position. I think he has the raw ingredients; speed, rugby intelligence and a decent pass; he just needs to be more aggressive and authoritative at the breakdown whilst his kicking game needs work.
Gunne is playing well, if not a stand out player, for the 20s and Murphy seems well regarded. Leinster coaching during the week and AIL matches at the weekend for all three.
An apparent inconsistency in refereeing which has arisen on a few occasions this season, in both internationals and URC games, relates to the placement of penalties.
It is my understanding that a penalty for foul play is awarded on the 15m line, if the foul play occurs within the touchline and the 15m line e.g. if the foul play is in a line-out. Recently I have noticed referees awarding penalties for foul play at the point of infringement. Has the Law or the World Rugby directive changed?
Last edited by Ruckedtobits on March 7th, 2023, 4:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I thought the general case is that penalties are taken from where play would have restarted. So a penalty before a lineout is completed is taken in 15m.
the-goon2 wrote: ↑March 6th, 2023, 3:02 pm
Shouldn't we be getting an injury update from the match around now. There are a few lads that took knocks in that game.
The 42 are reporting that Scott Penny and Jamie Osborne are both unavailable for Ireland camp this week due to “minor knocks”.
Hopefully that’s accurate in regards to Penny and his shoulder.
