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I like Soroka! I think he's going to be a real favourite at the RDS. He's like an Argentine: really emotional, full of energy and great hair.
100%. He has been very comfortable at Pro14 level, which is of a much higher standard than U20s.
That's the big question innit!hugonaut wrote: ↑July 7th, 2021, 10:58 pmI like Soroka! I think he's going to be a real favourite at the RDS. He's like an Argentine: really emotional, full of energy and great hair.
He's a player that the other players in the team respond to as well – some guys just have it. His handling is good, his lineout work is good, his fitness is excellent, he's got great size for the blindside and he's got a competitive edge. Really like him.
We probably won't know for a while. I'd take what we get so we get the best out of him.wixfjord wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 11:03 amThat's the big question innit!hugonaut wrote: ↑July 7th, 2021, 10:58 pmI like Soroka! I think he's going to be a real favourite at the RDS. He's like an Argentine: really emotional, full of energy and great hair.
He's a player that the other players in the team respond to as well – some guys just have it. His handling is good, his lineout work is good, his fitness is excellent, he's got great size for the blindside and he's got a competitive edge. Really like him.
Will we try to mould him into a medium sized second row or a big blindside?
I definitely see him as a blindside as a professional. I think he's a great fit for the position and also fits the age profile in the depth chart almost ideally:wixfjord wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 11:03 amThat's the big question innit!hugonaut wrote: ↑July 7th, 2021, 10:58 pmI like Soroka! I think he's going to be a real favourite at the RDS. He's like an Argentine: really emotional, full of energy and great hair.
He's a player that the other players in the team respond to as well – some guys just have it. His handling is good, his lineout work is good, his fitness is excellent, he's got great size for the blindside and he's got a competitive edge. Really like him.
Will we try to mould him into a medium sized second row or a big blindside?
Hadn't thought about Kendellen that way but it could make a lot of sense. Having a primary ball carrier at 7 transforms the backrow balance and Munster seem to need it to get going properly.hugonaut wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 10:41 am100%. He has been very comfortable at Pro14 level, which is of a much higher standard than U20s.
Kendellen is a super player – a natural. Lots of similarities to David Wallace, which is the highest compliment I can think of for a Munster backrow. He does so many things well, and he has a great level of involvement in the game, with and without the ball. I think he wears the captaincy very lightly: he communicates well with the refs, he's a positive [rather than peevish] presence when the ball is dead, and he makes a lot of big plays to inspire his team-mates.
I'd like to have see Osborne in midfield and Cosgrave at fullback in this tournament but it's probably not going to happen at this point.
Humphreys has struggled at No10. Through no fault of their own, none of the players have played much rugby this season, and this definitely has a big impact on halfbacks – they have the most touches and have to make the most decisions. Doak has done really well, but Humphrey's hasn't prospered.
That's a very interesting suggestion. The quality of Kendellon's tackling and ball skills certainly place him up near the Wallace peak of Irish opens sides. He appears to have acceleration off the mark in defence, allied to a mature physique and that should certainly allow him to fit into any backrow that values quality and skills over physicality.ronk wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 12:53 pmHadn't thought about Kendellen that way but it could make a lot of sense. Having a primary ball carrier at 7 transforms the backrow balance and Munster seem to need it to get going properly.hugonaut wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 10:41 am100%. He has been very comfortable at Pro14 level, which is of a much higher standard than U20s.
Kendellen is a super player – a natural. Lots of similarities to David Wallace, which is the highest compliment I can think of for a Munster backrow. He does so many things well, and he has a great level of involvement in the game, with and without the ball. I think he wears the captaincy very lightly: he communicates well with the refs, he's a positive [rather than peevish] presence when the ball is dead, and he makes a lot of big plays to inspire his team-mates.
I'd like to have see Osborne in midfield and Cosgrave at fullback in this tournament but it's probably not going to happen at this point.
Humphreys has struggled at No10. Through no fault of their own, none of the players have played much rugby this season, and this definitely has a big impact on halfbacks – they have the most touches and have to make the most decisions. Doak has done really well, but Humphrey's hasn't prospered.
Post RWC it could be Coombes, Kendellen and Beirne working together to some effect.
The one slight criticism is that he tends to want to offload all the time, almost for the sake of doing so.
Osborne has played 12 or 13 for Leinster A and Leinster this season.Oldschool wrote: ↑July 8th, 2021, 2:46 pmThe one slight criticism is that he tends to want to offload all the time, almost for the sake of doing so.
That's eminently fixable, experience and some coaching will surely sort that
Think he has a very high ceiling.
Cosgrave looks an interesting prospect too, another Keenan perhaps.
Agree with Hugonaut, it would be interesting to see him in midfield, maybe even at twelve, given his size and offloading ability he could be a real handful.
Has he played 12 or 13 before?
Boyle must be injured as they called up a loosehead after the last game.. he did have knee strapping and looked to be moving awkwardly in last game..mildlyinterested wrote: ↑July 12th, 2021, 2:24 pm 15. Jamie Osborne (Naas CBS/Naas RFC/Leinster)
14. Ben Moxham (Larne High School/Ballymena RFC/Ulster)
13. Jude Postlethwaite (RBAI/Banbridge RFC/Ulster) - u19
12. Cathal Forde (Colaiste Iognaid/Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
11. Shane Jennings (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
10. Nathan Doak (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster)
9. Conor McKee (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
1. Temi Lasisi (CBS Enniscorthy/Lansdowne FC/Leinster)
2. Ronan Loughnane (Cistercian College Roscrea/UCD RFC/Leinster)
3. Sam Illo (Wesley College/Old Wesley RFC/Leinster)
4. Mark Morrissey (Blackrock College/UCD RFC/Leinster) - u19
5. Harry Sheridan (Sullivan Upper School/Dublin University FC/Ulster)
6. Alex Soroka (Belvedere College/Clontarf RFC/Leinster)
7. Oisin McCormack (Garbally College/Buccaneers RFC/Connacht)
8. Alex Kendellen (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)(Captain)
Replacements:
16. Eoin de Buitléar (Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin/An Ghaeltacht/Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht)
17. George Saunderson (Sullivan Upper School/Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)
18. Liam Bishop (Trent College/Nottingham University/IQ Rugby)
19. Jack Kelleher (PBC Cork/UCC RFC/Munster)
20. Reuben Crothers (Wallace High School/Ballynahinch RFC/Ulster) - u19
21. Will Reilly (St Mary’s CBS Portlaoise/MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster)
22. Ben Carson (Wallace High School/Banbridge RFC/Ulster) - u19
23. Chris Cosgrave (St Michael’s College/UCD RFC/Leinster)
24. Fearghail O’Donoghue (Cashel Community School/Cashel RFC/Munster)
25. Donnacha Byrne (Summerhill College/Sligo RFC/Connacht)
26. Chay Mullins (SGC Filton/Bristol Bears/IQ Rugby) - u19
I thought it was one of those unlimited benches and you just had a limit on the number of subs you could use but could put the whole squad on it.mildlyinterested wrote: ↑July 12th, 2021, 2:31 pm
Tim Corkery can't even make the bench, that's disappointing to see, same for Josh O'Connor.
