Babbling 'brook

its rock cup to lose Gonzaga are due a bit more respect as the reigning champions who yesterday showed the sort of guts they drew on last year to beat a similarly much more powerful Rock side. So its Gonzaga's to lose in my view. They have real belief and integrity and have contested the last 3 fin...

2 Skehan brothers coaching against each other.

Terenure are back (schools) after a long period being lightweights (last Cup win in 2003) with an infusion of St Michael's coaching at school and club and STMC c.4 players joining the club from school last year. Why not? Win-win.

Jeez that is a weak looking Welsh team. Lots of areas we can target there. Reffell and the wingers are probably their biggest threat Wainwright a threat too. Costelow was last on a winning team against Georgia at RWC in early October. Some potential entry points for Wales: - Ireland have the fastes...

I think utility back is probably larmours best shot at more Ireland caps so maybe not the maddest idea going. Faz is a big fan according to Ciaran Kennedy. Applies himself really well during the week etc. Listened to the Let Wing there at lunchtime and FitzGerald (I know) saying that there reached ...

McCarthy is an elite prospect for sure. I don't agree. He is a fabulous old style hooker and rugby player in that he makes the right reads and executes really well in the tight exchanges. He also has a great engine and the heart of a lion, but for me he lacks the size and explosive athletic profile...

Moloney(15), Osborne(14), Kritzinger(12), McCarthy(2), McGuire(3), COT(5) all starting for UCD. No sign of Boyle or Milne. Pretty instructive on Leinster squad inclusions you'd think then. Yep. Two other jewels on show for this are current Connacht squad member Sean O'Brien at 8 and former Leinster...

If Milne is leaving, surely it is because he sees the juggernaut (McCarthy and Boyle) coming behind him and believes he is not at that level? Having seen plenty of Boyle and McCarthy at AIL level, after witnessing Milne versus Armagh, he is ahead of both. Boyle has been very good for UCD this year....

Paddy McCarthy was good at scrum time that match. Was incredibly impressed considering he looked incredibly skinny from the stands. Boyle held his own against Fagerson, Clarkson got anhillated by Kebble. Part of the reason I think he can be a great tighthead is that he held up scrums while not havi...

If Milne is leaving, surely it is because he sees the juggernaut (McCarthy and Boyle) coming behind him and believes he is not at that level? Having seen plenty of Boyle and McCarthy at AIL level, after witnessing Milne versus Armagh, he is ahead of both. Boyle has been very good for UCD this year....

I remember when, after two seasons, people were asking if Stockdale was our best ever winger. Crowley is in pole position and is looks very promsising. He is not the Messiah. Nobody is. We need him and two others to be vying with each other for selection, like we have at hooker, second and back row ...

Lowey hasn't the legs to do what a 15 does, let alone the way Hugo does it.

LeinsterJig wrote: ↑February 9th, 2024, 6:03 pm 7 of the same teams in the jct quarters as the Sct quarters. Roscrea odd one out in the Sct and temple Carrig in the jct.

Clongowes the early faller in both comps

Milne was close to MOTM yesterday, scoring a try from 30m through footwork, acceleration and strength and generally scrummaging well and carrying lots. Played almost the full 80.

Great to see.

Talk around UCD yesterday was that his Leinster contract is not sorted.

Must be a bit tricky for James Ryan at the moment. Gone from potential captain to now not a guaranteed starter and not captain. I hope he uses that motivation for the rest of the season. He has miles to go before he retires. I reckon he will become a better player as a result of this competition. I...

:shock: :? Ma! I also havey italianey origineys! Fraaaatelli, d'Italia, l'Itaaaaalia, se desta. It means: soil your pants, you who like your pasta overcooked! I lovey our national anthem which is as long as a three-act opera with a massive intro and when we start singing everybody is already afraid...

propertymad wrote: ↑February 9th, 2024, 4:15 pm what time is the UCD game kicking off? I presume its a direct clash with Scotland - France?

2:30

Must be a bit tricky for James Ryan at the moment. Gone from potential captain to now not a guaranteed starter and not captain. I hope he uses that motivation for the rest of the season. He has miles to go before he retires. I reckon he will become a better player as a result of this competition. I...

Cosgrave ripped his hamstring off the bone playing for the Combined Academies versus Italy U23s.

The same week he was told he was being cut from the academy. Rough.

Are you intimating that anyone of those three is about to move on/ lose out at Leinster?

One of the learnings from RWC was that our squad depth wasn't all that and/or Faz didn't trust it. The South African approach to squad depth and use is the gold standard. We need to close the gap. We also need to keep the whole squad engaged and motivated without the carrot of a RWC just around the ...