Brad Thorn coming to Leinster?

[macboomba]

I know we still have the quarter to get by and I don't really want to get Clermont if we do but that would be a great match up Thorn v Hines

You wouldn't want to be getting caught in a ruck that the two of them are hitting from either side at the same time...

Scientists might even find the elusive Higgs Bosson watching a collission like that.

[bluemagic]

Schmidt replaced his entire front row – Damien Browne was already gone having been sick all week (Brad Thorn will be here by early March) – as he sought to influence this, more wrestling than, rugby match.

That quote was from today's Irish Times, it's weird that all the journalists seem to have it confirmed yet theres no announcement by Leinster?

Link to full article: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 79639.html

[ceemec]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

[Donny B.]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

[sheepshagger]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

Thought I read somewhere the japanese season ends towards the end of January Anyway, see he's signed with us based on his Wikipedia page, its on the internet so it must be true

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Thorn

[ceemec]

Thorn's season is over. His team didn't make the play offs. Over last week, I think. Semi finals this weekend.

[deco]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

Thought I read somewhere the japanese season ends towards the end of January Anyway, see he's signed with us based on his Wikipedia page, its on the internet so it must be true

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Thorn

Well spotted. Can't wait to see him in a Leinster jersey.

[johng]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

It's all plain as day here.

http://rugby.sanix.jp/schedule.html

[bluemagic]

Joe said it in the post match interview. Expect him to arrive early March. Things well down the road, moving along nicely, just finalising it seems.

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

It's all plain as day here.

http://rugby.sanix.jp/schedule.html

According to google translate, all that is is weight training and practice sessions with a match on march the 3rd which is the last match of the season, so we mightnt have an announcement untill then

[johng]

Japanese season not actually over yet apparently. Bit of an oversight there

It's all plain as day here.

http://rugby.sanix.jp/schedule.html

According to google translate, all that is is weight training and practice sessions with a match on march the 3rd which is the last match of the season, so we mightnt have an announcement untill then

He won't be in Aironi so. Thought he might fancy a club game in Italy. Ospreys on the 23rd it is so. Get him a start in front of an RDS crowd. He's bound to be impressed.

[Ruckedtobits]

Kubota and Shokki (third & fourth in 2nd Div) now progress to the final promotion/relegation playoff.

Kubota takes on NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes (who finished 12th in the Top League), while Shokki play Fukuka Sanix Blues (11th). Both ties are on March 3.

Important game for B Thorn and should be in Dublin by 5th March

[Leinster Zulu]

Could be a bit risky trying to integrate Thorn and Cullen into the side by the time Munster and the QF arrive. Still, it's worth the risk.

[munster#1]

Could be a bit risky trying to integrate Thorn and Cullen into the side by the time Munster and the QF arrive. Still, it's worth the risk.

If i were a leinster fan i would want browne and brad in the second row, ye have plenty of ball carriers in the pack, i would have these lads both as work horses doing the grunt work. This could also turn your scrum into a weapon.

Cullen is a spent force imo

[kendalgerty]

Hmmm... not sure about that munster#1, the lineout is a fairly important set piece after all. Browne is a very earthbound lineout man, and Thorne was never as famed for his lineout ability as other areas of the game. We have to have one middle of the lineout man out there. More and more it's looking like Toner is the man for the job. I know he's not particularly highly thought of down south, but he's having a great season and has improved out of sight. Looking more and more up to task.

[Apocrypha]

This whole 3 month thing is a bit of a mystery...initially, I read that the 3 months would only take him up to the HEC Semi...but wouldn't 3 months cover the entire season, at this rate?

Tokula was announched as having signed for Munster until the end of season - not that I anticipate him seeing much action...

[munster#1]

Hmmm... not sure about that munster#1, the lineout is a fairly important set piece after all. Browne is a very earthbound lineout man, and Thorne was never as famed for his lineout ability as other areas of the game. We have to have one middle of the lineout man out there. More and more it's looking like Toner is the man for the job. I know he's not particularly highly thought of down south, but he's having a great season and has improved out of sight. Looking more and more up to task.

I agree toner has improved, but i would still have browne ahead of him, imo toner just isn't good enough at the breakdown and he appears to weaken your scrum. It is not a case of where i am from, it's just how i see it.

I think you might be overstating how good you lineout is if you believe brad over leo will weaken it.

[Logorrhea]

If he's fit, it'll be Leo +1.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Toner's been great at the breakdown this season. He's been noticably far far more aggressive going into it and has a very good engine. I think they've done a helluva lot of work on this area of his game.

There was one point last week where he came thundering through the middle of a ruck and knocked someone backwards but didn't seem to know what to do when the ball was at his feet. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it was almost like he'd repeated the action of hitting rucks aggressively so often that he mometarily forgot about the ball aspect of things!

Defensively he's very strong as well and not only does he make a lot of tackles but a good portion of them are very high impact ones. He reads the game very well defensively too.

So am I the only one who doesn't really rate Browne then? Personally I think that for every ruck he hits or tackle he makes there's another where he makes no inroads at the breakdown or is bounced off by a ball carrier.

[berniemac67]

Toner's been great at the breakdown this season. He's been noticably far far more aggressive going into it and has a very good engine. I think they've done a helluva lot of work on this area of his game.

There was one point last week where he came thundering through the middle of a ruck and knocked someone backwards but didn't seem to know what to do when the ball was at his feet. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it was almost like he'd repeated the action of hitting rucks aggressively so often that he mometarily forgot about the ball aspect of things!

Defensively he's very strong as well and not only does he make a lot of tackles but a good portion of them are very high impact ones. He reads the game very well defensively too.

So am I the only one who doesn't really rate Browne then? Personally I think that for every ruck he hits or tackle he makes there's another where he makes no inroads at the breakdown or is bounced off by a ball carrier.

I'd buy this

toner has improved immensely this season, and i am happy to see him named on any given match day

i wouldn't have said that even a few short months ago

[slum]

Toner's been great at the breakdown this season. He's been noticably far far more aggressive going into it and has a very good engine. I think they've done a helluva lot of work on this area of his game.

There was one point last week where he came thundering through the middle of a ruck and knocked someone backwards but didn't seem to know what to do when the ball was at his feet. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it was almost like he'd repeated the action of hitting rucks aggressively so often that he mometarily forgot about the ball aspect of things!

Defensively he's very strong as well and not only does he make a lot of tackles but a good portion of them are very high impact ones. He reads the game very well defensively too.

So am I the only one who doesn't really rate Browne then? Personally I think that for every ruck he hits or tackle he makes there's another where he makes no inroads at the breakdown or is bounced off by a ball carrier.

in fairness, Browne is carrying a shoulder injury..