Robin Copeland

[footrush]

Good Wexford stock...can imagine he'll be back in Leinster blue in a few years to replace Jamie

Why not next year or ASAP to address our troubles in the second row?

He has always had plenty of real ability, seems to be getting into shape for this level and having frequent game time with the Blues, looks like he made an excellent decision.

[AdamK]

Can he play in the row? I've only ever seen him line up in the backrow.

[blockhead]

Was it mentioned even once tonight on RTE that Robin is a Leinster lad?

[hugonaut]

Can he play in the row? I've only ever seen him line up in the backrow.

Used to play for Mary's in the row.

[ronk]

Was it mentioned even once tonight on RTE that Robin is a Leinster lad?

I don't remember them saying it, but they mightn't have known.

[Dave Cahill]

Was it mentioned even once tonight on RTE that Robin is a Leinster lad?

A number of times

[goreyguy]

would love to see him back in blue.

[simonokeeffe]

6'5 and 110k kg big enough for second row?

would have him over Leo A mind

anyone know what length of a deal Copeland is on? cant find anything online

[artaneboy]

6'5 and 110k kg big enough for second row?

would have him over Leo A mind

anyone know what length of a deal Copeland is on? cant find anything online

Height is important in a second row, but people can get obsessive on the subject. Almost as important is the ability to time a jump and work as part of a lifting pod. Being light enough for the lifters to hoist is very important too. From the little I've seen of Copeland in the line out to date, he seems a nifty mover. I'd guess that he could well become a very good front of line stalwart in a full line out with the mobility to secure ball anywhere in a shortened version.

Not sure on his contract arrangements, but I seem to remember he only signed this year to Cardiff, so there's probably a couple of years on the contract.

[goreyguy]

he signed in the summer for 2 years, so not until the after next season. Summer 2014.

[simonokeeffe]

6'5 and 110k kg big enough for second row?

would have him over Leo A mind

anyone know what length of a deal Copeland is on? cant find anything online

Height is important in a second row, but people can get obsessive on the subject. Almost as important is the ability to time a jump and work as part of a lifting pod. Being light enough for the lifters to hoist is very important too. From the little I've seen of Copeland in the line out to date, he seems a nifty mover. I'd guess that he could well become a very good front of line stalwart in a full line out with the mobility to secure ball anywhere in a shortened version.

Not sure on his contract arrangements, but I seem to remember he only signed this year to Cardiff, so there's probably a couple of years on the contract.

height very important but so is reach, and so is scrummaging power
Cardiff's pronouncements on signing him were a 6 who can cover second row

[artaneboy]

6'5 and 110k kg big enough for second row?

would have him over Leo A mind

anyone know what length of a deal Copeland is on? cant find anything online

Height is important in a second row, but people can get obsessive on the subject. Almost as important is the ability to time a jump and work as part of a lifting pod. Being light enough for the lifters to hoist is very important too. From the little I've seen of Copeland in the line out to date, he seems a nifty mover. I'd guess that he could well become a very good front of line stalwart in a full line out with the mobility to secure ball anywhere in a shortened version.

Not sure on his contract arrangements, but I seem to remember he only signed this year to Cardiff, so there's probably a couple of years on the contract.

height very important but so is reach, and so is scrummaging power
Cardiff's pronouncements on signing him were a 6 who can cover second row

Yeah, I get that, but I see no obvious reason why he shouldn't be a second row that covers the back row- 6 and 8. Okay 6.5 is not tall these days for a second row, but as you say the reach- combination of height at the shoulder and ground spring is the more appropriate measurement. And as you rightly mentioned the grunt and body-position technique in the scrum, ruck, maul, etc. Then all the line-out systems stuff I mentioned already. After all, he played there for Marys, so he has some pedigree- even if at a lower standard. He has to be as good a bet as Denton is (to date)- on the lower end of expectations; and Browne at the higher end. Do you not think?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Do not want. I think far too much of a fuss is being made after one good performance against a cr@p Munster side.

He's a serious athlete and has obviously bulked up a lot from his AIL days where he used to run through gaps for fun but we're not short of back rowers and we're not short of athletic guys. We're short of hard nosed second rows. People are suggesting that he'd be better than new Leo and he may well be but our main problem with Leo is that he doesn't work hard enough and Copeland wouldn't be much different. I'm not saying he's lazy but he doesn't have the power that we're lacking.

We need a Nathan Hines, not a Tom Croft.

[artaneboy]

Do not want. I think far too much of a fuss is being made after one good performance against a cr@p Munster side.

He's a serious athlete and has obviously bulked up a lot from his AIL days where he used to run through gaps for fun but we're not short of back rowers and we're not short of athletic guys. We're short of hard nosed second rows. People are suggesting that he'd be better than new Leo and he may well be but our main problem with Leo is that he doesn't work hard enough and Copeland wouldn't be much different. I'm not saying he's lazy but he doesn't have the power that we're lacking.

We need a Nathan Hines, not a Tom Croft.

Yeah, but Nahan's gone and not coming back. And we have no likely similar types on the radar- that I've heard mooted anyway. Okay Copeland is no Hines, but he's a good player from Leinster stock and he's played well as a back row in the professional ranks and has the demonstrated ability to play second row. As you note, he has bulked up and does not seem a whispy Croft type at all. Equating pace in a forward with lack of grunt seems a bit- forgive me- glib. We'd still retain our NIQ slot for a Hines/ Thorn type, if Robin came. And we're not going to discover a Nathan type in the IQ ranks- are we? So what's not to consider?

[tackle-bag]

I think people are getting a little bit carried away about a player who has spent the bulk of his professional career to date playing for two pretty hopeless sides in the second tier of English professional rugby. He's still 25 so time is on his side, but I wouldn't be championing his return to Leinster on the strength of a few decent performances for the Blues. Let's see how he performs over the next year and then re-evaluate the position.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

What's not to consider is that we don't need backrows. We're so over stocked that we just moved Coughlan to the centre and Jack Conan hasn't played for us yet, and that's before mentioning all the young flankers we have.

We've also had our fair share of youngish second rows with potential that haven't worked out and are likely to still have Toner and Flanagan (and possibly Denton too, can't remember how long his contract is) for next season. I'm a fan of Toner but it looks like Joe doesn't fancy him as first choice. I would think that Leo, McCarthy, Browne and Toner will rotate with each other next year and that Marshall and Flanagan will get a decent amount of game time too. Where would Copeland fit into that? Is he a better second row than any of those 4 guys? I don't think so. Marshall can fill that 6/5 role and Kev has experience of it too.

I think that if we go to sign another second row then it should be someone who's a specialist second row that you'd want in the trenches against a team like Clermont, I've nothing against Copeland but he's not that guy.

I never said that his pace meant that he didn't have grunt. I saw him play AIL quite a bit and know guys who played under 20s with him and that's what I'm basing my opinion on. He's just not the kind of player we need and I really don't see where he'd fit in.

[artaneboy]

I think people are getting a little bit carried away about a player who has spent the bulk of his professional career to date playing for two pretty hopeless sides in the second tier of English professional rugby. He's still 25 so time is on his side, but I wouldn't be championing his return to Leinster on the strength of a few decent performances for the Blues. Let's see how he performs over the next year and then re-evaluate the position.

Well it's mostly me getting carried away - but fair enough. Look, I'm not saying he's the second coming. Just he's definetly worth a punt. But was Denton not a more obscure pick in terms of previous clubs? Okay I know that's not looking great business at the moment...! Anyway he's likely tied to Cardiff until 2014 anyway, so we have time to see how he goes. But if an opportunity cones to talk to him earlier, we should do that.

[suisse]

This will blow over soon. We do this a lot when a former player puts in a big game.

Munster were shite though. But we've been sh!t a lot this year too

[AdamK]

If auva'a isn't resigned surely he's worth looking at as a pro12 no.8....

[christy]

I remember having this discussion when we signed Mariano Galarza. I would just like to say told you so!

I am disappointed with this signing if true a 23-24 year old Argentine nobody brought in over a 22 year old Robin Copeland who has gone to the UK because AIL player's are given feck all chance of making it with the provinces (apart from Connacht) .Its seriously disappointing ,its got to the stage if you are not offered a contract leaving school you have no chance .No chance for the late developer or new comers to the game that have missed out on school rugby if the irfu are serious about developing players this needs to change. We have abandoned these players for the likes of Richardt Strauss in the hope that he will be good enough or eligible to play for Ireland .Rant over!

Joking aside this guy has the ability to play at the top level weather that's in the back row or second row time will tell