Rumour Mill

[simonokeeffe]

havent read it yet the 42 have the full transcript of Nucifora's briefing up

[Dave Cahill]

He throws Leo a biscuit and pats him on the head like a good dog.

[rooster]

Tempting Michalak out of retirement would cheer me up no end, but I would be in a minority of one in that one.

$BW? Trinh-Duc? Milner-Skudder?

You're aiming WAY to high there with those names. You'd be better of looking at ITM/ Currie cup players or look for IQ lads in the championship; that's where we like to get players from for some reason.

eh, it's a rumour thread so keep your realities to yourself. kthanksbye

I read Nucifora's latest comments with interest and certainly hope you\re right and that he's being sincere. As I understand it, they allowed the Kirchner signing precisely because they knew Leinster needed him when internationals were away, but also knew he wasn't good enough to really threaten Rob Kearney's starting place.

so we can only sign mediocre players? maybe i'll get my wish so!

No you can sign useless and mediocre Irish players but only top class NIQ players, at a price.

[Oldschool]

He throws Leo a biscuit and pats him on the head like a good dog.

That's more than he ever threw MOC and rightly so. MOC out!

[Dave Cahill]

He throws Leo a biscuit and pats him on the head like a good dog.

That's more than he ever threw MOC and rightly so. MOC out!

No, its definitely better now that our coach is housebroken. If Leo is really good, Joe and Knuckles will buy him one of those collars with LED lights in it.

[Oldschool]

He throws Leo a biscuit and pats him on the head like a good dog.

That's more than he ever threw MOC and rightly so. MOC out!

No, its definitely better now that our coach is housebroken. If Leo is really good, Joe and Knuckles will buy him one of those collars with LED lights in it.

Ya can't beat a properly house trained cat either.

[Dave Cahill]

Well if you cut off their balls, they'll tend to be more compliant - and if people are stupid enough to thank you for getting out the gelding kit in the first place...

[Oldschool]

Well if you cut off their balls, they'll tend to be more compliant - and if people are stupid enough to thank you for getting out the gelding kit in the first place...

That's exactly the kit Nucifora and Joe used on MOC.
Unfortunately it was his brain that needed removing, not his balls

[Dave Cahill]

Yeah, imagine if they'd removed his brain - we might have beaten Wasps and Ba ...oh.

[Dave Cahill]

If people who are working against the best interests of Leinster think that Leo is doing a good job, Leo needs to take a look at himself. Knuckles couldnt have been more condescending - only a complete sap would consider it any other way

[Ruckedtobits]

Disagree with that logic Dave. Don't believe that anybody is seriously working AGAINST Leinster rugby, but I acknowledge that some may be focused on doing things from an Irish perspective which may cause concern in Leinster. There are definitely positions in Leinster in which we have players who will advance quicker, and possibly higher, elsewhere in the country. Can't blame our flawed recruitment on Nucifora, probably have to look closer to home for those reasons.

Apart from Wasps defeat, we had the opportunities to win each of our Euro games and just didn't deliver. The Pro12 results to date are right up there with any previous year bar one. Two defeats in first 9 games is very acceptable although our backline attack is well below par.

[goreyguy]

Dave yearns for the return of MOC.

[johng]

Ah Dave is only doing his jeremy clarkson/panto act to get a rise out of yiz.

[goreyguy]

Rhys Webb staying in Wales.

[johng]

Wales now have more central contracts than Ireland

[simonokeeffe]

Wales now have more central contracts than Ireland

only pay 60% of the bill though

[johng]

Wales now have more central contracts than Ireland

only pay 60% of the bill though

Control of the player though. 16 max games per year for Region (+ Knockouts if applicable I think)

[simonokeeffe]

Wales now have more central contracts than Ireland

only pay 60% of the bill though

Control of the player though. 16 max games per year for Region (+ Knockouts if applicable I think)

sure we still control game time for guys on provincial contracts if theyre involved with the national set up

[COYBIB]

Ok, this is pie in the sky crazy suggestion - but in the context of the IRFU put provincial team in a bag full of kittens and rocks, and throwing them into lake - is there a way around this whereby we could convince the IRFU to sanction spending some money that would definitely benefit Ireland more than an individual province, but would be a fascinating punt on improving play in this country.

Richie McCaw is a free agent now I believe, and depending on whether he has coaching ambitions, my preference would be having him come to (first preference Leinster) as either a "skills & structural consultant", or better yet, a forwards coach... can you imagine the things Van Der Flier, Josh and Jordi Murphy, Ruddock, Conan, Leavy etc. could learn off of this guy - even an expert course in his interpretation of the breakdown and the intricacies of the opportunity of stealing the ball, how to construct a cloak of invisibility and come in from the side at will... he could give an absolutely masterclass in a consultancy role, which could even just be 6 months worth of seminars to academy and junior Leinster players...

It's a bit "outside the box", but I suppose he wouldn't commit to a full coaching contract over here - forwards coach would be pretty amazing however additionally unlikely, but even on an educational consultancy role for 3 to 6 month visit, all travel and accommodation sorted for him, plenty of free time to see parts of Europe and a decent wedge of € to him for his troubles. It wouldn't be a bad working holiday whilst he considers his next move.

As the IRFU would insist, this would have to be province wide, but having some weekly theory based seminars and monthly field practice - there's potential for a lot to be learned and the man could be leaned if the role and structure and workload could be bashed out.

I know these ideas are becoming left field, but if we can no longer attract the best players and are going to be so reliant on academy players, maybe even specialist coaching / consultancy roles would be a cheaper way to get these expertise into our country, if only for a short space of time, and expose all emerging and certain existing talent to learn off one of the greatest ever in an almost academic and practical scenario.

[tate]

further to that im sure we could sort out some helicopter flying time for him - like Dr Phil and his degree