2014 comings and goings

[neiliog93]

McCarthy is a necessary signing..we're a few injuries away from having Dooley or Byrne on bench for h cup duty.

That wouldn't scare me, both fantastic talents.

Yes, but there's a difference between acknolweding them as fantastic talents and having them scrum against Domingo, Hayman et al. A nonsense statement to not be scared of a scenario like that. One's a teenager and the other is 20.

[goreyguy]

McCarthy is a necessary signing..we're a few injuries away from having Dooley or Byrne on bench for h cup duty.

That wouldn't scare me, both fantastic talents.

Yes, but there's a difference between acknolweding them as fantastic talents and having them scrum against Domingo, Hayman et al. A nonsense statement to not be scared of a scenario like that. One's a teenager and the other is 20.

both will be 20 when the season starts and Byrne will be 21 before europe kicks off.. hardly ideal but not the end of the world stuff.. young players especially props have tough days, its inevitable..

Maybe McCarthy turns out to be an excellent squad player.. but he seems more like a stopgap and a stopgap we probably don't even need considering the talent at LH, if he can cover TH it make much more sense..

[LeRouxIsPHat]

McCarthy is a necessary signing..we're a few injuries away from having Dooley or Byrne on bench for h cup duty.

That wouldn't scare me, both fantastic talents.

Yes, but there's a difference between acknolweding them as fantastic talents and having them scrum against Domingo, Hayman et al. A nonsense statement to not be scared of a scenario like that. One's a teenager and the other is 20.

Well yeah but it's also a nonsense not to acknowledge that we would need three injuries for either of them to be near the bench.


Ed Byrne has already benched against Munster. Not that he was likely to get on but nobody panicked.

EDIT: meant three injuries before they'd start.

[Morf]

McCarthy is a necessary signing..we're a few injuries away from having Dooley or Byrne on bench for h cup duty.

That wouldn't scare me, both fantastic talents.

Yes, but there's a difference between acknolweding them as fantastic talents and having them scrum against Domingo, Hayman et al. A nonsense statement to not be scared of a scenario like that. One's a teenager and the other is 20.

Domingo is a LH though and Haymans is a TH.

I think Dooley is solely a LH and Byrne has played a little at TH and wouldn't even be much thought of at A level at TH.

[AdamK]

Is Douglas an enforcer type second row? Very difficult to judge from a highlights reel, obviously you're only going to see his best, but McCarthy came in as an enforcer character and while he's done ok since arriving, maybe hasn't lived up to what was hoped for - his form for Ireland prior to joining was a really hard hitting, physical power player, hasn't shown as much of that in blue.

I was watching some old rugby tidibits involving Trevor Brennan recently, I was always a big fan of his, I think we could use a more controlled version of him, just an in your face, aggressive hardman - blazed a trail for the likes of Hines and Thorn coming in later. Don't think we've anything like that coming through. Leo in his prime was a good niggley player also, I think you need one of them in your pack. Some call them "street wise" others call them "cheats", but whatever they are, they can be a real linchpin in a pack and second row is the optimal place to have one imo.

It's why I'm delighted Leo is staying on as coach also, he can pass on a lot of his "smarts" to young players and hopefully add some wily guile to future stars.

I don't get this. McCarthy has been immense for us. Arguably one of our best pack players. In the tackle error he's far more physical than Hines ever was. He might not be as sneaky as Hines or Cullen, but few are. The issue is he misses a few tackles, but that's fixable.

I would say he's been the most physically imposing lock at Leinster bar Thorn and Browne. But one was a medical joker and the other needed a medical joker to replace him. McCarthy has arguably been our best signing this season.

[ceemec]

McCarthy has been incredibly physical. Because someone doesn't decapitate someone or pick them up and drive them back 5 yards in the tackle doesn't mean they're not delivering massively in physicality. Himself and Ruddock work superbly in tandem together at rucks, choke tackles and putting men to ground quick and hard.

[AdamK]

McCarthy has been incredibly physical. Because someone doesn't decapitate someone or pick them up and drive them back 5 yards in the tackle doesn't mean they're not delivering massively in physicality. Himself and Ruddock work superbly in tandem together at rucks, choke tackles and putting men to ground quick and hard.

Yep, that's how I see it too. Ruddock is very similiar, if you watch him in the tight he's immense, not flashy but he always wins the collision and gets his body into a great position. McCarthy is very similiar in that sense in defence. And for a big fella he gets around the park very well.

Even when Douglas arrives I reckon McCarthy and Toner will be first choice. Douglas will be some option to have during the international windows when no doubt Toner and MCCarthy will be away.

[Keith]

McCarthy has been incredibly physical. Because someone doesn't decapitate someone or pick them up and drive them back 5 yards in the tackle doesn't mean they're not delivering massively in physicality. Himself and Ruddock work superbly in tandem together at rucks, choke tackles and putting men to ground quick and hard.

+1 he can also man mark very well. I remember in the NH away game he tackled North 3 times in the space of two mins stopping him dead in his tracks each time.

[hugonaut]

Is Douglas an enforcer type second row? Very difficult to judge from a highlights reel, obviously you're only going to see his best, but McCarthy came in as an enforcer character and while he's done ok since arriving, maybe hasn't lived up to what was hoped for - his form for Ireland prior to joining was a really hard hitting, physical power player, hasn't shown as much of that in blue.

I was watching some old rugby tidibits involving Trevor Brennan recently, I was always a big fan of his, I think we could use a more controlled version of him, just an in your face, aggressive hardman - blazed a trail for the likes of Hines and Thorn coming in later. Don't think we've anything like that coming through. Leo in his prime was a good niggley player also, I think you need one of them in your pack. Some call them "street wise" others call them "cheats", but whatever they are, they can be a real linchpin in a pack and second row is the optimal place to have one imo.

It's why I'm delighted Leo is staying on as coach also, he can pass on a lot of his "smarts" to young players and hopefully add some wily guile to future stars.

I don't get this. McCarthy has been immense for us. Arguably one of our best pack players. In the tackle error he's far more physical than Hines ever was. He might not be as sneaky as Hines or Cullen, but few are. The issue is he misses a few tackles, but that's fixable.

I would say he's been the most physically imposing lock at Leinster bar Thorn and Browne. But one was a medical joker and the other needed a medical joker to replace him. McCarthy has arguably been our best signing this season.

I like McCarthy too, he has been a good signing and has played a lot of rugby for us this year – 24 of 28 games. I don't know what people were expecting if they're disappointed with him. He'd been playing for Connacht for years and there has been plenty of chances to see him in action. We signed him when he was 31, he wasn't going to make huge adjustments to his game – especially because we basically signed him for what he was already doing.

Can't say that I understand what [Jackass] means about Trevor Brennan 'blazing a trail for the likes of Hines and Thorn'. There's just no relation there that I can see. Brennan left in 2002, Hines arrived seven years later as a Lion with a huge amount of experience to his name, played a different position, plays a different type of game and is a different personality. He wasn't taking his cues from how Trevor Brennan played. Brennan was hot-headed and a big hitter with absolutely no subtlety [or much handling ability] to his name, and a complete penalty machine. Hines has loads of football and is much more underhand [and funnier] with his niggle.

[simonokeeffe]

McCarthy has been incredibly physical. Because someone doesn't decapitate someone or pick them up and drive them back 5 yards in the tackle doesn't mean they're not delivering massively in physicality. Himself and Ruddock work superbly in tandem together at rucks, choke tackles and putting men to ground quick and hard.

+1 he can also man mark very well. I remember in the NH away game he tackled North 3 times in the space of two mins stopping him dead in his tracks each time.

think he was a bit unfit when he arrived/not used to pace of our games but got truly motoring

[neiliog93]

Well yeah but it's also a nonsense not to acknowledge that we would need three injuries for either of them to be near the bench.


Ed Byrne has already benched against Munster. Not that he was likely to get on but nobody panicked.

EDIT: meant three injuries before they'd start.

That's why I said "a few injuries away"...

[johng]

Well yeah but it's also a nonsense not to acknowledge that we would need three injuries for either of them to be near the bench.


Ed Byrne has already benched against Munster. Not that he was likely to get on but nobody panicked.

EDIT: meant three injuries before they'd start.

That's why I said "a few injuries away"...

[Donny B.]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/b ... -1.1788264

Initially read this headline as "contract" not "contact"!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Well yeah but it's also a nonsense not to acknowledge that we would need three injuries for either of them to be near the bench.


Ed Byrne has already benched against Munster. Not that he was likely to get on but nobody panicked.

EDIT: meant three injuries before they'd start.

That's why I said "a few injuries away"...

I know but I thought you were implying that I'd be happy for those guys to play against world class players already? I wouldn't be, but as 4th/5th choice then I would be very happy with them.

We're in more trouble elsewhere. Look at 12 for example. Reid is now our second choice 12 and has had a brilliant season, but as well as he has played, the idea of him playing against someone like Basteraud really would scare me, and that might only be ONE injury away.

[simonno6]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/b ... -1.1788264

Initially read this headline as "contract" not "contact"!

haha I'd say that gave you a good jolt!

[simonokeeffe]

Well yeah but it's also a nonsense not to acknowledge that we would need three injuries for either of them to be near the bench.


Ed Byrne has already benched against Munster. Not that he was likely to get on but nobody panicked.

EDIT: meant three injuries before they'd start.

That's why I said "a few injuries away"...

I know but I thought you were implying that I'd be happy for those guys to play against world class players already? I wouldn't be, but as 4th/5th choice then I would be very happy with them.

We're in more trouble elsewhere. Look at 12 for example. Reid is now our second choice 12 and has had a brilliant season, but as well as he has played, the idea of him playing against someone like Basteraud really would scare me, and that might only be ONE injury away.

I think McFadden would come in there for a big game well before Reid

[desperado]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/b ... -1.1788264

Initially read this headline as "contract" not "contact"!

Me too. For a nanosecond my mind was racing as to possibilities.

[neiliog93]

I know but I thought you were implying that I'd be happy for those guys to play against world class players already? I wouldn't be, but as 4th/5th choice then I would be very happy with them.

We're in more trouble elsewhere. Look at 12 for example. Reid is now our second choice 12 and has had a brilliant season, but as well as he has played, the idea of him playing against someone like Basteraud really would scare me, and that might only be ONE injury away.

Fair enough. A Reid-Macken axis against Bastareaud would resemble more a sieve than a defensive wall.

[johng]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby ... 6914841141

[simonokeeffe]

so Douglas is their Johnny Sexton and we are offering €130k more but not sure if thats over the contract or per season

the Aussie Douglas deal is very bonus/performance related like Heaslips

personally am really go to row in behind Douglas on the basis of Frannos hatred for him