Leinster vs Edinburgh, Friday 15th April

[Peg Leg]

Leo knows his place.

As the only coach willing to take the Leinster role?

[Dexter]

The IRFU don't want them rested, or Henshaw, Stander, Murray, Earls and Zebo wouldn't be active tomorrow. Players are not being released to Leinster because Leinster won't go along with IRFU attempts to force academy prospects to relocate.

Wow Dave, that's quite a statement. You would have way more knowledge about these things then me but I would hate this to be true.

Yeah, if that's true it adds a whole new level to the IRFU treatment of Leinster supporters, for one.

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah I dont subscribe to that conspiracy DC

Stander didnt go to world cup, Henshaw didnt play HC, Zebo in and out of Ireland team, Payne has had a few breaks
Earls, Murray only players with serious mileage
Leinster going to be in playoffs, Ulster and Munster maybe not (or even Europe!)

[goreyguy]

I know the IRFU have been trying to force Leinster into shipping people on alright. My info was that their reluctance to do so impacted on signings rather than selection though.

the rumours about a backrow headed north havent gone away.

leinster are right to stand up to the IRFU on this, whats the point in developing talent when you are forced to lose it.

if the provincial identity and ties that players and fans have to the team are weakened then irish rugby will be all the worse for it.

[wixfjord]

That's a big old buster of a conspiracy theory there Dave C!
Is this a theory, or have you heard it from someone?

[Dave Cahill]

That's a big old buster of a conspiracy theory there Dave C!
Is this a theory, or have you heard it from someone?

I've heard that Leinster making any non Irish or project signings is dependent on helping the IRFU move our academy prospects on - that is from what I would consider to be a rock solid source. The same guy told me that Leinster are absolutely refusing to play along and that the Union are examining their next step. Now, it might be said that I'm jumping to conclusions, but I think that its more a case of it being impossible to put your foot down at the moment without it landing on a particular conclusion and I know that I'm not the only one.

[blockhead]

Yeah I dont subscribe to that conspiracy DC

Stander didnt go to world cup, Henshaw didnt play HC, Zebo in and out of Ireland team, Payne has had a few breaks
Earls, Murray only players with serious mileage
Leinster going to be in playoffs, Ulster and Munster maybe not (or even Europe!)

See, that part there is irrelevant.
Did the irfu block Leinster from selecting certain players for this game or didn't they. They certainly didn't do it for the other 3 provinces.

[goreyguy]

That's a big old buster of a conspiracy theory there Dave C!
Is this a theory, or have you heard it from someone?

I've heard that Leinster making any non Irish or project signings is dependent on helping the IRFU move our academy prospects on - that is from what I would consider to be a rock solid source. The same guy told me that Leinster are absolutely refusing to play along and that the Union are examining their next step. Now, it might be said that I'm jumping to conclusions, but I think that its more a case of it being impossible to put your foot down at the moment without it landing on a particular conclusion and I know that I'm not the only one.

their next step appears to be, 1 year academy deals therefore not tying a player to a province for more than a year. Allowing much more interference and agent talk etc.

[riocard911]

Seems a logical inference alright, Goreyguy.....

[neiliog93]

If these theories are true (and on a conjectural level they make sense looking at the evidence), there's a huge potential story there. I wonder (if it's true), would it be in Leinster's interests to leak it to the press? Not to an anodyne, establishment fence-sitter like Gerry. Maybe someone like Watterson, who for all his lack of knowledge and other faults, likes to rattle a few cages.

[Ruckedtobits]

That concept is already a proposal. Not fancied by Leinster staff in any way. Might lead to other forms of Contracts,

[MarkyDeSad]

Was just forwarding DC's contention by text, predictive renamed him Dave Chill ! Very cool

[Dave Cahill]

Was just forwarding DC's contention by text, predictive renamed him Dave Chill ! Very cool

Better than Div Chimp I guess

[nopeare]

Any idea what the IRFU's "Next Step" would be Dave?

That is shocking and if true as others have said something should be "leaked"

[Raydollard]

Very content with this team. Should put Edinburgh away comfortably.

[Bluebulls]

Think its time to consider the implications if Cullen is telling the truth in his press conference - conspiracy theories are convenient but if Cullen is telling the truth about his selection then he is confirming to me that he is not up to this level of coaching. Resting players with three matches to go and not playing your stars for in the season "run in" is not logical.

[raith rover]

The Edinburgh forwards should be good enough to take on Leinster up front. The jury is definitely out on the backline though.
Leinster to meet Glasgow in the final at Murrayfield I would predict. Dunbar meets Sexton, the sequel on Scottish soil !!

[Peg Leg]

Very content with this team. Should put Edinburgh away comfortably.

f%~k me, that took a while.
Broadband slower in Bordeaux?

[domhnallj]

Very content with this team. Should put Edinburgh away comfortably.

f%~k me, that took a while.
Broadband slower in Bordeaux?

But why such confidence in the outcome....????

[COYBIB]

With the way rugby has gone in England and France and the way the IRFU operate here, I would not be totally opposed to exploring the option of a break away from the union. I've actually thought this for a while, it would be complicated and would require massive private investment, but to even explore the option would be interesting. I also think Mick Dawson has served his time, he has done some good work for the province, but I think we could use a new generation at the top.

But who owns Leinster? Who owns IRFU? Trustees. Trustees with personal invested interests that supersede that of "for the greater good of Irish rugby", but it's getting hard to deny that union owned and controlled rugby has run its course. The landscape of rugby has changed forever and we can either adapt and compete, or gradually fall further and further behind. The only reason the national team is so important above all else is because it has to fund the provinces. Removing that requirement actually frees up massive money to develop the game here and Pro12 competition rules could limit any match day 23 to have no more than 5 (for example) non-indigenously developed or non-nationally qualified players, there are ways to put these rules in place, that would also protect the interest of developing players for the national teams. (note the often banded about "EU employment laws" don't apply, you can employ as many foreign players as you like, but competition rules require no more than 5 non-indigenous players in any one match day squad - it's actually not a concept too dissimilar to what the IRFU have now, restricting the number that can be signed at all, which treads much closer to the line of employment law in my opinion).