Leinster Squad 19-20

[Jonny tight lips]

Any sign of Conan coming back,

[Pilotman123]

https://www.rugbyplayersireland.ie/a-fa ... ercoaster/
Interesting article about the Hawkshaw family

[hugonaut]

Any sign of Conan coming back,

Supposed to be six months from his injury [source: https://www.the42.ie/jack-conan-leinste ... 6-Oct2019/ ], so it will be a while yet - April or thereabouts.

[cormac]

Our first choice side without the 6N guys could be something like

Dooley, Cronin/Tracy, Bent/Aungier, Molony, Fardy, Murphy, Penny, Rhys, JGP, Frawley, Lowe, Tomane, JOB, Ferg, RK

Still a fair bit of experience in there!

Backrow is a bit unbalanced, but we may get one of Deegan/Doris back to play 8, and potentially Connors too.

Two of the three games during the 6N are on the idle weekends so suspect we'll get a few back for those matches at the very least, especially as we're at home on both those occasions.

[Ruckedtobits]

A welcome return of Demented Mole with a really detailed analysis of Leinster's League. A good read or one for the trip to Treviso:

https://dementedmole.com/2020/01/16/leinsters-league/

[mildlyinterested]

12956
Leinster Rugby ‘A’ to face Ulster Rugby ‘A’

15. Cian Kelleher
14. Adam Byrne
13. Jimmy O’Brien
12. Conor O’Brien
11. Tommy O’Brien
10. Tim Corkery(u19)
9. Hugh O’Sullivan
1. Charlie Ward(u20)
2. Bryan Byrne
3. Jack Aungier
4. Óisín Dowling
5. Ryan Baird
6. Sean O’Brien(u20)
7. Scott Penny CAPTAIN
8. Josh Murphy

Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan
17. Marcus Hannan(u20)
18. Roman Salanoa
19. Brian Deeny(u20)
20. Mark Hernan(u20)
21. Patrick Patterson
22. Andrew Smith(u20)
23. Luis Faria(u20)

[LeinsterLeader]

12956
Leinster Rugby ‘A’ to face Ulster Rugby ‘A’

15. Cian Kelleher
14. Adam Byrne
13. Jimmy O’Brien
12. Conor O’Brien
11. Tommy O’Brien
10. Tim Corkery(u19)
9. Hugh O’Sullivan
1. Charlie Ward(u20)
2. Bryan Byrne
3. Jack Aungier
4. Óisín Dowling
5. Ryan Baird
6. Sean O’Brien(u20)
7. Scott Penny CAPTAIN
8. Josh Murphy

Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan
17. Marcus Hannan(u20)
18. Roman Salanoa
19. Brian Deeny(u20)
20. Mark Hernan(u20)
21. Patrick Patterson
22. Andrew Smith(u20)
23. Luis Faria(u20)

Some talent on display there.

Provinces, bring your shopping carts

[Laighin Break]

Josh Murphy starting at 8. I expect might see him playing there for the senior team during the 6 Nations if Doris and Deegan aren't available.

[LeinsterLeader]

ULSTER ‘A’ 12 LEINSTER ‘A’ 61 FT

JOB and HOS with 2 tries each

Edit:

Leinster Rugby ‘A’ cruised to a nine-try 61-12 win over their Ulster counterparts in Belfast tonight, with Hugh O’Sullivan and Jimmy O’Brien both crossing the whitewash twice. John Dickson reports from CIYMS RFC.

Noel McNamara’s young guns, who had defeated Ulster ‘A’ 31-10 to retain the Celtic Cup title earlier this season, were quick to show their attacking intent in bitterly cold conditions.

They hit the front in the third minute when centre Jimmy O’Brien made a neat break and sent the support O’Sullivan clear to score. UCD clubman Tim Corkery converted to make it a seven-pointer.

The hosts had hooker Zack McCall sin-binned on the quarter hour mark for tip-tackling Ryan Baird close to the Ulster try-line. Leinster ‘A’ responded with two tries during the 10-minute period, with flanker Sean O’Brien smashing his way over and impressive lock Oisin Dowling adding a similar effort.

Corkery converted the third try to open up a 19-point lead, but Ulster ‘A’ hit back in the 33rd minute when scrum half Lewis Finlay created room out wide for Luke Pollock to force his way over in the left corner. Bruce Houston topped it off with a brilliant conversion.

However, Leinster ‘A’ scored right on the cusp of half-time with their fourth try following a sustained bout of pressure. It eventually saw influential scrum half O’Sullivan dart over close to the posts for Corkery to convert, leaving it 26-7 at the break.

It was the Ulstermen who struck first on the resumption when flanker Marcus Rea stormed clear on the Leinster ‘A’ 22 and managed to make the line for an unconverted try. Crucially, McNamara’s side snapped back with another try and kept the home side scoreless for the remainder.

A great effort from fleet-footed full-back Cian Kelleher, converted by Corkery, was followed by a fine score from captain Scott Penny who scored his strength and speed to storm clear and touch down. With 55 minutes on the clock, the scoreboard showed 40-12.

It was all one-way traffic to the finish as Ulster ‘A’ coughed up a loose pass which Jimmy O’Brien seized upon to open his account. He doubled his tally soon after, profiting from some nifty play by replacement scrum half Paddy Patterson who worked his magic from the base of a midfield scrum.

Out-half Corkery continued to add to his handsome haul, closing out the game with 16 points in all. The final Leinster ‘A’ try came when Ulster ‘A’ were penalised at a ruck and Patterson took a quick tap to scamper clear and score.

[blockhead]

Leinster scores:
TRIES: Hugh O'Sullivan 2, Sean O'Brien, Oisin Dowling, Cian Kelleher, Scott Penny, Jimmy O'Brien 2, Paddy Patterson; CONS: Tim Corkery 8

Thats a serious spanking.

[Peg Leg]

Leinster scores:
TRIES: Hugh O'Sullivan 2, Sean O'Brien, Oisin Dowling, Cian Kelleher, Scott Penny, Jimmy O'Brien 2, Paddy Patterson; CONS: Tim Corkery 8

Thats a serious spanking.

2 scrummies on the score sheet, love a bit of competition

[Pilotman123]

Leinster scores:
TRIES: Hugh O'Sullivan 2, Sean O'Brien, Oisin Dowling, Cian Kelleher, Scott Penny, Jimmy O'Brien 2, Paddy Patterson; CONS: Tim Corkery 8

Thats a serious spanking.

2 scrummies on the score sheet, love a bit of competition

Both very talented scrum halves aswell

[Pilotman123]

Lads, does anyone where I can get footage of the game? ( Leinster A v Ulster A)

[hugonaut]

Leinster scores:
TRIES: Hugh O'Sullivan 2, Sean O'Brien, Oisin Dowling, Cian Kelleher, Scott Penny, Jimmy O'Brien 2, Paddy Patterson; CONS: Tim Corkery 8

Thats a serious spanking.

2 scrummies on the score sheet, love a bit of competition

Biggest issue in the squad for us. We are no better off than we were last season if one of Luke McGrath or JGP gets injured. 3 appearances [1+2 | 104mins] for Rowan Osbourne and 6 appearances [0+6 | 92mins] for Hugh O'Sullivan thus far this season.

Nick McCarthy must be looking at his decision to leave with regret. He didn't back himself to compete with JGP and Luke McGrath for minutes and left because he felt he would be an automatic third choice here with little chance of promotion.

He's now in the position where he is third choice in Munster, and has to work against politics as well as the abilities of his competitors. There is significant backing for Craig Casey ['one of our own'] across all levels of the Munster cast - fans, coaches and administrators. Casey is a real talent and will get the push, and McCarthy will be relegated to the ha'penny place. Murray is on a central deal for the next two and a half years, so his position is locked down.

I don't feel the same sense of resentment towards McCarthy as I did to Conway or Kelleher when the latter two upped sticks, mostly because he's a different type of personality and partly because he hasn't felt the need to make a big splash about why he left. He's a diligent guy and he made a career decision, one that hasn't yet and probably won't work out for him.

[ronk]

McCarthy knew where he stood when he left. He was solidly 3rd choice with a tough job to get higher. Conway and Kelleher were breaking through and didn't know where they would end up. They gave up before their development went wrong, just in case it went wrong.

[cormac]

Conway made 42 appearances before he left. He was only 21. Only Luke Fitzgerald has made more appearances for the province by the age Conway was when he left.

[CiaranIrl]

Conway made 42 appearances before he left. He was only 21. Only Luke Fitzgerald has made more appearances for the province by the age Conway was when he left.

Conway didn't leave because he wasn't getting opportunities.

[Theleinsterlad]

Conway made 42 appearances before he left. He was only 21. Only Luke Fitzgerald has made more appearances for the province by the age Conway was when he left.

Conway didn't leave because he wasn't getting opportunities.

Recent interview Conway said he and his family always supported Munster so in his eyes it was the right fit. I have no issue with players who want to play for the jersey they want to play for. It has also helped us recently to retain more players than we could have due to irfu pushing.

[ronk]

I'm not sure how I'd feel about that if I was credulous. It doesnt matter because I am not.

[ronk]

And he left mid contract. Did he wake up one day and suddenly remember he was a Lunster and had dreamed of playing for them since he was a boy?

Would he admit in an interview that he thought he'd walk onto the Munster XV and get called into the Irish team after a few good performances and a few gushing articles?

Would he say he was then screwed over when they signed a promising South African winger ahead of him?

When you are leaving the nest do you sh!t in the old one or the new one.