“They’re the best fans in the world. They were really upbeat and positive about my arrival. They rode the wave with me as well.
For the fans, I want to thank you for all the support through the ups and the downs. They showed so much love and support in the dark times that I went through here with the injury."
Thankfully he obviously never saw some of the sh!t that was written about him on here at the start of his Leinster career.
LH Prop(4)
Cian Healy(32/Belvedere/Clontarf) - central contract until 2021
Ed Byrne(26/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Peter Dooley(26/Birr RFC/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
Michael Milne(21/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - Academy Yr 3
TH Prop(5)
Michael Bent(34) - signed contract in 2020
Tadhg Furlong(27/New Ross RFC/Clontarf) - central contract until 2021
Andrew Porter(24/St. Andrews/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Vakh Abdaladze(24/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Tom Clarkson(20/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2
Hooker(4)
Sean Cronin(34) - signed contract in 2020
James Tracy(29/Newbridge/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Ronan Kelleher(22/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Dan Sheehan(21/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
John McKee(20/Campbell/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 1
Lock(8)
Scott Fardy(36) - signed 1 yr contract in 2020
Devin Toner(34Castleknock/Lansdowne) - signed 1 yr contract in 2020
Ross Molony(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
James Ryan(24/St. Michaels/UCD)- signed 3 yr central contract in 2020
Jack Dunne(21/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Ryan Baird(21/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Charlie Ryan(21/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 2
Brian Deeny(20/Wexford RFC/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 2
Joe McCarthy(19/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1
Backrow(10)
Rhys Ruddock(29/Exile/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Jack Conan(28/St. Gerards/Old Belvedere) - signed contract in 2019
Josh Van Der Flier(27/Wesley/UCD) - signed 2 yr contract in 2020
Dan Leavy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Josh Murphy(25/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Will Connors(24/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Max Deegan(23/St. Michaels/:ansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Caelan Doris(24/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Scott Penny(20/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Martin Moloney(20/Athy RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Sean O'Brien(20/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 1
Alex Soroka(19/Belvedere/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 1
Scrumhalf(5)
Jamie Gibson Park(28) - signed contract in 2019
Luke McGrath(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Rowan Osborne(23/Clongowes/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Hugh O'Sullivan(22/Belvedere/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Paddy Patterson(22/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 3
Cormac Foley(20/St. Gerards/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 2
Outhalf(5)
Jonathan Sexton(35/St. Marys/St. Marys) - central contract until 2021
Ross Byrne(25/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Ciaran Frawley(22/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Harry Byrne(21/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
David Hawkshaw(21/Belvedere) - Academy Yr 3
Centre(7)
Robbie Henshaw(27) - central contact until 2022
Rory O'Loughlin(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Garry Ringrose(25/Blackrock/UCD) - signed 2 yr central contract in 2020
Conor O'Brien(24/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Jimmy O'Brien(23/Newbridge/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Tommy O'Brien(22/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Liam Turner(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2
Back Three(9)
Dave Kearney(31/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
James Lowe(28) - signed 3yr contract in 2020
Adam Byrne(26/Naas RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Cian Kelleher(26/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Hugo Keenan(24/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Jordan Larmour(23/St. Andrews/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Michael Silvester(22/Clongowes/DUFC) - Academy Yr 3
Aaron O'Sullivan(20/Exile/Blackrock) - Academy Yr 3
Andrew Smith(20/St. Michaels/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 1
Niall Comerford(20/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 1
Max O'Reilly(20/St. Gerards/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1
“They’re the best fans in the world. They were really upbeat and positive about my arrival. They rode the wave with me as well.
For the fans, I want to thank you for all the support through the ups and the downs. They showed so much love and support in the dark times that I went through here with the injury."
Thankfully he obviously never saw some of the sh!t that was written about him on here at the start of his Leinster career.
“They’re the best fans in the world. They were really upbeat and positive about my arrival. They rode the wave with me as well.
For the fans, I want to thank you for all the support through the ups and the downs. They showed so much love and support in the dark times that I went through here with the injury."
Thankfully he obviously never saw some of the sh!t that was written about him on here at the start of his Leinster career.
"This is breathless stuff.....it's on again. Contepomi out to Hickie,D'Arcy,Hickie.......................HICKIE FOR THE CORNER! THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LH Prop(4)
Cian Healy(32/Belvedere/Clontarf) - central contract until 2021
Ed Byrne(27/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Peter Dooley(26/Birr RFC/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
Michael Milne(21/Birr RFC-Roscrea/UCD) - Academy Yr 3
TH Prop(5)
Michael Bent(34) - signed contract in 2020
Tadhg Furlong(27/New Ross RFC/Clontarf) - central contract until 2021
Ciaran Parker(24/Exile) - on loan from Jersey for 3 months
Andrew Porter(24/St. Andrews/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Vakh Abdaladze(24/Coolmine RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2020
Tom Clarkson(20/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2
Hooker(4)
Sean Cronin(34) - signed contract in 2020
James Tracy(29/Newbridge/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Ronan Kelleher(22/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Dan Sheehan(22/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
John McKee(20/Campbell/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 1
Lock(8)
Scott Fardy(36) - signed 1 yr contract in 2020
Devin Toner(34/Castleknock/Lansdowne) - signed 1 yr contract in 2020
Ross Molony(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
James Ryan(24/St. Michaels/UCD)- signed 3 yr central contract in 2020
Jack Dunne(21/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Ryan Baird(21/St. Michaels/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Charlie Ryan(21/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 2
Brian Deeny(20/Wexford RFC/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 2
Joe McCarthy(19/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1
Backrow(10)
Rhys Ruddock(29/Exile/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Jack Conan(28/St. Gerards/Old Belvedere) - signed contract in 2019
Josh Van Der Flier(27/Wesley/UCD) - signed 2 yr contract in 2020
Dan Leavy(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Josh Murphy(25/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Will Connors(24/Clongowes/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Max Deegan(24/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Caelan Doris(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Scott Penny(21/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Martin Moloney(20/Athy RFC/Old Belvedere) - Academy Yr 2
Sean O'Brien(20/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 1
Alex Soroka(19/Belvedere/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 1
Scrumhalf(5)
Jamie Gibson Park(28) - signed contract in 2019
Luke McGrath(27/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Rowan Osborne(23/Clongowes/DUFC) - signed contract in 2020
Hugh O'Sullivan(22/Belvedere/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Paddy Patterson(21/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 3
Cormac Foley(20/St. Gerards/Lansdowne) - Academy Yr 2
Outhalf(5)
Jonathan Sexton(35/St. Marys/St. Marys) - central contract until 2021
Ross Byrne(25/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Ciaran Frawley(22/Skerries RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Harry Byrne(21/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2020
David Hawkshaw(21/Belvedere) - Academy Yr 3
Centre(7)
Robbie Henshaw(27) - central contact until 2022
Rory O'Loughlin(26/St. Michaels/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Garry Ringrose(25/Blackrock/UCD) - signed 2 yr central contract in 2020
Conor O'Brien(24/Mullingar RFC/Clontarf) - signed contract in 2019
Jimmy O'Brien(23/Newbridge/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Tommy O'Brien(22/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Liam Turner(21/Blackrock/DUFC) - Academy Yr 2
Back Three(9)
Dave Kearney(31/Clongowes/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
James Lowe(28) - signed 3yr contract in 2020
Adam Byrne(26/Naas RFC/UCD) - signed contract in 2020
Cian Kelleher(26/St. Michaels/Lansdowne) - signed contract in 2019
Hugo Keenan(24/Blackrock/UCD) - signed contract in 2019
Jordan Larmour(23/St. Andrews/St. Marys) - signed contract in 2020
Michael Silvester(22/Clongowes/DUFC) - Academy Yr 3
Aaron O'Sullivan(20/Exile/Blackrock) - Academy Yr 3
Andrew Smith(20/St. Michaels/Clontarf) - Academy Yr 1
Niall Comerford(20/Blackrock/UCD) - Academy Yr 1
Max O'Reilly(20/St. Gerards/DUFC) - Academy Yr 1
Senior players likely out of contract in June 2021:
Scott Fardy(37)
Johnny Sexton(36) - central
Devin Toner(35)
Michael Bent(35)
Sean Cronin(35)
Cian Healy(33) - central
Dave Kearney(32)
Jack Conan(29)
Jamie Gibson Park(29)
Luke McGrath(28)
Tadhg Furlong(28) - central
Cian Kelleher(27)
Conor O'Brien(25)
Hugo Keenan(25)
Jimmy O'Brien(24)
Max Deegan(24)
Ronan Kelleher(23)
Hugh O'Sullivan(23)
Ciaran Frawley(23)
Scott Penny(21)
If Keenan, Lowe and Larmour are in the Ireland squad, which is not a huge leap, we would have only one fit back three specialist on a senior contract. Two if you want to count TOB. That's pretty wild.
Interesting article on Keenan that alludes to this. https://www.the42.ie/keenan-leinster-ba ... 2-Oct2020/
Two players will require further assessment this week before a final decision is made on their involvement at the weekend.
Andrew Porter was withdrawn in the second half against Dragons with a hamstring injury and will be further assessed later this week while Dave Kearney will increase his involvement in training today as he looks to recover from his own hamstring injury.
A number of players have though been ruled out of contention for this weekend.
Johnny Sexton was withdrawn in the first half against the Dragons but Cullen confirmed that this was as a precaution. Following further assessment over the weekend and again this morning, he will be unavailable this week with a minor hamstring injury.
Ciarán Frawley was also withdrawn during the Dragons game with a facial injury and will go through the graduated return to play protocols this week.
Cullen also confirmed that Max Deegan suffered a knee injury having come on as a substitute in the second half and will undergo further scans this week before a full diagnosis is known.
There was no new update on a number of players including Dan Leavy (knee) and they remain unavailable for selection:
Tadhg Furlong (calf), Dan Sheehan (cheekbone), Vakh Abdaladze (back), Conor O’Brien (hamstring) and Adam Byrne (hamstring).
Interesting looking at that list of expiring contracts.
We’ll almost certainly be losing the best Irish outhalf of all time in Sexton, no matter what your opinion of the players lying in wait, they’re all a massive step down from Sexton.
We’ll likely lose a bunch more experience in Cronin, Bent, Fardy, Toner maybe.
We’ll also lose some high potential youth too, certainly one or both of Deegan and Penny will be moved to Munster, and potentially Frawley will be moved on too depending on how Carbery fares with his injury / rehab.
It’s interesting to think about what gaps that will leave in the squad. We’ll absorb the potential losses at lock, back row and outhalf, but I think we’ll need something at loosehead.
Healy will be 33, which isn’t too bad, but the bench is subpar — Byrne and Dooley just don’t come close to cutting it for me and if we have to rely on them for the next couple of years, we’ll be in trouble imo. Maybe Milne will get there, but he’s only 20 and had never started a game, likely a few years before he realises his potential.
Certainly consider that with due experience of top-level games, Dooley will inherit Healy's jersey and although he is unlikely to be as outstanding a performer for as long as Healy, he can certainly be a very competent European and international representative.
Milne is at least 3-5 scrumagging years away from European level. He is already an excellent ball player and decent tackler, but very inexperienced at top-level at maul and line-out.
Ed Byrne is clearly an influential player within the Squad - Cullen doesn't appoint Captains on the basis of mere popularity, but nothing he has displayed in his Leinster career to date suggests that he has the capacity to start European games against serious opposition yet. He may develop to that level, but he is not there at present.
There was a time when Leinster had to recruit Props internationally. Michael Bent, Mike Ross, Heinke Van de Merwe, Stan Wright and South Africans Ollie Le Roux and CJ Van de Linde were some of the most notable and there is no doubt they were significant recruits at particular times. However, we are not at that point now and we have already invested a lot of development into Peter Dooley. Certainly, we would like to have retained Jack McGrath, but retaining two Lions players in the same position has never proved easy for any Club.
So let's not ignore what we have and what we have already invested in those players. Let's give Dooley the right opportunities to show his mettle. Milne's time will come. Ed Byrne's service to the Province may be more comparable to that of Ross Moloney and, ultimately, Michael Bent. If he acheives that profile, he will have made a significant contribution.
Serb wrote: ↑October 5th, 2020, 9:10 pm
Interesting looking at that list of expiring contracts.
We’ll almost certainly be losing the best Irish outhalf of all time in Sexton, no matter what your opinion of the players lying in wait, they’re all a massive step down from Sexton.
We'll see. If Sexton stays the way he's going then he's worth another year. Ross is developing and you wouldn't retire Sexton for him to get more Ireland time. The idea of giving Carbery a run at the jersey doesn't look sensible right now.
With Saracens out for two years there's a good chance for a Heineken Cup.
If Sexton is good for another year then it's only one more for a RWC, even if he's subbing more than starting.
