Ones That Got Away XV

[simonokeeffe]

Just an idea, player's that got away from us/we let go early in their careers/were Leinster schools or clubs players/or even played senior but who thrived/made their name/played best rugby/won international recognition at other clubs or provinces, whether or not it was a sound decision to let them go. Basically former Leinster system (senior, academy, clubs, schools) players who were more successful elsewhere. Say for example Geordan Murphy or Bob Casey (rather than say Felipe or Rocky who played great for us and still going). Am finding backs easy enough, forwards less so

15. Geordan Murphy
14. Felix Jones
13. Johnny Murphy
12. James Downey
11. Vasily Artemiev
10. Paddy Wallace (UCD)/Ian Keatley
9. Peter Du Toit
1. Dave Hewet (undergrad at UCD?)
2.
3.
4. Bob Casey
5. Scott LaValla (Dublin University signed by Stade Francais)
6. Matt McCullough (Dublin University)
7. Trevor Brennan (played best rugby for Toulouse)/Niall Ronan (capped at Munster)
8. Roger Wilson (Dublin University)

[ceemec]

Peter Bracken at tighthead. James Blaney at hooker. JHW could be our contender at hooker. There's also a few former props knocking around in England such as Royce Burke-Flynn. Paul Doran-Jones could fall into the front row category also.

[simonokeeffe]

yeah PDJ would even be in the national 22 by now easily
did a gig at Blackrock RFC once and RBF took me slagging him for his excessive amount of surnames in good stead, great player for u20s, I rated him above Hagan

Didn't Brian Carney play club rugby for Landsdowne too?

[jezzer]

Had a crack at filling in some blanks... That team with all players in their prime would beat a lot of good sides.

15. Geordan Murphy
14. Felix Jones
13. Johnny Murphy / Kieran Lewis
12. James Downey
11. Vasily Artemiev
10. Ian Keatley
9. Cillian willis / Dave Morris
1. Paul Doran Jones
2. Shane Byrne
3. Peter Bracken
4. Bob Casey
5. Dave Gannon
6. Trevor Brennan
7. Niall Ronan
8. Aidan McCullen

[simonokeeffe]

ah think we got the best (years) out of Shane Byrne
Yeah Gannon played great for first spell at Connacht before Bradley released him which was a surprise

[cormac]

Had a crack at filling in some blanks... That team with all players in their prime would beat a lot of good sides.

15. Geordan Murphy
14. Felix Jones
13. Johnny Murphy / Kieran Lewis
12. James Downey
11. Vasily Artemiev
10. Ian Keatley
9. Cillian willis / Dave Morris
1. Paul Doran Jones
2. Shane Byrne
3. Peter Bracken
4. Bob Casey
5. Dave Gannon
6. Trevor Brennan
7. Niall Ronan
8. Aidan McCullen

Conor O'Shea should be in there somewhere, certainly ahead of Jones or Artemiev.

[simonokeeffe]

Conor O'Shea also counts as one that got away for coaching

[Blue not red blood]

Declan kidney

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Didn't realise McCullough went to Trinity. Always thought he was a brilliant player until he was in that car crash/had a mare against either NZ/Oz (can't remember which one). Thought he was like Poc but just slightly worse in every area, pity his career petered out the way it did. Was a big fan of McCullen too.

[simonokeeffe]

If Kidney hadve stayed any longer our entire team would have gone to Leicester
Discipline aside McCullough was a very promising player, great handling for a 2nd row especially but yeah he was never the same after the crash. Think that was the summer after the Autumn test against NZ, in fairness think nerves/occasion got to him, was home debut after all, and it was a v weak Ireland team, lot of injuries, Anthony Horgan playing against the All Blacks *shudder*

[Dave Cahill]

If Kidney hadve stayed any longer our entire team would have gone to Leicester
Discipline aside McCullough was a very promising player, great handling for a 2nd row especially but yeah he was never the same after the crash. Think that was the summer after the Autumn test against NZ, in fairness think nerves/occasion got to him, was home debut after all, and it was a v weak Ireland team, lot of injuries, Anthony Horgan playing against the All Blacks *shudder*

I don't recall McCullough having a particular discipline problem, are you thinking of Caldwell perhaps?

[Apocrypha]

Kyran Bracken was born in Dublin. Does that count?

[artaneboy]

Declan kidney

Naughty!!!

[Apocrypha]

Tommy Bowe's father played for Leinster. Does he count - by proxy?

[simonokeeffe]

I remember McCullough gave away his fair share of penalties, fair few yellow cards, punch ups and got involved in any dust up/melee going, not sure if he was same league as Caldwell but it was still an issue. Might be wrong statwise on the penalties etc but he was in a lot of aggro/shoving matches esp ones that didn't involve him so maybe that's colouring things for me
Kyran Bracken? If we're going back that far we may as well include players we lost to the army in 1914 :-p

[Apocrypha]

Santiago Phelan's paternal grandfather hailed from Waterford. Does he count? For Munster that is?

[simonokeeffe]

unless Bowe's father was a bit quicker then George Hook wouldn't be happy with that

[enby]

Some blasts from the past: Cliff Morgan (Bective), Andrew Slack (Wanderers), Billy Mc Combe (TCD), Jon Raphael (Bective) and Barry McGann (Lansdowne)

[TerenureJim]

Kyran Bracken was born in Dublin. Does that count?

Wasn't he from Bray? And last time I checked he's not exactly much welcome around these parts. Touch of the Wellington's about him in the whole "a horse can't help the stable he's born in I always thought. It used to be great fun to see him singled out for ahem special attention in 5 nations games with England.

Also in response to some above suggestions can we really list Bob Casey and Trev Brennan as "ones that got away" they both had decent runs IMO and just couldn't hold down a spot due to quliaty choices in their positions. If you're listing them you could list Bernard Jackman, Mikie Smyth and a host of others from Leinster who went out and plyed a trade in Connacht in the dark days of the early naughties.

[Mauler]

Nick Popplewell - Played for 'Stones, Leinster, Ireland & Lions. Left after that tour to NZ in '93 and became Irelands first Professional Rugby Player with Wasps and then Newcastle Falcons.