Glasgow vs Leinster 30/11/2019

[Jonny tight lips]

When I saw Keenan pass to Kel all I could think was “who loves orange soda” ..... I do I do I do

[Ruckedtobits]

Early stats indicating that Connors made 22 tackles in the game and missed none. Molony credited with 17, missing 2 and maybe somewhat surprising, Conor O’Brien makes up Leinster’s top three tacklers, putting in 14 tackles, missing 3.

Overall, that was a top tier league performance. The kids step up and do the job against the much more experienced team. Back row were fantastic, locks were good, half backs were fine, really liked Conor O’Brien, coaches did a great job shoring up the scrum after Bent got pinged a few times in the first half.

More concerning for me right now is the lack of quality on the wings. Kelleher did well to finish both tries but honestly, put any back in the squad out on the left wing and they’d probably end up in the same position and finish the chances off. Adam Byrne popped up at first receiver a few times and returned a couple of kicks, but was basically anonymous.

Beyond Lowe and Larmour (who I assume will be a fullback come next season), we have a pretty average bunch with no obvious quality coming through. Might be worth a look into who’s available next season, we’ll likely have no NIQs on the books unless Tomane gets renewed.

After that, and a couple of earlier performances, you'd have to think Keenan gets to inherit the No 15 jersey with Larmour focussed on the No 14 one. Not convinced anybody else but Lowe would have taken the two chances that Kelleher did. He kept his width, he has real acceleration and the instincts to keep his depth which is a regular difficulty with many wingers.

But Keenan has really graduated to the full back role IMO and brings intelligence, a great eye for a gap and acceleration to take it, when in a counter-attacking position.

That was a defensive display of European intensity and we have a whole new generation who could take on the mantles of some great predecessors.

And a big word for all the Coaches, including McBride. That was a great exhibition of proving that reputation and experience are not as valuable as technique and organisation.

[Gearzbox2]

Outstanding stuff last night...1 to 23 it was really a ruthless performance bar the opening 10 minutes where we ahoy ourselves in the foot with some poor defense
Will Connors down for 25 tackles now on the stats with none missed, it’s quiet incredible and these weren’t just neutral tackles, the guy was emptying people...I’d 100% have in next weeks 23

Pack I thought we’re great bar the scrum in the first half but I put that down to the pitch
Moloney, Tracy and Doris I thought were the pick

Hugo for me has put serious pressure on that 15 jersey but I thought Adam B had a bit of a stinker on D especially in the first half where he kept biting in (not his first time)
Great to see Kelleher get a run and do well
Special mention for Ferg, guy is a nut case, what a tackle to dislodge Jackson, there’s life in the kind of old dog yet!!!

Interesting selections to be made this week I reckon

[Hippo]

A hugely satisfying and impressive performance. The delight in the team's celebrations at the end after that defensive set said it all.

[Twist]

Serious character from such a young squad. That’s two away wins on a row built on rock-solid defence, with very different squads.

I thought Cian Kelleher took his tries well. The first one in particular, he held his depth well and showed great speed to pull away

[leinsterforever]

You've got to be happy with that. Connors's tackling is such an asset. He can completely kill a teams momentum with one of those tackles. He's probably actually a more rounded player than JvdF as well. His link work is more developed, although tbf to van der Flier there have been positive signs in this regard from him lately.

I've been a bit underwhelmed with Doris up to now but I thought he was excellent as well last night. It'll be interesting to see who makes the backrow next week.

COB's and Keenan's try assists were high class stuff. Great to see from players just coming through.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

A hugely satisfying and impressive performance. The delight in the team's celebrations at the end after that defensive set said it all.

Loved that too.

[Ruckedtobits]

You've got to be happy with that. Connors's tackling is such an asset. He can completely kill a teams momentum with one of those tackles. He's probably actually a more rounded player than JvdF as well. His link work is more developed, although tbf to van der Flier there have been positive signs in this regard from him lately.

I've been a bit underwhelmed with Doris up to now but I thought he was excellent as well last night. It'll be interesting to see who makes the backrow next week.

COB's and Keenan's try assists were high class stuff. Great to see from players just coming through.

All of that, but particularly comments about Doris. I've wondered whether he had the potential to develop into Jamie's successor and last night's performance was a real marker on his chart. Jamie was first capped for us in March 2005 (born December 1983) at age 21 and for Ireland in November 2006, a month before his 23rd birthday. He didn't have the benefit of a Leinster Academy development programme but his TCD background combined with his Irish and Leinster under-age experience, combined with his personal discipline and family history uniquely equipped him.

Doris has had a stellar Schools & Irish under-age progression and within the Leinster Academy he jumped straight to the top of the players demanding senior selection in his first year. He has appeared to edge Max Deegan thus far in the selection race for the No 8 jersey when Jack Conan has been unavailable.

Last night's display, against a mature and abrasive Glasgow pack, was reminiscent of Heaslip under Cheika. He was in the right place so often. He was physically dominant in possession making hard yards and presenting the ball quickly & cleanly. His tackling was strong, decisive and destructive and in combination with Will Connors he presented an impenetrable wall and frequently was the dominant verbal organiser of the Leinster line.

The Leinster back-row produced an excellent display away against Lyon. Playing in Franklin Gardens against the in-form Saints will possibly be a step up. They are noisy, supportive fans who will instruct the Referee what to award and encourage their team to provide the performance they expect and demand. They know Irish teams and particularly Leinster, whom they respect but don't fear. They would love a Leinster scalp and Coach Chris Boyd will relish the challenge.

Doris would be my selection at No 8, but then so would Connors. However, if Leo calls it as Max Deegan and Josh VdF, it will not cause major disappointment.

[desperado]

You're very harsh there on Adam Byrne; when we needed a bit of spark in the first half he provided it a few times. Gathered well in the air; didn't die with the ball, made yards. Kelleher finished 2 tries well. Talking about concern for quality on the wing. Lowe, Larmour, Daly, Byrne, Kearney, McFadden,Kelleher, O'Loughlin. Opinions only; but I'm not sure I'd be concerned, and after a team performance like that I'd be saving concern for another day.

Yeah, maybe a bit harsh on A. Byrne, I like him but don’t think he delivers consistently at all, similar to Dave Kearney.

I think we’re just about ok for this season, assuming Lowe and Larmour stay fit, but come next season, Larmour is likely to be a full back, and all the other players mentioned, apart from O’Loughin who’s not a winger, are exactly what I’m complaining about: bang average. Take Larmour out of the list and suddenly it’s looking pretty fallow.

A lot of people questioned why we took Kelleher back from Connacht considering he didn’t exactly shine out west, but I think management is worried about exactly this - a lack of wing talent that’s only getting weaker with players on the cusp of retiring (McFadden) or permanently crocked (Daly).

I think it’s very much up in the air who takes the 14 jersey come this time next year. I really hope it’s someone a lot better than Adam Byrne.

O'Loughlin has played some of his best rugby at the highest level (HC) on the wing. I think Jimmy O'Brien is a better 13, and Conan O'Brien a better 12. I don't think Larmour is our long-term FB, he may be but Hugo Keenan, and potentially Ciaran Frawley are options. That leaves Larmour a wing option. I'd love Barry Daly to get an injury free run because he has serious gas. We've barely seen Cian Kelleher - another with serious gas and a finisher. All this along with Jay Lo and I'm not overly concerned. I'd be more concerned at 9, more based on form and the tendency for brain farts from our top 2. Saying that, Hugh O'Sullivan aint bad. I don't have the knowledge on Rowan Osborne, but he looked good against the (terrible) Ospreys.

[Serb]

I know some people are talking about O’Loughlin moving back to the wing. I don’t see it personally. I don’t think he’s a winger, similar to Ringrose, he was blooded on the wing and managed to feature in some high profile games, but he hasn’t played on the wing in a couple of years at least as far as I can remember.

I think Keenan shows a lot of promise but he’s an academy player with a lot to learn, Larmour meanwhile is a full Ireland international with multiple starts at 15 for both club and country at the top level. I think we’ll see Larmour at 15 for the foreseeable future come next season.

We’ve seen a lot of Kelleher in fairness. He’s played thousands of minutes over the past few seasons. I think he’ll be like Barry Daly; solid in the league but not likely to make the grade for European rugby.

Overall, my argument is really that we should look to bring someone in approaching the quality of Lowe. I think it would complete an already excellent back line, with many top tier prospects in just about every other position.

[Laighin Break]

Does anyone know how many phases Leinster held out for at the end?
There were 16 phases up to Jackson knocking on at the line (thanks to Connors & Ferg double team), must have been something similar leading up to Johnny Gray being held up, and then a further 31 at the end!

[lotmc]

Highlights are up on the Leinster Rugby website https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/match-high ... -rugby-23/

[wixfjord]

Keenan's work for the second try is worth a re-watch. Beautiful line, takes out two defenders and gets a two handed offload right into Kelleher's bread basket.

He picks some lovely lines, just like JOB. Wonder is that honed from sevens?

[Ruckedtobits]

Keenan's work for the second try is worth a re-watch. Beautiful line, takes out two defenders and gets a two handed offload right into Kelleher's bread basket.

He picks some lovely lines, just like JOB. Wonder is that honed from sevens?

Good pick up. Was discussed this today. Keenan, Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Jimmy O'Brien and Will Connors all have spent time in Sevens. Who says it has no development potential?

The fend and then pass of CO'B for Kelleher's first, Connors straighening the line and then pass to Keenan and his fend and perfect two-handed pass to Kelleher for his second. Each element perfected by the necessities of Sevens rugby and none of them look like they lack any durability. Maybe Adam could do with a refresher because he looked sharper in attack just after he returned from his last Sevens sojourn.

[Pilotman123]

Keenan's work for the second try is worth a re-watch. Beautiful line, takes out two defenders and gets a two handed offload right into Kelleher's bread basket.

He picks some lovely lines, just like JOB. Wonder is that honed from sevens?

Good pick up. Was discussed this today. Keenan, Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Jimmy O'Brien and Will Connors all have spent time in Sevens. Who says it has no development potential?

The fend and then pass of CO'B for Kelleher's first, Connors straighening the line and then pass to Keenan and his fend and perfect two-handed pass to Kelleher for his second. Each element perfected by the necessities of Sevens rugby and none of them look like they lack any durability. Maybe Adam could do with a refresher because he looked sharper in attack just after he returned from his last Sevens sojourn.

Liam Turner and Paddy Patterson were training with the Irish 7s the past couple of weeks

[arsebiscuits1]

Keenan's work for the second try is worth a re-watch. Beautiful line, takes out two defenders and gets a two handed offload right into Kelleher's bread basket.

He picks some lovely lines, just like JOB. Wonder is that honed from sevens?

Good pick up. Was discussed this today. Keenan, Adam Byrne, Conor O'Brien, Jimmy O'Brien and Will Connors all have spent time in Sevens. Who says it has no development potential?

The fend and then pass of CO'B for Kelleher's first, Connors straighening the line and then pass to Keenan and his fend and perfect two-handed pass to Kelleher for his second. Each element perfected by the necessities of Sevens rugby and none of them look like they lack any durability. Maybe Adam could do with a refresher because he looked sharper in attack just after he returned from his last Sevens sojourn.

Liam Turner and Paddy Patterson were training with the Irish 7s the past couple of weeks

Both named in the Sevens development squad for Dubai this week