...how good are they? Worcester Warriors are due to play Leinster (I think) A in the Anglo-Irish Cup or whatever it's called these days.
Irish provincial rugby A teams
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They wouldn't be great JJ. It would be a development team. It's a mixture of guys just a little too old for the underage teams and good but not great journeymen. A former clubmate of mine gets games for them.
Leinster have a sizeable enough squad, the big guys line out in the Heineken Cup and get a rest during some of the Magners League - which is when some of the development team get game time.
Your likely to see a couple of young players who'll make the Leinster squad properly if you go which might be worth it in itself. I think Andrew Conway has been on the A squad, he's fresh out of school and tipped to be the next back to graduate through the Leinster system up to international level. He got some run outs in the Magners and looks like a good winger in the making.
David Kearney - Rob's younger brother - plays with them as well. Rhys Ruddock is a young flanker who also plays for them and has impressed when given chances in the Magners.
Leinster have a sizeable enough squad, the big guys line out in the Heineken Cup and get a rest during some of the Magners League - which is when some of the development team get game time.
Your likely to see a couple of young players who'll make the Leinster squad properly if you go which might be worth it in itself. I think Andrew Conway has been on the A squad, he's fresh out of school and tipped to be the next back to graduate through the Leinster system up to international level. He got some run outs in the Magners and looks like a good winger in the making.
David Kearney - Rob's younger brother - plays with them as well. Rhys Ruddock is a young flanker who also plays for them and has impressed when given chances in the Magners.
Thanks for that, Ross. Rhys Ruddock, eh? He'll certainly be up for it, given that his dad was (rightly enough) canned from Worcester in the summer.
I see the game isn't on for another couple of weeks, when the squad is named I'll tell you whether they're worth going to see.
There are some interesting young players in the Leinster system. They put in place an academy system years ago that seems to be reaping dividends. The school rugby system is very competitive and the Leinster squad keep a close eye on the potential in it. A small few get contracts and join up with Leinster early on, but they group together the best 30 or so prospects every year and put them on a specialist fitness regime under their supervision - but leave them to train, play and develop with their clubs. And it seems to reap rewards on many levels
There are some interesting young players in the Leinster system. They put in place an academy system years ago that seems to be reaping dividends. The school rugby system is very competitive and the Leinster squad keep a close eye on the potential in it. A small few get contracts and join up with Leinster early on, but they group together the best 30 or so prospects every year and put them on a specialist fitness regime under their supervision - but leave them to train, play and develop with their clubs. And it seems to reap rewards on many levels
I went to see Leinster play in the Magners this evening.
Conway played - he's got some serious gas and he's a very well balanced mazy sort of runner. A bit of a throwback to wingers of old really. He's a long way off international class but he looks promising.
David Kearney was on the other wing, he got two tries by simply being on the right end of good pieces of play but other than that didn't really impress. He was poor under the high ball a couple of times.
Fergus McFadden was the class act in the backline, played at 12 tonight but had a big hand in three of the four tries. Good hands, good passing, clever kicking game and has an eye for a gap. Not outstanding physically but he looks very capable. There's no way you'll see him in an A game though JJ.
Conway played - he's got some serious gas and he's a very well balanced mazy sort of runner. A bit of a throwback to wingers of old really. He's a long way off international class but he looks promising.
David Kearney was on the other wing, he got two tries by simply being on the right end of good pieces of play but other than that didn't really impress. He was poor under the high ball a couple of times.
Fergus McFadden was the class act in the backline, played at 12 tonight but had a big hand in three of the four tries. Good hands, good passing, clever kicking game and has an eye for a gap. Not outstanding physically but he looks very capable. There's no way you'll see him in an A game though JJ.
All righty, thanks for that Ross, much appreciated. Happy New Year mate.
Yeah, I was thinking that too. Prob.give it a miss then.
No, but enjoy it anyway, ya bollix. ;D
You missed a good game Count.
Both played a wide open game, Saracens were pretty disappointing. Apart from their hooker, who was quite impressive, they didn't look up to much.
Leinster didn't play all that well, but they didn't need to and still won 43-20. O'Brien was the standout performer, with a Heaslip-like performance with ball in hand. Kidney can't continue to leave him out, but I'm not sure where he can play him. Heaslip and Ferris are immovable from 6 and 8 for me. O'Brien looks like he could play 7 though, which means Wallace could be in jeopardy.
Both played a wide open game, Saracens were pretty disappointing. Apart from their hooker, who was quite impressive, they didn't look up to much.
Leinster didn't play all that well, but they didn't need to and still won 43-20. O'Brien was the standout performer, with a Heaslip-like performance with ball in hand. Kidney can't continue to leave him out, but I'm not sure where he can play him. Heaslip and Ferris are immovable from 6 and 8 for me. O'Brien looks like he could play 7 though, which means Wallace could be in jeopardy.
Don't know much about rugby, but a guy I kinda know is raving about his son Dominic Ryan(I think that's his name anyway), is he any good, or is this just the ramblings of an understandably proud father? Or does he even get a game?
He played and scored two tries today Gerry. He had a very good game. He looks very promising and he's still very young for a forward. I think he's 20 ? Big strong and mobile. Made all his tackles today, covered a lot of ground and was excellent with ball in hand. He's definitely got a good future ahead of him. I would not be surprised if he's capped within the next two to three years. Although bear in mind it's my first time seeing him play !
He's a little unlucky that Leinster, and Ireland, is brimming with back row talent at the moment.
He's a little unlucky that Leinster, and Ireland, is brimming with back row talent at the moment.
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=43284.msg1253338#msg1253338 date=1295114951]
He played and scored two tries today Gerry. He had a very good game. He looks very promising and he's still very young for a forward. I think he's 20 ? Big strong and mobile. Made all his tackles today, covered a lot of ground and was excellent with ball in hand. He's definitely got a good future ahead of him. I would not be surprised if he's capped within the next two to three years. Although bear in mind it's my first time seeing him play !
He's a little unlucky that Leinster, and Ireland, is brimming with back row talent at the moment.
[/quote]
Cheers Rosco, looks like I'll be hearing from him for a while to come yet then.
He played and scored two tries today Gerry. He had a very good game. He looks very promising and he's still very young for a forward. I think he's 20 ? Big strong and mobile. Made all his tackles today, covered a lot of ground and was excellent with ball in hand. He's definitely got a good future ahead of him. I would not be surprised if he's capped within the next two to three years. Although bear in mind it's my first time seeing him play !
He's a little unlucky that Leinster, and Ireland, is brimming with back row talent at the moment.
[/quote]
Cheers Rosco, looks like I'll be hearing from him for a while to come yet then.
[quote author=Rosco link=topic=43284.msg1253302#msg1253302 date=1295110589]
You missed a good game Count.
Both played a wide open game, Saracens were pretty disappointing. Apart from their hooker, who was quite impressive, they didn't look up to much.
Leinster didn't play all that well, but they didn't need to and still won 43-20. O'Brien was the standout performer, with a Heaslip-like performance with ball in hand. Kidney can't continue to leave him out, but I'm not sure where he can play him. Heaslip and Ferris are immovable from 6 and 8 for me. O'Brien looks like he could play 7 though, which means Wallace could be in jeopardy.
[/quote]
Now that all the madness is over and life is settling back to normal I will try to catch a match or two in the coming months, probably in the Magners league.
I might catch up with you then
You missed a good game Count.
Both played a wide open game, Saracens were pretty disappointing. Apart from their hooker, who was quite impressive, they didn't look up to much.
Leinster didn't play all that well, but they didn't need to and still won 43-20. O'Brien was the standout performer, with a Heaslip-like performance with ball in hand. Kidney can't continue to leave him out, but I'm not sure where he can play him. Heaslip and Ferris are immovable from 6 and 8 for me. O'Brien looks like he could play 7 though, which means Wallace could be in jeopardy.
[/quote]
Now that all the madness is over and life is settling back to normal I will try to catch a match or two in the coming months, probably in the Magners league.
I might catch up with you then
