Fever in the Aviva II – this time, it’s provincial

First topic message reminder :

Leinster v Munster on Friday night. Should be a cracker, all internationals will be back with both teams and we’ll both be going hammer and tongs at it to get up to speed for the HC the following week.

Let the banter begin.

Turnips….

Thread update. Teams announced:

Leinster also name team

15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss

1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O'Malley


Munster:

Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha

Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell

Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan

Conor Murray, Ronan O'Gara

Lifeimi Mafi, Will Chambers

Keith Earls, Johne Murphy, Doug Howlett

Bench: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Peter O'Mahony, James Coughlan, Tomas O'Leary, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes

True stag but its about these guys pushing themselves to be all that they can be. I happen to think Ryan and Tuohy have the potential to be as good as anyone.

The expectations for Ryan and Touhy shouldn't be any lower than O'Connell, O'Callaghan, O'kelly, Davison etc. IMO. That is what they have to aspire to be.

I think Ryan can be as good as DOC!

Interesting that you mention Davidson - he had a very good Lions Tour - but didn't do too much else in my opinion. Ireland were terrible when he was playing.

Davidson didn't do much else sin because of injury but he had an exceptional Lions tour. Players player of the series and outshone Martin Johnson from a playing point of view.

He was, for a time at least, another in a long line of top class Irish locks. Anyone hoping to fill those boots shouldn't aspire to be anything else.

O'Callaghan has faded in recent seasons but he's been a top player for many seasons, Ryan has a bit to go to reach that level but I hope you are right.