Your Team this Coming Season

Gibson wrote:
Totally agree, Pete. Said it from the 1st time I saw him play. Jennings could teach him his craft. He is an animal. It would also release SOB to his best position. 6. (Cue Rory G. going mental. :8 ) Although it would be a fight with Mclaughlin. We'll need them all this year.

Don't agree on Cullen. I agree he should be spared. And with the HC Final in Dublin(if we make it), I don't think Joe will take the Captaincy off him just yet. Next season yes.

BOD should also be wound down/protected more this year, to let O Malley or Macken through. Lions or no Lions. Darcy should make way for McFadden. Macken, Conway, O Malley, Carr, Ryan, Toner and Madigan, will get lots of game-time, due to the IRFU player-management downtime anyway. All good.

My Leinster ratings:

Scrum: 8.5/10 – With Healy getting even stronger, VDM a more than able replacement, Strauss & Cronin fighting it out at Hooker, Ross solid as a rock, – we have one of the best in Europe. Need to bring on a strong replacement for Ross this year. Hagan & McGrath? I'm not so sure. And how do your replace the influence of Thorn? Hence the 8.5 instead of a 9.

Lineout: 8/10 – Cullen is slowing up, but still Mr Lineout. Toner is excellent there. Hard to miss or compete with, at 2.11 metres. Mclaughlin is a great foil here too. It's the arrows that have cost us at times. Strauss needs to work on that side more. He is excellent otherwise. Same with Cronin.

Kicking game: 9/10 – Sexton would rather run with it than kick it. But when he does kick it, he's sharp. See the 2nd Test v NZ. And HC Final. Was imperious. Place-kicking was near 90%. Madigan looks as good, but needs more game-time. Kearney aint too shabby either. Huge boot on him.

Breakdown: 10/10 – this is where we really excel. And we have 5 or 6 players who can achieve it consistently in the backrow. Healy and Strauss are animals at it also. As is BOD, as always.

Defence: 10/10 – won us the HC last year. Every bit as much as our attack. See v ASM in the HC SF and the Final itself.

Attack:10/10 – Its like watching yer fav porn movie. Makes me wet.

Squad Depth: 9/10 – 49 players used last year. For most of them, they will have learned a lot and will improve again this season on the back of it. 2nd string won us the PRO12 league proper, by a mile – least we forget. Need to see how Denton, Bent and Roux shape up. If they do - watch out Yurop.

Coaching: 10/10 – Joe Schmidt is the best club coach on the Planet right now. Ask Vern Cotter. Jonno Gibbes, the main reason we have won 3 x HC's

Expectations this Season: HC Final. PRO12 Final.

Players to watch: Ryan, Macken, O Malley, Madigan.

stnick88 wrote:As an Irish fan, I think Geraghty will start the double header. Smith is a big fan of his.
Reckon until Sa joins (finishing RL playoffs) then Shingler or Ansbro will play at 12.

Starting team for the double header from the available squad I think will be

1 Lahiff
2 Lawson
3 Hala'vatu
4 Skivington
5 Evans
6 Danaher
7 Treviranus
8 Hala'ufia
9 O'Leary
10 Geraghty
11 Tagicakibau
12 Shingler
13 Joseph
14 Yarde
15 Homer

16 Aulika
17 Blaney
18 Griffiths
19 Garvey
20 Gibson
21 Allinson
22 Humphreys
23 Ojo

Paice, Buckland and Sa unavailable.

bluestonevedder wrote:Would love to see a big season from Lahiff in 2012. He's a beast of a lad. What do you guys think stnick and Sirburger as LI fans?

Gibson wrote:

Totally agree, Pete. Said it from the 1st time I saw him play. Jennings could teach him his craft. He is an animal. It would also release SOB to his best position. 6. (Cue Rory G. going mental. :8 ) Although it would be a fight with Mclaughlin. We'll need them all this year.

Don't agree on Cullen. I agree he should be spared. And with the HC Final in Dublin(if we make it), I don't think Joe will take the Captaincy off him just yet. Next season yes.

BOD should also be wound down/protected more this year, to let O Malley or Macken through. Lions or no Lions. Darcy should make way for McFadden. Macken, Conway, O Malley, Carr, Ryan, Toner and Madigan, will get lots of game-time, due to the IRFU player-management downtime anyway. All good.

My Leinster ratings:

Scrum: 8.5/10 – With Healy getting even stronger, VDM a more than able replacement, Strauss & Cronin fighting it out at Hooker, Ross solid as a rock, – we have one of the best in Europe. Need to bring on a strong replacement for Ross this year. Hagan & McGrath? I'm not so sure. And how do your replace the influence of Thorn? Hence the 8.5 instead of a 9.

Lineout: 8/10 – Cullen is slowing up, but still Mr Lineout. Toner is excellent there. Hard to miss or compete with, at 2.11 metres. Mclaughlin is a great foil here too. It's the arrows that have cost us at times. Strauss needs to work on that side more. He is excellent otherwise. Same with Cronin.

Kicking game: 9/10 – Sexton would rather run with it than kick it. But when he does kick it, he's sharp. See the 2nd Test v NZ. And HC Final. Was imperious. Place-kicking was near 90%. Madigan looks as good, but needs more game-time. Kearney aint too shabby either. Huge boot on him.

Breakdown: 10/10 – this is where we really excel. And we have 5 or 6 players who can achieve it consistently in the backrow. Healy and Strauss are animals at it also. As is BOD, as always.

Defence: 10/10 – won us the HC last year. Every bit as much as our attack. See v ASM in the HC SF and the Final itself.

Attack:10/10 – Its like watching yer fav porn movie. Makes me wet.

Squad Depth: 9/10 – 49 players used last year. For most of them, they will have learned a lot and will improve again this season on the back of it. 2nd string won us the PRO12 league proper, by a mile – least we forget. Need to see how Denton, Bent and Roux shape up. If they do - watch out Yurop.

Coaching: 10/10 – Joe Schmidt is the best club coach on the Planet right now. Ask Vern Cotter. Jonno Gibbes, the main reason we have won 3 x HC's

Expectations this Season: HC Final. PRO12 Final.

Players to watch: Ryan, Macken, O Malley, Madigan.