Leinster Rugby 2019/20: Squad & Provincial Team News

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*******HISTORY/OWNERSHIP**********

Leinster Rugby is one of four Branches who are the members (Owners / Constituents) of the IRFU.

Leinster Branch is "owned" by the constituent Clubs, Sections and Affiliated Bodies (e.g. the School & Youths Committees & Referee's Assoc) within the Province. The Representatives of each of these meet monthly as the Executive Committee of Leinster Rugby. Only the AGM of Leinster Rugby has authority above the Executive Committee.

Each Club in Leinster is a registered Sporting Body (NFP status) and Leinster Rugby has a separate registered number as a Sporting Body. The property of Leinster Rugby is held in the names of Trustees elected annually at Leinster Rugby AGM.

in 2019, the IRFU established a property holding company to hold all of the property of the IRFU. Prior to that, all of the property of the IRFU was held in the names of the four IRFU Trustees, again, annually elected at the AGM.

In strictly legal terms, each of the four Provincial bodies are "unincorpoated trusts with tax exempt status as sporting bodies". Old-fashioned but effective structures for the control and preservation of voluntary sporting bodies.

20 Senior Clubs can summon an Extraordinary General Meeting of the IRFU to determine a Resolution proposed by those Clubs. However, nowhere within the IRFU Governing documents are Rugby Clubs defined as "members" of the IRFU.

Notionally, the IRFU is "owned by the Clubs", but indirectly through the four Provincial structures.

***********************

Feel free to add in Leinster Rugby news updates, wider news on provincial teams news, comments as you wish.

8 tries to 6. Thats definitely a record of some sort. Maybe several records. Kudos to Ulster for not folding. Monday morning defence review should be interesting - for both sides.

Pretty good game. Leinster are definitely on another level, their 2nd and 3rd choices play as well as the 1st.

So Munster next.

Do both coaches leave out their top players for this match as per IRFU RWC enforces rest and get them back in for the next derby in prep for the next two European matches? Injuries have built up somewhat and if Ringrose and Henshaw have to sit it out then the 3rd tank O’Briens will have to step in.

Stander is definitely out as he’s in SA with family. I reckon Cullen will go with a similar mix n match again. Maybe something like:

Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Molony, Toner, Penny, Deegan, Doris
McGrath, Frawley, Kelleher, J O’Brien, C O’Brien, McFadden, Kearney.
Byrne, Aungier, Fardy, Connors, O’Sullivan, Byrne, McFadden.

Still injured: vdFlier (HIA
RTP), Tomane, Sexton (knee), R Kelleher (hand), O’Loughlin, Abdaladze, Conan, Daly, and Leavy.

Great result with sterling defence keeping the Munstermen tryless.

9 games won on the bounce in the Championship as well as the Heineken Cup pool matches.

Munster lack the pragmatism of old - with 7 minutes to go they turn down a straightforward three points and so ramped up the pressure on getting a converted try simply to draw. They never looked like crossing the line so scoring at every opportunity was essential. JJ and Joey need to get an understanding of their team's capabilities/limitations and when they need to take every point on offer.
Everyone is hailing Larkham as the second coming but would he (or ROG) not have bagged three points from a penalty or drop goal to give them the chance of a win?
It might still not have been enough but what Munster are lacking is a pragmatic foundation to build a victory brick by brick.

New Year Interpro lineups for Saturday

Leinster Rugby: Jordan Larmour; Fergus McFadden, Garry Ringrose, Joe Tomane, Dave Kearney; Ciarán Frawley, Luke McGrath; Peter Dooley, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong, Ross Molony, James Ryan, Rhys Ruddock (Capt), Will Connors, Max Deegan.

Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Ed Byrne, Roman Salanoa, Ryan Baird, Caelan Doris, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Cian Kelleher.

Connacht Rugby: Stephen Fitzgerald, Niyi Adeolokun, Kyle Godwin, Tom Daly, John Porch, Conor Fitzgerald, Caolin Blade (Capt): Denis Buckley, Shane Delahunt, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Niall Murray, Gavin Thornbury, Eoghan Masterson, Paul Boyle, Robin Copeland.

Replacements: Tom McCartney, Paddy McAllister, Conor Kenny, Joe Maksymiw, Sean Masterson, Stephen Kerins, David Horwitz, Tiernan O’Halloran

The 23 players with the most minutes played in each position, and the next highest making the bench:
Number of games incl this weekend:

LH: Pete Dooley - 10
H: Ronan Kelleher - 8
TH: Michael Bent - 8
LK: Scott Fardy - 10
LK: Devin Toner - 11
BR: Max Deegan - 12
BR: Will Connors - 8
BR: Caelan Doris - 11
SH: Jamison Gibson-Park - 13
OH: Ross Byrne - 11
W: James Lowe - 9
C: Jimmy O'Brien - 7
C: Rory O'Loughlin - 6
W: Dave Kearney - 8
FB: Hugo Keenan - 7

Reps:
James Tracy 12, Cian Healy 6, Andrew Porter 7, James Ryan 5, Josh Murphy 9, Luke McGrath 6, Harry Byrne 6, Joe Tomane 6.

Rhys Ruddock was man of the match in the thumping win over Connacht: 54-7

A mini winter break coming up for a number of the squad as the next Championship game isn't until 14 Feb.

Likely to feature over the next couple of Euro weeks are the following 27 players:

LH: Healy and Ed Byrne
H: Cronin and Tracey
TH: Furlong and Porter
Lk: Ryan, Fardy and Toner although Ryan had to go off early against Connacht with a calf strain
BR: Ruddock, vdF, Deegan, Doris and perhaps Will Connors/Josh Murphy
SH: McGrath, Gibson-Park, O'Sullivan
OH: Sexton, R Byrne, Frawley
C: Ringrose, Henshaw, Tomane
W: Lowe, D Kearney
FB: Larmour, R Kearney

Time out for:
Dooley, Bent, J O'Brien, C O'Brien, T O'Brien, A Byrne, B Byrne, H Byrne, C Kelleher, McFadden, Salanoa, Osbourne, Dowling, Baird, Milne, Keenan, Penny

Injury recovery time for:
Ronan Kelleher, B Daly, Aungier, Abdaladze, Leavy, Conan, O'Loughlin

Good interview with Stuart Lancaster in the Independent about himself and Leo's approach to coaching and methodology.

He's very quick to say that no one is focussed on the fact they haven't lost yet or that their next game against Lyon will equal their best ever start to a season since 2001/02 of 15 games on the bounce before losing to Edinburgh in the European Cup.

Everyone is part of every game review whether they played or not. If some of the younger players can't make it, Lancaster organises another one for the academy players so they all get the same message. They train as a group, creating 2 or 3 teams playing against each other, all with a view of ensuring every player can drop into a role and know what's expected of him. With 50 players used to date, including a 19-year old recruit from Hawaii, Roman Salanoa suddenly getting senior game time over the last two matches, the plan seems to be working so far. However, the squad will get tested a lot further in the next 2 months when presumably at least Healy, Furlong, Porter, Toner, Ryan, vdF, Ruddock, McGrath, Sexton, Henshaw, Ringrose, Larmour will depart for Ireland duty, and possibly some more from R Kearney, Cronin, Kelleher, Doris, Deegan, Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne, and Dave Kearney.

That would leave a 23 of:
Dooley, Tracey, Bent, Fardy, Molony, Penny, Connors, Murphy, O'Sullivan, H Byrne, Lowe, Tomane, C O'Brien, McFadden, Keenan
B Byrne, E Byrne, Aungier, Baird, AN Other, Osbourne, Frawley, A Byrne.

With Conan and Leavy still out with injury, they can't do without at least one of Deegan or Doris.

On the other hand, Farrell might surprise a few expectant players and not select them for the first couple of 6N rounds e.g. Ruddock, McGrath, Kearney x 2, Cronin.

I think in a sense that's why Cullen put a head of steam into the first part of the season.  He knows his closet is about to be raided big time during 6N, knows pressure will be on to sustain impetus...but at least has the buffer zone set up nicely to ameliorate any down swing in fortunes during the period.

People talk a lot about Lancaster and I'm sure his impact is notable....but Cullen is all Leinster and he knows the stresses that comes to a side that demands so much of itself inside out.  I think there is a whole lot of Leo Cullen in the savvy being shown by Leinster at the moment.  
I listen to him and I like him a lot as a coach  You just know by his comments that his brain is always calculating the opposition with honest respect.  Future Irish Head coach in the making?  Which would be a nice bit of fate if it happened considering how little time he got at International as a player.

Leinster selection for Lyon with number of games (PRO14+H Cup) this season for each player:

15. Jordan Larmour (1+4)
14. Dave Kearney (4+4)
13. Garry Ringrose (1+4)
12. Robbie Henshaw (1+4)
11. James Lowe (5+4)
10. Ross Byrne (7+4)
9. Luke McGrath (2+4)

1. Cian Healy (2+5))
2. James Tracy (8+4)
3. Tadhg Furlong (1+3)
4. Devin Toner (7+4)
5. Scott Fardy (6+4) CAPTAIN
6. Rhys Ruddock (2+4)
7. Josh van der Flier (1+4)
8. Max Deegan (8+4)

16. Seán Cronin (3+0)
17. Peter Dooley (9+2))
18. Andrew Porter (3+4)
19. Ross Molony (9+0)
20. Caelan Doris (8+3)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (9+4)
22. Ciarán Frawley (5+1)
23. Rob Kearney (2+3)

Could we see Leinster's 1st loss of the season here or will the blue juggernaut just roll on? ....

rodders wrote:Could we see Leinster's 1st loss of the season here or will the blue juggernaut just roll on? ....

In front of a full-house at the RDS?

Can’t see it - unless they get careless but I think the 3 Amigos - Cullen, Lancaster, Contemponi - have them all sparking off each other and no one is getting a chance to rest on laurels or experience. Good interview with Cian Healy the other day on what the training environment is like with all the young tyros not afraid of saying their piece in sessions and being challenged by them all the time.

"........ and I'm also a better DJ than you ever were, Healy! - you fat fu................."

Lights Out.  New vacancy for new Leinster academy player.

Oh that Healy....he loves putting the spider web up.

rodders wrote:Could we see Leinster's 1st loss of the season here or will the blue juggernaut just roll on? ....

If I was offered a win without a bonus point now, I wouldn't take it. The only thing that can save Lyon from getting a pasting here is the weather.

Very poor display from the team on Saturday. Lowe seems a shadow of himself compared to previously. Things improved somewhat when the proper front row of Dooley, Cronin and Porter came on. I had forgotten that Henshaw was playing until he got the try at the end. Luke McGrath is just ponderous with his service.

Still a win’s a win I suppose.

It was a poor showing, but then surprising that the score was still 42-14, 6 tries for Leinster, one of Lyons trys was a silly intercept, 3 further tries for Leinster ruled out by TMO reviews. Lyon, as a french team on the road, played with surprising fight.

Lambey should have been cited for twice dropping knees on a defenceless player in the second half. Even outside of that he was lucky not to get a second yellow card 2 other times in the match.

Do you think that the constant chopping and changing of the Leinster team might actually count against them when they finally come up against one of the other big beasts in the tournament?

I think it's just difficult to sustain momentum psychologically when having such a season so far.  To get such a score when considered to be playing so badly kinda gives an impression of the efforts needed to keep from being complacent.
But I do think, in the context, that the team/squad is allowed a few underwhelming games.  Indeed, I think they're probably essential.  The law of averages kinda demand them within a season so it's better for them to happen whilst still winning.

I don't think for a minute that Glasgow have ever been at Leinster's current level, but a couple of seasons ago, we were winning games for fun, had the league conference wrapped up by Christmas and then the wheels just fell off the wagon so badly at the business end of the season. It was massively disappointing.

It is very very hard to maintain that level over a whole season, especially when you have to integrate lots of players in and out of a team with more euro games and a 6N coming up.

So I guess you might be right, get the poor games out of the way earlier and ideally win them as well!

BigGee wrote:Do you think that the constant chopping and changing of the Leinster team might actually count against them when they finally come up against one of the other big beasts in the tournament?

Yes. There has been no opportunity so far in the season for team to really have to fight for a win.

If they come up against Racing, Clermont, Toulouse or Saracens, they could splinter.

The the only fight for a win was the 3-0 game in Italy!

thebandwagonsociety wrote:The the only fight for a win was the 3-0 game in Italy!

In light of what else they have achieved this season, that score line just seems remarkable!

Top of PRO14 vs Top of Premiership

This is Leinster's top 23 squad of most minutes played so far this season who've been involved in their new club record of winning 16 matches back to back.

1 Peter Dooley. 2 James Tracy. 3 Andrew Porter
4 Scott Fardy. 5 Devin Toner
6 Max Deegan. 7 Will Connors. 8 Caelan Doris

9 Jamison Gibson-Park. 10 Ross Byrne.
11 James Lowe. 12 Robbie Henshaw 13 Garry Ringrose. 14 Dave Kearney
15 Jordan Larmour

Reps: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Michael Bent, 19 James Ryan, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Hugo Keenan

Lowe 880, Deegan 876 & Toner 863 top the charts so far in PRO14 and H Cup out of a max of 1,280 minutes.

I wonder if he will move on.

It's a brilliant outcome for the team all the same.

What's the difference though?

Wright it is

looking forward to the Champs Cup QF against "disgraced" Saracens

Sarries should be well rested after 6N and not having to worry about their league

should be a cracker

Quarter final of the unlimited budgets. Leinster are basically IRFU funded. Should be a good game.

Cyril wrote:Quarter final of the unlimited budgets. Leinster are basically IRFU funded. Should be a good game.

Still think of you.

quinsforever wrote:looking forward to the Champs Cup QF against "disgraced" Saracens

Sarries should be well rested after 6N and not having to worry about their league

should be a cracker

It should indeed.  

Pot Hale wrote:

Cyril wrote:Quarter final of the unlimited budgets. Leinster are basically IRFU funded. Should be a good game.

Still digging for nuts, Squirrel?   Fair play to you.  

Leinster, with it's huge fan base and sponsorship deals couldn't possibly generate money for the branch themselves of course.

Yeah but its basically funded

Not as basic as Connacht funding mind you...

SecretFly wrote:Not as basic as Connacht funding mind you...

Well they all get the same IRFU contribution to playing budget now - as Connacht have said publicly on a few occasions. It's how much the club is bringing to the party itself from gates, sponsorships, competition income/purses, etc is what makes the difference. Munster had a revenue turnover of 16.9m in 2017/18 - IRFU reduced their grant income that season by 1.6m and that continued into last season. They didn't get a home QF in the European Cup, but they did get the U20s games played at Independent Park, which gave them additional attendance income, and their own attendances also increased. Connacht want to get in on the additional match/event revenue so the 66% part-funding commitment from Govt to renovate The Sportsground in the next couple of years is going to be a big plus, particularly if they can get a few sellouts for a 12k stadium, as well as rental for other gigs.

Weather meant to be bad for the weekend here in Dublin. The side to face the Cheetah's will look like;

Leinster (team to play Cheetahs): Rob Kearney, Fergus McFadden, Jimmy O'Brien, Joe Tomane, Dave Kearney, Ciarán Frawley, Luke McGrath; Peter Dooley, Rónan Kelleher, Michael Bent, Ross Molony, Scott Fardy (C), Rhys Ruddock, Will Connors, Max Deegan.

Replacements: Seán Cronin, Michael Milne, Roman Salanoa, Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, Jamison Gibson-Park, Harry Byrne, Cian Kelleher.


Prop depth will get another showing, locks are pro14 level, backrow looks very strong and a good mix of youth and experience. Half backs should be lively (but the weather might decide otherwise), centres are pro14 level and the back 3 would have been extremely dangerous 4 seasons ago.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the replacements look, though it will be more of an attitude assessment in poor conditions than any technical attack work.

For anyone interested, here is the team announcement from Cheetahs, had to pull it off the fscheetahs website, none of the Irish papers seemed to have picked it up yet;

Milestone for South Africa and Toyota Cheetahs’ Aranos Coetzee



Johan (Aranos) Coetzee will be the first South African player to earn his 50th Guinness PRO14 cap for a South African side when the Toyota Cheetahs take on Leinster on Saturday.



Coach Hawies Fourie believes that Coetzee is a key member of his side at the moment and the calmness he gives the side in the setpiece has seen it become one of their attacking weapons, and certainly one they will need to use on Saturday in Dublin.



Action at the RDS Arena in Dublin kicks off at 16:30 (SA time) with a live broadcast on SuperSport 2, Premier Sports, eir sport, DAZN and pro14.tv



Fourie only made one change to the Toyota Cheetahs team with Gerhard Olivier returning from injury, replacing Daniel Maartens on the bench.

While they will be firm underdogs given Leinster’s form, Fourie believes that the key factor for his team is their attitude and whether they give themselves a chance against a Leinster side missing some Irish internationals.


“We are going there with the knowledge they are the strongest team in the competition, but we know if we pitch up on the day, then we will have a chance to win. And if you don’t think you have a chance to win, then you might as well not be in this competition.”



Leinster vs Toyota Cheetahs, Saturday, 15 February 2020, 14:30 (16:30 SA time)

1 Charles Marais; 2 Joseph Dweba; 3 Aranos Coetzee; 4 Walt Steenkamp; 5 JP du Preez; 6 Chris Massyn; 7 Junior Pokomela; 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Ruan Pienaar (Captain); 10 Tian Schoeman; 11 Rabz Maxwane; 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg; 13 William Small-Smith; 14 Clayton Blommetjies; 15 Rhyno Smith.



Replacements:

16 Wilmar Arnoldi; 17 Boan Venter; 18 Luan de Bruin; 19 Aidon Davis; 20 Gerhard Olivier; 21 Tian Meyer; 22.Louis Fouche; 23.Chris Smit.





Players not available: The following players are not eligible for team selection due to injury: Justin Basson (knee), Marnus van der Merwe (knee), Oupa Mohoje (knee) and Sintu Manjezi (shoulder).



Match officials: The referee for the match is Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 65th Championship Appearance). He will be assisted by Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU) and Gwyn Morris (WRU). The TMO is Ian Davies (WRU).

Hold on...... Ruan Pienaar, happy days this will be interesting, a lad well able for poor conditions.

And Leinster get to soften him up before he arrives up in Belfast the following weekend.

Pienaar wasn't up to much. Conditions spoilt the game but it was good to see how smoothly Leinster's depth took to the game. I liked Frawley's ability to control the game though Luke put it on a plate for him most of the time.

Pretty much at the mid-way point of the season now for the pro14.
Going forward ->> In 11 games Leinster have scored 400 points (65 points more than any other team) scored 56 tries and amassed 8 TBPs. Average score on the board so far has been >36 points. And a wierd 3-0 win away to Zebre buried in those numbers.

Their points diff of 251 is more than Ulster and Edinburgh combined.

In defence ->> Joint best try defence with 20 conceded (equal with Munster), also conceding <14 points per game.

Cronin/Kelleher/Tracy/Byrne look like a good combination of hookers.

Milne, Zahk, Salonoa(?) seem like pro14 level prospects.

Lock still feels like a problem position.

Backrow is the usual production line.
Halfbacks, I like Frawley and H Byrne is already pushing the brother on the depth chart.
Centres have been chopped about a lot but each of the O'Briens have looked good when fit and on the pitch.
Back 3 - we're starting to have too many long in the tooth out wide, DK-RK-McF makes it look like a retirement home at times. Is Daly back soon?

Was it James Lowe who said recently that all the good stuff ain't worth anything unless they pick up a few titles at the end.

It's been a near perfect season so far but that'll all be forgotten in the next few months if hurdles are hit and important games lost.
Of course you can't dwell on gloom that might never come but you do hope it hasn't been a supernova season - burning brightly but quickly dimming.

Exactly Fly. All these wins count for nothing if they can’t win the two knockouts.

I don’t think they’ll get two wins from their SA tour in March. Their next game after that is the Heineken quarterfinal so it’ll be a raw enough side for the tour.

Maybe
Dooley, E Byrne, Tracy, Cronin, Abdaladze, Bent, Molony, Fardy, Connors, Murphy, Penny, Ruddock, Deegan
Gibson Park, O’Sullivan, Frawley, H Byrne, O’Briens, Tomane, A Byrne, McFadden, Rob Kearney.

That SA trip could be the makings of the youngsters in that 'maybe' squad.

You're both right in that the bar Leinster measure their season against is still to come.

I'm not sure where 'quickly dimming' is coming from, they've had consistency so far this season. If anything they lower performances have been when reabsorbing the Test level players back into structures.

Still, for a half way checkpoint, the report card is more positive than 'gloom'.

The 'quickly dimming' point was concerning that potential for all the good play and fortune so far to be quickly undone by the loss of season defining games in both Pro14 and Europe.

So the quickly dimming thing isn't coming from anything in the present, merely projecting the hope that it won't be part of the Leinster 'narrative' later down the line.

gotcha

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Hugo Keenan (12)
14. Cian Kelleher (13)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (15)
12. Conor O’Brien (22)
11. James Lowe (41)
10. Ciarán Frawley (23)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (86)
1. Peter Dooley (74)
2. James Tracy (106)
3. Michael Bent (133)
4. Ross Molony (94)
5. Scott Fardy (56) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (30)
7. Scott Penny (12)
8. Rhys Ruddock (170)

16. Seán Cronin (179)
17. Michael Milne (6)
18. Jack Aungier (3)
19. Jack Dunne (5)
20. Ryan Baird (5)
21. Rowan Osborne (3)
22. Harry Byrne (7)
23. Tommy O’Brien (2)




Starting XV
15. Cai Evans
14. Hanno Dirksen
13. Owen Watkin
12. Kieran Williams
11. Luke Morgan
10. Luke Price
9. Aled Davies

1.Nicky Smith
2. Scott Otten
3. Simon Gardiner
4. Adam Beard
5. Bradley Davies
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Olly Cracknell
8. Dan Baker

Replacements
16. Sam Parry
17. Gareth Thomas
18. Gheorghe Gajion
19. Lloyd Ashley
20. Sam Cross
21. Shaun Venter
22. Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler
23. James Hook

The games on in the Gnoll? Will that sell out as a change in scenery.

Is tonight’s ref also part of the Leinster branch? It’s shocking how often this is going on 

Good highly charged game in the end.  Finishers certainly needed to steady the ship for Leinster AND to inject the right amount of fire-in-the-belly to repulse a hungry and belligerent Ospreys.  There wasn't nearly enough of it for most of the game from Leinster.

But overall, slate clean for another week anyway.  The players now have that extra pressure (of trying to stay unbeaten) which in a game like that is a good extra little morsel of fear pushing them on.

Oh and cheers to yet another secret agent IRFU ref.  Money is in the envelope in the usual place under Ha'penny Bridge.