Leinster thread 2010/11

[Cormac]

Mike Ross and Eoin O'Malley have signed new 2-year deals, while Rhys Ruddock has signed a 1-year deal, upgrading from development to full contract.

[darkside lightside]

signing of Hagan announced, as well as Steven Sykes from the Sharks and Matt Berquist from the Crusaders - both NIQs, but both capable of becoming eligible for Ireland through residence. Replacements for Hines and (presumably) Berne, leaving them one final NIQ spot.

[SparkyClarky]

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O'Driscoll
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: Nathan Hines
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Sean O'Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Stan Wright
19: Devin Toner
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Fergus McFadden

Very strong line - up for saturday. Munster havent scored a try against leinster in over 400mins of previous play. Most are favouring Leinster but I just have a gut feeling it is time for Munster to stop the rot! (Head says Blues / heart says Reds)

Anyway a very strong side for any team to beat?

[stickinout]

I think Leinster have peaked early this season, they were playing some ruthless rugby around December and January. The 6Ns have maybe had an effect. The question is: does Munster have enough cutting edge to beat Leinster? I think it'll be close, Munster to win by 3.

[againstthehead]

big match for the ladyboys today - reckon they should sneak it by less that 7 points. Could be a hum dinger!

[backawaygoonahead]

Congratulations to any Leinster fans browsing enemy sites. Very well deserved victory over Toulouse who could only contribute a fluke try & a cheated try. Magnificent controlled performance to come back from the early body blow and picked up a notch when the dear departed Isaac Boss appeared and lifted the intensity and speed around ruck & maul. Call me biased but I would start him before Reddan all day long. Would be great to see the Boss get his mits on a winner's medal.

BOD's yellow was also highly debatable, to my limited knowledge of the rules you can't be offside if no ruck or maul exists & I didn't see any evidence of one. Add the push in the back and the whole thing was debatable in the extreme but then Blind Dave Pearson is a joke and should never be given an important match.

Not a classic but a pretty exciting game with the better team winning. I will of course be supporting Leinster, probably against Saints but with not quite the same fervour as it would be with Ulster or Munster.

[for dog and ulcer]

Congratulations to any Leinster fans browsing enemy sites. Very well deserved victory over Toulouse who could only contribute a fluke try & a cheated try. Magnificent controlled performance to come back from the early body blow and picked up a notch when the dear departed Isaac Boss appeared and lifted the intensity and speed around ruck & maul. Call me biased but I would start him before Reddan all day long. Would be great to see the Boss get his mits on a winner's medal.

BOD's yellow was also highly debatable, to my limited knowledge of the rules you can't be offside if no ruck or maul exists & I didn't see any evidence of one. Add the push in the back and the whole thing was debatable in the extreme but then Blind Dave Pearson is a joke and should never be given an important match.

Not a classic but a pretty exciting game with the better team winning. I will of course be supporting Leinster, probably against Saints but with not quite the same fervour as it would be with Ulster or Munster.

100% in agreement- the first penalty against BOD was bizarre too imho. You've got to admire the sheer determination and grit which Leinster show allied to some class skills.

[Snipe Watson]

Blind Dave Pearson is a joke and should never be given an important match.

Couldn't agree less. Pearson is an excellent referee. For the record, so is Romain Poite.

[backawaygoonahead]

Blind Dave Pearson is a joke and should never be given an important match.

Couldn't agree less. Pearson is an excellent referee. For the record, so is Romain Poite.

Each to their own Snipe but hes gash and blind.

[Snipe Watson]

Blind Dave Pearson is a joke and should never be given an important match.

Couldn't agree less. Pearson is an excellent referee. For the record, so is Romain Poite.

Each to their own Snipe but IMHO hes gash and blind.

Fixed

[Shan]

Fair play to Leinster. Very good victory especially considering the fluke try at the start.

I hope they go on now and win the H Cup.

[backawaygoonahead]

Couldn't agree less. Pearson is an excellent referee. For the record, so is Romain Poite.

Each to their own Snipe but IMDH&WCO hes gash and blind.

Fixed

FFS Snipe, I don't have humble opinions, just deeply held & well considered ones. FIXED

[bootlaced]

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/rugby/ ... 52886.html

Carr, Browne sign for Leinster

Rugby: Winger Fionn Carr and lock Damian Browne have both signed one-year deals with Leinster and will join up with their new team mates in the summer.

Former Leinster Academy graduate Carr returns to his home province having impressed for Connacht. The 25-year-old is the highest try scorer in the western province’s history (34 tries in 72 Magners League/Amlin Challenge Cup games) since his move from Leinster in 2008. The Newbridge winger has also represented Ireland at Schools, under-19, under-21 and ‘A’ levels.

Galway native Browne (30) is a former Ireland under-21, Connacht and Northampton Saints lock who joins from French Top 14 club Brive having featured in 30 games so far this season.

“We are delighted to announce the signings of two Irish qualified players in Damian and Fionn and we believe that both players have the potential to make an impression over the coming season,” said Joe Schmidt, Leinster head coach.

“I know how enthusiastic both players are about linking up this summer, in Fionn’s case his arrival will be a homecoming of sorts as he is a graduate from the Leinster Academy.

In a busy administrative period for the province, Leinster also confirmed hooker Richardt Strauss has extended his contract until 2013.

Dominic Ryan (21) has also signed a fresh two-year deal having featured in 22 games so far this season with the Gonzaga College graduate scoring four tries to date.

Centre Brendan Macken and outhalf Ian Madigan have extended their current deals, while half backs John Cooney and Ian McKinley have both also signed their first professional deals with the province.

“Richardt has been a key performer in the Leinster frontrow this year and his contract extension is a further boost in addition to other recent contract extensions,” added Schmidt.


“With the extensions and new contracts for the younger players it is important that we continue to retain our best underage talent from the Leinster Academy.”

[Dublin4]

Thanks everyone for being so kind in your comments about Leinster.
It's good to know that we will never be accused of arrogance by the other provinces having spent years under the cosh of the turnips. We have a certain metropolitan nonchalance and generosity here in the East and we will gladly pass on the extra ladies and girls from our Academy and under age to the rest of you as needed.......

[Tighty]

Is Strauss a 'Project player' and if so when will he qualify for Ireland ?

As a matter of interest is there a limit to how many ''project players'' a Province can have at any one time and who are the current project players in each province . I know Ulster have Robbie Diack but not sure of the others.