You not really right here.
Will connors, toner, Cronin and Healy started for Leinster. Doris was very young too.
The sarries pack that was thrown together contained vuinapola x 2, Jamie George, koch and itoje.
At the time those were 5 very good players.
Porter, Kelleher, Ryan, Doris, Conan and VdF all saw action that day. Kelleher came on against Jamie George just after halftime and couldnāt lay a glove on him, George played the full 80 minutes. Iām surprised there is so much hype about this Irish side just looking at the likely team there, it looks a bit weaker than previous sides that have failed to make it past a world cup quarter final.
18 months is a long time in rugby.
Kelleher was only around a few months.
You are comparing apples and oranges in my opinion.
Koch destroyed Healy in the scrum that game. They won 7 penalties and scored 9 points directly from them.
If furlong was on theyād have won.
Iād probably be on my own here too but I think Cullen has gotten a very easy ride from the Irish media.
Leinster should have one another European cup at least and were blessed to win one after a racing metro injury crisis along with a huge teddy Thomas brain fart.
They play a nice style and rotate a lot which endears themselves to the media.
The Leinster weakness has always been the maul but since o Connell got involved with Ireland the maul has been one of the strongest areas.
Iām not really sure if this is know reflected in Leinster as they havenāt been tested too often bar the La Rochelle game.
It definitely enforces my belief that Cullen and Lancaster arenāt doing the job some people think they are doing.
OāMahony playing as well as ever and not starting probably says something? Doris is as good a player as weāve ever had, or better. Still donāt think much of Conan but heās about the same as heaslip surely?
Very excited about Hansen potentially starting
Heaslip was under rated /hated because he was a bit of a knob. I wouldnāt have Conan in the same breadth.
O Mahony was very good off the bench during the autumn.
I wouldnāt like o Mahony and Beirne in the same international pack. Both a little light imo. Itās probably one or the other.
Like If we are playing the boks next week Iād go Ryan/Henderson and Beirne, jvdf and Doris.
Think Coombes will overtake Conan before too long. Would also have Henderson ahead of Ryan.
Henderson has some knock currently didnāt train in Portugal.
Doris is the long term 8 imo.
From what I heard Coombes did not get on well during his first spell with squad so Iād be surprised if he sees much action.
Whatās clear from the last few days postings here is that thereās a woeful amount of rugby spoofers on this forum - you know who you are.
@BruidheanChaorthainn has his finger on the pulse of things particularly from the provincial set-ups and the inside track with developmental issues.
Iām therefore refusing to listen to bluffers like Glas, Dan and Brady.
Is Dan Leavy finished or what?
I know fuck all about it sure, I repeat that at the start of 50% of my rugby posts.
Who does, how can you follow a game where you can only see the fucking ball for about 10% of the time.
Missing the six nations anyway. Serious player hard to see him come back.
Heaslip was nominated for World Player of the Year twice, first when he was in his mid 20s. I was under the impression Conan hasnāt long nailed down a starting spot at Leinster and he is 30 this year. I donāt pay much attention to professional rugby these days but Iām surprised at that comparison.
@Thomas_Brady is on his last lap again so you wonāt have to. @ChairmanDan will feel a bit slighted but his conduct has become very soccer hooligan over the last while and heād defer to an elder lemon like yourself anyway so youāll be grand. Would you not read @glasagusban just for the amusement?
I donāt follow rubby at all. I wouldnāt be able to name or recognise more than 3/4 of the current squad. Not sure how I was named as a go to guy here.
The point isnāt about their body of work over a career (no question heaslip is miles ahead) but how well theyāre playing currently, surely?
You do an awful lot of posting about it for fella who doesnāt follow it.
Iāve always had doubts about Conan as being a bit of show pony.
In fairness to him he was excellent last year Ireland and got on well with the lions.
Iām sure heāll drop out by the time the World Cup rolls around but heās not exactly a water carrier either.