Planet Rugby Forum

hermie

If Connors is in line to start, do we really cut Conan? Which is what happened last December. Or VDF? Given that Doris moves over every game these days. Don't think we can look at Baird covering second row although he is a like for like with Molony in terms of type of lock. Still, you'd think Jenki...

hermie

Why? They've two decent first choice hookers. LH on the other hand.... Decent is a stretch plus the other provinces are well stocked. LH is a problem position for Ireland. Also Ulster might have first refusal on a LH after what happened with Kitsoff. You mean we will be refused first? :lol:

hermie

Munster had permission on a NIQ hooker in Grobbelaar but that fell through after he got called into SA squad. Would have been a good signing. Is Kinsella talking shit then? Munster were linked with Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar earlier this season but it’s believed that he will not be joining them ...

hermie

irishrugbyua wrote: ↑Wed Apr 10, 2024 10:51 am Munster had permission on a NIQ hooker in Grobbelaar but that fell through after he got called into SA squad.

Would have been a good signing. Is Kinsella talking shit then?

hermie

Read that this morning. Think it's very harsh if Munster are restricted in signing a hooker. Makes no sense. Why? They've two decent first choice hookers. LH on the other hand.... Decent is a stretch plus the other provinces are well stocked. LH is a problem position for Ireland. Also Ulster might ...

hermie

Read that this morning. Think it's very harsh if Munster are restricted in signing a hooker. Makes no sense.

hermie

This is like when Binge said Cathal Marsh was a similar type of player to Quade Cooper. Just because two players are of a similar type lock-cum-blindside in this case, doesn't mean they are in any way comparable in their value to a team. Actual ability and achievements are significant features you'...

hermie

You can't say nobody could have known how good he could be when Fogarty, Ruddock, potentially others saw exactly that. Ruddock said he was very good in the AIL. Magic Mick McGrath tore it up for years in the AIL, and struggled to get a pro contract in the Championship, and got a season in Leinster ...

hermie

Beirne at the time was in no way shape or form comparable to a RWC runner-up! :lol: Comparably type of player. Of course he was. Lock cum blindside, poacher, skillful, tough as nails. In the same way a 20 yr old Sean O'Brien was comparable to Rocky Elsom who had just won Leinster the HEC. This is l...

hermie

You can't say nobody could have known how good he could be when Fogarty, Ruddock, potentially others saw exactly that.

hermie

Nolanator wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 11:27 am Beirne at the time was in no way shape or form comparable to a RWC runner-up!

Comparably type of player. Of course he was. Lock cum blindside, poacher, skillful, tough as nails. In the same way a 20 yr old Sean O'Brien was comparable to Rocky Elsom who had just won Leinster the HEC.

hermie

Has it been/is it worth pointing out that in Beirne’s 2nd (and final) season as a Scarlet, Leinster won the Champions Cup/Pro12 double? Beating the Scarlets, with Beirne at 8, in the league final? With Beirne-esque lock/blindside Scott Fardy who Beirne could have shadowed and replaced. Now that's d...

hermie

This conversation started with the Welsh asking, somewhat ironically, can Cullen/Leinster coaches be criticised for anything (and it seems like they can’t for some). I disagree with the notion that Cullen is a poor selector and feel even more strongly that the Leinster backroom have done a good job...

hermie

This conversation started with the Welsh asking, somewhat ironically, can Cullen/Leinster coaches be criticised for anything (and it seems like they can’t for some). I disagree with the notion that Cullen is a poor selector and feel even more strongly that the Leinster backroom have done a good job...

hermie

This conversation started with the Welsh asking, somewhat ironically, can Cullen/Leinster coaches be criticised for anything (and it seems like they can’t for some). I disagree with the notion that Cullen is a poor selector and feel even more strongly that the Leinster backroom have done a good job ...

hermie

DOB wrote: ↑Tue Apr 09, 2024 4:18 am Has it been/is it worth pointing out that in Beirne’s 2nd (and final) season as a Scarlet, Leinster won the Champions Cup/Pro12 double?

Beating the Scarlets, with Beirne at 8, in the league final?

With Beirne-esque lock/blindside Scott Fardy who Beirne could have shadowed and replaced.

hermie

Time to clock off anyway. Slow Mondays

hermie

CM11 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 6:27 pm Anyway, hermie, I think we've covered every morsel of this topic. You have your opinion, I have mine.

Leave it there?

hermie

Duff Paddy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 6:24 pm
PourSomeRuggerOnMe wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 4:29 pm Karl Dickson is reffing the Leinster game next weekend. That's going to be painful to watch.
Set Sexton on him

hermie

Letting Cronin go was a blunder. That's on Munster really. If Kitsoff goes perhaps Munster can go to the market but if not they really can't, not at LH, for the reason you just outlined - depth beyond Porter is a real concern. On cronin I think at the time he was at best 4th in the depth chart with...

hermie

Lots of players come through the academy without a broad body of work, it's rather in the nature. So the question is judging where their ceiling is, hardly an exact science, and nobody is getting it 100% right, clearly letting Beirne go wasn't a good call even if there were reasons at the time. Ver...

hermie

That was after he was cut. He could be uncut. The Scarlets paid him peanuts. He was begging for an opportunity. And fair dues for him making it but this wasn't a guy with a huge body of work being overlooked. It was a guy with very little rugby not having a punt taken on him. Something that sometim...

hermie

All his senior appearances came after his academy stint but Leinster A games? There were 10 of those. I don't think the academy trained full-time with the seniors until Lancaster but presumably they mucked in occasionally. I'd be shocked if they didn't. Also seems to have played enough in the AIL f...

hermie

Hermie, for the umpteenth time, Beirne was injured for nearly his entire academy stint. If you're able to judge a player when they're on the physio table, well done you but most people would recognise actual pitch time is more relevant. I'm not even sure the academy trained with the seniors at the ...

hermie

Leo was a player for Leinster when Beirne joined the academy. Not that that made any difference as Beirne, by his own admission , was never fit while in the academy. Leo never had him as a Leinster player and it wasn't his decision to cut him. Except as forwards coach. And presumably he formed abso...

hermie

Ross Byrne fit for the weekend. Luke too. Wait and see on JOB and Ringrose.

hermie

So, we've all realised it was MOC that cut Beirne, yeah? An enemy we can all get behind! With Cullen as forwards coach and Fogarty wanted to keep him on (presumably after his extra stint). I'm being tongue in cheek because the argument stands. He wasn't fit for any part of his academy stint. Why ar...

hermie

Thanks very interesting article. Hadn't read that before. It's actually worse than I thought. I was under the impression he had been given a 4th year in the academy to prove himself but was actually out on his ear, had to beg to be given an extra stint and only got "until Christmas" because someone...

hermie

In his own words. This. Leinster backed Thornbury and Molony ahead of him. Ironically the former became a much bigger sicknote and the latter never made it to be an international. Captain HIndsight again :lol: They let go/ Didn't offer contracts to Loughman, Timoney, andrew smith and loads of other...

hermie

CM11 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 5:11 pm So, we've all realised it was MOC that cut Beirne, yeah?

An enemy we can all get behind!

With Cullen as forwards coach and Fogarty wanted to keep him on (presumably after his extra stint).

hermie

I'm going to have to ask you the same question. As his coach how would Cullen NOT know his numbers in the gym, how he trained, how he was within the squad, had he called a lineout, how he was on match week etc etc. He even said it himself he had a bit of a mare on his debut - you don't get many cha...

hermie

How? Beirne was injured for years and the brief stint he was fit for Cullen didn't have access to most his players for most of that period to 'compare him'. You're still ignoring that Beirne was injured for most of his time at Leinster. I'm going to have to ask you the same question. As his coach h...

hermie

Floppykid wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 4:40 pm
PourSomeRuggerOnMe wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 4:29 pm Karl Dickson is reffing the Leinster game next weekend. That's going to be painful to watch.
Never been the type to have an encyclopedic knowledge of refs, mostly just lump them into good/bad in my mind.

Have no real idea about Dickson.

He's the one who hates Ireland.

hermie

Karl Dickson is reffing the Leinster game next weekend. That's going to be painful to watch. Ah feck, I was really hoping for Luke Pearse. I'm amazed Dickson gets so many high-profile games. He makes an inordinate amount of errors. Even yesterday the TMO had to come in and overrule him on a try he ...

hermie

If your sole objective is maximising things for Ireland, then Milne starting every big game for Munster or Ulster is a far better distribution of resources than him coming on after 65 min for Leinster. Would he be guaranteed to play more for Munster? He was behind Josh Wycherley for the 20s, are yo...

hermie

Neither did Cullen for Beirne. Of course he did How? Beirne was injured for years and the brief stint he was fit for Cullen didn't have access to most his players for most of that period to 'compare him'. You're still ignoring that Beirne was injured for most of his time at Leinster. I'm going to h...

hermie

What evidence? He'd been injured for most of his academy stint? Fogarty gave his opinion but obviously not well enough with the facts at the time so again, you are using subsequent form (hell, subsequent staying fit) to call it a black mark/error on Cullen's part. This isn't a player who was playin...

hermie

On Soroka, I'm a fan. But that's mostly from evidence from his days with the 20s as well as only a handful of Leinster performances (particularly one good showing in SA last season, can't remember which game). But it goes without saying I'm not privy to his numbers (fitness nor in the gym), what he...

hermie

On Soroka, I'm a fan. But that's mostly from evidence from his days with the 20s as well as only a handful of Leinster performances (particularly one good showing in SA last season, can't remember which game). But it goes without saying I'm not privy to his numbers (fitness nor in the gym), what he'...

hermie

You are completely overegging it, Beirne had been injury prone, had no body of work. None of the other provinces wanted him, why didn't they see the potential? Scarlets took a punt and he developed quickly as was lucky with injuries and played loads. Lots more than he would have done if stayed with...

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