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Leinster's 'farmed out' XV plying their trade for other Irish provinces
On Saturday night Leinster’s 26-game winning streak in the Guinness Pro14, a run stretching back to April 2019, finally came to an end at the hands of a superb Connacht side. Andy Friend’s team were full value for the win, their ambitious game plan backed by an intensity and physicality that Leinster struggled to cope with.
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However the high number of former Leinster men in the Connacht ranks wasn’t lost on head coach Leo Cullen, who pointed out that his squad will face a similar test when Conference A leaders Ulster come to town on Friday.
“They (Connacht) all fronted up, particularly in that first half,” Cullen said. “They put a lot of pressure on us, got off the line aggressively. I thought the backrow were good, all ex-Leinster guys. Two big, physical second rows, ex-Leinster guys as well.
“It’s always good to see those guys progress with their careers,” he added.
In total Connacht’s starting team contained eight players that had at some stage been in the Leinster system – Peter Sullivan, Tom Daly, Shane Delahunt, Gavin Thornbury, Quinn Roux, Eoghan Masterson, Conor Oliver and Sean Masterson.
The result has sparked some life into the Pro14 season, with Leinster now trailing Friday’s opponents, Ulster, by 10 points in Conference A. Like Connacht, Ulster have a string of ex-Leinster players in their squad, most notably John Cooney, Jordi Murphy, Ian Madigan, Jack McGrath and Marty Moore.
“It is going to focus the minds for sure,” Cullen admitted.
“We talk about Connacht and they have a big string of ex Leinster players, Ulster is very, very similar isn’t it? There are a lot of guys there that will be highly motivated playing in these derby games.”
The movement of players from Leinster to the other provinces has at times been a source of frustration for Leinster. When Nick McCarthy decided to swap Leinster for Munster last year, Cullen said other provinces were actively trying to recruit Leinster players.
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“Everyone here at the club is conscious of the fact that there is a lot of Leinster players being, ‘targeted’ maybe? I’m not sure what the best way to describe it is,” he said.
Leinster might not be happy with the amount of former Leinster men plying their trade rival provinces, but it’s a trend that is serving Irish rugby well, allowing players who might struggle for time on the pitch at Leinster to flourish elsewhere.
A number of fresh injury concerns for Leinster. https://t.co/AtxgDPVeui
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 4, 2021
Take Tom Daly, who scored Connacht’s bonus-point try at the RDS, as an example. In three seasons at Leinster Daly made just 12 senior appearances, all in the Pro14. He signed for Connacht on loan in December 2018 and had won 1o caps by the end of the season. Saturday’s game against Leinster was his 35th appearance for the province in all competitions, including a handful of starts in the Heineken Champions Cup, and he has become a key part of their squad in that time.
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The sight of Leinster players opting for new challenges elsewhere isn’t likely to end any time soon. With Ulster recently confirming Marcel Coetzee will be leaving the club at the end of the season, Leinster will be on red alert given the high number of talented players battling for space in their own backrow.
What a game ?
? A bonus-point win
? First victory in Dublin since 2002@Connachtrugby record a win against @LeinsterRugby who face their first defeat since April 2019 ? #GuinnessPRO14 highlights ? pic.twitter.com/C3rWBI7rp5— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) January 2, 2021
Increased competition within the Leinster squad will always lead to a greater number of high-quality players being denied regular time on the pitch. They might look at those who have left with an envious eye.
Here’s our Leinster Exiles XV selection:
A LEINSTER EXILES XV:
15: Joey Carbery
14: Andrew Conway
13: Tom Farrell
12: Tom Daly
11: Matt Healy
10: Ian Madigan
9: John Cooney
1: Eric O’Sullivan
2: Shane Delahunt
3: Marty Moore
4: Gavin Thornbury
5: Quinn Roux
6: Tadhg Beirne
7: Jordi Murphy
8: Paul Boyle
And here’s a breakdown of the ex-Leinster men now playing at Connacht, Munster and Ulster, including players who were on senior Leinster contracts, were members of the Leinster academy or came through the Leinster schools/club system
Connacht
Jack Aungier, Paul Boyle, Tom Daly, Conor Dean, Shane Delahunt, Oisin Dowling, Jordan Duggan, Tom Farrell, Matt Healy, Eoghan Masterson, Sean Masterson, Conor Oliver, Peter Robb, Quinn Roux, Peter Sullivan, Gavin Thornbury.
Munster
Tadhg Beirne, Joey Carbery, Andrew Conway, Jeremy Loughman, Nick McCarthy, Roman Salanoa.
Ulster
John Cooney, Greg Jones, Ian Madigan, Jack McGrath, Marty Moore, Jordi Murphy, Alan O’Connor, David O’Connor, Eric O’Sullivan, Dave Shanahan, Nick Timoney.
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
7 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
7 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
7 Go to comments