Prop row has added spice to PRO14 semi-final build-up in Dublin
You can imagine Leinster coach Leo Cullen had better things to do in the lead-up to Friday night’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final against Munster than deal with the issue of bringing in an English Championship tighthead as cover for the busy months ahead.
However, that was what he had to do given the schedule his team has with the business end of the 2019/20 league and Champions Cup campaigns being quickly followed by the October start of the new 2020/21 PRO14, a time in the year when his Ireland players will be preparing for their hectic Test schedule.
It’s odd to think Leinster could ever be short in any sector of their team given the conveyor belt of talent their academy produces year after year. But it has now emerged that Cullen was blindsided regarding the situation with young tightheads backing up the roster behind Tadhg Furlong, Andrew Porter and Michael Bent.
Apparently, he had been given a verbal indication during the lockdown by Roman Salanoa, a youngster who arrived in Ireland a few years ago from Hawaii where he played American football, that he would be staying on at the club.
The information then fed into Leinster agreeing to allow another youngster, Jack Aungier, move to Connacht. However, after that deal for Aungier was signed, it emerged that Salanoa hadn’t put pen to paper on his Leinster contract and was instead joining Munster. That left Cullen this week having to agree on a short-term deal with Ciaran Parker, the Jersey Reds tighthead who had been at Munster until last May.
A bit of Irish devilment before Friday night's semi https://t.co/HrBEvMdQai
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 3, 2020
The issue came up in Cullen’s eve-of-match media conference and he admitted he wasn’t happy that Munster had managed to secure the services of Salanoa from under their nose. Their paths won’t cross on Friday night at the Aviva as Salanoa is injured and still waiting to make his Munster debut, but the manner of the prop’s summer exit has rankled ahead of the PRO14 semi-final.
“He told me he was staying. I told him I had to deal with another player [Aungier],” Cullen said, explaining his version on how Salanoa exited Leinster for Munster. “That’s how it unfolded. I basically took him at his word but he hadn’t actually signed the contract. I don’t know what sort of pressure he was under in the background (from the IRFU), but he left us compromised.
“I was upfront with him from day one, so he knew. If players want to go that is completely their own business. I’m not going to tell them what is best for their careers, they can decide that for themselves.”
With just one win in 14 away to Leinster since ‘nilling’ them in September 2008, the pressure is all on Munster to finally deliver in Dublin
– Liam Heagney looks ahead to the latest all-Irish @PRO14Official semi-final ??? #rugbyhttps://t.co/rcruNlycMF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 3, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments