Leinster Academy 22-23

[Lock9541]

Spicer is 6’11 and 127kg

[Lock9541]

he's very effective at schools level, he will need to improve as all do when moving up the levels, but I'd expect he will be involved with the irish 20s next season as a u19. So yeah he is good, how good will he be? TBD.

He’s been training in the sub academy every week since he was 16. Leinster are doing everything they can to develop him into a pro player. He will improve a lot once he leaves school as he’ll be in a great environment training with good players and coaches. He’s the biggest player we’ve ever had in our system so Leinster won’t let this go to waste and will do everything they can to develop him into a top pro player as they are doing at the moment.

He isnt as big as Toner.

He’s 6’11 and 127kg , he is bigger. He still has another year of growing. Not sure if he’s still 127kg but that’s what he weighed in 4th year

[mildlyinterested]

Am I correct in saying the current year 3s are:

Hanan
McKee
Soroka
SOB
Smith
O'Reilly

Who looks most likely to be kept on?

McKee and Soroka I'd say are the shoo ins.

Hanan could be given a dev deal owing the to RWC next season and we're likely without Porter and Healy. Unless Leinster think they could be ok with Byrne, Milne and Boyle.

The selection of Culhane and the fact he is at this level does not look like good news for SOB getting retained.

Smith looked to be an excellent option but that off day against Chile really might have hurt him. He looks to be very focused on sevens and Cosgrave and Russell seem to be better prospects.

O'Reilly is in a similar boat. He's spent the majority of this season injured. I'm not sure he has the top end athleticism to make the cut. Possibly in a similar situation to Smith in that Cosgrave and Russell seem to be better rated prospects.

Having said all that we're not exactly awash with back 3 options at present. Especially if Kearney moves on. But I can see DK being given a year contract if he'll take it.

I don't see anyone else graduating early. Russell possibly in the conversation with an impressive (if a little flattering) strike rate this year. I don't see any real merit on bumping him to a dev deal unless one of the other provinces come sniffing. And I'm not sure why they would.

SOB was injured afaik, i'd be surprised if he was gone given the RWC. Same with Hanan most likely.

I'd say Russell will graduate early, not sure what will happen with Smith and O'Reilly. Soroka & McKee will move up.

[mildlyinterested]

Ireland U20s:

15. James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster)
14. Ike Anagu (La Rochelle/IQ Rugby)
13. Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster)
12. John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
11. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster)

1. George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
3. Paddy McCarthy (DUFC/Leinster)
4. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
5. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD/Leinster)
6. James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster)
7. Ruadhán Quinn (Old Crescent/Munster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
17. George Morris (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
19. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
20. Jacob Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
21. Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
22. Harry West (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23. Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster).

[mildlyinterested]

interesting to see how big James Nicholson is, looks at least 6'3, I think he is more suited to the wing at the minute based on last fridays game, probably needs a big remaining 6 nations to make the academy.

The McCarthys, O'Tighearnaigh and Gunne look like certainties to join, while Cooney and McElrean look fairly likely too.

[Oldschool]

Knowing nothing about Kevin Spocer.
Has he any brothers.
How old does a player have to be before he can be cap tied.
How old does a player have to be before he can be U20s cap tied.
Is he eligible for any other country/ries.

[mildlyinterested]

Knowing nothing about Kevin Spocer.
Has he any brothers.
How old does a player have to be before he can be cap tied.
How old does a player have to be before he can be U20s cap tied.
Is he eligible for any other country/ries.

Alan Spicer, no idea on brothers, he has to be capped by ireland which presumably wont happen soon, he can play for the 20s next season.

[Lock9541]

Sean O Brien joining Connacht next season

[Morf]

Sean O Brien joining Connacht next season

They'd been too long without a Sean O'Brien over there to be fair

[mildlyinterested]

Sean O Brien joining Connacht next season

Makes sense.

[mildlyinterested]

Ireland U20s:
15. Henry McErlean (Terenure/Leinster)
14. James Nicholson (UCD/Leinster)
13. Hugh Cooney (Clontarf/Leinster)
12. John Devine (Corinthians/Connacht)
11. Hugh Gavin (Galwegians/Connacht)
10. Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne/Leinster)
9. Fintan Gunne (Terenure/Leinster)

1. George Hadden (Clontarf/Leinster)
2. Gus McCarthy (UCD/Leinster)(captain)
3. Paddy McCarthy (DUFC/Leinster)
4. Diarmuid Mangan (UCD/Leinster)
5. Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD/Leinster)
6. James McNabney (Ballymena/Ulster)
7. Ruadhán Quinn (Old Crescent/Munster)
8. Brian Gleeson (Garryowen/Munster)

Replacements:

16. Danny Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
17. George Morris (Lansdowne/Leinster)
18. Fiachna Barrett (Corinthians/Connacht)
19. Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
20. Jacob Sheahan (UCC/Munster)
21. Oscar Cawley (Naas/Leinster)
22. Harry West (Buccaneers/Connacht)
23. Rory Telfer (Queen’s University/Ulster).

[Serb]

Anagu looked way off the pace last week, I suspect he wasn’t fit so not surprised to see him out of the 23. Looking forward to this one, 10 of the 15 from Leinster isn’t bad at all.

[mildlyinterested]

Soroka is being linked online with a move to Munster, no idea how true.

[LeinsterLeader]

Soroka is being linked online with a move to Munster, no idea how true.

I'd be surprised if true to be honest. Seems to be well thought of here, is generally in the mix when fit (which hasn't been at lot to be honest) so I wouldn't image they'd be too keen to seem him go. Unless he's been given the 'Nucifora nudge"......

[Serb]

Also depends on what position they / we see him in. Both Leinster and Munster are stacked with young back row players, but not at lock. If we see him as a back row but Munster see him as a lock, that could potentially be attractive.

[ronk]

Soroka is a high potential young player and he's probably a little bit behind the gametime expectations curve (which will be frustrating). He's been unlucky with injury timing, and the shortened season.

Munster target all those players. If anything I'm surprised that we're hearing rumours this late. He's exciting, but he's also raw and in a good environment.

He got into the academy young and Cian Prendergast (1 year older) didn't at all. Prendergast even replaced Soroka in 1 u20 game. I think Leinster is the right place for Soroka but I can see why someone might think other options might have been different.

In some ways Munster have changed so it's not always certain to say that they have the same track record, but they're still targeting players in the same way (allegedly) so it's not entirely unfair. Soroka isn't in a place where he'll force himself into the team and he's not the type of player that Munster have ever really valued or developed.

Munster like backrows who play across the backrow and are all very similar: size, role, angry face etc. Never more so than at 6. They don't develop specialist 6s, play them, sign them or even particularly rate them when they play for other teams: see Easterby or Ruddock. But they love, love, love (love) guys like Quinlan, POM, JOD. They loved Stander but didn't see him as a 6. He started at openside once in his last 5 years with Munster, but never at blindside even though he played blindside a lot for Ireland.

[mildlyinterested]

apparently Leamy rates him and they worked together at irish 20s and in the leinster academy, wait and see I guess.

[paddyor]

Soroka is being linked online with a move to Munster, no idea how true.

It's just as crowded at 6 for Munster?

[mildlyinterested]

Soroka is being linked online with a move to Munster, no idea how true.

It's just as crowded at 6 for Munster?

agreed, doesnt make much sense to me but there ye go.

[Keith]

Soroka is being linked online with a move to Munster, no idea how true.

It's just as crowded at 6 for Munster?

agreed, doesnt make much sense to me but there ye go.

Surely Ulster would make more sense. They barely have a backrow, let alone depth there.