Leinster exiles, where are they.

[naraic]

Anyone here any word on how McGrath's recovery is going?


It must be hard to motivate yourself trying to return to fitness without a home club.

[Hoofhearted]

Going by his Instagram he is making progress. Hope it works out for him.

[curates_egg]

Paddy Patterson man of the match for Munster against South Africa A.
Good player. You kind of wonder why we let him go.
Maybe because he suffers from Tourette’s?

https://twitter.com/vmsportie/status/15 ... xOrrTqhxPw

[D4surfer]

Paddy Patterson man of the match for Munster against South Africa A.
Good player. You kind of wonder why we let him go.
Maybe because he suffers from Tourette’s?

https://twitter.com/vmsportie/status/15 ... xOrrTqhxPw

He'll have a leading role in the play.

[Ruckedtobits]

Sean O'Brien & Rory O'Loughlin form the centre partnership for Exeter today against London Irish.

[mildlyinterested]

Jack Regan and Will Hickey both gone to SA with Ospreys.

[mildlyinterested]

Hickey starting at 7.

[mildlyinterested]

Hickey had 15 tackles last weekend, with 0 missed. Starts again for Ospreys at 7 against the Sharks.

[IanD]

Shane Byrne doing Dancing with the Stars.

[curates_egg]

Adam Byrne finally getting his first start for Connacht against Newcastle. It would be great if he can stay fit for the rest of the season and build some form.

I make it 7 Leinster men in the XV.

[cormac]

Rory O’Loughlin starting at 12 for Exeter in Castres. Jack Dunne not involved

[curates_egg]

Adam Byrne finally getting his first start for Connacht against Newcastle. It would be great if he can stay fit for the rest of the season and build some form.

I make it 7 Leinster men in the XV.

Scored a cracking individual try.

[Laighin Break]

It's funny how there has been so much talk, for years now, of "When will Sexton retire?" And yet you still have Jimmy Gopperth, 2 years Jonny's senior, playing H Cup for Leicester

[cormac]

It's funny how there has been so much talk, for years now, of "When will Sexton retire?" And yet you still have Jimmy Gopperth, 2 years Jonny's senior, playing H Cup for Leicester

He put in a cracking tackle on Raka to prevent a Clermont try.

[mildlyinterested]

Karl Martin started at 12 last weekend for Montpellier in the Top 14 on his return from an ACL injury which had him out 10 months.

[Oldschool]

Up to now the PRL has provided the opportunity for Irish players, surplus to requirements, to ply their trade elsewhere and get decent remuneration.
However with the current financial difficulties in both Wales and England one wonders is the PRL 'safety valve ' an option any more.
How many of the exiles would make a Provincial 23 or even a depth squad.
It's down to opinion obviously but how many exiles would be welcomed back even if only to cover sick notes

[jezzer]

Up to now the PRL has provided the opportunity for Irish players, surplus to requirements, to ply their trade elsewhere and get decent remuneration.
However with the current financial difficulties in both Wales and England one wonders is the PRL 'safety valve ' an option any more.
How many of the exiles would make a Provincial 23 or even a depth squad.
It's down to opinion obviously but how many exiles would be welcomed back even if only to cover sick notes

Smart move would be to swoop for London Irish or - if they don't want to - buy a championship club and stock it with players who need gametime or come through the club route.

Irfu will never be that visionary though. The elephant in the room is south africa and Ireland needs to start getting very proactive about squeezing every drop out of the system.

Not sure if the financial woes post covid in Wales and England will spur or halt the Boks coming into the 6N. When they do (and its when not if) the Boks will start earning real currency and not funny colonial pounds. Then we'll know just how amazeballs the Irish system is.

[naraic]

Up to now the PRL has provided the opportunity for Irish players, surplus to requirements, to ply their trade elsewhere and get decent remuneration.
However with the current financial difficulties in both Wales and England one wonders is the PRL 'safety valve ' an option any more.
How many of the exiles would make a Provincial 23 or even a depth squad.
It's down to opinion obviously but how many exiles would be welcomed back even if only to cover sick notes

Smart move would be to swoop for London Irish or - if they don't want to - buy a championship club and stock it with players who need gametime or come through the club route.

Irfu will never be that visionary though. The elephant in the room is south africa and Ireland needs to start getting very proactive about squeezing every drop out of the system.

Not sure if the financial woes post covid in Wales and England will spur or halt the Boks coming into the 6N. When they do (and its when not if) the Boks will start earning real currency and not funny colonial pounds. Then we'll know just how amazeballs the Irish system is.

The Boks need to figure out how they want to play the international system.

What they really want to do is figure out a way to keep the rugby championship while joining the 6 nations (or 7 or 8 nations).

There are two options for South Africa that they would consider. An expanded international season 6 nations, rugby championship and 2 tours for an almost 20 game international season. As there is so much rugby in international rugby this might be the better option financially.

The second option would be step out of the tours and play both 6 nations and rugby championship and keep a level of focus on the club game. This would imo be a better way to focus on building depth.

While buying an English team would make a degree of sense I feel that it would be problematic as it would be sending Irish players to qualify for England on residency.

[jezzer]

While buying an English team would make a degree of sense I feel that it would be problematic as it would be sending Irish players to qualify for England on residency.

In 5 years' time. Frankly, if Ireland hasn't found them a home in a province or given them a cap by then, England is prob welcome to them.

[enby]

I wouldn't lose much sleep if some of the game's traditions like the Lions tour, the Barbarians and really rubbish singing at internationals were to follow the Final Trial, the 3 and 4 point try, the foot rush and the half time huddle into oblivion. However I would hate to see the 6 Nations be expanded to bring in any side from outside Europe. I'd love to see the day when another European team would reach the standard to make it the 7N though I doubt if that will happen any time soon. Its a local championship played by neighbouring countries and the mere idea of going for a Grand Slam at altitude in Johannesburg is dreadful.
End of rant