Tighthead Prop going forward

[Oldschoolsocks]

Can we get Benty an OLSC shirt before he leaves?

If ever a man deserved one.

+1

[FLIP]

Bent but unbroken?

[Peg Leg]

One of my favourites. Must have the biggest biceps to ever wear blue, monster of a man with no reverse gear.

[mildlyinterested]

Tadhg Furlong(28) - 110 leinster caps, 49 irish caps
Andrew Porter(25) - 72 leinster caps, 37 irish caps
Vakh Abdaladze(25) - 11 leinster caps
Greg McGrath(24) - 3 leinster caps
Tom Clarkson(21) - 10 leinster cap

Under pressure here with Benty off home to NZ, need Vakh to return during the Rainbow cup and hit the ground running. I wonder if someone like Ciaran Parker will get another look.

[RoboProp]

One of my favourites. Must have the biggest biceps to ever wear blue, monster of a man with no reverse gear.

I was in the local coffee place with my mum and Benty was there with his wife (who was expecting their first at the time) He was frickin' huge. I'm not a small man, and I've been lifting weights since I was about 14 and I was like "faaaaaark, Benty is jacked"
He had just had savage game against Embra at the weekend before, but there was a lot of harsh stuff being said online about him at the time in some sectors, I wanted to say to him how much of an amazing player he was, but I thought better of it, let the man enjoy his cuppa with his missus.

So, t-shirt this legend. He deserves the sh1t out of it.

[mildlyinterested]

Michael Alaalatoa(30)
Tadhg Furlong(28)
Andrew Porter(25)
Vakh Abdaladze(25)
Greg McGrath(24)
Tom Clarkson(21)

[Peg Leg]

So Mike retires and passes his crown to the new Mike, just like the Mike before him.

[Ruckedtobits]

Post that Scarlets game, Tom Clarkson really needs to have a few sessions with the scrum gurus in Ireland.

He's got the build, and now the physique, to play international rugby. He's got the instincts and hands to play the way Farrell want Ireland to play. But, at present, his scrum and maul work just mightn't be good enough.

Maybe he needs to change his mindset and learn what it takes to become a niggly bustard of a THP. He cannot allow average loose-heads to bend him at the waist and pinch penalties off him. If he can develop into a tiresome hard-nosed scrum operator, changing angles & heights and annoying every LHP he plays, he can really become a fearsome weapon for Leinster and Ireland.

He clears out effectively although he's often more upright than ideal. The same with his mauling where he's often higher than optimum.

Clarkson is no longer the two-year U.20 THP, from whom great things are expected. He's now a fully-contracted Leinster player who should be learning fast from Tagdh & Big Mike and looking to become a totally dependable bench option when either or them are missing. He should be ascending to leadership, at least by deed, of the group of young pros. He should be acquiring the skills which will allow him to join Porter, Sheehan, Kelleher as 10-year Leinster players by 2030.

THP is the toughest position in rugby. Get your feet, hips, shoulder or neck in the wrong place or at the wrong angle and you can get twisted between the drive & strength of both your second-row & flanker, whilst being twisted and maybe lowered by a smaller opposition LHP. There's nowhere to go except down, or up for a 'flying' lesson. Option one costs a penalty and loss of reputation and ensures it will be even harder next time. Option two means huge loss of face & dignity and can create a permanent reputation that every LHP in the world will note in his black book.

Clarkson has been through the apprenticeship, now it's time to graduate.

[naraic]

There's very few 22 year old THP ready to graduate.

Yes Furlong was a monster at 22 but that's really rare.

When we signed Michael Alaalatoa were probably hoping that Vakh would break through by the time he left. Now Vakh is 26, soon to be 27 and people are moving onto the next hope.

[curates_egg]

Vakh called up to the Georgia squad. Very surprised he’s accepted. Combined with his lack of game time for Leinster, you’d wonder what it means for his future with us and in Ireland.

* sorry already discussed on the squad thread.

[mildlyinterested]

Coaches dont seem to rate Vakh very highly.. not overly impressed by Clarkson lately.. lots of talent coming through though

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think Clarkson might become the next Luke McGrath for me

He’s improving, I’m 100% sure of it and any criticism has to take his age and lack of game time over the last 18 months or so into account. I can’t remember when he first started picking up injuries but he looked good from the start of his Leinster career at a very young age and then injuries have set him back, the talent is all there IMO.

Plus he’s a prop, every prop in the world has bad days. I wouldn’t swap Porter and Furlong for anyone but look at how they struggled in some big games last season.

[mildlyinterested]

Tony Smeeth on Paddy McCarthy

“We’re enjoying Paddy while he’s with us because I don’t think we’re going to see him for long. He’s one of those generational type players.

“Like Joe, his brother, he’s just very hard to stop. He always breaks the line, for a guy who is only 19-years-old it’s pretty amazing.”

[Blue Man]

Smeeth is an excellent judge of talent so that’s a very encouraging assessment of McCarthy junior

[the spoofer]

Smeeth is an excellent judge of talent so that’s a very encouraging assessment of McCarthy junior

+1 Tony knows his marmalade. It will be interesting to see how much development work has been done with McCarthy as a prop rather than as a player. Neither SCT nor AIL are terribly demanding for props (some teams excepted). They don't really prepare you for the Saffa or French teams.

[mildlyinterested]

Tony Smeeth on the club scene podcast saying he thinks that leinster/ireland could be looking at mccarthy as a loosehead.

Also seemed to think Tom Connolly, who is 6'3 and 125kg, would end up with a leinster contract once he finished up in college.

[mildlyinterested]

Senior
Tom Clarkson(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - 6'1, 118kg

Clarkson was a standout at u20 level, since then he has probably gone on to gain AIL experience and been exposed to pro level as a tighthead, not the biggest or the most powerful tighthead, he has struggled at times in the scrum especially when facing south african opposition.

Academy
Temi Lasisi(21/Enniscorthy RFC/Lansdowne) - 6'0, 116kg
Rory McGuire(20/Blackrock/UCD) - 6'4, 118kg

Lasisi is a relatively recent convert from loosehead prop, a position he excelled at for ireland u20, he started all three of this seasons A games at tighthead and has been playing there regularly for Lansdowne in the AIL. McGuire is a man mountain by irish propping standards, he impressed last season for the irish 20s but ended the season injured and has yet to return from that injury.

Sub-Academy
Tom Connolly(22/Galwegians/DUFC) - 6'3, 125kg
Paddy McCarthy(U20/Blackrock/DUFC)
Adam Deay(U19/Tullow RFC/Lansdowne)

Connolly is a convert from backrow, who has excelled after moving to dublin and playing for trinity, he trained with leinster during preseason and was involved with the A team, it wouldnt be a huge surprise to see him get a contract next season as he is having a strong season in the AIL. McCarthy is a top tier athlete and while playing loosehead at the moment, he is expected to play tighthead for the irish 20s. Deay, who is a big powerful ball carrier, alternated with Andrew Sparrow for this season leinster u19s and was recently named in the ireland u19 squad and a NTS squad.

[dobby15]

Senior
Tom Clarkson(22/Blackrock/DUFC) - 6'1, 118kg

Clarkson was a standout at u20 level, since then he has probably gone on to gain AIL experience and been exposed to pro level as a tighthead, not the biggest or the most powerful tighthead, he has struggled at times in the scrum especially when facing south african opposition.

Academy
Temi Lasisi(21/Enniscorthy RFC/Lansdowne) - 6'0, 116kg


Lasisi is a relatively recent convert from loosehead prop, a position he excelled at for ireland u20, he started all three of this seasons A games at tighthead and has been playing there regularly for Lansdowne in the AIL.

The Chile game is the perfect opportunity to test both Clarkson and Lasisi. Give them both a half against gnarled South American props and it will do them both the world of good!

[mildlyinterested]

Vakh named in Georgia squad, presumably thats him off at the end of the season.

[Keith]

Vakh named in Georgia squad, presumably thats him off at the end of the season.

Seeing reports from Georgian fans, it seems he was mullered in the scrum against Uruguay but was decent around the park. Really strange to see him even get a call up as Georgia are usually stacked in the front row, with players who have multiple starting appearances across various clubs in France.