Leinster Squad 21-22

[mildlyinterested]

Josh Murphy is moving to connacht apparently.

[LeinsterLeader]

Josh Murphy is moving to connacht apparently.

Is there anybody staying?

Ah we can't keep letting second rows go! (unless there's a load of new lads comin in)

[Blue Man]

This is crazy, Fardy and Toner will have retired, Dowling and Thornbury are out west, Dunne and possibly Charlie Ryan to Exeter and now Josh Murphy to Galway. What would happen if Molony made the Irish squad along with Baird and Ryan? Hope Deeny is good because Sorokaisnt the answer

[neiliog93]

This is crazy, Fardy and Toner will have retired, Dowling and Thornbury are out west, Dunne and possibly Charlie Ryan to Exeter and now Josh Murphy to Galway. What would happen if Molony made the Irish squad along with Baird and Ryan? Hope Deeny is good because Sorokaisnt the answer

Josh Murphy is exactly the type of guy you love to have in your squad. Big, physical, adaptable guy and great to have when internationals are away. Also wouldn't let you down when needed at H Cup level. Just coming into his prime as well, real pity to lose him. Joe McCarthy will hopefully step up as well. Also, Charlie Ryan to Exeter not confirmed, so let's hope we hold onto him. He's a Gary Longwell type - a very tall but not very athletic, lineout-focused second-row. There's a space for one of them in a squad if they develop well physically and have a work-rate with the grunt work.

[paddyor]

Darth_vader_NOOOOOOOO!.jepg

[John23]

Maybe Josh is going to dovetail rugby and putting his white coat and stethoscope in Galway?

[Keith]

Josh Murphy is moving to connacht apparently.

Wow that's a huge surprise and would be a shame to see him go, but what a great signing for Connacht that would be! Perhaps he doesn't fancy playing 2nd row and wants to remain at 6? We definitely need a another 2nd row now. I hope we don't just go safe and re sign Mick Kearney but the stars seem to be aligning there.

[sunshiner1]

Not surprised that Josh Murphy is leaving for Connacht (definitely disappointed though). He would have seen how Dowling is thriving and playing in the big games something that probably won't happen for him here. Good luck to him he's been a great servant.

[bronxbull]

Josh Murphy is moving to connacht apparently.

I will be sorry to lose a Wexican from Leinster but there are a few in the academy to bolster the ranks.

Josh was just starting to get a run of games,and will get a lot more before the end of the season, so this is disappointing news.

Regardless I wish him all the best in Connacht and his future medical career if he doesn't return to us beforehand.

[LeinsterLeader]

JM Move Confirmed

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/statu ... 5890663425

[OTT]

Big loss to the squad, pretty much always delivered on the pitch for us. Best of luck to him at Connacht he will add another bit of a hard edge to them.

[LeinsterLeader]

Quote from Josh on Con website:

"“At this stage of my career I feel it is time to try and contribute to a new environment and hopefully try and put my hand up to get out on the pitch every week. Playing matches regularly is what I love about this sport."

Hard to argue with that. Only so much game time to go around I suppose.

[hugonaut]

Quote from Josh on Con website:

"“At this stage of my career I feel it is time to try and contribute to a new environment and hopefully try and put my hand up to get out on the pitch every week. Playing matches regularly is what I love about this sport."

Hard to argue with that. Only so much game time to go around I suppose.

Absolutely agree. A very reasonable and specific reason to move.

I think our staff [both the coaching staff and the retention/recruitment element] have unfortunately – and unusually – botched the situation at second row a little bit. We picked Murphy at second row in both our recent Heineken Cup games, which read to me like an obvious attempt to keep him at the club by responding to his main motivation, i.e. playing games.

Picking Joe MacCarthy over Jack Dunne against Cardiff looks like they are planning for next season without Dunne. I wrote in another post that it is most unusual for us to start a young second row in his first game for Leinster – literally none of the locks in our senior squad started in their first game, even James Ryan.

Exeter haven't announced that they've signed Dunne for next season yet. I thought that they might have got that out this morning on the back of their loss to London Irish; a signing is always a good way to move the conversation on. It's probably a done deal at this stage, but like all these moves/purported move, you are better off waiting for an official announcement. I think Leinster's need to retain Dunne is quite keen now and they would do well to seriously try and get him to stay by offering him better financial terms and incentives. We will see how it pans out.

Both Dunne and Murphy are represented by Niall Woods at Navy Blue Sports, who is big on getting players to test the market place and who has been quite a tricky negotiator from the Leinster point of view.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I'm a little disappointed that we won't see how he develops at second row for us, thought he looked promising in Europe and it's not like we're stacked in that area right now. Okay he was never likely to be top class there but I'm curious about how high the ceiling was.

I find it a strange move though considering Prendergast is doing so well. I guess he'll have a strong case for being in the 23 every week but Ulster looks like a perfect fit on paper. Maybe it was better to stay down here for his medical career but I think he'd have been a brilliant signing for them.

[sunshiner1]

by LeRouxIsPHat

I'm a little disappointed that we won't see how he develops at second row for us, thought he looked promising in Europe and it's not like we're stacked in that area right now. Okay he was never likely to be top class there but I'm curious about how high the ceiling was.

I find it a strange move though considering Prendergast is doing so well. I guess he'll have a strong case for being in the 23 every week but Ulster looks like a perfect fit on paper. Maybe it was better to stay down here for his medical career but I think he'd have been a brilliant signing for them.

The second row situation in Connacht is dire that's why. Thornbury is injured a huge amount, Dillane is leaving, they never replaced Roux and Fifita is a flop. I can't remember how many times last season Masterson had to play in the second row. All you have to do is look at the Cardiff game to see why they are crying out for a player like Josh.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

by LeRouxIsPHat

I'm a little disappointed that we won't see how he develops at second row for us, thought he looked promising in Europe and it's not like we're stacked in that area right now. Okay he was never likely to be top class there but I'm curious about how high the ceiling was.

I find it a strange move though considering Prendergast is doing so well. I guess he'll have a strong case for being in the 23 every week but Ulster looks like a perfect fit on paper. Maybe it was better to stay down here for his medical career but I think he'd have been a brilliant signing for them.

The second row situation in Connacht is dire that's why. Thornbury is injured a huge amount, Dillane is leaving, they never replaced Roux and Fifita is a flop. I can't remember how many times last season Masterson had to play in the second row. All you have to do is look at the Cardiff game to see why they are crying out for a player like Josh.

Does he want to play second row though? I think he'd offer the same second row cover for Ulster but have a clearer run at being their starting 6, which I'm guessing is where he wants to play. As I said I think he could be in the Connacht 23 every week, but just feel Ulster would be a better fit.

[fourthirtythree]

I mean OUR second row situation is so dire he plays second row here!

Won't get games at 6 though.

[ronk]

Murphy has been doing about 12 games a year for a while.

Last year was better with a run in the Rainbow Cup, this year is worse. It seemed good when he was a medical student. But now he's putting a career on hold to play rugby and I'm not sure it makes sense to do that for 12 games a year and a Heineken Cup game or 2 if you're lucky.

I want him to stay but I understand if he's made that decision. There are no guarantees that the gametime will be so much better on the other side but at least he's backing himself. Good player, great attitude.

Love a hard hitting 6 who is technical and plays clean.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Love a hard hitting 6 who is technical and plays clean.

But what did you think of Josh Murphy?

There was a fairly disgraceful eye incident IIRC, and his discipline was often poor, I think that held him back a lot just as he was hitting his straps in every other respect.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Love a hard hitting 6 who is technical and plays clean.

But what did you think of Josh Murphy?

There was a fairly disgraceful eye incident IIRC, and his discipline was often poor, I think that held him back a lot just as he was hitting his straps in every other respect.

do you have a clip of that LRIP, I can't remember it

“The Disciplinary Panel, comprising Owain Rhys James (Chair), Nigel Williams and Declan Goodwin (all Wales) concluded that while there was contact made to the eye area of the opponent, it was unintentional and part of a fluid motion. The Panel concluded that a low-entry act of foul play had occurred, carrying a four-week suspension,” read a statement by Pro14 Rugby.