Who is next at Scrumhalf?

[mildlyinterested]

With both Leinsters 1st choice and 2nd choice scrumhalves now into their 30s, identifying and developing the next generation to be ready to step up in 3 to 5 years is high on the list of priorities.

Jamison Gibson Park(31)
Luke McGrath(30/St. Michaels/UCD)
Nick McCarthy(28/St. Michaels/UCD)
Cormac Foley(23/St. Gerards/Lansdowne)
Ben Murphy(22/Pres Bray/Clontarf)
--
JGP has spent most of the season injured, while McGrath has had a strong season getting the vast majority of game time at 9. McCarthy has been okay in his appearances but isnt pushing for more game time with his play. Foleys season has been up and down, he is currently injured and when he returns is TBD. Murphy has had a strong second half to his season playing for Clontarf.

Fintan Gunne(20/St. Michaels)
Oscar Cawley(20/Naas)
--
Oliver Coffey(U20/Blackrock)
Tadgh Brophy(U20/Newbridge)
Tom Murtagh(U19/Clongowes)
Andrew Doyle(U19/Athy RFC)

Gunne missed the 1st half of the season with injury, but has started all 3 game for the irish 20s. Cawley has had a strong season at AIL level but his exposure at 20s has been limited. Coffey has been excellent at schools level in dominant rock side, while Brophy was very good for Newbridge before they exited the cup. Murtagh is a coverted outhalf but was impressive for Clongowes in the cup.

* ages as of next season

[Serb]

I think we have enough of a runway on JGP and Luke to give the likes of Foley, Murphy and Gunne a chance to step up. Have no idea who’s likely to make the grade at the moment tbh.

[ronk]

Reddan played 13 times for Ireland, 32 games overall in his last season. And he kept going to 35.

Boss was 36. Whitaker was 34. Easterby was 37. Leinster value experience and reliability at 9 over athleticism and mercuriality.

McGrath and GJP are on track to be around for the 2027 RWC. There's room for McCarthy and/or Foley for a while and either someone will step up of the following generation will pressure them. And if that fails we'll go to market.

On a side note both Isaac Boss and Chris Whitaker went into coaching and we have a vacancy now. There's probably a case for targeting scrumhalf for a little extra attention.

[elephantman]

Fintan Gunne

[Blue Man]

Unfortunately, I think the answer is ‘someone currently playing overseas’.

Consider; Whitaker, Easterby, Reddan, Boss, JGP (only Luke breaks the mould).

[Serb]

Equally, every other province has managed to either produce their own, or repurpose one of ours into a quality scrum half. There will have to come a time where we actually produce quality in this position.

I think we have the next quality 9 within our ranks, let’s just hope we give them enough room to shine with us and not somebody else.

[blockhead]

Every time Paddy Patterson uses profanities, he's actually sending a coded message back to the Leinster brainstrust.
"Get me the fukc outta here! I repent!I repeeennnnt!

[ronk]

Like the way Ulster and Connacht use a main outhalf and utility 22s, Leinster have a scrumhalf system where 2 scrumhalves do the heavy lifting and gametime is relatively limited for everyone else. With international release there might be enough to keep a third busy but it won't split much further than that.

We also don't change the guard often, it's happened twice in the strong Leinster squad era and it usually involved players retiring close together time wise.

We've been able to have success with a 3rd scrum half but it doesn't last all that long and they end up drifting away. Willis, Cooney, McCarthy.

McCarthy is too close in age to McGrath and PHG to know it was going to be worth biding his time. The move was ill conceived and a disaster, but he was taking a risk to solve a problem. We're still recovering from it. McCarthy's development regressed and the younger scrumhalves coming through were thrown in at the deep end and kinda sank. Patterson would have been able to see that re-signing McCarthy only made sense if he got almost all the available gametime.

What happens next is that McCarthy and/or Foley hold the fort for a few years, possible with one of them hitting a higher level. Then there's an opportunity for a younger scrumhalf to start to break through as our current 2 start to age out.

It was working out almost the same a few years ago but Boss and Reddan were doing well and Cooney didn't wait around with McGrath already getting gametime.

[Devintonerenthuaiast]

It’ll be interesting to see if Fintan gunne gets an acadamey contract this season. An outstanding schools player but hasn’t quite made the jump to the next level. I’ve been really impressed by Oliver Coffey, the Blackrock captain. I’m sure the Leinster coaches will take Oliver into account when deciding if Fintan gets a contract.

[mildlyinterested]

It’ll be interesting to see if Fintan gunne gets an acadamey contract this season. An outstanding schools player but hasn’t quite made the jump to the next level. I’ve been really impressed by Oliver Coffey, the Blackrock captain. I’m sure the Leinster coaches will take Oliver into account when deciding if Fintan gets a contract.

They'll both get contracts, one this summer and the other the next.

Gunne had 0 starts this season due to injury before starting all 3 under 20 games.

[Fifteen]

It’ll be interesting to see if Fintan gunne gets an acadamey contract this season. An outstanding schools player but hasn’t quite made the jump to the next level. I’ve been really impressed by Oliver Coffey, the Blackrock captain. I’m sure the Leinster coaches will take Oliver into account when deciding if Fintan gets a contract.

They'll both get contracts, one this summer and the other the next.

Gunne had 0 starts this season due to injury before starting all 3 under 20 games.

I'm interested to understand why you have written Cawley off and are looking to the next year coming through - don't think it could be due to performance/potential? I think he's been performing better than Gunne in general (albeit limited in exposure).

[mildlyinterested]

It’ll be interesting to see if Fintan gunne gets an acadamey contract this season. An outstanding schools player but hasn’t quite made the jump to the next level. I’ve been really impressed by Oliver Coffey, the Blackrock captain. I’m sure the Leinster coaches will take Oliver into account when deciding if Fintan gets a contract.

They'll both get contracts, one this summer and the other the next.

Gunne had 0 starts this season due to injury before starting all 3 under 20 games.

I'm interested to understand why you have written Cawley off and are looking to the next year coming through - don't think it could be due to performance/potential? I think he's been performing better than Gunne in general (albeit limited in exposure).

just based on experience, they very rarely take two scrumhalves from the same age group and Gunne looks to be ahead of Cawley.

Maybe Cawley can push for over the next few months, but I'd say he is facing an uphill battle. Personally i'd love to see him get in as the more club players pushing through the better.

[Fifteen]

They'll both get contracts, one this summer and the other the next.

Gunne had 0 starts this season due to injury before starting all 3 under 20 games.

I'm interested to understand why you have written Cawley off and are looking to the next year coming through - don't think it could be due to performance/potential? I think he's been performing better than Gunne in general (albeit limited in exposure).

just based on experience, they very rarely take two scrumhalves from the same age group and Gunne looks to be ahead of Cawley.

Maybe Cawley can push for over the next few months, but I'd say he is facing an uphill battle. Personally i'd love to see him get in as the more club players pushing through the better.

Yeah, it would be a pity to lose him because of steadfast backing (for whatever reasons) of players whose ability to transition from schools to adult & elite rugby is yet unknown. Would be great to see him get some decent game time tonight but unlikely with the head coach backing Gunne all the way. When Cawley has come on, I thought he has looked good, increased tempo, quicker on his feet and just looks more of a threat?

[mildlyinterested]

I'm interested to understand why you have written Cawley off and are looking to the next year coming through - don't think it could be due to performance/potential? I think he's been performing better than Gunne in general (albeit limited in exposure).

just based on experience, they very rarely take two scrumhalves from the same age group and Gunne looks to be ahead of Cawley.

Maybe Cawley can push for over the next few months, but I'd say he is facing an uphill battle. Personally i'd love to see him get in as the more club players pushing through the better.

Yeah, it would be a pity to lose him because of steadfast backing (for whatever reasons) of players whose ability to transition from schools to adult & elite rugby is yet unknown. Would be great to see him get some decent game time tonight but unlikely with the head coach backing Gunne all the way. When Cawley has come on, I thought he has looked good, increased tempo, quicker on his feet and just looks more of a threat?

I really havent seen enough of him to say he has looked more of a threat.. certainly a sub 9 should be bringing something when he comes on.

agreed, hopefully he gets a good amount of time tonight.

[Fifteen]

I really havent seen enough of him to say he has looked more of a threat.. certainly a sub 9 should be bringing something when he comes on.

agreed, hopefully he gets a good amount of time tonight.

Fair enough, just mho based on the little we did see but also on what I've seen from both of them since leaving school. They've played against each other on a couple of (Ireland/Leinster) occasions.

Either way, hopefully a win tonight to keep the Grandslam alive

[Dave Cahill]

At this rate, Cian Healy

[riocard911]

At this rate, Cian Healy

Good one. LMFAO!!!!!

[The Doc]

Foley resigned FWIW



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[ronk]

Foley resigned FWIW



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Re-signed.

[The Doc]

Foley resigned FWIW



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Re-signed.

Oooops - yes