Leinster’s emphatic win over La Rochelle and their blockbuster signing of Jordie Barrett are up for discussion on the latest episode of The Left Wing.
Rúaidhrí O’Connor, Luke Fitzgerald and Will Slattery break down the key moments behind Leinster’s victory and single out the key performers like Will Connors and Joe McCarthy.
Jacques Nienaber’s influence on Leinster is also discussed before talk turns to the signing of All Blacks star Barrett.
The lads debate whether the signing should have been signed off by the IRFU and the worrying gulf that has emerged between the provinces.
Ulster and Connacht’s heavy European defeats are also on the agenda.
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30 Comments
Barrett, Snyman , Lowe, Gibson Park…who else wants to play and how many more can..?
Ive never heard so much shite, in all my days. So your saying Leinster to produce these players in their academy and then not allowed to use them. Its not on Leinster to also build the other 3 provances aswell as their own.
Munster was told to create a proper system like Leinsters, but they didn't, and over spent well passed their means.
It’s amazing how domination by one province is only a problem when it’s Leinster (it’s exactly the same with Dublin in GAA) I can remember in the early noughties when Munster provided 1 – 10 for the Irish team most weeks plus some subs, often in the same position as the starters, on top of this they had foreign talent like Jim Williams, Langford, then later Howlett, Cullen, Halstead Tipoki, Mafi etc etc etc. Add to that 2 Irish coaches in a row were Munster men along with the forwards coach and team manager, can you imagine the bitching if that was the case with Leinster nowadays for the Irish team. Back then Leinster struggled to compete at the time, Ulster similar and Connacht were the forgotten province but I don’t remember constant calls to change the whole structure to stop Munster winning all the time, amazing how this only happens when it’s Leinster.
An excellent debate. Long overdue. I hope that the IRFU are listening.
It’s only a six month contract and its great marketing for Leinster. It makes business sense for the Leinster brand. It’s a good idea to send some academy players to other clubs to learn and play rugby.
kelleher, Healy. Ryan, Henshaw, .O'Brien, VDF Conan, and the Australian Tighthead (if they get him) would all start for any of the other provinces. Deegan Penny, Frawley, Harry Byrne would start got Ulster and Connacht. Says it all about the IRFU's policy
Why would any leinster player want to go play for munster/ ulster both are struggling teams,you would be going from a winning team to a mediocre team,i just cant see it…carberry being the poster boy as to exactly why a move like his can be detrimental to your career
Luke cant dictate were players should go and play,barrett chose leinster,snyman wasnt wanted by munster,why would or should he be forced to go to ulster,connacht,in fact why would he want to go in the first place
Maybe a sliding scale with CCs . Or semi CCs and not the kind of ones to give POM and Zebo a pension plan. Get the 5050 contracts out for Ahearn Edogbo Gleason the Murrays Forde etc..
I don't think anyone blamed Ross byrne for last year's final he was screaming for the ball to drop goal it's Al'alatoea who stupidly gave la rochelle the penalty and the leinster pack who stupidly ignored their fly half to try get a try. Also it's up to the other provinces to produce home players to build their academy Belfast is a huge city don't tell me you can't find quality players there. The provinces may need to upgrade their coaches and do smart head hunting the way leinster did with Joe Schmidt who was relatively unknown.
Leinster get a double world Cup winning coach..Connacht get Johnny sextons brother .
Why are Leinster letting Jenkins go? Anyone?
In the last 8 years Connacht, Leinster and Munster have all won URC. Ulster also have a Heineken Cup though that was 1999 but they have been competitive most of the time since. That said Leinster are superb at producing young talent so there is a gap. Munster with young players like Brian Gleeson, Ruadhan Quinn, Evan O'Connell, Tom Ahern, the Edogbo brothers and others look as if their time could be coming although front row reinforcements may be required.
Connacht & Ulster do need help. Both are good outlets for a lot of players and are a lot stronger than say Welsh sides. Help all the Provinces but Leinster's success brings in a lot of cash for IRFU to redistribute so dont take it for granted or we could be back to the mostly losing 1990's at provincial and International level..
Non-sense converstation, do you think these foreign players have no say in where they play? These are not cattle
Lots of points aired in this programme but no conclusions offered . For me as an outsider I'm asking myself is Ireland rugby in a good shape , yes . Are the provinces in good shape , Leinster are , the other three are not . Good governance by the I R F U need to get there act together to solve this problem . Overall not a bad place to be in .
McCarthy was the best player on the pitch against La Rochelle. He should have had MoM.
As a Leinster fan, the IRFU do need to support the other clubs and allow them to develop more. We need the competitiveness and its isn't Leinsters job to fix this..
Snyman hasn't played though… surely there's an element of cutting Munster's losses to it.
Very pessimistic views instead of showing more optimism. Could be more optimistic of the changes.
A draft system for 18/19 years olds would be a bad idea, the Leinster academy is the best in the world, leave them there. You could force Leinster to let go of the likes of Deegan, Penny and Russell (Molony before his Bath move) when they're around 24/25 which would strengthen other provinces and force Leinster to play even younger players in the international windows
Ulster have no-one but themselves to blame they totally ignore half the province for a start and half of the population that's left in the rest of the counties on top of that! Sectarian flags flying in all directions into the stadium, UVF murals painted on the sides of buildings.
I'm a protestant from Donegal and I went once and I won't be back even as a supporter.
Getting a bit tedious now. For a journalist to actually suggest we need four crap teams.
Leinster have won one European Cup in a decade. I don't hear Kiwi pundits saying the Crusaders should be shitter.
Only in Irish Rugby would someone suggest uniform mediocrity as a solution.
Same with Dublin and Limerick. Nation of moany holes who would rather cry than take a beating with dignity.
I usually like these guys, but they were hard to listen to today. Irish begrudgery at it's best. Leinster is regarded around the world as one of the top 2 or 3 clubs in the world. 20 years of excellent management and planning has got them to this point. 90 %+ of their squad is home grown. They have taken Ireland to the top of the table. We are now the equals of S Africa, France, and N Zealand. This is something I would never have thought possible in my lifetime. Leinster have brought us here, and all they get is grief from Irish rugby pundits. Any other country would give their left testicle to have a team like Leinster, but not Ireland. Pathetic.
MC carthy will be a great player just at times he needs to take a deep breath he gives away a lot of penalites
Jordie Barrett, great signing for Leinster and will benefit IRFU, URC ,and champions cup.
i just want all the Provinces to do well
punish success at your pearl
I think rugby shoukd be left to private sugar daddies to spend millions. That way English and French clubs can rule the roost, year about.😅
Let’s not forget Barrett is only coming in for 6 months.
When Munster signed Snyman and Dallende straight after winning the World Cup with SA no one was whinging
Have to say that’s the best take on the Barrett issue.
Leinster have done nothing’s wrong but what are the IRFU thinking?
And a great point about Snyman, if Munster have to give him up to provide space for Irish players, how is he allowed move to Leinster where he’s still taking a spot from an Irish player?