If rumours about Ronaldson and TOH back in Italy are verified, I think we should still rest him for the final game and play-off game(s)

Met Bundee late last night in town, he was still limping and wearing a leg brace, but said it should be fine! Can't keep that man down! Boy does he deserve the week's rest.

From a pragmatists point of view it's been pretty clear for about a month now the winner will come from one of: us, Leinster and Glasgow

My worry would be Glasgow as their form is very good. I'd make whoever wins at the sportsground in 3 weeks as favourites. Leinster look ok but not sure how motivated they are.

What is very very interesting for the end of the season is, as it is planned for now, our squad depth, assuming Aki and Bealham seem ok

Carty has two weeks of full-trainnig to be 100%
Poolman, Roux, Marshall and Delahunt, as nothing was announced, should be there to contribute if needed
White will be back soon after 3 weeks of RTP
Both Ronaldson and McGinty are due, if not in Italy, for Glasgow last regular season game
Heenan back in 3 weeks at worse for the semi-final,
Exactly the same for TO'Halloran


You know how pessimistic I am (was), so if I raise the question, it's serious and ponderate : who could stop this team to reasonnbly hope for the title???

One of these days, probably against Treviso, this move will finally work out, after which it will be retired and we'll never see it again.

menacethedenis wrote: Don't forget Bundee can play 8 as well lads It's a wonder he hasn't been tried at outhalf yet

I think you'll find that Bundee played #8 for a scrum at the end of the 1st half v Munster.
The searing pace of Muldoon in the center is a real threat

Everybody who could should watch Nottingham vs Carnegies 2:55 this afternoon, starring Conor Carey as loosehead!

We have lots of backrow options but a real up and coming billy vunipola style 8 option that pat could unearth would be a great asset. Cian Kelleher is also a good player that would add nicely to our back options.

Don't forget Bundee can play 8 as well lads It's a wonder he hasn't been tried at outhalf yet

FACECUTTR wrote: True and row, 6, 8 that can step and pass is what will be looked for.
I'd have him in a heartbeat as he is a quality player. I hope our style of play and our ascent to the right end of the pro 12 will entice him if we are looking to sign him.
He normally plays 7 with Leinster doesn't he ? We have Heenan, Fox and Connolly already but as you said Muldoon will rested more next year and SOB is still very young.
Ulster are a bit light on good back rows. I know they have signed Coetzee but he is out now for a good bit with a bad injury.

Not sure there's space for him, we have quality cover already with more to come through from the Academy (McVeigh, Romaine and Moloney...

Jake can cover 6/7 or 8
Fox-Matamua can cover 6/7 or 8
Masterson can play 6, 7 or 8,
McKeon can cover 6, 7 or 8,
Connolly covers 6 or 7,
SOB2 can cover 4, 5, 6:or 8
Ben Marshall can cover 4, 5 & 6

True and row, 6, 8 that can step and pass is what will be looked for.
I'd have him in a heartbeat as he is a quality player. I hope our style of play and our ascent to the right end of the pro 12 will entice him if we are looking to sign him.
He normally plays 7 with Leinster doesn't he ? We have Heenan, Fox and Connolly already but as you said Muldoon will rested more next year and SOB is still very young.
Ulster are a bit light on good back rows. I know they have signed Coetzee but he is out now for a good bit with a bad injury.

FACECUTTR wrote: With Aly and George leaving us are our academy or under 20 locks good enough to give game time to for the 2016/2017 season. Do we really need to sign a big money lock when we seem to be producing well from the academy.
No 8 is somewhere we will be tight now and we need a bulldozer for the hard yards which is something we do lack.

Two minutes into the second half grenoble had a maul running most of the pitch. Everything was in disarray. But then somebody hopped in and the Grenoble maul came to a halt. Had to replay it a few times but it was Ultan Dillane. Pretty much on his own he stopped a 6 man charge.

He'd be our 3rd choice 6 and 4th (or 5th) choice 7, and he doesn't play 8.

Would he be better off going to Ulster where sans Coetzee they're looking at a Diack-Henry-Wilson backrow?

I used to think that but as our game plan has evolved to match Pat's ideal one thing is pretty clear: he's not going to send teams out to bulldoze the opposition. If we get a massive second row/6/8 then he'll need to good hands and feet......not too sure how many players like that are hanging about :blink:

I think we need a second row and a back row player before the start of next season but what I think we really need is a big defender (someone like Joe Worsley) as, despite our improved defensive shape and systems, we give up too many cheap yards around the fringes of rucks.

I know Dom Ryan is going to be out of contract this summer and has said to the press that he's not happy being 5th/6th choice. Rumour has linked him with Ulster, and I know some fans don't really fancy him, but I think he's a player that could come in and replace Muldoon in the medium term and with more game time and better coaching could really come good. I thought he was Leinsters best player against us, seemed to have the stomach for the battle more than most of the goys.

With Aly and George leaving us are our academy or under 20 locks good enough to give game time to for the 2016/2017 season. Do we really need to sign a big money lock when we seem to be producing well from the academy.
No 8 is somewhere we will be tight now and we need a bulldozer for the hard yards which is something we do lack.

Agree re Morris.

He just does not fit the profile of what we should be looking to sign or aspiring to sign.

A few years ago, we probably would be delighted to have him, but I would argue, now we need something more.

Everyone and their dawg will be gunning for us next season.

The bar has been raised considerably by both ourselves, but also every one of our competitors.