OUT THE GAP
Leinster’s squad depth means that some will leave
THERE’S been a lot of chat around Leinster recently. The province’s place at the summit of Irish rugby’s food chain has been the subject of rigorous debate in recent weeks.
From Leinster’s bounty of centrally contracted players (a roster which is set to swell to 10 when Jamison Gibson-Park belatedly signs his first IRFU deal in the not-too distant future), to their capture of RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett as well as their stable of top-class players, the club are in a very good place.
The fact that Leo Cullen was able to leave most of his frontliners back at their UCD base to prepare for a Champions Cup semi-final while the second stringers keep the URC show on the road in South Africa is also a luxury which his fellow provincial coaches don’t possess.
But things haven’t quite gone according to plan on that front. Last weekend’s thumping by the Lions at Ellis Park suggested that the club’s depth chart isn’t as deep as many have suggested. It also cut their lead at the top of the league to a solitary point going into this weekend’s fixtures. Glasgow and Munster are gaining ground on the league leaders and if they slip up against a potent Stormers side in Cape Town this evening, then they will be feeling the pressure in the coming weeks. All of a sudden, that top seeding – and guaranteed home advantage until the Grand Final – doesn’t look guaranteed.
Leinster fans may scoff a bit at the URC, citing the Champions Cup and that elusive fifth star at the main priorities, but the idea that Cullen’s squad could finish a third campaign with nothing to show for their efforts will rankle a bit, especially considering that they make the running every season.
And Cullen has other issues.
Yes, the Leinster boss has a sizeable crew of players on board, with fresh rein-forcements rolling out of their prolific academy every year.
But accommodating all those players and keeping them happy is quite the juggling act. Indeed, a few fringe players are off to Ulster and Connacht in the summer. The likes of Ed Byrne and promising centre Wilhelm de Klerk will be playing their rugby at Kingspan Stadium next term.
Cullen is well used to such scenarios. The big question is how many others will be tempted to seek pastures new in the coming seasons.
Scott Penny and Max Deegan are two players which spring to mind. Aged 24 and 27 respectably, both Leinster backrowers are no spring chickens. Both are talented operators who would undoubtedly improve the fortunes of rival provinces.
Both find themselves well down the pecking order at Leinster, with Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan, Ryan Baird and Will Connors part of an all-international crew at the front of house.
How long more will Penny and Deegan bid their time in Dublin, banking on a few injuries and a breakthrough season. Of course, they want to represent their home club and the Leinster environment is dynamic. It’s an exciting place to be. But training all season and subsisting on scraps must be torturous for ambitious players like these. The restructuring of the URC – with no games during international windows – has further squeezed their exposure.
Penny has featured in just 12 games for Leinster thus far while Deegan has managed just 11 appear-ances. A pretty paltry return and you wonder how much we’ll see of them in matchdays squads the business end of Europe and the URC in the coming months.
They should show their quality again today in a team stacked with greenhorns like Henry McErlean, Sam Prendergast, Cormac Foley and Brian Deeny. Penny and Deegan should lead the charge against a fearsome Stormers but, sooner rather than later, both players will have to ask themselves if they deserve a bigger stage.
Meanwhile, Munster are also on tour in South Africa and will be keen to keep the good vibes going after last Saturday’s impressive win against the Bulls in Pretoria. Sean O’Brien is the sole change to the side which triumphed at Loftus Versfield, with the former Connacht centre deputising for Alex Nankivell at inside centre.
Elsewhere, Connacht face the Dragons later in the evening with Denis Buckley, Gavin Thornbury, Cian Prendergast and Tiernan O’Halloran all earning promotions to the starting line-up. The Westerners desperately need a result in Wales as they look to break into the top eight with just four rounds of the regular season remaining.