DOUBLE WINNERS LEINSTER will play their first pre-season match ahead of the new campaign away to Pro D2 side Montauban (kick-off 19.30 Irish time) tomorrow.
Marquee signing Joe Tomane will start at inside centre for his new club in Stade Sapiac while James Lowe will run from fullback.
Rhys Ruddock, newly installed as club vice-captain, is fit and firing after hamstring trouble in the second half of last season. He will lead his team from the openside of a back row featuring Max Deegan and Josh Murphy.
With Ross Byrne involved in Ireland’s summer, Leo Cullen has no out-and-out 10 in his 28-man squad for the trip, Noel Reid operates as out-half alongside scrum-half Nick McCarthy.
“The majority of the group that are playing this weekend came back in the middle of June,” Cullen says, “they did a three-week (training) block at that stage, had another break and came back, so they’ve done a fair amount. It’ll be nice to put into practice some of the things we’ve worked on over the course of pre-season.
“(Montauban are) a big physical team and it should be a good test. They get good crowds over there as well. Conditions are difficult this time of year in the south of France… they’re a little more advanced than we are in terms of this being the third pre-season game that they’ve played. It was the same with Perpignan last year.
“Their season starts next week, so there’s a probably a bit more urgency about what they’re doing. They’ve probably built a bit of the cohesion that we’re trying to establish now at this stage.”
Leinster will play their second pre-season match against Newcastle in Donnybrook next Friday.
Leinster (pre-season v Montauban)
15. James Lowe
14. Adam Byrne
13. Rory O’Loughlin
12. Joe Tomane
11. Barry Daly
10. Noel Reid
9. Nick McCarthy
1. Peter Dooley
2. Bryan Byrne
3. Michael Bent
4. Ross Molony
5. Ian Nagle
6. Josh Murphy
7. Rhys Ruddock (Capt)
8. Max Deegan
Replacements
16. James Tracy
17. Ed Byrne
18. Vakh Abdaladze
19. Mick Kearney
20. Will Connors
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Jimmy O’Brien
23. Dave Kearney
24. Oisín Dowling
25. Conor O’Brien
26. Tom Daly
27. Jack Kelly
28. Gavin Mullin
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If he gets back into the Irish setup without others getting injured I’d be very surprised. Saying that if he does merit a recall then he’ll be playing fantastic rugby so for Ireland sake I hope he does.
@Chris Mc: It’s all about him I reckon cause he’s definitely got the talent/ability. As someone else pointed out here he looked in bad shape for a lot of his time at Wasps, if he really focuses on that he could challenge for a place on the squad no problem.
@The Irish Pain: wasps wanted him heavier, to be a different prop than the mobile less effective scrumager cooper wolley
Ireland now have 5 reliable TH props available . Furlong , Porter , Bealham , Ryan and Moore : all under 30 . That’s an incredible turnaround .
@Limón Madrugada: Maybe you could include Archer on that list as he seems to be first choice in Munster.
@Tom Reilly: but reliable for Ireland ?? I’m not convinced , he is capped though for sure ..
Someone on here yesterday said that Leinster made a ‘poor decision’ letting Marty Moore go.
I think the opposite, Marty Moore made a poor decision to leave Leinster.
When he left he was in the Irish 23, primed to replace Ross. He moved to Wasps and ended up not even starting for them. He also looked unfit.
In that time Leinster developed Furlong and Porter, Ireland brought in Bealham and Ryan and a few years later he’s back fighting for 3rd/4th in the Irish pecking order.
A shame because he is some prop on his day. Possibly a better scrummager than any of the above.
@Oval Digest: The word was that Moore was excited to play under Dai Young, a well capped Welsh and Lions prop. Maybe it was the 2 year deal offered by Leinster vs the 3 year Wasps deal (undoubtedly for more money) that was the real reason. Or maybe he saw Tadgh Furlong coming through and thought now’s the time to cash in. Or perhaps he thought Leinster are not gonna be challenging any more. If it was the Young factor that helped him go, the renowned Young had no impact on him other than gaining weight. The move might have been good for his bank balance but it was a disaster for his career. Thus far. Still, a big season and he could play his way in.
@grandslamkbo The word was also that Moore signed a contract without realising that he couldn’t get out of it in an effort to bargain with the IRFU, and then got stuck.
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/leinster-admit-defeat-in-bid-to-retain-marty-moore-s-services-1.2510136
Marty is good on his day when fit, the problem is there just isn’t enough of those days.
He will have to buck up his ideas if he is to have a sniff of being anywhere near the Irish squad.
Yes squad not team
His whole career and how people will view his achievements relies on his application for the next two years
Be interesting to see how Nathan Hughes goes this season, he should be pushing for a place in the English team.
@Ruairi O’Bric: He is a super club player but I’m not sure about his workrate apart from ball carrying. If Billy V stays fits there’s no comparison…
Looked very unfit at Wasps as when he was playing previously for Leinster he had great mobility/work-rate and could force a few turnovers too.
He was overweight when he last played for Leinster and Ireland and things have only gotten worse since, needs to go on a serious shred if he is to make Ireland contention again.