80+ column : December 4

WRAP OF A WRAP

Double wrap pod weekend meant recordings Sunday and Monday evening, and there was an added wrinkle with a (totally understandable) late withdrawal on the Monday so I was very grateful in particular to Ciarán for stepping in but also to Tom, David & Rich for providing their usual top notch descriptions and insights.

BTW because of the whole “two wrap pod thing”, we decided not to do a bonus chat again, it should be back next week where we plan to harp on whether or not the Champions Cup is losing it’s lustre.

ICYMI click here for our ULSvLEI wrap and here for IREvAUS to check it out on Spotify or you’ll also find them on Apple and most major platforms.

FRONT FIVE

A selection of eye-catching egg-chasing quotes & links from around the rugby media landscape

MUNSTER COACHES

ULSTER PLAYERS

LATEST WRU CHANGES

7 INTO 15

CREST FALLEN

NOTE : Castore & Leinster Rugby have since released this statement.

LEINSTER SQUAD UPDATE

HARPIN’ POSSIBLE MATCHDAY 23 V BRISTOL

Keenan, J O’Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe, Frawley, Gibson-Park

Porter, Kelleher, Slimani, J McCarthy, Snyman, Baird, van der Flier, Doris (c)

G McCarthy, Healy, Slimani, Ryan, Conan, McGrath, Prendergast, Barrett

caveat : I have no “ITK” a la Thornley

INJURY UPDATE – AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:

Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O’Brien, Lee Barron and Jack Conan: all four players came through the game at the weekend with no issues after returning from injury.

Paddy McCarthy and Tommy O’Brien: both players have returned to full training.

Ryan Baird: has come through the Graduated Return to Play Protocols and is available for selection.

INJURY UPDATE – FURTHER ASSESSMENT REQUIRED:

N/A

INJURY UPDATE – NOT AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION:

Will Connors: is unavailable for selection after picking up a hamstring injury at the weekend against Ulster Rugby.

Jamie Osborne: is unavailable for selection after picking up a groin injury during the Autumn Series.

Tadhg Furlong: is unavailable for selection after picking up a hamstring injury during the Autumn Series.

NO FURTHER UPDATES ON:

Dan Sheehan and Rob Russell.

TROLL PATROL

Now it’s time for Troll Patrol where we ‘detain’ a social media commentator and charge them with gaslightery and general online mayhem.

This week more Leinster on Munster trolling, maybe I’m leaning in to this genre a bit too much lately but when it’s this good I can’t help myself! Quality Dadjokery from James.