RG SNYMAN IS nearing a return to fitness, with the Leinster lock set to step up his rehabilitation programme this week.
The Springbok joined Leinster this summer but has been unavailable for selection after injuring his foot while on international duty with South Africa.
However the province say Snyman is due to step up his rehab over the coming days, with his availability for Friday’s URC clash with the Dragons at Aviva Stadium to be determined later in the week.
Similarly, Tommy O’Brien is to be assessed before a decision is made on whether he can tour with Emerging Ireland. O’Brien suffered a hamstring injury in the opening round defeat of Edinburgh, with the issue requiring further assessment.
Simon Easterby’s Emerging Ireland squad are due to assemble this week before departing for their tour to South Africa, which kicks off against the Pumas on Wednesday, 2 October.
James Culhane is also due to tour with Emerging Ireland and is fit to travel. Culhane was removed for a HIA in the win over Edinburgh but has passed his assessments.
Michael Milne was withdrawn with an ankle injury in the same game and will be further assessed before the Dragons clash, while Jamison Gibson-Park came through the Edinburgh win with no issues on his return from a hamstring injury.
TOB has no luck with injuries, such a shame as he’s looked so good when he’s played in the last 12 months. No point risking RG or Milne this weekend. Healy and Paddy McC can cover (Boyle with Emerging Ire).
@Andrew Slazenger: hopefully Charlie gets a shot at 10 with Sam on the EI tour.
@chris mcdonnell: not sure that’s of much benefit especially considering he went extremely well at 12. Imo Leinster are better served to give him another shot at 12 and let him build on the promising performance last week. Jostling him from position to position every week would hamper him. We have a few other options that can fulfill the 10 role. I’d like him to tog lot at 12 anyways.
@chris mcdonnell: Charlie did well at 12… think it is a better option for him and Leinster.
@Ian1989: he is a 10, we have spent 4 seasons with frawely trying to accommodate others rather than letting him play his natural position. Simply henshaw and osbourne are better 12′s and we have a number of others who can play 12 brownlee for example. The options at 10 this week are tried and failed options. Give the guy a game in his best position
@Paul Ennis: I think Chris’s personal hatred of the Byrne brothers has clouded his logical judgement. But each to their own. IMO it would make little or no sense to move him into 10 after his performance last week. I think he would benefit being outside of an experienced 10 like Ross for a couple of matches. The dragons at home imo makes logical sense to have Ross at 10 and Tector outside him at 12.
@chris mcdonnell: and yet he has put in his best Leinster performance in the 12 shirt. He also played a lot at 12 at underage level.
@Paul Ennis: he was really good at 12 no question but we really have to move past the byrnes and the 3 outhalves have to be frawley ,Sam and charile.
@chris mcdonnell: also Brownlee is injured and Hugo won’t be back until week 3/4. Also Osborne is lording it at 15. Why move him away from that position especially considering it’s a position both Leinster and Ireland need develop more depth at 15???
@chris mcdonnell: You may have a point especially as centre will be well stocked when Jordie Barrett arrives later in the year. Longer term 12 may be a better option as both Frawley and Prendergast would be well capable of filling OH.
@Ian1989: Word is H Byrne was strongly encouraged to go to Connacht or Ulster but he refused and now Leinster and Ireland are annoyed with him. Frawley is no 1. SP/ RB are 2 and then Tector may even be ahead of HB now. I agree though for Tector’s career he needs to play as many minutes as possible (been so few in years now!) regardless whether it’s 10 or 12
@Andrew Slazenger: That’s interesting, I heard he was encouraged to move alright, with that said there was numerous Leinster lads who were encouraged to move inwards by the irfu and decided to stay put. I think we will see Osbourne utilised almost exclusively at 15/23(when all the big hitters are back/fit), Brownlee can’t stay fit unfortunately and I can see the irfu wanting Frawley to get as much game time at 10 as possible so I think 12 is the more likely position that Tector will get the most exposure. Ross will not be involved with Ireland and I can’t see nor do I believe Leo et al will cast him aside. He’s been at the helm for some of Leinster’s biggest wins both domestically and in Europe. He’s certainly not the poor player that some on this platform believe he is.
@chris mcdonnell: won’t happen, I’d say it’ll be Harry and Ross for next two weeks until Frawley is allowed back to play. I think they’ll start Harry and keep Ross on the bench this weekend
@Ian1989: I was thinking it but I am trying very hard not to instigate that argument this season. Jamie Osbourne at 15 & Charlie Ngatai leaving opens up a slot at 12 for Charlie Tector. Robbie, Bundee and Stewie are not getting younger and 1 injury opens up a world of opportunity in Blue and Green. I doubt all 3 will be available come 2027 and there is a possibility none of them will.
@TL55: Jordie Barrett is a 6 month luxury and his cameo appearances should not impact on the long term development of players for Leinster. There are not alot of 12s in Ireland’s pipeline to replace the current 3 Irish regulars. Charlie is not going to push ahead of Jack Crowley, Sam P, Ciaran Frawley and maybe not even Harry Byrne. Then add Aidan Morgan, Jack Murphy and Tony Butler into the mix. It is clear to me that Charlie’s best chance for international honours is at 12.
@Paul Ennis: Time will tell, I honestly don’t think Tector’s ceiling is as high as the aforementioned names and there’s a lot of underage talent coming through at Leinster that I think will have a higher ceiling and then there’s the likes of Forde and postelwaite and 3/4 other lads across the provincial academies I would see better to invest in. But hopefully he proves me wrong. More lads challenging at the elite level the better for Irish rugby.
@chris mcdonnell: What does “moving past the Byrnes” actually mean? Just let 2 contracted players play in the AIL for the season, go with 2 rookies and the senior 10 a player who has played there less than a dozen times in his career! Who gets the blame if that plan doesn’t work out?
@Ian1989: I think even Leinster were encouraging him to leave, would have freed up budget and they are stacked at 10. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never makes an Ireland squad again and gets v little game time this season with Leinster (unless there’s lots of injuries)
@Paul Ennis: Charlie has had the deadly combination of being in the fly half queue at Leinster and being injured for more or less all of last season. So no one has really seen him play recently. He was the Irish U20s FH in their 2022 Grand Slam team, and clearly ahead of Butler at that time. Obviously he wasn’t rated as highly as Sam P from the following year, and at this time no evidence to suggest he’s going to get ahead of Crowley. But to me he’s a player that all the provinces should be looking at
@Kevin Ryan: History is littered with players who successfully changed position after U20s for various reasons. Charlie is 6’2″ and has the bulk… whilst that isn’t necessarily tall for a 10, he is prefect for a 12. He may have been ahead of Butler at U20s but that doesn’t guarantee him gametime in Leinster this season or next. By the 2027 RWC, Butler will have 3 seasons under his belt and upwards of 30 or 40 Munster caps. He will probably have played a couple of European games by then. Chances are Charlie will have a similar opportunity at 12 for Leinster as there is really only Robbie ahead of him if Leinster now consider Frawley a 10 and Osbourne a 15. He could slot in at 10 if there’s an injury. He then provides Frawley type cover on a 6-2 bench.
@chris mcdonnell: any chance by saying we need to move past the Byrnes that means you’re gonna move past the Byrnes?
@Paul Ennis: My point wasn’t so much about Leinster, who obviously have no short term need for an additional FH; (and who knows what they want to do about 12 given the unsettled positions of Frawley and Osborne, and there’s also Brownlee). But, as we know, the other provinces have been crying out for FHs; and it seems to me that he has at least a decent chance of doing well for any of them and not obviously an inferior prospect than any of the fellas listed (bar Crowley). (But he hasn’t been playing so we don’t know, hence ‘should be looking at’ rather than ‘should sign’). For this season any minutes he can get at Leinster (whether 10 or (more likely) 12) will be fine, given the realities
@Andrew Slazenger: I think you are overthinking the lack of mins for Tector. He’s still just in year 3 of the academy and spent the vast majority of last season injured.