PLANET RUGBY:Terrace talk tells us that although storming blindside Rocky Elsom returned to Australia after a successful season in Dublin, Leinster had not totally given up hope of bringing the flanker back to the RDS. Yes, Elsom signed up to play at home and maybe captain Australia for the next World Cup but, up to quite recently, Leinster had been actively pursuing avenues that might have led him back to the province for Heineken Cup duty.
The intense rivalry between Munster and Leinster has not stopped the constant flow of players between the two teams with Felix Jones one of the most recent transfers from Leinster to Munster. With the return of the front-line international and Lions players at the weekend, Jones was not on board for Munster’s thrashing but he is the 20th name to play professionally for both teams.
The others, according to statistician, Des Daly, are James Blaney, John Downey, Barry Everitt, John Fogarty, Gabriel Fulcher, Derek Hegarty, Rob Henderson, Eoghan Hickey, Trevor Hogan, Stephen Keogh, Kieran Lewis, Mark McDermott, David O’Mahony, Brian O’Meara, Dermot O’Sullivan, Eoin Reddan, Niall Ronan, Mike Ross and , Liam Toland.
Three prized trophies still on tour
So you win the Triple Crown Trophy and you win the Six Nations Trophy, what happens next? Just a matter of days after Ireland had won both last season, the two trophies took off on tour around Ireland and have hardly been back in the IRFU offices since.
Connacht were first to get them, Munster next.
They then went around the summer camps and clubs for their open days. Ulster then took them up and the silverware was carted around the northern counties before Leinster got their chance.
With the Heineken Cup doing a similar tour, that means three trophies on the go at once. The Grand Slam trophies are booked up now until the middle of November and yes, they are the originals and not replicas.
“We’ve seen no damage despite the thousands of hands they have gone through,” said an IRFU official.
“There’s a real value to them and people have been very careful handling them. We’ve occasionally got them back to polish them up but other than that they have been out and about.”
Cheika making RDS a fortress
Leinster coach Michael Cheika was at the helm for Leinster’s 30th professional match at the RDS on Saturday evening.
The Australian has been coach since the team began playing at the venue in October 2005.
That first match against Cardiff was a 34-15 win for the home side.
Cheika has managed to keep up that winning trend as Leinster have lost only three home games over that four-year period.
Bath won 19-22 in the Heineken Cup in October 2005 when Felipe Contepomi was captain.
Llanelli arrived in 2007 and won 52-23 when Leo Cullen was captain and Munster won 18-0 last year, when Cullen was captain again.
Not at all bad as it gives Cheika and Leinster a 90 per cent success rate when playing at home.
Nice for McHugh
It was a good weekend for more than one Irish outhalf, not just Leinster’s Johnny Sexton.
Former Connacht number 10, Mark McHugh, who has now settled nicely in the south of France, where he is captain of Nice, landed three penalties in leading his side to a 19-9 home win over Bedarrides in French Federale One League on Saturday.
They might not be the top team in France but for lifestyle could anywhere else beat it?
Kirwans honoured by DLSP move
Dublin club DLSP host the official opening of the renaming of their grounds next week, when the facilities in Kilternan will be known as Kirwan Park. The name change is in recognition of the contribution of the Kirwan family to rugby in general. The family served the International Rugby Board, The IRFU, Leinster and DLSP over nine generations until Jack Kirwan’s passing earlier this year.
The official opening will be performed by current IRFU president John Callaghan prior to the AIB League Division Two game against Ulster side, Malone. It will be the 107th year since the two clubs first played against each other, which is also the oldest inter-city game in Ireland. The grounds have been known as Kilternan since 1980.
Blackrock top academy list
What is in the water at Blackrock?
Leinster provided pictures of their academy stars in the match programme on Saturday for their game against Munster. They presented the 19 players over a two-page spread and of those 19, almost half, or, eight of them are from Blackrock.
Fullback Andrew Conway, centre Brendan Macken, outhalf/fullback, Ian Madigan, wing Shane Monahan, scrumhalf Dave Moore, fullback, Niall Morris, backrow Paul Ryan and centre/out half Kyle Tonetti are all from the south Dublin school.
* Saracenswent back to the top of the English Premiership yesterday as they beat Newcastle 22-15 for their fifth win from five games to retain their 100 per cent record at Kingston Park. An interception try from right-wing Richard Haughton plus a try, two conversions and a penalty from outhalf Derick Hougaard gave Brendan Venter's side a 17-15 half-time lead, with left wing Chris Wyles crossing late on to seal the win.
