Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

vinny chase

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

His contract expired at the same time as Willis's he was only on a short term deal this season.

I think he became unhappy when Cronin was signed ahead of him

Yeah, I knew about the short term deal, but wasn't aware he was gone.

desertcircus

Podge_irl wrote: »

when Brive went through unbeaten there wasn't a home and away pool stage as far as I know. No one has done it under the current format

Northampton won six from six in last year's pool...

pajunior

desertcircus wrote: »

Northampton won six from six in last year's pool...

But didn't win the tournament.

vinny chase

desertcircus wrote: »

Northampton won six from six in last year's pool...

Leinster won 6 from 6 in 02/03, and again in 04/05.

The point here was about teams going through the whole tournament unbeaten.

molloyjh

iroced wrote: »

Hey! As a Montpellierain, I feel a little offended here .

You could say we overachieved last season but we played well through most of it (finished in the top 4 of teams scoring the most tries) and even though we had a little guardian angel in the play-off and the semi, we deserved to win and didn't choke on day D despite discovering that level for the first time. We actually made the great Stade Toulousain underplay for over an hour in the final, which was a huge surprise for me (and well lets also bitter regret as had we scored our opportunities in the beginning of the second half, we could have made it). In fact the main reason Toulouse won was their much stronger bench.

That being said, and especially after our catastrophic start this year, we are David against Goliath on Saturday but I believe it's just a great opportunity for our club, our town to enter the Europe of rugby. If we manage not to get hammered, it'll be good and anything from defensive bonus point will be an achievement.

I don't think Leinster will run away with this one at all. We've only had 1 game back with the internationals and, while it was against Munster which is rarely pretty, it was a fairly poor enough performance. It will take us a while to get back to the kind of form we showed in the HEC last year, if we even can given that we've lost Hines, Shaggy and Drico.

Either way I'm looking forward to the trip. I believe Fitzpatricks will be the OLSC base for the weekend and they'll have reduced the pint prices apparently...

Coonor

molloyjh wrote: »

I don't think Leinster will run away with this one at all. We've only had 1 game back with the internationals and, while it was against Munster which is rarely pretty, it was a fairly poor enough performance. It will take us a while to get back to the kind of form we showed in the HEC last year, if we even can given that we've lost Hines, Shaggy and Drico.

Either way I'm looking forward to the trip. I believe Fitzpatricks will be the OLSC base for the weekend and they'll have reduced the pint prices apparently...

Yep thats the HQ and your right they have reduced the prices.... unfortunatly its still 6 eruo for a guinness

molloyjh

Thankfully I'm not a Guinness man....

pajunior

Coonor wrote: »

Yep thats the HQ and your right they have reduced the prices.... unfortunatly its still 6 eruo for a guinness

6 EURO :eek:

That's daylight robbery.

ambid

Coonor wrote: »

Hi Guys i'm new to the Forum so go easy on me!!! I am from Guernsey Channel Islands and i'm a big rugby fan, player and referee. I support Leinster and pretty much all Irish rugby!!

I think we should be going into these away games with an aim of winning and nothing else. A bonus while is not the end of the world it is below par for the current champions and top team in Europe. I don't want us to go the same route as Munster did last year where they thought they would go through by getting bonus points away from home and winning homes game but that ended badly!!!

Welcome to the forum.

ktulu123

molloyjh wrote: »

Either way I'm looking forward to the trip. I believe Fitzpatricks will be the OLSC base for the weekend and they'll have reduced the pint prices apparently...

Grand, cheap drink!

PhatPiggins

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3823_7299160,00.html

Cillian Willis off to Sale I must admit I'm more then a little surprised considering he turned down a similar poition with Leinster i.e. third choice 9.

Maybe he went there to win things

tolosenc

I thought he was finished with rugby on medical advice?

EDIT: It also says it's a "loan signing", thus implying that Willis is still contracted by Leinster?

padser

PhatPiggins wrote: »

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3823_7299160,00.html

Cillian Willis off to Sale I must admit I'm more then a little surprised considering he turned down a similar poition with Leinster i.e. third choice 9.

Maybe he went there to win things

One of their 9's is long term injured iirc

So effectively second choice 9

yup, registered for the Amlin and everything.

Reckon he's made a great decision tbh, for someone who was planning on retiring only 6 months ago, he's had a great spell at Leinster, and it's catapulted him into contention for some European Rugby.

He's clearly a clever lad, realised that with Boss and Reddan the incumbents at Leinster, and focus on Cooney and then McGrath the trailing crowd, that opportunities weren't exactly easy to come by. He took his chance well, and is being rewarded for it.

Burgo

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1110/1224307309539.html

Hines retires from International Rugby, huge loss for Scotland.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Deleted User wrote: »

and focus on Cooney and then Marshall the trailing crowd,

McGrath not Marshall, marshall is at ulster

Burgo wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1110/1224307309539.html

Hines retires from International Rugby, huge loss for Scotland.

Probably needed to help his club career. Massive loss for Scotland

wixfjord

Burgo wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1110/1224307309539.html

Hines retires from International Rugby, huge loss for Scotland.

Jaysus what I'd give to have him back now.
Imagine a second row of him and Leo during the 6N.

[Jackass]

wixfjord wrote: »

Here's last night's Ear to the Ground with SOB!

Absolute legend, he seems oblivious that he's one of the best players in the world.

http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=1120777

The lad is something else, he's one of the best things that's happened to Leinster rugby in a long time, for a whole number of reasons.

Legend.

Teferi

Cheers Jackass. I was wondering what show that the other Leinster lads were slagging him over on Twitter. Good little piece.

wixfjord

Interesting piece from Thornley in todays IT on Montpellier.

Certainly don't seem to be taking this game lightly anyway.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1110/1224307309579.html

Most interesting parts for me:

Galthie also confirmed that due to a combination of slight ankle and knee injuries, normal first-choice scrumhalf Julien Thomas will be on the bench, with Benoit Paillaugue, at 70kgs (11st) the joint lightest player in the Heineken Cup, set to start.

Gorgodze is the focal point of a big, ugly pack featuring big Georgian props and a strong scrum along with a mauling pack who like to pick and go, intelligent game-playing half-backs who explore the blindside and also bring their fullbacks and wings into the game with clever lines. For much of last season they had the best defence in the Top 14.

No doubt that Boss should play in my mind, he's been great for us away and really attacks the gain line. With an 11st scrummie up against him we could make hay there.

[Jackass]

Sure their website has been building it up as "The big game" for weeks now.

Montpellier will be going for this one.

WeeBushy

BDO NAMED AS OFFICIAL BUSINESS ADVISER TO LEINSTER RUGBY

Leinster Rugby have announced their partnership deal which will see leading Audit, Tax and Advisory firm BDO become their Official Business Adviser...

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/8815.php

Not really sure of its implications but good to see them constantly improving the business side of things.

I actually posted it because I read it first as: BOD NAMED AS OFFICIAL BUSINESS ADVISER TO LEINSTER RUGBY. And in fairness that wouldn't have been too ridiculous...

wixfjord

Independent saying that Healy may be out or on the bench.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/heinke-to-get-leinster-call-2931021.html

Not too worried about that Heinke is a good scrummager, but hopefully Ciano is fit for the bench.

WeeBushy

Also interesting to see KML talking about playing 2nd row. Don't think I've actually heard him talk about it personally before.

McLaughlin has been working on his second-row prowess this week in an attempt to increase his attractiveness to a coaching staff with a wealth of back-rows at their disposal.

"The coaches are very keen that I can cover both rows," he said. "I'm very keen to be able to do that for my own career as well, from an international perspective and from the perspective of Leinster.

"There's not a huge amount of second-rows around. In terms of getting into teams, the more squads you can get into the better."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/mclaughlin-out-to-ensure-destructive-gorgodze-gets-the-chop-2931025.html

.ak

iroced, how's your scrums been holding up in the top 14 so far? Do you think they could cause us problems, especially with Healy looking to sit this one out? HVDM didn't exactly install me with confidence going on last weeks performance....

wixfjord

.ak wrote: »

iroced, how's your scrums been holding up in the top 14 so far? Do you think they could cause us problems, especially with Healy looking to sit this one out? HVDM didn't exactly install me with confidence going on last weeks performance....

An come on, he was playing with 7 men, against a strong Munster pack hungry for a try, and had Kevin MCL behind him!

What about his cameo against Toulouse last year? He can't have lost that much power in 8 months!

Kinger83

Good preview by dementedmole on the Montpellier game here also -

http://dementedmole.com/2011/11/10/montpellier-herault-rugby/

If what's being said is true then they'll definitely be up for this one. Hopefully we can capitalise on this being the first game all their internationals are back, but with a large and passionate home support this is going to be a tough game for us.

EKClarke

Is the Montpellier game on RTÉ or Sky or Canal+.

wixfjord

EKClarke wrote: »

Is the Montpellier game on RTÉ or Sky or Canal+.

Live on Sky and Canal+.

totallegend

.ak wrote: »

iroced, how's your scrums been holding up in the top 14 so far? Do you think they could cause us problems, especially with Healy looking to sit this one out? HVDM didn't exactly install me with confidence going on last weeks performance....

(I'm obviously not iroced but...) I'm not worried about VDM, especially his scrummaging; coming on cold against BJ Botha would be a challenge for any prop and I don't think it's a true reflection of his ability. He showed last season that the team doesn't suffer too much in Healy's absence.

That said, I expect Montpelier to have a strong scrummaging unit so he'll have his work cut out.

I'm surprised that Leinster are five point favourites on the handicap (with Paddy Power), these are the top 14 runners-up playing at home...