Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

wixfjord

I really can't wait for Sat!
Great time for these games, you've people home for Xmas, everyone up for a few pints, and nothing like a hot whiskey in Slatterys afterwards!
Should be good rugby too, the Clermont game last year was one of my faves ever.

Sport101

wixfjord wrote: »

the Clermont game last year was one of my faves ever.

You must have some pretty good thermal underwear if that's the case, it was baltic last year!

Big Nelly

All the lads are on for dressing up in Santa suits, seemingly you can rent from somewhere? any idea's?

Need the blues ones so dont get mixed up as a Munster fan:D

wixfjord

Sport101 wrote: »

You must have some pretty good thermal underwear if that's the case, it was baltic last year!

That's where the hot whiskeys come in!

funky penguin

Aye, the hip flask was a life saver last year!

Here's to another brace of tries from Cian!

tolosenc

Sport101 wrote: »

You must have some pretty good thermal underwear if that's the case, it was baltic last year!

I was at the game and "acquired" a recording from French TV a couple of days later. Before kickoff, they were talking about the conditions, and it went something like "The weather today is fine and clear, no wind, great conditions for rugby, except for that fact that it is very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very cold. They're telling us it's -6, but if they had told me it was -86 I'd have believed them."

It was crazy. I remember being on the Nitelink home that night (about 2:30AM) and looking at my phone which said it was -11. Pouring water on the footpath and watching it freeze instantly was nuts.

But yeah, that was a great match. Arguably our most complete performance of the season.

padser

funky penguin wrote: »

Aye, the hip flask was a life saver last year!

Ditto

Kinger83

Squad update.

http://leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/9079.php

Sport101

I wonder is it possible to do the 12 pubs/bars of Christmas all inside the Aviva... would be a solid challenge given the time constraints.

Big Nelly

Sport101 wrote: »

I wonder is it possible to do the 12 pubs/bars of Christmas all inside the Aviva... would be a solid challenge given the time constraints.

You could but would never know the end score the next day!!!

totallegend

Sport101 wrote: »

I wonder is it possible to do the 12 pubs/bars of Christmas all inside the Aviva... would be a solid challenge given the time constraints.

Do those lads walking round selling plastic bottles of Carlsberg count? If so, game on!

Sport101

As long as your mark each one with paint to ensure that you don't go back to the same one twice, then I don't see why not.

wixfjord

Saw this posted on Facebook.
It's a Cardiff Groupon, tickets for the game on 7th Jan for £15.

http://www.groupon.co.uk/deals/cardiff

phog

I was checking some stats from ercrugby.ie and I downloaded all the results, in doing so I got the attendances for each game. I did a count for Munster last night and did one for Leinster today.

If they get a home Q/F then they will top the One Million Home (includes Final in Cardiff as home) supporter this year. In fact if they get 50,000 this week-end and 20,380 in the RDS for their last home game they should reach the One Million.

That's two Irish provinces reaching One Million Home Supporters in the One Season.

Home Team Venues Total
Leinster Aviva Stadium 144708
Leinster Donnybrook 120200
Leinster Lansdowne Road 315895
Leinster Millennium Stadium 72456
Leinster Ravenhill 4000
Leinster RDS 272361
Total Leinster 929620
All others Various 709,911
Total Support 1,639,531

ongarite

BOD is going to be on Sky Sports on Saturday as a pundit.

Trying out for a future job?

ugh, despise current players being pundits, they simply can't be critical.

vinny chase

Deleted User wrote: »

ugh, despise current players being pundits, they simply can't be critical.

Complete agreement with you there.

I think guys like Drico (or for example RO'G) wouldn't be the sort of guys who'd be shy of criticising teammates if they felt it warranted it.

But the forum for something like that is a word with the guy in a dressing room when you're still a player on the team; never to the media.

Simply put; the fans may feel you're a part of the whole thing imo, but some things are still simply for the sanctity of the dressing room (or team meetings etc).

I think if I was injured, and not currently contributing to the team, I'd be even more reluctant to slate lads who were on there playing as well.

I couldn't be any bigger a fan of Drico, but still that's why I feel this is a bad appointment.

Benny Cake

Deleted User wrote: »

ugh, despise current players being pundits, they simply can't be critical.

He'll be safe on Sky Sports, they never say anything critical anyway!

wixfjord

Anyone catch Quinlan's piece in today's Times?
Very complementary of Schmidt and the Leinster set up.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1214/1224309044584.html

vinny chase

Benny Cake wrote: »

He'll be safe on Sky Sports, they never say anything critical anyway!

Well it was something a lot of us were hugely critical of Frankie Sheahan for before.

I felt, and still feel, it is absolutely impossible for him to give an honest position on something in which he has a vested pecuniary interest. Eg, Tomas O'Leary not being selected for the World Cup.

It's a roughly similar thing for a guy who is still a player with a team to be criticising the said team.

I hugely admire Alan Quinlan's work in analysis since he's retired, but I think it is the 'since he's retired' part that is the operative part there! Even though he's always come across as a hugely honest individual, I don't believe he could have said the things he's said in commentary this season about Munster if he were still a current player. Similar thing has happened in the EPL in Britain with Gary Neville since his retirement.

Just doesn't make for good practice to have current players in analysis.

Big Nelly

wixfjord wrote: »

Anyone catch Quinlan's piece in today's Times?
Very complementary of Schmidt and the Leinster set up.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/1214/1224309044584.html

Good piece and I have a similar feeling, said it straight after the match on Sunday. Leinster where alot better on the day than the end score suggested and should of got a bonus point win

I can see O'Brien and then rest of them bulling to get into this game and score some early tries. With 40+ in the Aviva I hope there is a better atmosphere than at Munster match. But as I said after that game, half the stadium was filled with fans that rarely go to a match and only came because it was Leinster v Munster.

Hopefully there is more of a hardcore set of fans and we get the place rocking!!!!!!!

Still as I said in another thread, would have liked to see match in RDS. Can't beat the RDS on a good HC cup night. Atmosphere is electric! Especially in terrarce where I like to partake in a few cans while watching!!!

wixfjord

Big Nelly wrote: »

Good piece and I have a similar feeling, said it straight after the match on Sunday. Leinster where alot better on the day than the end score suggested and should of got a bonus point win

I can see O'Brien and then rest of them bulling to get into this game and score some early tries. With 40+ in the Aviva I hope there is a better atmosphere than at Munster match. But as I said after that game, half the stadium was filled with fans that rarely go to a match and only came because it was Leinster v Munster.

Hopefully there is more of a hardcore set of fans and we get the place rocking!!!!!!!

Still as I said in another thread, would have liked to see match in RDS. Can't beat the RDS on a good HC cup night. Atmosphere is electric! Especially in terrarce where I like to partake in a few cans while watching!!!

I think having it in the Aviva gives fans who can't afford to attend the RDS weekly a chance to see the team in a big game and get a good while doing so. I would kill for a ST but no way can I afford it, and love these occasions. While I might only get to 3-4 ML games a season, I try to go to all Aviva games. The knockout games last year were special atmospheres.

I do hope we're not underestimating Bath a little, this will be a tough game on Sat.

durkadurka

the problem with so many discounted tickets for the these games, and the aviva being used for big games is that there isnt so much incentive to have a season ticket anymore.
you can always get to a game now - no shortage of tickets. the front of the upper tier is actually better view than my seats in the lower tier.

I have a ST and find that there are cheaper deals for the big games than I am paying on average.

Plus I'm paying to see low end games in half full RDS- Aironi, Dragons etc - where its great to see how some of the young guys are doing but you're effectively paying to see something of an 'A' Game.

Beginning to question whether I will renew my ticket for next year. Might just hand pick games to go to instead.

vinny chase

durkadurka wrote: »

the problem with so many discounted tickets for the these games, and the aviva being used for big games is that there isnt so much incentive to have a season ticket anymore.
you can always get to a game now - no shortage of tickets. the front of the upper tier is actually better view than my seats in the lower tier.

I have a ST and find that there are cheaper deals for the big games than I am paying on average.

Plus I'm paying to see low end games in half full RDS- Aironi, Dragons etc - where its great to see how some of the young guys are doing but you're effectively paying to see something of an 'A' Game.

Beginning to question whether I will renew my ticket for next year. Might just hand pick games to go to instead.

Completely agree with you here.

I love to see Leinster's support base growing all the time, and for years (even when I was in college in England and would only get to a handful of games a season) I still bought my season ticket out of a sense of supporting the team and the province.

Straightened financial times and increasing bills, plus a sense you're getting screwed occasionally on value (esp for the big games) means this is something I'll have to reconsider this year.

ambid

durkadurka wrote: »

the problem with so many discounted tickets for the these games, and the aviva being used for big games is that there isnt so much incentive to have a season ticket anymore.
you can always get to a game now - no shortage of tickets. the front of the upper tier is actually better view than my seats in the lower tier.

I have a ST and find that there are cheaper deals for the big games than I am paying on average.

Plus I'm paying to see low end games in half full RDS- Aironi, Dragons etc - where its great to see how some of the young guys are doing but you're effectively paying to see something of an 'A' Game.

Beginning to question whether I will renew my ticket for next year. Might just hand pick games to go to instead.

Me too.

totallegend

durkadurka wrote: »

Beginning to question whether I will renew my ticket for next year. Might just hand pick games to go to instead.

Yeah, you're probably right. If Leinster keep playing big (and not so big, e.g. Bath) matches in the Aviva, the frenzy for tickets isn't going to be the same. I love going to the low profile league games but every one I miss means I'm getting less value from my ST.

It's great having first refusal on HC knockout games and such, but is it worth it?*

*May 2013, this will bite me in the ass having given up my season ticket and failing to get to see Leinster v Munster in the HC final at Aviva...

molloyjh

durkadurka wrote: »

the problem with so many discounted tickets for the these games, and the aviva being used for big games is that there isnt so much incentive to have a season ticket anymore.
you can always get to a game now - no shortage of tickets. the front of the upper tier is actually better view than my seats in the lower tier.

I have a ST and find that there are cheaper deals for the big games than I am paying on average.

Plus I'm paying to see low end games in half full RDS- Aironi, Dragons etc - where its great to see how some of the young guys are doing but you're effectively paying to see something of an 'A' Game.

Beginning to question whether I will renew my ticket for next year. Might just hand pick games to go to instead.

I suppose it all depends on what you want as a supporter. I'd rarely miss a game (only missed 1 last season) and it's always great to get out for a pint or two on match day as well. While the "low end" games may not be top class matches I enjoy watching the younger lads coming through and making an impression. Even missing the Dragons game this season you'd have missed 3 nice great tries from Hudson, Madigan and Carr....

tolosenc

When we played the Ospreys at home during the 6N last year, that was awful and made me question why I had a ST. I felt obliged to go to each game, but I was soaked to the skin watching an A game.

Biggar's miss made up for it though.

[Jackass]

Ah of course the season ticket is worth it! If not only for the first preference you get on tickets for Heineken Cup knock out games (including final iirc) and Play-off games, plus it includes all A games in Donnybrook if you fancy following the B&I cup, plus you don't have to worry about arranging tickets for any games, and can go on a wim.

I don't have a season ticket this season (poor student) but I used to make it to all the games, either as a great way to start a night out, something to do if you're not going out, and a nice way to have a relaxed Sunday!

Also, it's a big deal for helping Leinster, and compared to other teams, it's great value for money, plus you get to see the European Champions and some of the best players in the world.

You'll be telling your kids about how you used to see Brian O'Driscoll every weekend.

wixfjord

[Jackass] wrote: »

Ah of course the season ticket is worth it! If not only for the first preference you get on tickets for Heineken Cup knock out games (including final iirc) and Play-off games, plus it includes all A games in Donnybrook if you fancy following the B&I cup, plus you don't have to worry about arranging tickets for any games, and can go on a wim.

I don't have a season ticket this season (poor student) but I used to make it to all the games, either as a great way to start a night out, something to do if you're not going out, and a nice way to have a relaxed Sunday!

Also, it's a big deal for helping Leinster, and compared to other teams, it's great value for money, plus you get to see the European Champions and some of the best players in the world.

You'll be telling your kids about how you used to see Brian O'Driscoll every weekend.

The branch should employ you as a grassroots season ticket salesman Jackass!