Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

lologram

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Can't kick

Clegg wrote: »

Wasn't the argument that he couldn't kick when the pressure was on at international level?

This was disproved too when he had the best kicking stats out of any of the 10's in the 6 Nations.

I'd still like to see him play a bit better for Ireland though.

Pretty sure he's joking.

Sindri

Laidlaw's stats are pretty good.

Spud83

ray jay wrote: »

Sexton comfortably wins the Pro12 best kicker competition.

Not exactly a fair comparison when some lads are attempting nearly 100 kicks versus Johnny's 30.

molloyjh

Spud83 wrote: »

ray jay wrote: »

Sexton comfortably wins the Pro12 best kicker competition.

Not exactly a fair comparison when some lads are attempting nearly 100 kicks versus Johnny's 30.

A percentage is a percentage regardless of the number of kicks. Me getting 25 from 50 is exactly the same as you getting 50 from 100. You'll notice that Biggar scored more points. Using the same logic that would be unfair given that he had more opportunities....

Sindri

molloyjh wrote: »

A percentage is a percentage regardless of the number of kicks. Me getting 25 from 50 is exactly the same as you getting 50 from 100. You'll notice that Biggar scored more points. Using the same logic that would be unfair given that he had more opportunities....

Using the same logic attempting 1 and scoring 1 is 100%.

CouchSmart

I assume those kicking stats get updated on Monday? Interesting to see where Madigan ends up. He's been successful with 17 kicks this season apparently. Just from memory, and this is probably way off but I recall him missing 3. A couple long rangers and one from Saturday. 17/20 would leave him with 85%. Not bad considering he can't kick.. :P

errlloyd

To be fair kicking stats are a bit academic. Like Connacht play in a notoriously exposed windy home ground, of course its gonna effect their kicking stats. As some have said 30 kicks is a relatively small sample. Like Sexton beat Rog by a good few %, but only 2 kicks.

Lovely to see him do well all the same, I am sick of defending his goal kicking to mates, evidence makes life easier.

totallegend

Sindri wrote: »

molloyjh wrote: »

A percentage is a percentage regardless of the number of kicks. Me getting 25 from 50 is exactly the same as you getting 50 from 100. You'll notice that Biggar scored more points. Using the same logic that would be unfair given that he had more opportunities....

Using the same logic attempting 1 and scoring 1 is 100%.

You have to take a minimum of ten kicks to qualify.

.ak

Sindri wrote: »

Using the same logic attempting 1 and scoring 1 is 100%.

Interesting point. I wonder is there a minimum that you have to kick to get onto the chart?

irishbucsfan

Jason Harris-Wright starting for Bristol today.

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

Interesting point. I wonder is there a minimum that you have to kick to get onto the chart?

10

ray jay

Joe Schmidt was named coach of the year at the Rabo Pro12 awards, and Leinster got the fair play award.

CouchSmart wrote: »

I assume those kicking stats get updated on Monday? Interesting to see where Madigan ends up. He's been successful with 17 kicks this season apparently. Just from memory, and this is probably way off but I recall him missing 3. A couple long rangers and one from Saturday. 17/20 would leave him with 85%. Not bad considering he can't kick.. :P

The stats are up to date. Madigan certainly missed more than 3 kicks, unfortunately I've yet to find a site that tracks misses so I've no idea how close to the top 10 he was.

CatFromHue

“I know that if he felt capable of playing on he would,” said Schimdt. “He went down at one stage against Clermont with a stinger. I think it is a recurrence of the injury [that sidelined him from December to March]. He doesn’t feel he can contribute fully and he knows the sooner he gets it done the sooner he can get his rest period in and his rehabilitation period in.”

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0507/1224315688006.html

---

Interesting quote from Schmidt and it has to be said a smart move from Fitzgerald.

.ak

You also have to hand to him he has some balls playing through an injury like that in France. But I suppose it's very hard to tell any player they can't play in possibly the most important provincial game of their career.

thomond2006

Biarritz confirmed today that they have signed Mat Berquist.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

Biarritz confirmed today that they have signed Mat Berquist.

Good for him. Excellent player, pity we didn't see him more in a blue shirt, but at the same time, great for Mads.

GerM

ray jay wrote: »

The stats are up to date. Madigan certainly missed more than 3 kicks, unfortunately I've yet to find a site that tracks misses so I've no idea how close to the top 10 he was.

He did but the misses that would push him out of the chart are the ones he took when he wasn't first choice kicker i.e. Nacewa and McFadden were kicking but if an opportunity arose within Leinster's own half, Madigan took it on. He was 12/15 in the two games where he was first choice kicker which is solid if unspectacular.

Seph503

.ak wrote: »

Good for him. Excellent player, pity we didn't see him more in a blue shirt, but at the same time, great for Mads.

Yep, remember seeing him in Donnybrook for the pre-season games, great pass and great kicking. Watching him warming up in that breeze and knocking them over easy-peasy.

In hindsight we didn't need him for the Heinekin like I think a lot of us thought we would have, but would love to have seen him play at top level for us.

As you said .ak, Mads benefitted, and we're proabably in a better position now than we were this time last year with our 10s.

tolosenc

GerM wrote: »

He was 12/15 in the two games where he was first choice kicker which is solid if unspectacular.

Well, if ROG is above international standard at 83.33%, and Madigan has 80%, does that not make Madigan international standard?

tolosenc

Seph503 wrote: »

In hindsight we didn't need him for the Heinekin like I think a lot of us thought we would have, but would love to have seen him play at top level for us.

Hold your horses. If Sexton or Madigan pick up a knock against Glasgow, Berquist will be thrust into the match day squad for the final. I think he'd start if it were Sexton out.

*touches all the wood*

Monty Burnz

tolosenc wrote: »

Well, if ROG is above international standard at 83.33%, and Madigan has 80%, does that not make Madigan international standard?

No, international standard is 80.5%.

thomond2006

tolosenc wrote: »

Hold your horses. If Sexton or Madigan pick up a knock against Glasgow, Berquist will be thrust into the match day squad for the final. I think he'd start if it were Sexton out.

*touches all the wood*

He hasn't made a senior appearance since September, I doubt he would start ahead of Madigan.

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/profiles/index.php?player=22006&includeref=dynamic

irishbucsfan

Personally don't think he necessarilly would have been starting ahead of Madigan consistently even if he wasn't injured. From what I heard Madigan was starting to win that battle when he got injured in the first place.

I just had an image of Madigan playing for Canterbury...

Careful Now

MADIGAN IS GODIGAN!

totallegend

tolosenc wrote: »

Seph503 wrote: »

In hindsight we didn't need him for the Heinekin like I think a lot of us thought we would have, but would love to have seen him play at top level for us.

Hold your horses. If Sexton or Madigan pick up a knock against Glasgow, Berquist will be thrust into the match day squad for the final. I think he'd start if it were Sexton out.

*touches all the wood*

I would be shocked beyond words if Berquist started ahead of Madigan. As far as I know, Berquist is fit and he hasn't been considered for the bench for any Rabo games. He is not in Joe's plans.

irishbucsfan

Looks like an all clear on the injury front ahead of this weekend. Boss back from his knock.

Will we see a first choice team?

ongarite

First choice team for 50 mins then bench emptied. Nice warm-up for the following weekend

durkadurka

I think we'll see a lot of the first team on the bench. Like against Munster I march.

Tox56

I'd like to see a mixture of 1st teamers and subs, something like:

Healy
Cronin
Ross
Cullen/Thorn
Toner
McLaughlin
Dom Ryan
Heaslip
Boss
Sexton
D Kearney
D'Arcy
BOD
McFadden
R Kearney

Give Strauss 20 mins at the end, same with Reddan (who played last week), give Ryan a chance to impress in a big game and SOB given 20 mins.

Isa on bench for versatility and D Kearney and Ferg given gametime on wing due to Fitzgerald injury, with Kearney Jr possibly able to give Schmidt a selection headache.

Still unlikely Joe will take the risk to leave Isa out however.

Hagz

I'd like to see Strauss, Cullen and Thorn start. Get some opportunities to iron out the line-out hiccups. Start Reddan and bring on Boss to give him a bit of a run. Start D.Kearney, give him an opportunity to stake a claim, then bring McFadden on off the bench. I'd start Sexton but bring him off as soon as is safe to. Finally, I'd bench Healy and start VDM with Ross.