Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

ambid

Leinster players like Cullen, Madigan, Toner, DK & McLaughlin must be disappointed not to make the Irish squad for NZ,(http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/26552.php) but at least they will be here to lead the first few weeks of Leinster's season while the internationals come back later. We could have been pretty vulnerable had they been called up too.

Assuming no injuries between now and then, center would be the only position where we'd look a little light. Had Toner, McLaughlin and Madigan also gone we could have been in a bit of trouble.

.ak

funky penguin wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0519/1224316357450.html

Nice interview with Nacewa. Of note are his comments on wanting to spend the rest of his playing career at Leinster, and Cheika's influence on the current Leinster mindset.

Actually, it was interesting reading that article on the way over, I particular paid note to the banter between himself and Afoa over the schools cup that he (Isa) lost to against Afoa's team.

After the match I noticed John and Isa running over to each other like long lost brothers and hugging it out. Laurel and Hardy moment! I guess the weird thing about it is you could never imagine that when you were a kid playing rugby with your mates that you'd end up thousands of miles away, once again playing for other teams, infront of 80,000 mad Irishmen...

funky penguin wrote: »

Possibly the best paragraph I've read on rugby this year:



http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0521/1224316453689.html

Great article actually. I know Thorn is well spoken infront of the camera/microphone, but there has to be a hint of truth in this statement:

Brad Thorn wrote:

“So you need to care about your mates, then there’s work ethic, discipline, sacrifice, humility, being smart, passionate – all those things.

“It’s easy to say those words, but you’ve got to live those words. Leinster live those words, and so did the Broncos, the Crusaders and the All Blacks when I was with them. They were different sides, different styles of teams but all those things shone through.”

It's interesting because for me, watching Leinster climb up the ladder in 09, the thing about it that always struck me was how the players seemed to act differently (infront of the media atleast). You got an air of 'work ethic' and 'professionalism' about them, not getting caught up in the moment and going out to do a job. It was such a far cry away from what we'd been used to from Irish Rugby, when we went out to play teams of equal or higher calibre that we should 'proud of the fight' and if we won the game it was like winning the WC, and then go onto lose a GS/championship.

I'm not talking about all those years ago either, I'm talking as recently as last season or the season before. A team that separates emotion from the game, or I should say; a team that uses their emotion prudently, is usually a winning team. It is something that stuck with me, I can't remember when, I think it was after winning to Clermont in '10, the players were seriously disappointed in themselves. Heaslip spoke openly about the work ethos in the camp and that they were unhappy with their performance. If that was the Irish team they'd be saying 'Well a win is a win and we'll take that.' It said everything to me; I knew they would go on and lose to Toulouse, I was sure of it. But I was also sure a team with that mentality would go onto to do great things. The only other team I've ever noticed that had the same public attitude was the ABs.

Levels apart, but the fundamentals are the same. Keeping a team on that kind of plateau must be so hard. Schmidt, Jono and the player-leaders have done a great job; it's all about instilling a culture, and perhaps the players/coaches of the future will carry that torch. One thing is for sure, I'll certainly enjoy it whilst we still have it.

Teferi

funky penguin wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0521/1224316453689.html

From that article

Brad Thorn wrote:

This experience with Leinster, it’s cool. You go out there and you play rugby. You’re not going out there to put the other team off, you’re going out there to see how good you can be.

I wonder which team I have seen do this for the past couple of years...

irishbucsfan

Teferi wrote: »

funky penguin wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0521/1224316453689.html

From that article

Brad Thorn wrote:

This experience with Leinster, it’s cool. You go out there and you play rugby. You’re not going out there to put the other team off, you’re going out there to see how good you can be.

I wonder which team I have seen do this for the past couple of years...

It must be such an anti climax to "step up" a level to international level and have to take a step down in terms of ambition and "rugby integrity"

Quint2010

Anyone seen Joe Schmidt's "message of thanks" on the Leinster website?

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/10007.php

It's basically thanks for your support on Saturday but we haven't sold nearly enough tickets for next Sunday and get your ars*s onto ticketmaster pronto....

Podge_irl

Sunday is sold out, I wouldn't worry about attendance or atmosphere.

CatFromHue

Quint2010 wrote: »

Anyone seen Joe Schmidt's "message of thanks" on the Leinster website?

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/10007.php

It's basically thanks for your support on Saturday but we haven't sold nearly enough tickets for next Sunday and get your ars*s onto ticketmaster pronto....

I didn't get that vibe from it.

I think it's sold out too as you can't get any tickets on ticketmaster now.

Quint2010

Podge_irl wrote: »

Sunday is sold out, I wouldn't worry about attendance or atmosphere.

Well if it is they sold a hell of a lot of tickets in the last 24 hours. Not saying there was anything wrong with Schmidt's message but it was really as much about selling Sunday's match as it was about thanking fans for last Saturday.

.ak

Yeh it's sold out afaik. Gonna be a great atmosphere from it.. Think it says something that we haven't wont it in the last two years. The lads will be hungry for it.

Quint2010

Anyone know where the tannoy speakers are situated in the new stand in the RDS? I am bringing the missus and she has a hearing disorder and cant sit too near loud speakers?

Thanks

durkadurka

Quint2010 wrote: »

Anyone know where the tannoy speakers are situated in the new stand in the RDS? I am bringing the missus and she has a hearing disorder and cant sit too near loud speakers?

Thanks

I reckon you should contact Peter Breen in the Leinster branch. He's their PRO and was good about getting back to me about something in the past.

Podge_irl

Quint2010 wrote: »

Well if it is they sold a hell of a lot of tickets in the last 24 hours. Not saying there was anything wrong with Schmidt's message but it was really as much about selling Sunday's match as it was about thanking fans for last Saturday.

Ah yeah, I agree. But sure these things are run as businesses now anyway so that kind of thing is inevitable.

Sold out about 2 hours ago - I was actually on ticketmaster at the time and saw it go from 2 seats in the Anglesea to sold out!

Username37

Username37 wrote: »

Ha its actually incredible. I reckon had Wallace gotten three consecutive MOTM performances like O'Brien did we'd probably never hear the end of it.

phog wrote: »

It's easy stand out when the rest of the team are sub standard.

tolosenc wrote: »

MOTM is for every player who played, so the best of 46. And sub standard, Leinster have a longer winning streak than Munster at the moment, so you're argument is very poor, almost bitter.

phog wrote: »

Winning streak? that's a lottery:D

Why are Leinster always trying to catch up to Munster, they should really aim higher to try and match the higestest achievers in Europe like Toulouse and Leicester.

Glorious old posts.

Apart from one where I've written that we shouldn't be second guessing Kidney's decisions :eek:

.ak

Now now emmet, nobody likes a bad winner...


However, everyone likes three heineken cups. Three is a nice number. Much better than two.

Morf

.ak wrote: »

Now now emmet, nobody likes a bad winner...


However, everyone likes three heineken cups. Three is a nice number. Much better than two.

Only the cup with the deformed base is real.

.ak

Morf wrote: »

Only the cup with the deformed base is real.

The one on the right? Do the clubs/provinces actually get replicas everytime they win it? That's impressive as I'm sure the replicas are costly enough...

durkadurka

Did the clumsy butter fingered players from another province damage it or something.

copacetic

Morf wrote: »

Only the cup with the deformed base is real.

:eek: no way, you mean the other two aren't the same cup from parallel universes?

Honey-ec

Morf wrote: »

Only the cup with the deformed base is real.

Bullsh*t. They're all "real", insofar as they're the replicas presented to the team after each win. The winning team never gets the original cup, it goes straight back to the ERC after the presentation at the match.

.ak wrote: »

Do the clubs/provinces actually get replicas everytime they win it? That's impressive as I'm sure the replicas are costly enough...

Yes. This year's replica won't be going on tour around the province, though, as they want to keep one in good condition. The other two are already wrecked, so they'll be the ones doing the rounds again.

Random fact: My sister took that photograph

Quint2010

Anyone think Schmidt will make any changes for Sunday?

durkadurka

I hope he gives some of the maybes a go. And doesnt play anyone who is half fit.

Except bod.

Apparently SOB was wrecked last year. I'd much prefer he played someone fresher.

Tox56

I hope players like VdM, Toner, D Kearney, McFadden at 12, maybe even D Ryan at 7 get given a go. Heaslip has played a huge amount of rugby, so if he is absolutely shattered someone like SOB/Auva'a could come in instead. It's hard to know what selections will happen without knowing the state of injuries/fatigue in the squad.

Hopefully Madigan is given some significant time on the pitch. Preferably regardless of the match situation but that would be a huge and perhaps foolish call if the match is too close.

Fishooks12

durkadurka wrote: »

I hope he gives some of the maybes a go. And doesnt play anyone who is half fit.

Except bod.

Apparently SOB was wrecked last year. I'd much prefer he played someone fresher.

I'd like to see Toner start anyway, deserves it after the year he's had

Same with Van Der Merv

Quint2010

durkadurka wrote: »

I hope he gives some of the maybes a go. And doesnt play anyone who is half fit.

Except bod.

Apparently SOB was wrecked last year. I'd much prefer he played someone fresher.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he went for the same 23 again (injury permitting). Schmidt seems to be taking the possibility of the double very seriously and the fact that they have an extra day's turn around indicates to me he will make the minimum of changes. Maybe Dave Kearney into the back 3 with one of the starting centres from Saturday dropping out but don't think we can afford to rest SOB. He was simply brilliant on Saturday.

durkadurka

Quint2010 wrote: »

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he went for the same 23 again (injury permitting). Schmidt seems to be taking the possibility of the double very seriously and the fact that they have an extra day's turn around indicates to me he will make the minimum of changes. Maybe Dave Kearney into the back 3 with one of the starting centres from Saturday dropping out but don't think we can afford to rest SOB. He was simply brilliant on Saturday.

Ah yeah I was using SOB as an exmaple from Last year of someone who was wrecked and maybe shouldn't have played - Shaggy mentioned it last night on Newstalk.

I would like to see Madigan start

Quint2010

durkadurka wrote: »

Ah yeah I was using SOB as an exmaple from Last year of someone who was wrecked and maybe shouldn't have played - Shaggy mentioned it last night on Newstalk.

ah right fair enough. Cullen was taken off pretty early on Saturday-maybe he's carrying something. I would have no problem going in with Toner and Thorn.

Deleted User wrote: »

I would like to see Madigan start

Really? I honestly think this Sundays game is going to be alot harder than last Saturdays. We will need Sexton for this game.

justsomebloke

we have lost 2 finals back to back so I can a full strength squad being named. The ospreys will have no fear in coming here after doing the double over us this year and winning the title 2 seasons ago in the RDS and also after their performance over Munster.

Truthfully I can see this being one hell of a tough game but hopefully this year they will have learned from the loss last year and go on to win the double and if BOD was serious about wanting to have a Leinter "dynasty" they really need a double

Quint2010

Quint2010 wrote: »

Really? I honestly think this Sundays game is going to be alot harder than last Saturdays. We will need Sexton for this game.

I don't think it will be. And I think that Madigan has steered us to plenty of results in the Rabo this season.

Perhaps its time to let Sexton come on to see out the game for a change.

Spud83

I see a good few changes to be honest. Both as a reward to some players for there seasons work, and also to freshen the team up.

Heinke and Cronin to come into the front row, Toner to the second row, Jennings to the back row.

Reddan and Sexton probably the same.

Centres the same injury permitting. Otherwise McFadden will start at 13.

David Kearney and Isa will start. Rob will start injury permitting.

If Kearney and BOD don't make it it will be interesting to see what they do. Isa to full back, and McFadden to centre would leave an open wing position.