Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Berne is Cheika's man isn't he? Followed him from more than one club?

Guess Schmidt just doesn't rate him/ doesn't see the point in playing him when we have improving talent at our disposal.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Deleted User wrote: »

Guess Schmidt just doesn't rate him/ doesn't see the point in playing him when we have improving talent at our disposal.

I totally agree with that strategy. They are both solid hopes for the future and they need game time. I have to wonder which one will be Sexton's backup and which will leave as I don't see them both staying long term.

CouchSmart wrote: »

Hines contract is up this year too, surely we'll have to extend that.

I expect his contract to be renewed. That said I wouldn't be surprised if Leinster are putting some pressure on him to retire from international rugby after the WC. He is getting on in years and at that age there is only so many games a season that he can play.

[Jackass]

So, remarably, coming from one of the toughest groups in Heineken Cup history, probably only second to the 2008 group of Leicester, Toulouse, Leinster & Edinburgh, we will qualify as minimum 3rd best group winner and will have a home quarter final.

The possible outcomes are:

If Saints beat Castres and Toulouse beat Wasps, we will be 3rd seed and will play the worst group winner, which will be Toulon.

If either of those teams DON'T win (most likely Toulouse away to Wasps) we will be second seed and will play the best runner up, which will come from either Leicester, Perpingan, Ulster or Biarritz. Most likely, it will be either Perpingan or Biarritz (assuming Perpingan fail to get a bonus win v Scarlets and Biarritz fail to get a bonus win v Bath and Ulster and Leicester both get bonus wins v Italian opposition.) and of those two, Leicester have the better try record.

SO, it will be either Toulon or Leicester in Lansdowne Road. That's how I call it. Neither are an easy draw.

durkadurka

I think we can have anyone in lansdowne

jolley123

durkadurka wrote: »

I think we can have anyone in lansdowne

I'd agree, although the QF are in April so you never know what could happen between now and then. But at the moment I think we are the most inform team in Europe.

Teferi

jolley123 wrote: »

I'd agree, although the QF are in April so you never know what could happen between now and then. But at the moment I think we are the most inform team in Europe.

Yep, definitely. Let's hope we can keep the form and that it plays into the national squad for the 6N and we come out the other side with no injuries or any concerns. If we do keep the form I can see another Heineken Cup coming home. Whoever will be getting us for the QF will be scared of facing us in the Aviva.

Yeah thats right. I'm getting ahead of myself :pac:

corny

Of the possibles i wouldn't like to play Leicester. Against Toulon i'd strongly fancy us to win. USAP would be a bit tougher but i'd still say we'd take them. Just hope we get a home Semi this time.

Just on that, is the draw for the Semis this weekend? I could be wrong but isn't it done well in advance.

roycon

leo auvaa was training regularly with the leinster team at the start of the season. after last season he was offered a contract with a french first division team supposedly but old belvo are paying him big money and he runs the show for them in the ail. he stopped training with leinster because he didnt have a work permit saying he could play with leinster just for ob. he must have got the work permit if hes back playing with leinster again. hes a class act , good hands quick and massive

jolley123

corny wrote: »

Of the possibles i wouldn't like to play Leicester. Against Toulon i'd strongly fancy us to win. USAP would be a bit tougher but i'd still say we'd take them. Just hope we get a home Semi this time.

Just on that, is the draw for the Semis this weekend? I could be wrong but isn't it done well in advance.

Sunday evening, after the last match of round 6.

CouchSmart

Meanwhile, former Leinster coach Michael Cheika has said he has no intention of raiding his old side after being linked with a move to bring outhalf Jonathan Sexton to Stade Francais.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0122/1224288088064.html

lologram

Wasn't there a report that the big threat was not from Cheika's Stade Francais but from Toulouse? Let's face it, Skrela is not that great a player, and he's in a team which has a good few great players. Trying to sign Sexton would make sense for them.

irishbucsfan

Hopefully some of the extra money we'll get from moving the Quarter Final to the Aviva will go to Mr. Sexton!

Interesting quote from Schmidt on O'Brien:

“He wasn’t too bad again. One of the great advantages of Seán is that he can play any of the three loose forward positions. There’s a lot of players who play dynamically who have three or four impressive carries, but the number of quality involvements Seán has are ridiculous. I really hope he gets some opportunities in the upcoming weeks. If not he’ll be nice and fresh for us anyway.”

Teferi

Why do people get worried that players will move away? I think the IRFU have made it advantageous to stay in Ireland at this stage, not to mention Leinster are doing very well atm.

almighty1

When will the Aviva be confirmed for the HC QF? If its moved there then hopefully it should be easy to get some tickets.

wixfjord

almighty1 wrote: »

When will the Aviva be confirmed for the HC QF? If its moved there then hopefully it should be easy to get some tickets.

It'll have to be there imo.
Just makes complete sense, and a bit of marketing would mean a full house.
Plus it doesn't seem to harm our performance when we've played there. Two big wins so far!

CatFromHue

im not sure how much marketing would be needed.

it was pretty close to full if not full in 2005 in lansdowne against leicester. there was a good contingent came over from leicester if i remember too.

a sunny april day with two top class teams playing for a semi final spot, what more could you want!

durkadurka

They got 43k for a group game vs clermont in the coldest weather imaginable. They priced it right though.

CouchSmart

Leinster A won today, 30-7. Try bonus, Conway bagged two and Macken and McGrath the others.

Hippo

We have the huge advantage of the qf at home, but I'll just say now that the most important part of the Leinster jigsaw at present is SOB.

He didn't play against the Ospreys recently, and for the whole game we struggled without his go-forward ball. It's critical for our chances that he's still fit at the end of the 6N. He provides the platform in open play that allows the rest of the team to throw the ball around. Fingers and toes crossed...

CouchSmart

Hippo wrote: »

We have the huge advantage of the qf at home, but I'll just say now that the most important part of the Leinster jigsaw at present is SOB.

He didn't play against the Ospreys recently, and for the whole game we struggled without his go-forward ball. It's critical for our chances that he's still fit at the end of the 6N. He provides the platform in open play that allows the rest of the team to throw the ball around. Fingers and toes crossed...

Ye, I'm really nervous that our play this year has been totally based on his ability to make any kind of ball, go-forward ball.

I suggested earlier in this thread or on the Racing thread that we should have tried out a back row without him to see how it went, though obviously with Heaslip still struggling it could never have happened.

Hopefully he doesn't get injured during the 6N.

trackguy

Hippo wrote: »

We have the huge advantage of the qf at home, but I'll just say now that the most important part of the Leinster jigsaw at present is SOB.

He didn't play against the Ospreys recently, and for the whole game we struggled without his go-forward ball. It's critical for our chances that he's still fit at the end of the 6N. He provides the platform in open play that allows the rest of the team to throw the ball around. Fingers and toes crossed...

Wouldn't read too much into the one player and that one game. It was pissing rain and it was freezing during the Ospreys game.

Also, Heaslip was struggling for alot of that game. He got injured quite early on I think.

SOB is very important and his absence weakens the team alot but I wouldn't say his absence would be critical. The team could paper over the cracks - give Heaslip more of the ball, bring Shaggy up the middle more. McLaughlin is also an adequate replacement.

I think Leinster would be in far more trouble if Sexton got injured during the 6N.

Gracelessly Tom

I reckon the two key players for Leinster winning the cup are Sexton and Ross. We've enough quality backrowers to cover a few losses there with Ruddock, Ryan and McLaughlin.

Lets just hope for an injury free 6 nations!

RMD

wixfjord wrote: »

It'll have to be there imo.
Just makes complete sense, and a bit of marketing would mean a full house.
Plus it doesn't seem to harm our performance when we've played there. Two big wins so far!

Wouldn't see much marketing needed in fairness, as mentioned we got 43k at the Clermont game which was in freezing weather and that was a group game. A home QF in good weather, could sell the 50 quite possibly as long as they're priced right.

Anyone know how many Leicster players will be involved in the 6N?

CIARAN_BOYLE

RMD wrote: »

Wouldn't see much marketing needed in fairness, as mentioned we got 43k at the Clermont game which was in freezing weather and that was a group game. A home QF in good weather, could sell the 50 quite possibly as long as they're priced right.

Anyone know how many Leicster players will be involved in the 6N?

20 between the Ireland and Scotland senior squad and the irish wolfhounds

durkadurka

Ha ha he said Leicester!

CIARAN_BOYLE

durkadurka wrote: »

Ha ha he said Leicester!

sorry I see a l on this thread and think leinster, 10 leicster tigers between the two english squads
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/9358903.stm

Thanos

Anybody got an idea when we will know which day we are playing for the Q/F and then the Semi (if we get there)? Is it usually know a week or so after the draw?

smurphy29

Thanos wrote: »

Anybody got an idea when we will know which day we are playing for the Q/F and then the Semi (if we get there)? Is it usually know a week or so after the draw?

Today or tomorrow according to the IT.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0124/1224288163280.html

Spud83

Heaslip just tweeted "a week of decisions", a contract announcement maybe? Would be nice to know either way.

Gracelessly Tom

Spud83 wrote: »

Heaslip just tweeted "a week of decisions", a contract announcement maybe? Would be nice to know either way.

Wardrobe issues maybe??