Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

Almaviva

P_1 wrote: »

It's a trophy though, bear in mind the ranking points that winning it will give us too

Indeed, but time to start working for the eventuality that both are not available rather than plunge in when it happens by force. We know its coming in the near future.
At the moment there is no clarity at all from Joe (in fairness, DK seems to be goinf the Earls route for 13) on who the likely heirs at 12 or 13 are. Amlin is the perfrect opportunity: good level of opposition, with a trophy at stake, but no tears if we lose.

imno22

Almaviva wrote: »

Indeed, but time to start working for the eventuality that both are not available rather than plunge in when it happens by force. We know its coming in the near future.
At the moment there is no clarity at all from Joe (in fairness, DK seems to be goinf the Earls route for 13) on who the likely heirs at 12 or 13 are. Amlin is the perfrect opportunity: good level of opposition, with a trophy at stake, but no tears if we lose.

Joe doesn't have to worry about it, he will be here max one/two more years

Big Nelly

Home draw for Semi for Leinster and Toulouse....looks like Leinster v Toulouse final.....

.ak

Almaviva wrote: »

Indeed, but time to start working for the eventuality that both are not available rather than plunge in when it happens by force. We know its coming in the near future.
At the moment there is no clarity at all from Joe (in fairness, DK seems to be goinf the Earls route for 13) on who the likely heirs at 12 or 13 are. Amlin is the perfrect opportunity: good level of opposition, with a trophy at stake, but no tears if we lose.

Why do you think there's no clarity? When darce hasn't been fit ferg has played at 12, and eom has played for bod. It's fairly clear our future centres will be Ferg and EOM.

Almaviva

.ak wrote: »

Why do you think there's no clarity? When darce hasn't been fit ferg has played at 12, and eom has played for bod. It's fairly clear our future centres will be Ferg and EOM.

How often have we seen that pairing in any game let alone a serious one? Will it work, are they up to it ? There was a time where no one would have bet against BOD and Shaggy being the long term partnership for Leinser and Ireland - until we saw it in action.

jamiedav2011

Almaviva wrote: »

How often have we seen that pairing in any game let alone a serious one? Will it work, are they up to it ? There was a time where no one would have bet against BOD and Shaggy being the long term partnership for Leinser and Ireland - until we saw it in action.

Bath in the Aviva last year, played there constantly in Cheika's last year too. Definitely the likeliest option though Fitz and Macen may have some say in that too.

Tox56

McFadden/O'Malley was a fairly common partnership last season, not always starting games but they played together frequently enough in both the H Cup and in the Rabo. Macken has been in good form for the A side though.

Almaviva

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Bath in the Aviva last year, played there constantly in Cheika's last year too. Definitely the likeliest option though Fitz and Macen may have some say in that too.

Id like to see :
Reddan
Madigan
D Kearney
McFadden
Fitzgerald
Nacewa
Kearney

play any Amlin games.

Bod, Darcy, Sexton for any Pro12 ones, including any league games they are available for.

Tomtom364

Almaviva wrote: »

Indeed, but time to start working for the eventuality that both are not available rather than plunge in when it happens by force. We know its coming in the near future.
At the moment there is no clarity at all from Joe (in fairness, DK seems to be goinf the Earls route for 13) on who the likely heirs at 12 or 13 are. Amlin is the perfrect opportunity: good level of opposition, with a trophy at stake, but no tears if we lose.

Can't claim to be the best team in Europe if they lose in the Amlin.
Leinster are a professional team, they will not look down on the competition like that.

Tox56

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Can't claim to be the best team in Europe if they lose in the Amlin.
Leinster are a professional team, they will not look down on the competition like that.

You can't exactly claim to be the best team in Europe even if you win the Amlin

Almaviva

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Can't claim to be the best team in Europe if they lose in the Amlin.
Leinster are a professional team, they will not look down on the competition like that.

Cant claim to be the best team in Europe when you dont make the last 8 in the HC anyway.

Utopia Parkway

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Can't claim to be the best team in Europe if they lose in the Amlin.
Leinster are a professional team, they will not look down on the competition like that.

At the end of the day it's a trophy and winning trophies (even lesser ones) is a nice habit to get into.

Tomtom364

Tox56 wrote: »

You can't exactly claim to be the best team in Europe even if you win the Amlin

That is true, lets say one of the best then.

errlloyd

I think we'll take it seriously, I hope we do. Home final and semi will help push us.

Foxtrol

errlloyd wrote: »

I think we'll take it seriously, I hope we do. Home final and semi will help push us.

The guys are professionals and not making it to the last 8 will hurt them a lot. Between guys all coming back fit now and the hurt from being knocked out I wouldn't want to be any side that faces Leinster in the Amlin, Rabo knock outs or the pool stages of the HC next year.

Fishooks13

Can't see Wasps being able to live with Leinster in the quarter. Win that and ye won't be beaten at home

.ak

The way draw fell, if we did qualify we'd have clermont away, again, in the semi. I love playing them, but 4 times in two seasons is too much.

Next season, in the final please.

errlloyd

.ak wrote: »

The way draw fell, if we did qualify we'd have clermont away, again, in the semi. I love playing them, but 4 times in two seasons is too much.

Next season, in the final please.

At least theyll get top seeds and we wont be able to meet them in the group stage. We'll still find someone good to trip over though.... Like toulon.

irishbucsfan

Almaviva wrote: »

Id like to see :
Reddan
Madigan
D Kearney
McFadden
Fitzgerald
Nacewa
Kearney

play any Amlin games.

Bod, Darcy, Sexton for any Pro12 ones, including any league games they are available for.

Wasps are too good to be sending a team like that over to them.

We'll need our starting pack (or at least from 4-8 anyway) and we'll need most of our starting backs.

Hype710

Will Roux be back for any of the latter rounds of the Amlin? I'd say the management will be keen to have a look at him again before deciding whether to offer him an extension. Personally, I think if the IRFU are clever about they'll want him tied down for another two years. As highlighted by the Demented Mole, the only lock that has come through in the last five or so years that could potentially match Roux's power in the tight is Henderson.

ironingbored

By winning the Amlin Leinster will have four European trophies in five years. Add the Pro12 to that and it would be a very good year's work.

tolosenc

Hype710 wrote: »

Will Roux be back for any of the latter rounds of the Amlin? I'd say the management will be keen to have a look at him again before deciding whether to offer him an extension. Personally, I think if the IRFU are clever about they'll want him tied down for another two years. As highlighted by the Demented Mole, the only lock that has come through in the last five or so years that could potentially match Roux's power in the tight is Henderson.

Due back in April at some point, apparently. Don't think he'll stay beyond the end of the season.

I hope Richie Gray's contract gets cancelled when Sale get relegated. A trio of him, McCarthy and Big Dev would be immense.

LEIN

How serious do you guys think they will take the Amlin?

I'm in two minds on weather to get tickets for the final...

irishbucsfan

The ERC must be utterly delighted to have Leinster in the Amlin. The tickets will be sold out well in advance now I'd say. Possibly even before the QF!

danthefan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The ERC must be utterly delighted to have Leinster in the Amlin. The tickets will be sold out well in advance now I'd say. Possibly even before the QF!

It's actually a fairly strong lineup in the Amlin QFs. I really hope Leinster go for it and try win the thing.

Almaviva

DD9090 wrote: »

How serious do you guys think they will take the Amlin?

I'm in two minds on weather to get tickets for the final...

Publicly they will have to say all the PC stuff: its silverware, we are winners, etc, etc. In reality, it would be a very pleasant add-on to the Pro 12. But Pro 12 is their real goal.
Final could be a good game though. Definitely worth a punt on tickets.

totallegend

danthefan wrote: »

It's actually a fairly strong lineup in the Amlin QFs. I really hope Leinster go for it and try win the thing.

Yeah, hope so. The carrot of a home semi-final and final should be more than enough motivation for them, Wasps are decent this year (from what little of I've seen of them) but reasonably beatable, hopefully they'll be focussed on Aviva playoffs.

ktulu123

Are tickets available now for it or would the best chance be if Leinster get into the final & I get lucky in a allocation draw?

totallegend

ktulu123 wrote: »

Are tickets available now for it or would the best chance be if Leinster get into the final & I get lucky in a allocation draw?

Yeah, publicly available now.

GerM

danthefan wrote: »

It's actually a fairly strong lineup in the Amlin QFs. I really hope Leinster go for it and try win the thing.

I'll be raging if they don't but I don't think that will ever even enter their minds. They're professionals and will want to add more silverware to their haul just as most fans will be very eager to get the win. A victorious AC campaign gains 6 ranking points which is a big difference to the 3 that we currently have from our campaign.

Despite what some say, it would be great to have an Amlin title in our haul and join the few sides that have won both European tournaments.

Looking at the draw, I think it's quite likely that it will be Perpignan who reach the final. Toulouse will need a big performance to beat them away. Neither side will be taking any prisoners in that game.

Leinster can't take Wasps away lightly. They're not a top side any longer but they're capable of turning in a strong performance and toppling Leinster. They've bags of pace and a smart pack. Leinster will need to be on form to get the win.

GerM

DD9090 wrote: »

How serious do you guys think they will take the Amlin?

I'm in two minds on weather to get tickets for the final...

They'll be in it to win it. There will be guys there who are nearing the end of their careers and will want to get another medal. There are guys who will be negotiating contracts. There will be guys who are playing for Ireland spots.

It isn't too unlikely that Leinster could be the only Irish team left in European competition after the quarter finals. If that's the case, we'll see a much higher profile ACC all of a sudden.

The reason the tournament isn't rated by many in Ireland is that, Connacht aside, it's not a tournament Irish provinces are involved in. There was plenty of focus on it when Munster got to the SF against Quins and plenty of fans raging that they lost that game because they cared.

Nations that compete in it regularly value it more. It's no surprise to see the likes of Clermont have won it twice, Quins a few times, Wasps the year before their HEC win, Sale when they were the top side in England.

If people wonder whether the players care, they should cast their minds back to last season's final when Biarritz beat Toulon in the closing minutes. Or the fury of Cheika and Dupuy when Clancy screwed them out of a last minute penalty the season before and they lost it with a kick. Or the insane final when Glos won it in extra time. It's a great tournament, especially when it reaches the knock outs.

Tim Robbins

GerM wrote: »

If people wonder whether the players care, they should cast their minds back to last season's final when Biarritz beat Toulon in the closing minutes. Or the fury of Cheika and Dupuy when Clancy screwed them out of a last minute penalty the season before and they lost it with a kick. Or the insane final when Glos won it in extra time. It's a great tournament, especially when it reaches the knock outs.

I think the teams in it will take it more seriously than a certain game played by Racing Metro.

irishbucsfan

Wasn't it a Mike Brown try that won the Amlin for Quins?

I was there, but it was the start of one of those nights

eire4

danthefan wrote: »

It's actually a fairly strong lineup in the Amlin QFs. I really hope Leinster go for it and try win the thing.

Totally agree. When I saw the Quarter-Finals line up I was thinking thats a strong group of teams. We will need to put out our best team If we want to have any chance of winning.

Heroditas

The strength in the Amlin is crazy.
Toulouse - 4 times HEC winners
Leinster - 3 times HEC winners
Wasps - 2 times HEC winners
Bath - 1 time HEC winners
Stade, Perpignan and Biarritz - all previous HEC finalists.
Serious talent there!
The teams in the Amlin have more HEC wins than the remaining teams in the HEC itself!

CatFromHue

I think only Leinster and Clermont are the only two teams to score 4 tries in Sandy Park in Europe and the Aviva Premiership since Exeter were promoted to both i.e. this season, last season, and the season before.

I didn't check the LV Cup because I think it's a Mickey Mouse Cup.

padser

Question for those saying that the team will treat the Amlin as they would the Heineken (which I agree by the way that they should).

Would you accept a 2 month injury to a key player in the Amlin Semi Final in order to win it? What about the Heineken Semi Final?

The answer for me is clear, an 80% recovered BOD would line out in a HEC semi final if it was felt doing so would increase the chances of winning the game. This would happen at the risk of him getting a more serious injury (we have seen it time and time again in important games). Do we really believe that this would happen in the Amlin? Not a chance (in my opinion).

Rightly or wrongly the Amlin will not be treated with the level of respect the HEC is. The desire and drive by players to our their bodies on the line will not be the same in the Amlin.

Heroditas

padser wrote: »

Question for those saying that the team will treat the Amlin as they would the Heineken (which I agree by the way that they should).

Would you accept a 2 month injury to a key player in the Amlin Semi Final in order to win it? What about the Heineken Semi Final?

The answer for me is clear, an 80% recovered BOD would line out in a HEC semi final if it was felt doing so would increase the chances of winning the game. This would happen at the risk of him getting a more serious injury (we have seen it time and time again in important games). Do we really believe that this would happen in the Amlin? Not a chance (in my opinion).

Rightly or wrongly the Amlin will not be treated with the level of respect the HEC is. The desire and drive by players to our their bodies on the line will not be the same in the Amlin.

I think that saying Leinster won't treat the Amlin properly is an insult to the team's professionalism.
There's not too many trophies up for grabs and the Amlin is one of them.
Also with the IRFU only guaranteed three spots in the HEC every year, any chance to win the Amlin will be seized upon.

thomond2006

Gerry Thornley did a piece in the Irish Times yesterday about the meritocracy payments, it's very lucrative for IRFU/Irish Rugby that the provinces go as far in Europe as possible.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2013/0119/1224329046459.html

Zzippy

Tim Robbins wrote: »

I think the teams in it will take it more seriously than a certain game played by Racing Metro.

Still bitter? Leinster have only themselves to blame for being in the position that they were reliant on other teams to get a result, especially a French team with no further interest in the competition.

fanki na pengin

Lets not go down that road, what's done is done.

tolosenc

Zzippy wrote: »

Still bitter? Leinster have only themselves to blame for being in the position that they were reliant on other teams to get a result, especially a French team with no further interest in the competition.

We could and should have picked up 1 more match point in at least one of our first 4 games, true, but there is a sense of injustice in the fact that of the 2 teams in the hunt, one had a walkover and the other had a tough game.

Teferi

There is no injustice. We are the champions of Europe - we should have put ourselves in position to get through and win the HC again. We didn't. There are a number of reasons for this but it our fault and only our fault.

Relying on other results is ridiculous. I would have taken it if it came off and we managed to sneak through but we didn't. Thems the breaks.

Zzippy

tolosenc wrote: »

We could and should have picked up 1 more match point in at least one of our first 4 games, true, but there is a sense of injustice in the fact that of the 2 teams in the hunt, one had a walkover and the other had a tough game.

I totally understand that, but that's the reality of the last weekend of the HEC pool stages, there are always teams that are out of it (often French teams) that put out shadow sides to rest players for a league game the following weekend. Its anathema to us because the HEC is the be all and end all, and more important than the Rabo, whereas to Racing the T14 is now their top priority. Leinster only scored one try in their first 2 games against Scarlets and Exeter, that's not the mark of champions, and ultimately that's what cost them, not the losses to Clermont.

awec

It's just the luck of the draw really.

Some could also say it's an injustice that some teams get drawn into difficult groups and some get easier groups. It's just how the draw goes.

tolosenc

Zzippy wrote: »

I totally understand that, but that's the reality of the last weekend of the HEC pool stages, there are always teams that are out of it (often French teams) that put out shadow sides to rest players for a league game the following weekend. Its anathema to us because the HEC is the be all and end all, and more important than the Rabo, whereas to Racing the T14 is now their top priority. Leinster only scored one try in their first 2 games against Scarlets and Exeter, that's not the mark of champions, and ultimately that's what cost them, not the losses to Clermont.

I'm aware. We should have come away from Parc Y Scarlets with 5 points instead of 4, and that's where it was lost. Munster could have scored a hundred tries today and nothing would have come from it. I'd even suggest that there just wasn't the urgency in the first 2 games like there was in the last 2. Don't think we expected to lose both games against Clermont.

As a result, I wouldn't be surprised to see Leinster get 30 points in the pool next season (draw depending, of course).

errlloyd

Didn't realise the Leinster A Lads played on Astro today. First professional rugby union game ever apparently. Take some shine off Sarries opening day.

ormond lad

errlloyd wrote: »

Didn't realise the Leinster A Lads played on Astro today. First professional rugby union game ever apparently. Take some shine off Sarries opening day.

dont think it was astro. presume you mean 3g pitch? i assume they played on surface similar to the back pitch in the aviva and what garryowen have in dooradoyle.
Think some english sides have played games on 3g pitches already

[Jackass]

Zzippy wrote: »

Still bitter? Leinster have only themselves to blame for being in the position that they were reliant on other teams to get a result, especially a French team with no further interest in the competition.

In fairness, Munster got 3 walk overs (Edinburgh home and away, worst team in the competition, just below Zebre - also were Munsters second seeds vs Leinster having Clermont - the 3rd walkover being Racing 2nd string in Thomond) and of the 3 competetive games they played, they lost 2.

It's all luck of the draw, but I think it's hard to say it's Leinsters fault when it's a team that would have topped any group that didn't have Clermont (the only team better than Leinster) and also the injuries, I think Leinster actually did quite well - depleted squad, could have won in Clermont, fair enough messed up in Lansdowne, but won all our other games home and away and got maximum 10 from 10 when we had our main players.

I think Leinster will do the double (at last) this season (just not with the European trophy we would have liked!), and onwards and upwards for next season.

You can't win it every year, but we'll be back next season, we're just going to have to make it 5 European trophies in 6 years next season We'll keep on piling up the silverware, as for Munster, they might as well chalk it down as job done now, save money on the flights by not bothering to show up in London, enjoy their tiny moment in the sun and release the miracle match part II - Virgin Mary appears above Thomond and says Munsters passion and spirit inspire her ( only available on DVD extras) and we'll recount in 10 years how this was a serious metro team who Europe feared and were unbeaten in 97 games until they came to Thomond and the grounds keeper played as Munster were short a man, but he was such a working class hero and had so much passion he wore his jersey with pride and honesty so they won in unprecdented fashion - getting a BP win when it was needed - and the moral victory of losing but being brave in London. :pac:

errlloyd

ormond lad wrote: »

dont think it was astro. presume you mean 3g pitch? i assume they played on surface similar to the back pitch in the aviva and what garryowen have in dooradoyle.
Think some english sides have played games on 3g pitches already

According the IT it was the first game of pro rugby union on artificial, it was on 3g, which I thought just meant "third generation astro"