Leinster V Ulster; Rabo Semi final build up thread

Riskymove

.ak wrote: »

Oh, sorry, maybe our wires are getting crossed because I thought when you said "also, only once has the team who finished first won the playoffs" you were suggesting that teams who finish first are unlikely to win the playoffs.

no I pointed it out for the complete opposite reason

coming first in the league doesn't guarantee winning

Podge_irl

I think you're both talking nonsense if it helps.

Riskymove

Podge_irl wrote: »

I think you're both talking nonsense if it helps.

well, I certainly bow to your expertise in such matters;)

.ak

Podge_irl wrote: »

I think you're both talking nonsense if it helps.

Link?

Quint2010

CatFromHue wrote: »

16500 tickets have been sold so far and the remainder are on Ticketmaster.

That's very generous of Ticketmaster...:o

Tox56

Now to escape the madness on the other thread

For me

Healy
Cronin
Ross
Ruddock
Toner
SOB
Jennings
Heaslip
Reddan
Gopperth/Madigan
Dave K
Darce
BOD
McFadden
Kearney

Dundon
McGrath
Moore
Cullen
Ryan
McGrath
Gopperth/Madigan
Kirchner

Shame for Strauss but I would have started Cronin anyway, honestly don't know or care who is playing 10 at this stage, Ruddock is worth the risk in the second row and I hope to god Reddan is fit, if he is Boss shouldn't feature but I expect he will regardless

bilston

And a possible Ulster selection...

15 Gilroy/Andrew
14 Trimble
13 Payne
12 Cave
11 Bowe
10 Jackson
9 Pienaar/Marshall
1 Black
2 Best
3 Warwick
4 Muller
5 Henderson
6 Diack
7 Henry
8 Wilson

Herring
Lutton
Macklin
Tuohy
Doyle
Marshall/Heaney
Marshall/McKinney
Marshall/Gilroy/Andrew

A lot of what ifs there!

ssaye2

http://www.thescore.ie/leinster-matt-oconnor-kane-douglas-centres-1466468-May2014/


LEINSTER HEAD COACH Matt O’Connor is “very” confident that Australian international lock Kane Douglas will be playing for the province next season.

The 24-year-old Waratahs player has 12 caps for the Wallabies, but the lure of transferring to Europe appears to be too much to resist. Leinster expect to be in a position to make an official announcement on the transfer in the coming weeks.

“Things have progressed pretty well there,” said O’Connor at UCD this afternoon.”We aren’t too far away from making an announcement on that.

“I think the profile is perfect; a young guy who wants to experience winning things in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s fantastic for us, you know? Hopefully that gets across the line and we can then tell you more about it at that time.”

O’Connor has watched Connacht sign Bundee Aki and Munster secure Andrew Smith and Tyler Bleyendaal in their midfields ahead of next season, as he continues to search for centres to supplement his own squad.
Options in the centre

However, the Australia says those deals have not left him casting jealous glances, even though the former Leicester coach remains hopeful of making at least one addition to his province in that area.

“It’s not a frustration, we’ve been in the marketplace looking at those slots. I wouldn’t be disappointed on having missed out on anyone there in relation to who they’ve signed. We’ll wait; there’s a few options for us that we’re looking at and we’ll let you know as soon as they’ve become a reality.”...

armchaircoach

Would I be right in saying that technically it will still require a special dispensation from the irfu for Leinster to sign a foreign centre?

They will probably grant it, but by no means a certainty

.ak

I'd be surprised and disappointed if they don't.

stephen_n

What's the story with Locky?

.ak

stephen_n wrote: »

What's the story with Locky?

Hasn't been on form and has been over taken by too many now. Ruddock is first choice 6 and Ryan and Murphy are both better options off the bench.

stephen_n

.ak wrote: »

Hasn't been on form and has been over taken by too many now. Ruddock is first choice 6 and Ryan and Murphy are both better options off the bench.

Was thinking more for second row, given our current situation.

Buer

McLaughlin's future could lie at Connacht as the replacement for Muldoon, to be honest. I think it would be a good move for all involved. He's a couple of years younger and a very solid and disciplined player with experience of captaining Leinster. He has a year left on his Leinster deal and there's a chance he'll have to look elsewhere in a year if he wants to play more rugby, given how the last 6 months have gone for him.

It would all depend on how Lam wants to deploy guys like Kearney and Browne.

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

Hasn't been on form and has been over taken by too many now. Ruddock is first choice 6 and Ryan and Murphy are both better options off the bench.

Been struggling with injury, could well do with surgery but playing injured has sent his form into a nose dive. I will judge Ruddock vs McLaughlin next season when both are fit.

That said I could well see him leaving Leinster at the end of next season.

stephen_n

But in terms of the next two games allowing us to have the best backrow possicle, SOB/Heaslip?Ruddock he would be an option for the second row given the injury to McCarthy. Longterm yes I agree he might need to move, although that would be Leinster's loss

bilston

Buer wrote: »

McLaughlin's future could lie at Connacht as the replacement for Muldoon, to be honest. I think it would be a good move for all involved. He's a couple of years younger and a very solid and disciplined player with experience of captaining Leinster. He has a year left on his Leinster deal and there's a chance he'll have to look elsewhere in a year if he wants to play more rugby, given how the last 6 months have gone for him.

It would all depend on how Lam wants to deploy guys like Kearney and Browne.

I'd happily take him to Ulster! He could well start for us at 6 if Ferris doesn't return and Henderson moves to the row full time.

crisco10

Locky has really been struggling with injury this calender year. He hasn't really played a run of games, and he is the sort of player who needs a run to feel his way into form.

Weird to think he was playing against the All Blacks in November...

danthefan

Someone mentioned he's been carrying an injury all season, which would explain what's up with him. This is a guy that started 2 HEC finals in case we forget, for about 3 or 4 seasons he was really excellent for Leinster. Would be giving him a chance to get fit and firing again before shipping him off to Connacht.

ssaye2

Black
Best
Lutton
Muller
Touhy
Diack
Henry
Wilson

Pienaar
Jackson
Bowe
Cave
Payne
Trimble
Andrew

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/sport/rugby/rory-best-and-ruan-pienaar-to-start-for-ulster-in-pro12-semi-1-6063163#.U3WnBPKQ92w.twitter

potentially may be a little different

Marshall bench, Cave 12

awec

:mad: :mad: :mad:

ssaye2

awec wrote: »

:mad: :mad: :mad:

Forcing Cave out eh?

.ak

Having Pienaar would be massive.

mulliansg

ssaye2 wrote: »

Forcing Cave out eh?

More like Marshall

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

Having Pienaar would be massive.

We just need to win backrow battle and reddan to annoy him and deny quick ball to their backs, simple :pac:

.ak

I'm not sure Reddan will be fit imo.

ssaye2

mulliansg wrote: »

More like Marshall

Well dropping Cave and moving him and "pandering" to Paynes I wanna play 13 its a bit of a mess of resources from the outside looking in.

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

I'm not sure Reddan will be fit imo.

Looked ok in pics, but yeah Boss has been poor, so that would be massive advantage for Ulster

http://inpho.ie/assignment/Leinster-Rugby-Squad-Training/hossPH72kzrS_I4vMh-ZQQ..a?ts=CEIPM7MkEYc-LqPFQj5pfw..a

wearing players bib

.ak

ssaye2 wrote: »

Well dropping Cave and moving him and "pandering" to Paynes I wanna play 13 its a bit of a mess of resources from the outside looking in.

They're not pandering to Payne's request...

They're pandering to Leinster's. :pac:

danthefan

I'd be very happy to see Cave and Payne in the centre, I think it's far weaker than Marshall and Cave, and Payne is by a mile at his most effective when he's a bit of space to run into from fullback.

awec

ssaye2 wrote: »

Forcing Cave out eh?

Cave is a 13 and Payne is a 15.

Ricky Andrew is ok but he is half the full back of Jared Payne.

Best players in their best positions please!

ssaye2

awec wrote: »

Cave is a 13 and Payne is a 15.

Ricky Andrew is ok but he is half the full back of Jared Payne.

Best players in their best positions please!

It can only help Leinster playing players out of position, must be frustrating for ya Awec

Utah_Saint

Payne's outings at 13 have been pretty underwhelming

Payne must play 15 if we are to have a chance. He needs those few extra yards of space to make his ghosting runs !!!

ssaye2

UAFC saying Gilroy may be FB not Andrew

mulliansg

Reddan starts. No Murphy.

ssaye2

Kearney R, McFadden, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Kearney D, Gopperth, Reddan; Healy, Cronin, Moore, Toner, Roux, Ruddock, Jennings, Heaslip.

Dundon, McGrath, Ross, Cullen, O'Brien, McGrath, Madigan, Kirchner

.ak

Absolutely massive call at 5. Don't think anybody saw that coming.

.ak

Boss dropped completely. Ouch.

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

Absolutely massive call at 5. Don't think anybody saw that coming.

bib theory start of the week mentioned

.ak

Slightly harsh on Murphy but the reality is it's going to be a massive game, and Jennings lives for these sorts of encounters. That leaves a straight shoot out between Murphy and the best player in Ireland. Only one winner there.

.ak

ssaye2 wrote: »

bib theory start of the week mentioned

Yeah but bib theory has been wrong more times than right.

Plus Denton seemed to be firmly ahead of Roux. As did Cullen.

Personally I think they should've moved Ruddock over to 5 and start SOB.

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

Yeah but bib theory has been wrong more times than right.

Plus Denton seemed to be firmly ahead of Roux. As did Cullen.

Personally I think they should've moved Ruddock over to 5 and start SOB.

BTW That team is NOT confirmed 100% for another 4 mins

Tox56

.ak wrote: »

Absolutely massive call at 5. Don't think anybody saw that coming.

I dunno I don't think it's that surprising, the management aren't idiots, if it's clear how far off the pace Cullen is to us fans it's blatantly obvious to them. Watched those highlights of the B&I semi and Roux had a good game from what I saw

.ak

Tox56 wrote: »

I dunno I don't think it's that surprising, the management aren't idiots, if it's clear how far off the pace Cullen is to us fans it's blatantly obvious to them. Watched those highlights of the B&I semi and Roux had a good game from what I saw

Yeah I think Roux is right choice. But he hasn't been in favour of the management and you wonder what's changed.

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

Yeah I think Roux is right choice. But he hasn't been in favour of the management and you wonder what's changed.

Sometimes when players are due to Leave, they play immense in training and demand selection, just a guess

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

Boss dropped completely. Ouch.

To be honest its deserved by his performance recently. I'm surprised that McGrath hasn't been ahead of him for a while now.

.ak

Is Roux actually leaving though?

ssaye2

.ak wrote: »

Is Roux actually leaving though?

Heard he was, decided in Feb/March

.ak

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

To be honest its deserved by his performance recently. I'm surprised that McGrath hasn't been ahead of him for a while now.

Yeah it's probably deserved, still must be tough on him.

I don't think McGrath is at the stage to start ahead of him, although against Edinburgh should've been brought on earlier.

CIARAN_BOYLE

.ak wrote: »

Is Roux actually leaving though?

No he still has another year on his contract and his departure hasn't been announced.