Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread V

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

not up on paddy power yet but i reckon the spread will be around leinster -10

wow,

pp has leinster -1

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

This is going to end with us fighting at the top of a waterfall, isn't it?

Synode

sydthebeat wrote: »

wow,

pp has leinster -1

Where did you get that from?

total former

Synode wrote: »

Where did you get that from?

pp = Paddy Power

sydthebeat

Synode wrote: »

Where did you get that from?

pp = Paddy power

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

I'm saying it's realistic that a win would be big for us.

I would say Scarlets are slight favourites. It'll be tight either way.

Team sheets mean feck all, and I'm getting sick of all the 'But look at the amount of internationals on the teamsheet' excuse.

Excuse for what exactly? Expecting Leinster to win? Of course team sheets mean something. They tell you who is going to play and you know as a result roughly what the quality of the teams are going to be as a result. Relative to international teams there is very limited quality in the Leinster side. Relative to the Pro12 there is a hell of a lot. Does that mean we'll see Globetrotter rugby and romp to a 40 point victory? No. Does it mean we should have enough to see off a Scarlets side who will struggle to make Europe next season and who have not featured in the play-offs the last 2 years.

We're the league champions and have won back to back titles there and we're the team thats advanced furthest in Europe (the context of the group accepted). We absolutely have enough talent in there to win this and I can't help but think that there's an element of getting the excuses in early here.

.ak wrote: »

Caps don't mean anything when you've only got 4 professional teams in a country.

That would be true if we were poor at international level. We're not.

padser

sydthebeat wrote: »

wow,

pp has leinster -1

Just checked the same thing.

That looks wrong, even with the MOC factor , the team we are sending to Scarlets looks far far too strong to be a one point game

.ak

padser wrote: »

Just checked the same thing.

That looks wrong, even with the MOC factor , the team we are sending to Scarlets looks far far too strong to be a one point game

At one point Cardiff were sending teams to Dublin littered with Lions and getting a spanking. Team sheets mean nothing. It's how we're performing as a group, which isn't very good right now.

total former

molloyjh wrote: »

We absolutely have enough talent in there to win this and I can't help but think that there's an element of getting the excuses in early here.

But it's obvious that we're not playing well this season, we won't rehash the various possibilities as to why that is (pleeeease?), so I don't see how anyone can confidently say that this is the week that it's all going to click and we're going to beat a team who are unbeaten at home all season.

It will be a tough game, it always is in Llanelli, it could go either way.*

Yes, I know we put 50 points on them last season.

.ak

molloyjh wrote: »

That would be true if we were poor at international level. We're not.

Just responding to this as I don't think we'll ever agree on the other points.

But whilst we're performing well at international level it's as a team. Not as individually brilliant players. Hence why guys like Jones and Zebo are keeping guys like Earls and Fitz out of the team.

Synode

sydthebeat wrote: »

pp = Paddy power

Sorry I meant can you link to it. I can't find it on their site. Am always unsure when people say team x are -x

matthew8

Leinster won't need to click to win. That side is pretty much as strong as the one that went away to a full strength Wasps and drew.

Zzippy

.ak wrote: »

Just responding to this as I don't think we'll ever agree on the other points.

But whilst we're performing well at international level it's as a team. Not as individually brilliant players. Hence why guys like Jones and Zebo are keeping guys like Earls and Fitz out of the team.

Oooh, you went there... :eek:

sydthebeat

Synode wrote: »

Sorry I meant can you link to it. I can't find it on their site. Am always unsure when people say team x are -x

http://www.paddypower.com/bet/rugby-union

Buer

If we keep it tight up front and go after their set piece and keep things accurate at the breakdown, this side is more than capable of strangling a victory in a pretty mundane contest. I'll gladly take that, to be honest.

I really hope we try to at least go after their line out.

Mahatma Geansai

Zzippy wrote: »

Oooh, you went there... :eek:

AK doesn't rate Zebo.

Zebo is probably the winger in the country most suited to Joe's kick-chase based gameplan. I wouldn't bring either Fitz or Earls into the side ahead of him, even though they are probably better players. I'd like to see Fitz at 23 and Earls at 13.

.ak

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

AK doesn't rate Zebo.

Zebo is probably the winger in the country most suited to Joe's kick-chase based gameplan. I wouldn't bring either Fitz or Earls into the side ahead of him, even though they are probably better players. I'd like to see Fitz at 23 and Earls at 13.

I do rate him, but in regards to the kick-chase plan you mentioned DK is just as good. They're both on par imo in almost every aspect, but that's just my opinion.

Anyway this isn't the thread - I was just talking about how a player doesn't need to be the best in the country on form or otherwise to make the Irish 23.

Mahatma Geansai

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

AK doesn't rate Zebo.

Zebo is probably the winger in the country most suited to Joe's kick-chase based gameplan. I wouldn't bring either Fitz or Earls into the side ahead of him, even though they are probably better players. I'd like to see Fitz at 23 and Earls at 13.

Apart from Tommy Bowe you mean?

In any case, Leinster thread and neither of Zebowe play for Leinster!

Fitz does though, and will need to play out of his skin to play his way into a Green shirt with the competition around squad places.

.ak

Deleted User wrote: »

Apart from Tommy Bowe you mean?

In any case, Leinster thread and neither of Zebowe play for Leinster!

Fitz does though, and will need to play out of his skin to play his way into a Green shirt with the competition around squad places.

Like I said earlier, don't think Fitz can play any better, he's been playing out of his skin. He just doesn't fit the squad at the moment, sadly.

Mahatma Geansai

.ak wrote: »

I do rate him, but in regards to the kick-chase plan you mentioned DK is just as good. They're both on par imo in almost every aspect, but that's just my opinion.

Kearney is a hard-worker who suits Schmidt's gameplan in that regard; its the same reason why Jones has been involved. Zebo is a better player with a lot more strings to his bow. Kearney probably only has the edge on him regarding strength, rucking, and getting his brother to pass the ball.

CatFromHue

Actually that's a good point.

I'd rate DK and Zebo was the best wings in the country for kick chasing.

DK is a very under rated player tbh.

.ak

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Kearney is a hard-worker who suits Schmidt's gameplan in that regard; its the same reason why Jones has been involved. Zebo is a better player with a lot more strings to his bow. Kearney probably only has the edge on him regarding strength, rucking, and getting his brother to pass the ball.

I agree mostly. Is Zebo better? That's subjective, and you're welcome to your opinion. They're on par for me, nothing between them.

But it is a bizarre world where someone who's very similar in his style of play as the starting Irish left wing can't even get into the starting 15 for his province during an international window. It just goes to show how unique the situation is in the Irish camp right now.

padser

.ak wrote: »

At one point Cardiff were sending teams to Dublin littered with Lions and getting a spanking. Team sheets mean nothing. It's how we're performing as a group, which isn't very good right now.

Yeah, fair point.

The way Leinster are performing right now is well well below the sum of it's parts.

chancer12

Is tonight's match televised?

Tox56

CatFromHue wrote: »

Actually that's a good point.

I'd rate DK and Zebo was the best wings in the country for kick chasing.

DK is a very under rated player tbh.

Bowe and McFadden would have to be up there too, Bowe's kick chasing is actually brilliant a lot of the time

CatFromHue

Tox56 wrote: »

Bowe and McFadden would have to be up there too, Bowe's kick chasing is actually brilliant a lot of the time

I think both DK and Zebo are better at competing for the ball in the air than those two.

CatFromHue

CatFromHue wrote: »

I think both DK and Zebo are better at competing for the ball in the air than those two.

Than Bowe?

Really?

Stainalert

CatFromHue wrote: »

I think both DK and Zebo are better at competing for the ball in the air than those two.

Bowe is excellent in the air

.ak

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Than Bowe?

Really?

Currently? I'd have to agree. Bowe doesn't seem to be owning the skies like he used to.

molloyjh

total former wrote: »

But it's obvious that we're not playing well this season, we won't rehash the various possibilities as to why that is (pleeeease?), so I don't see how anyone can confidently say that this is the week that it's all going to click and we're going to beat a team who are unbeaten at home all season.

It will be a tough game, it always is in Llanelli, it could go either way.*

Yes, I know we put 50 points on them last season.

I don't think people are saying that we will click and that we will win. They are saying that we should win with that squad. Which is totally different in fairness.

.ak wrote: »

Just responding to this as I don't think we'll ever agree on the other points.

But whilst we're performing well at international level it's as a team. Not as individually brilliant players. Hence why guys like Jones and Zebo are keeping guys like Earls and Fitz out of the team.

I don't disagree at all. That doesn't change the fact that Leinsters side are a more talented bunch of players than the Scarlets side. And having an expectation that the better group of players will win isn't exactly unfair, even if it isn't always accurate.

Buer

Bowe isn't anything too special in the air, to my mind. He's solid and competes but I don't see him as someone that regularly takes clean ball above opposition players.

I recall the 2009 HEC game when he was full back and ROG targeted him all afternoon.

Tox56

Buer wrote: »

Bowe isn't anything too special in the air, to my mind. He's solid and competes but I don't see him as someone that regularly takes clean ball above opposition players.

I recall the 2009 HEC game when he was full back and ROG targeted him all afternoon.

I think that's harsh considering how much we use him as an aerial option. He's not great at claiming the ball outright but he's absolutely brilliant at disrupting and slapping the ball back on our side, which has been massively useful for us with crossfield kicks and restarts

total former

molloyjh wrote: »

I don't think people are saying that we will click and that we will win. They are saying that we should win with that squad. Which is totally different in fairness.

It's a much better team on paper than the Scarlets one, absolutely, and I'd be quietly optimistic of a win, but people saying things like "Leinster should be ashamed if they don't win" or "Leinster should be ten-point favourites" is wide of the mark, to put it charitably.

molloyjh

total former wrote: »

It's a much better team on paper than the Scarlets one, absolutely, and I'd be quietly optimistic of a win, but people saying things like "Leinster should be ashamed if they don't win" or "Leinster should be ten-point favourites" is wide of the mark, to put it charitably.

Elsewhere I had predicted a LBP for this one myself, but having seen the squad I'm similar to yourself. Somewhat confident while also being wary about their home record and our away one. You're right, claiming we should win and that we should be 10+ points favourites is a real stretch given everything (which we won't go into!) and I said similar to awec earlier. By the same token saying that Scarlets should be favourites and a win would be "unreal" is probably the other extreme. We've the better team and the worst form. Where that leaves us after 80 at this stage is anyone's guess.

vienne86

Just seen theteam sheet - excellent. We certainly have the squad to win this one, though Scarlets won't be easy. I'm a bit optiistic, but not overly so! Makings of an entertaining match.

jacothelad

Really surprised tha game isn't televised.

jacothelad

jacothelad wrote: »

Really surprised tha game isn't televised.

It's on Sky.

Peregrine

chancer12 wrote: »

Is tonight's match televised?

jacothelad wrote: »

Really surprised tha game isn't televised.

It's tomorrow and it's on Sky.

aimee1

Garces reffing the qf

Morf

.ak wrote: »

Currently? I'd have to agree. Bowe doesn't seem to be owning the skies like he used to.

Is anyone safe from NAMA these days.

vienne86

Right then, Connacht badly need us to put one over on Scarlets today. Very good team on paper.......what a front row! I'm quietly optimistic.

ssaye2

http://m.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/irish-news/jamie-heaslip-people-do-stupid-things-i-know-that-better-than-anyone-31048076.html

B0X

Is there any hope for reaching the last four anymore?
Some back of the envelope calculations (based on nothing but my opinion) show us a long way off. We have to beat Glasgow and Ulster, but I'm not sure if we can anymore

HOME      AWAY      POINTS FOR LEINSTER
Leinster  Glasgow   1pt
Dragons   Leinster  4pt
Ulster    Leinster  1pt
Leinster  Treviso   5pt
Edinburgh Leinster  4pt
        
                    SEASON TOTAL
                    64 (49 now + 15)

HOME      AWAY      POINTS FOR OSPREYS
Ospreys   Zebre     5pt
Treviso   Ospreys   5pt
Cardiff   Ospreys   4pt
Ospreys   Glasgow   1pt (tough to call)
Connacht  Ospreys   4pts

                    SEASON TOTAL
                    70 (51 now + 19)

HOME      AWAY      POINTS FOR ULSTER
Dragons   Ulster    4pt
Ulster    Cardiff   4pt
Connacht  Ulster    4pt
Ulster    Leinster  4pt
Ulster    Munster   4pt
Glasgow   Ulster    1pt

                    SEASON TOTAL
                    73 (52 now + 21)

HOME      AWAY      POINTS FOR MUNSTER
Munster   Connacht  4pt
Edinburgh Munster   4pt
Munster   Treviso   5pt
Ulster    Munster   1pt
Munster   Dragons   4pt

                    SEASON TOTAL
                    71 (53 now + 18)

awec

If Glasgow beat you I think you're done.

Zzippy

Was Fitz playing tonight? Missed the first 20 or so, did he go off? Don't recall seeing him at all...

ssaye2

Is euro seeding league position starting this year or what?

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

Was Fitz playing tonight? Missed the first 20 or so, did he go off? Don't recall seeing him at all...

Did well in first half, don't think he was on or near the ball even once in the second!

B0X

ssaye2 wrote: »

Is euro seeding league position starting this year or what?

I imagine it's the same last year where the winner is first, runner up is second. Losing semifinalists are 3rd and 4th based on their league points, and then regular league positions for the rest.

I may be wrong though.

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

Did well in first half, don't think he was on or near the ball even once in the second!

Don't think I heard his name mentioned once, for a player supposedly on fire! Earls for the squad spot so...

matthew8

Fitz was quiet except for charging down 2 clearance kicks in a row at one point.