Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VI: End of the MOC [Revenge of the STH]

total former

.ak wrote: »

Personally, for me anyway, the difference between an effective tackle and non effective one is confidence. Especially for me as I'm a small bloke I won't stop anyone by just hoping for the best. You can have all the technique in the world but if you don't have that bit of grit or confidence going into it you just go backwards.

I think McGrath made a few missed tackles yesterday, I think confidence is certainly lacking with certain players.

I don't think it's confidence, I think it's focus.

Why would McGrath be lacking confidence after the season he's had? Or Murphy?

On the other hand, the RWC is bearing down on these guys and it's only human nature that they would find it hard to get in the zone for a nothing game in the mausoleum of Scottish club rugby.

molloyjh

total former wrote: »

I don't think it's confidence, I think it's focus.

Why would McGrath be lacking confidence after the season he's had? Or Murphy?

On the other hand, the RWC is bearing down on these guys and it's only human nature that they would find it hard to get in the zone for a nothing game in the mausoleum of Scottish club rugby.

Yeah I'd agree with that. MOC even mentioned it pre-game as well. But does that apply to the last couple of weeks when our Champions Cup place was still unsecured? I'd hope not. I can understand not getting some of them fully focused on the Edinburgh game, but last week not as much. There was simply too much to play for and they should have been properly focused on that game.

irishbucsfan

Again, I think theres a strong link between the problems we've had securing possession and territory and our defensive issues. The big missed tackles for the try came right after we lost our own lineout in our own 22, and we shouldn't have been down there in the first place.

total former

molloyjh wrote: »

Yeah I'd agree with that. MOC even mentioned it pre-game as well. But does that apply to the last couple of weeks when our Champions Cup place was still unsecured? I'd hope not. I can understand not getting some of them fully focused on the Edinburgh game, but last week not as much. There was simply too much to play for and they should have been properly focused on that game.

Again, a game against Treviso in the pissing rain in front of a poor crowd is not going to have the guys whipping themselves into a frenzy. It was a must-win but none of them would have seriously thought we wouldn't win, especially after the start we had. It's unfortunate but it's human nature.

stephen_n

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Again, I think theres a strong link between the problems we've had securing possession and territory and our defensive issues. The big missed tackles for the try came right after we lost our own lineout in our own 22, and we shouldn't have been down there in the first place.

Poor kicking would certainly contribute to difficulties in defending, it's certainly easier to make your tackles in condensed space where there are less options to defend. Taking down a big runner in close is one thing but there's a far greater margin for error in positioning for someone running the ball back at pace with bigger space to attack.

Rigor Mortis

So, do we end up as second or third seeds. I thought it was third by the skin of our teeth, but a mate said it would be second seeds.

molloyjh

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

So, do we end up as second or third seeds. I thought it was third by the skin of our teeth, but a mate said it would be second seeds.

We're 5th seeds, which is 3rd tier. So seed is your ranking in the league and tier is the "ranking" in the pool.

Tier|Pool 1|Pool 2|Pool 3|Pool 4|Pool 5
1|Seed 1|Seed 1|Seed 1|Seed 2|Seed 2
2|Seed 2|Seed 3|Seed 3|Seed 3|Seed 4
3|Seed 4|Seed 4|Seed 5|Seed 5|Seed 5
4|Seed 6|Seed 6|Seed 6|Italian|Play-Off

.ak

The pool will be interesting next year anyway...

awec

For Ulster this weekend a win against Glasgow is the difference between a potential tier 1 ranking and a tier 3 ranking.

total former

.ak wrote: »

The pool will be interesting next year anyway...

Meh, we'll take it as it comes. We could still end up in a pool with Oyonnax, Bath and Treviso.


... or alternatively, we could end up with Toulon, Saracens and Racing.

Greyian

total former wrote: »

Meh, we'll take it as it comes. We could still end up in a pool with Oyonnax, Bath and Treviso.


... or alternatively, we could end up with Toulon, Saracens and Racing.

At least that would be a post-Sexton Racing.

Interested Observer

Greyian wrote: »

At least that would be a post-Sexton Racing.

They're signing Dan Carter.

Leinster need another handy pool next year for any chance to progress really.

buck65

Good to have made the European Cup anyway.

Greyian

Interested Observer wrote: »

They're signing Dan Carter.

Leinster need another handy pool next year for any chance to progress really.

With his injury profile over the last few years, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't end up playing a lot of rugby for Racing. He's also not looked anywhere close to his best in a long time.

.ak

Greyian wrote: »

With his injury profile over the last few years, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't end up playing a lot of rugby for Racing. He's also not looked anywhere close to his best in a long time.

He's looked pretty good at 12 for Crusaders in the last few games. His tackling is as good as ever.

But yeah, not his best, nor will he be playing at 12 for them.

rudiger2.0

molloyjh wrote: »

We're 5th seeds, which is 3rd tier. So seed is your ranking in the league and tier is the "ranking" in the pool.

Tier|Pool 1|Pool 2|Pool 3|Pool 4|Pool 5
1|Seed 1|Seed 1|Seed 1|Seed 2|Seed 2
2|Seed 2|Seed 3|Seed 3|Seed 3|Seed 4
3|Seed 4|Seed 4|Seed 5|Seed 5|Seed 5
4|Seed 6|Seed 6|Seed 6|Italian|Play-Off

Is that really how it's drawn or is it drawn just by tiers?

What I mean is that, by the looks of that table, if your drawn in pool 5 as one of the second seeds, then you'll have a handy group with a 4th and 5th seed and the qualifier.

.ak

rudiger2.0 wrote: »

Is that really how it's drawn or is it drawn just by tiers?

What I mean is that, by the looks of that table, if your drawn in pool 5 as one of the second seeds, then you'll have a handy group with a 4th and 5th seed and the qualifier.

It'll be randomized I presume, so i.e when drawing pool 1 all of tier 1 will be thrown into a bucket and will be picked at random.

... otherwise we'd pretty much know the pools already.

molloyjh

rudiger2.0 wrote: »

Is that really how it's drawn or is it drawn just by tiers?

What I mean is that, by the looks of that table, if your drawn in pool 5 as one of the second seeds, then you'll have a handy group with a 4th and 5th seed and the qualifier.

Sorry, as ak said it will be random to a degree. That's just how the seeding breaks down into tiers in an easy to view way. So tier 1 will all go into the draw together and get drawn randomly, then tier 2 etc.

Uriel.

molloyjh wrote: »

Sorry, as ak said it will be random to a degree. That's just how the seeding breaks down into tiers in an easy to view way. So tier 1 will all go into the draw together and get drawn randomly, then tier 2 etc.

How is the seeding calculated? It seems you could be the top seed 2 and be in tier one, but all other second seeds would be tier 2?juat wondering how the order of each seed grouping is calculated...

armchaircoach

Also remember we can't be in a pool with another irish team. So we only have 3 pools that we can be drawn in. And if either munster or ulster win the pro12, then we have to be in a pool with either the French or English champion. (And also possibly the second from the other competition)

total former

armchaircoach wrote: »

Also remember we can't be in a pool with another irish team. So we only have 3 pools that we can be drawn in. And if either munster or ulster win the pro12, then we have to be in a pool with either the French or English champion. (And also possibly the second from the other competition)

No, even if an Irish team wins the Pro12, we could still get the runner up of any of the leagues as our top seed. We could then get the third or even fourth placed team as our second seed.

There are lots of possible outcomes which could give us a better draw than teams which finished ahead of us in the league.

TommyOM

buck65 wrote: »

Good to have made the European Cup anyway.

This is what Leinster have become under MOC.

Principal Skinner

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/nsw-waratahs-dealt-a-blow-with-taqele-naiyaravoro-reportedly-on-move-to-glasgow-warriors-20150519-gh4kzs

For all those saying Leinster don't have the budget to compete with the Top14 and Premiership sides if Glasgow can sign a player of this calibre we can do better than Zane Kirchner

Larbre34

Greyian wrote: »

With his injury profile over the last few years, I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't end up playing a lot of rugby for Racing. He's also not looked anywhere close to his best in a long time.

Sounds familiar, who are we talking about again?;)

errlloyd

Principal Skinner wrote: »

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/nsw-waratahs-dealt-a-blow-with-taqele-naiyaravoro-reportedly-on-move-to-glasgow-warriors-20150519-gh4kzs

For all those saying Leinster don't have the budget to compete with the Top14 and Premiership sides if Glasgow can sign a player of this calibre we can do better than Zane Kirchner

Is he high profile though? Like ZK is a test player for South Africa with lots of experience, this guy is a risk for sure. Also who says we have more money than Glasgow? I'd say our salary budget is way larger simply because we have to pay to keep Sob and Heaslip (for example) here in Ireland. Glasgow don't have those sorts of massive salaries.

Also keep in mind Glasgow lost some players this year, Maitland, Matalawu, Strauss and I am sure a few more.

Finally, I'd prefer to sign Sexton than him any day.

.ak

Yeah I wouldn't say he's as high profile as ZK. If he could be better, or worse. It's a bit of a punt by Glasgow, but they have a few players off their books now so they'd have a bit of cash.

.ak

All quiet on the signing news for us tho. Was really hoping there was some truth in the Groom rumor.

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

All quiet on the signing news for us tho. Was really hoping there was some truth in the Groom rumor.

Were we not meant to hear about 2 more signings?

total former

Principal Skinner wrote: »

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/nsw-waratahs-dealt-a-blow-with-taqele-naiyaravoro-reportedly-on-move-to-glasgow-warriors-20150519-gh4kzs

For all those saying Leinster don't have the budget to compete with the Top14 and Premiership sides if Glasgow can sign a player of this calibre we can do better than Zane Kirchner

Siiigh.

We also have Ben Te'o, Kane Douglas And Isa Nacewa, all more proven and (I presume) more expensive than this character. We're doing OK.

Sangre

errlloyd wrote: »

Is he high profile though? Like ZK is a test player for South Africa with lots of experience, this guy is a risk for sure. Also who says we have more money than Glasgow? I'd say our salary budget is way larger simply because we have to pay to keep Sob and Heaslip (for example) here in Ireland. Glasgow don't have those sorts of massive salaries.

Also keep in mind Glasgow lost some players this year, Maitland, Matalawu, Strauss and I am sure a few more.

Finally, I'd prefer to sign Sexton than him any day.

Good point. Because he is a homegrown player people don't see Sexton's return as a 'big signing' but in reality its arguably one of the biggest signings of any club this year. Racing area looking to replace him with Dan Carter for god's sake!