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

Hagz

Leinster 'A' are pummelling Moseley at the minute. 55-12 so far. 8 tries.

And that's the full-time score.

Tries from Peter Dooley, Dan Leavy (2), Adam Byrne, Colm O'Shea (2), Charlie Rock, Mick McGrath.

flouncer

errlloyd wrote: »

And you're loving the opportunity to post about it, and absolutely fair enough in my books.

Spot on :-)

former total

Happy enough with that team, very strong on paper anyway, hopefully the guys will have resolved whatever issues they had last week.

Nacewa gives the backline a much more balanced look and Te'o gives us more options in attack. Hopefully everyone is actually fit and not being rushed back.

I'm confident.

molloyjh

According to Craig Doyle tonight Leo Cullen is our Director of Rugby. Leinster are his home team and his job is to get this stuff right. So how is it he gets it so wrong!?

vienne86

molloyjh wrote: »

According to Craig Doyle tonight Leo Cullen is our Director of Rugby. Leinster are his home team and his job is to get this stuff right. So how is it he gets it so wrong!?

Heard that......very high cringe factor on Craig's utterings this evening.

CatFromHue

molloyjh wrote: »

According to Craig Doyle tonight Leo Cullen is our Director of Rugby. Leinster are his home team and his job is to get this stuff right. So how is it he gets it so wrong!?

I think people's expectations for commentators/pundits are too high tbh. That's not a major mistake to make if you ask me. His point was the Leo is the man and Leo is the man.

vienne86

CatFromHue wrote: »

I think people's expectations for commentators/pundits are too high tbh. That's not a major mistake to make if you ask me. His point was the Leo is the man and Leo is the man.

Craig Doyle is awful IMO. Maybe he is very knowledgable about rugby, but he gives the impression of knowing damn all. But maybe I'm biased - I just don't like the folksy style BT use.

former total

Most premiership teams have a director of rugby. "Head coach" has a different meaning there, eg Matt O'Connor was head coach at Leicester but he was not in charge. Maybe Craig just wanted to make it clear that Leo is the big cheese, el jefe, the head honcho.

Pretty innocuous stuff really.

flouncer

errlloyd wrote: »

And you're loving the opportunity to post about it, and absolutely fair enough in my books.

Is there a degree of smugness coming into Connacht rugby supporters. Jeepers ye have been way too smug for ages :-). Our turn :-)

NiallBoo

I think it's a pity we won't be seeing Ringrose today. There are a lot of good points about better options at centre but why isn't he getting a wing slot?
IMO he's easily in the best form there of any of Leinster's wing options, even if it's not his main position.

NiallBoo

flouncer wrote: »

I would suggest sending him to Connacht but we are flooded with talent at centre.

Flooded? Sure they're still defrosting from last week.

former total

NiallBoo wrote: »

I think it's a pity we won't be seeing Ringrose today. There are a lot of good points about better options at centre but why isn't he getting a wing slot?
IMO he's easily in the best form there of any of Leinster's wing options, even if it's not his main position.

Not really. He's played well enough against questionable opposition and he's a great talent but this Bath backline is a leap up from anything he's faced.

Kearney and McFadden are absolutely the best wingers available to us, on form, on experience and on proven ability.

I know last week was poor but panicking into bad calls is no solution.

irishbucsfan

former total wrote: »

Not really. He's played well enough against questionable opposition and he's a great talent but this Bath backline is a leap up from anything he's faced.

Kearney and McFadden are absolutely the best wingers available to us, on form, on experience and on proven ability.

I know last week was poor but panicking into bad calls is no solution.

Kearney and McFadden are good players. Makes sense to have them involved. Kirchner on the bench though makes little sense ahead of Ringrose to me, short term or long term.

hogandrew

There's a lot of complaining about boss being selected for this but surely it's a case of defense first after all the missed tackles last week. Boss is that extra competent defender that Reddan or McGrath just are not. I also think Boss starting is part of the reason for Healy starting. With the extra steps Boss takes from the base of a ruck it often leaves a small hole at the side of the ruck for a strong ball carrier.

The only decision I can't understand is having Kirchner on the bench ahead of ringrose unless Isa isn't fully fit.

NiallBoo

former total wrote: »

Kearney and McFadden are absolutely the best wingers available to us, on form, on experience and on proven ability.

I know last week was poor but panicking into bad calls is no solution.

I'd agree with you about not judging Kearney too harshly on last week but I think McFadden has had having a really poor season.

For me, Ringrose has preformed well against all opposition and definitely added something each time. I understand being sceptical of someone lacking experience but I think he's done enough to tip the balance.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Kearney and McFadden are good players. Makes sense to have them involved. Kirchner on the bench though makes little sense ahead of Ringrose to me, short term or long term.

The only way Kirchner on the bench makes sense is if there's a concern over Isa. Other than that it's a bad call.

Tox56

hogandrew wrote: »

There's a lot of complaining about boss being selected for this but surely it's a case of defense first after all the missed tackles last week. Boss is that extra competent defender that Reddan or McGrath just are not. I also think Boss starting is part of the reason for Healy starting. With the extra steps Boss takes from the base of a ruck it often leaves a small hole at the side of the ruck for a strong ball carrier.

The only decision I can't understand is having Kirchner on the bench ahead of ringrose unless Isa isn't fully fit.

I really cant believe this is true, I would say McGrath is the best defender of the three 9s we have, if anything he seems to take on more defensive responsibility because of his ability in that area

captbarnacles

Do we have a chance today?

Surely can't play as badly as last week

sheep?

Anyone working on a match thread for this?

Triumvirate

Just as I expected, McGrath is not trusted and he's still viewed as well down the pecking order when it comes to the crunch.

irishbucsfan

Triumvirate wrote: »

Just as I expected, McGrath is not trusted and he's still viewed as well down the pecking order when it comes to the crunch.

Where was he on the pecking order last weekend?

errlloyd

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Where was he on the pecking order last weekend?

I'm guessing he means Luke. Is he ahead of reddan on merit today.

errlloyd

David Humphreys and Brian O Driscoll. Coming around to this bt lark.

molloyjh

Match thread

Clegg

Same questions have to be asked of Leo which were asked if MoC. Gameplan looks non existent and players under performing. What's even worse is I think we've a better squad than last year.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Clegg wrote: »

Same questions have to be asked of Leo which were asked if MoC. Gameplan looks non existent and players under performing. What's even worse is I think we've a better squad than last year.

Who can ask the questions though? Anyone who was calling for MoC's head last season has no room to talk now. Most are just going to have to suck it up and bite their tongue.

Triumvirate

For all the grief that MOC was given in the media in his two seasons there was never a period as bad as what we've seen this season under Cullen and this is with Nacewa and Sexton present who weren't around for the last two years.

Time to accept today's result is pretty much where Leinster are at. Last week was embarrassing but today is a genuine reflection. Had our moments and made Bath work hard for their win but we were second best.

That's the ECC done for us after the opening two rounds now. Best to torch the likes of Boss, Reddan and Ross for the rest of the season as much as possible.

Triumvirate

Clegg wrote: »

Same questions have to be asked of Leo which were asked if MoC. Gameplan looks non existent and players under performing. What's even worse is I think we've a better squad than last year.

There's no think about it. The squad is better. We've got Sexton and Nacewa back. Guys like Conan (until this week) were brought through last season to the Irish squad. Te'o has been available and up to speed with union. Our injury list is much better overall this season thus far, also.

Clegg

McGrath's cameo shows up the decision to start Boss today. Van Der Flier is playing like Jordi was when he first made his breakthrough. These two lads need a start, maybe the Toulan game is too much, but they're in better form then the more senior players. Only God knows what's happened to Murphy over the last few months. Sexton had another poor game in Europe and our set piece and ruck work look sub par. Fitzgerald is wasted at 12 and Te'o needs better ball to wreak havoc.

Tox56

Triumvirate wrote: »

There's no think about it. The squad is better. We've got Sexton and Nacewa back. Guys like Conan (until this week) were brought through last season to the Irish squad. Te'o has been available and up to speed with union. Our injury list is much better overall this season thus far, also.

To demonstrate your point you literally picked 4 players that are either currently injured (Conan), were injured last week (Te'o, Nacewa) or look like they're playing with a noticeable injury (Sexton).