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

dregin

Stheno wrote: »

Not sure if this is the right thread, but Im looking for a bit of advice. Im thinking of getting season tickets for myself and the oh for next year, both as a something to do and to enjoy rugby a bit more

is it a good idea?

Definitely.

Tim Robbins

bunnyarmstrong wrote: »

A thousand times this try. You could see how much it meant to him and the rest of the team.

Great positioning by ref as well

wicklowwonder

Healy's in New York so we won't be seeing him this weekend

https://instagram.com/p/2R9YBEIonM/

Funkstard

Below are some words this thread generally doesn't appreciate when put together:

Luke Fitzgerald. Injured. Surgery.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/luke-fitzgerald-to-miss-final-two-games-of-season-for-leinster-1.2199750

phog

Luke out after shoulder surgery too.

thomond2006

It he has put it off until now then I'm sure it's not serious.

Clegg

Maybe it's like the Cronin injury where he could play on if needed, but since the season is basically finished it makes more sense to have surgery now in preparation for the World Cup.

I really hope that's the case, otherwise it's -_-

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

It he has put it off until now then I'm sure it's not serious.

I'm sure it's elective surgery and the timing might even have been brought forward to have him ready for the world cup but all surgery carries a risk and would be seen as a last resort.

.ak

AFAIK the labrum just effects the rotation of the shoulder. It might be impeding him slightly but it wouldn't be serious... unless the surgery goes wrong.

vienne86

Hopefully it isn't to serious, but this is a headline we always dread with Luke. These next two games worry me - Treviso are fighting for their Champions Cup spot and Edinburgh are on a high......and we are fighting for fifth.

.ak

Yep gonna have a pretty depleted squad now, plus a few guys rested. Something along the lines of

15. Kearney
14. Kirchner
13. T'eo
12. Madigan
11. Fanning
10. Gopperth
09. Boss
08. Murphy
07. SOB (c)
06. Ryan
05. McCarthy
04. Denton
03. Ross
02. Strauss
01. McGrath

16. Dundon
17. Bent
18. Furlong
19. Toner
20. Heaslip
21. McGrath
22. Darce
23. Kearney

Sanjuro

.ak wrote: »

AFAIK the labrum just effects the rotation of the shoulder. It might be impeding him slightly but it wouldn't be serious... unless the surgery goes wrong.

Knowing Luke's luck, he'll lose the arm.

thomond2006

.ak wrote: »

Yep gonna have a pretty depleted squad now, plus a few guys rested. Something along the lines of

15. Kearney
14. Kirchner
13. T'eo
12. Madigan
11. Fanning
10. Gopperth
09. Boss
08. Murphy
07. SOB (c)
06. Ryan
05. McCarthy
04. Denton
03. Ross
02. Strauss
01. McGrath

16. Dundon
17. Bent
18. Furlong
19. Toner
20. Heaslip
21. McGrath
22. Darce
23. Kearney

Why should anyone be rested?! Nobody played last week and the season is over in two weeks. It would be ridiculous if Leinster cannot put out the strongest side, minus the players that needed off-season surgeries.

.ak

Regardless of the break I'd say there'll be a few tired bodies and everyone will be keeping one eye on the RWC.

thomond2006

.ak wrote: »

Regardless of the break I'd say there'll be a few tired bodies and everyone will be keeping one eye on the RWC.

Tired bodies?! Nobody played last week!

Sorry but that's just over the top. When there is a chance (albeit very remote) that Leinster won't make Europe you cannot afford to mess around. Last home game of the season too.

vienne86

thomond2006 wrote: »

Tired bodies?! Nobody played last week!

Sorry but that's just over the top. When there is a chance (albeit very remote) that Leinster won't make Europe you cannot afford to mess around. Last home game of the season too.

I agree with you completely. Given the performances we have had in the last few weeks, we can take NOTHING for granted. These are two very serious matches for us and we need our best possible team.

Flipper22

phog wrote: »

I'm sure it's elective surgery and the timing might even have been brought forward to have him ready for the world cup but all surgery carries a risk and would be seen as a last resort.

Doesn't sound to bad but the last time he was out for a couple of weeks, and we didn't see him for about 8 months

total former

thomond2006 wrote: »

Tired bodies?! Nobody played last week!

Did you miss the "regardless of the break" bit in .ak's post?

By this stage of the season, a lot of people are probably carrying knocks or are just generally knackered. Plus, there is a trickier game to come next weekend. There will have to be some rotation going on I reckon.

thomond2006

total former wrote: »

Did you miss the "regardless of the break" bit in .ak's post?

By this stage of the season, a lot of people are probably carrying knocks or are just generally knackered. Plus, there is a trickier game to come next weekend. There will have to be some rotation going on I reckon.

Ok the players that need rest will get it. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that nobody should be forced to rest by IRFU dictat when they got a rest last week.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

Tired bodies?! Nobody played last week!

Sorry but that's just over the top. When there is a chance (albeit very remote) that Leinster won't make Europe you cannot afford to mess around. Last home game of the season too.

You do realize that a week break doesn't just magically refresh the body after a long season right? Guys like Toner and Heaslip will be feeling the rigours of a long season.

stephen_n

Heaslip has probably had more enforced rest this season than any previous one. Think we might see Madigan at 10 for Treviso with D'Arcy at 12, possibly Conan at 8 with Jordi playing 7.

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

You do realize that a week break doesn't just magically refresh the body after a long season right? Guys like Toner and Heaslip will be feeling the rigours of a long season.

The player welfare system is specifically designed so that the guys aren't knackered at the end of the season. There should be minimal resting ahead of a game where we need 5 points. The lads are used to playing knock-out games at the end of the season that they won't be playing now. We weren't worried about them being knackered at the end of May last season, we shouldn't be worried about it at the start of May this season. Especially when they've only played 3 games in 6 weeks.

I'm 100% with thomond on this one. I reckon Healy got the weekend off but will be back with the lads today/tomorrow. Others who had minor surgeries on the table are getting them out of the way ahead of the RWC. But Leinster simply cannot afford another slip up and if they rest the internationals that are available then they are risking just that and can have no complaints if it bites them in the ass. If they get 5 points, and depending on other results, they may not need anything from Edinburgh and can rest who they want then. Resting them now though would be a mistake IMO.

connemara man

molloyjh wrote: »

The player welfare system is specifically designed so that the guys aren't knackered at the end of the season. There should be minimal resting ahead of a game where we need 5 points. The lads are used to playing knock-out games at the end of the season that they won't be playing now. We weren't worried about them being knackered at the end of May last season, we shouldn't be worried about it at the start of May this season. Especially when they've only played 3 games in 6 weeks.

I'm 100% with thomond on this one. I reckon Healy got the weekend off but will be back with the lads today/tomorrow. Others who had minor surgeries on the table are getting them out of the way ahead of the RWC. But Leinster simply cannot afford another slip up and if they rest the internationals that are available then they are risking just that and can have no complaints if it bites them in the ass. If they get 5 points, and depending on other results, they may not need anything from Edinburgh and can rest who they want then. Resting them now though would be a mistake IMO.

But denying Edinburgh a win or a lbp would be a good thing to do in general

thomond2006

connemara man wrote: »

But denying Edinburgh a win or a lbp would be a good thing to do in general

Connemara man eh? Wonder who you mean by "in general"...

nc6000

.ak wrote: »

You do realize that a week break doesn't just magically refresh the body after a long season right? Guys like Toner and Heaslip will be feeling the rigours of a long season.

Won't it be a two week break between the Ulster and Treviso games?

molloyjh

connemara man wrote: »

But denying Edinburgh a win or a lbp would be a good thing to do in general

Well yes I'd obviously rather we did what we could for our Western brothers, but at this stage we are treading water and need to focus on ourselves. I don't see Leinster falling below 6th but if we dick around too much over the next 2 weeks we could finish in 6th rather than 5th which would make our Champions Cup pool even harder. I'm not sure we're in any kind of situation to help you guys out and with our away form as it is you're in trouble if you need us to.

connemara man

thomond2006 wrote: »

Connemara man eh? Wonder who you mean by "in general"...

Leinster team morale of course.... Ending the season on a win for the fans....

If there are any positive outcomes for teams below well... That's just a happy coincidence

.ak

nc6000 wrote: »

Won't it be a two week break between the Ulster and Treviso games?

Yes, but er you know what I mean.

If you applied that logic then there's a 1 week break between every game.

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

Yes, but er you know what I mean.

If you applied that logic then there's a 1 week break between every game.

Ooohhh, semantics. I can do this....

There is a week break but 2 weeks off. As in if there's a game on Sunday and the next is on Friday players have 5 days off but don't have a weeks break.

irishbucsfan

The guys should definitely be fresh. If fatigue were an issue for these players at this stage then they would have to have major problems.