Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread X: [****]

Bubblegummers · 15-12-2018 7:55pm

RockBoysarewii wrote: »

What’s the attendance like?

It’s ok, not what I expected.

salmocab · 15-12-2018 8:53pm

Poor enough attendance, say a few put off by the weather talk which turned out to be grand.

Clegg · 15-12-2018 8:59pm

Bath tried to play a bit but looked extremely uncomfortable when they sped up the game. They're not a particularly good side. Leinster were comfortable but I don't think they're playing their best either. Need to go up a level for Toulouse at the RDS.

Last year we played extremely well against Exeter in the double header and in the interpros post Christmas. Don't think we're as good this year. Still time to improve though.

Shefwedfan · 15-12-2018 9:03pm

Clegg wrote: »

Bath tried to play a bit but looked extremely uncomfortable when they sped up the game. They're not a particularly good side. Leinster were comfortable but I don't think they're playing their best either. Need to go up a level for Toulouse at the RDS.

Last year we played extremely well against Exeter in the double header and in the interpros post Christmas. Don't think we're as good this year. Still time to improve though.

Exeter away was good

Exeter at home last year was really a match Leinster could have lost. We got rail roaded for the first half by Exeter

Clegg · 15-12-2018 9:24pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

Bath tried to play a bit but looked extremely uncomfortable when they sped up the game. They're not a particularly good side. Leinster were comfortable but I don't think they're playing their best either. Need to go up a level for Toulouse at the RDS.

Last year we played extremely well against Exeter in the double header and in the interpros post Christmas. Don't think we're as good this year. Still time to improve though.

Exeter away was good

Exeter at home last year was really a match Leinster could have lost. We got rail roaded for the first half by Exeter

First half we were off the boil but that second half is up there with Northampton 2011 quality wise. For me we haven't hit that same level this season.

durkadurka · 15-12-2018 9:33pm

So two wins, denying Toulouse a bp, gives us home qf.

Clegg · 15-12-2018 9:56pm

RoL played well, but I don't think he was our best player tonight. He should definitely be our starting 12 while Henshaw is out though. He's not in Henshaw's class but is a much more physically imposing player than Reid.

MotM should have went to one of Ryan, Toner, Lowe or Larmour.

Shefwedfan · 15-12-2018 10:05pm

durkadurka wrote: »

So two wins, denying Toulouse a bp, gives us home qf.

Wasps are out and in a bit of a struggle in Premiership so I would expect them to play a weakened team

I would hope for a bonus point win

Toulouse are weak defensively. Great in broken play so really could do with a dry day in RDS

I think a full RDS and really get place rocking and they could give up the ghost....hopefully

Podge_irl · 15-12-2018 10:11pm

durkadurka wrote: »

So two wins, denying Toulouse a bp, gives us home qf.

Two wins and beating Toulouse by 2+ points gives us a home QF

durkadurka · 15-12-2018 10:20pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

Two wins and beating Toulouse by 2+ points gives us a home QF

Not necessarily. They could get a try bonus plus a losing bonus then get five points off bath, giving them 24. Needing us requiring a try bonus somewhere

Podge_irl · 15-12-2018 10:26pm

durkadurka wrote: »

Not necessarily. They could get a try bonus plus a losing bonus then get five points off bath, giving them 24. Needing us requiring a try bonus somewhere

I admire the pedantry of this. Yes, that could happen - though fairly unlikely! We only need to deny them two BP really.

durkadurka · 15-12-2018 10:29pm

Podge_irl wrote: »

I admire the pedantry of this. Yes, that could happen - though fairly unlikely! We only need to deny them two BP really.

Such is the glory of this competition!

So revised scenario: two wins , restricting Toulouse to one bp, and a margin of victory of 2+ gives us home quarter.

Serbian · 15-12-2018 11:21pm

Clegg wrote: »

RoL played well, but I don't think he was our best player tonight. He should definitely be our starting 12 while Henshaw is out though. He's not in Henshaw's class but is a much more physically imposing player than Reid.

MotM should have went to one of Ryan, Toner, Lowe or Larmour.

Yeah, agreed, was very surprised with his selection as MotM. Toner was excellent and would probably have been my choice. Made 20 tackles and called well for a pretty solid line out. Didn’t carry so well, but was fine in that area. I think anyone in the tight five could have gotten it almost.

durthacht · 16-12-2018 2:30pm

As O'Loughlin is likely to start at 12 in rounds five and six, should Leinster start him there in the coming league matches?

Conor O'Brien has been impressive at 12 so it would be tough on him to miss out, but as he is unlikely to start in the Champions Cup then I guess we might be expecting 12. O'Loughlin and 13. Jimmy O'Brien over the Christmas period?

I wonder is O'Loughlin a long term back up for both 12 and 13. He seemed impressive yesterday.

Thoughts?

Faugheen · 16-12-2018 3:13pm

I imagine he'll get a game over the Christmas, but it'll be a Jordi Murphy-like situation where I don't think we can really afford any risk he'll get injured.

Dubinusa · 16-12-2018 3:31pm

I'm expecting Ringrose to get some rest. He's played a lot this past 2 months. I reckon we'll get Reid and ROL in center next week.
RK should be back for the weekend, so Larmour might be rested.

Rigor Mortis · 16-12-2018 9:06pm

Are the Tolouse tickets sold out or have they gone on sale yet.

Shefwedfan · 16-12-2018 9:18pm

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

Are the Tolouse tickets sold out or have they gone on sale yet.

I doubt they have gone on sale to general public....season ticket holders will have option first to buy tickets....First year without season ticket so no idea if that sale has started yet

sydthebeat · 16-12-2018 9:22pm

Shefwedfan wrote: »

I doubt they have gone on sale to general public....season ticket holders will have option first to buy tickets....First year without season ticket so no idea if that sale has started yet

Sold out I think.

They definitely have already been on general sale.

Edit : leinster are waiting to see if toulouse send back any unsold

Synode · 16-12-2018 9:28pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

Sold out I think.

They definitely have already been on general sale.

Edit : leinster are waiting to see if toulouse send back any unsold

Yeah they went on sale to STH in early November

errlloyd · 17-12-2018 10:38am

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Rigor Mortis wrote: »

Are the Tolouse tickets sold out or have they gone on sale yet.

I doubt they have gone on sale to general public....season ticket holders will have option first to buy tickets....First year without season ticket so no idea if that sale has started yet

They were on general sale two or three weeks a go. Only north and south stand.

Buer · 17-12-2018 12:28pm

I'm not sure how we'll approach the interpros. I don't think we'll see a full strength selection at any point. Mixing and matching is probably the likely approach with the bulk of the first team getting a run out against Ulster to gel things ahead of the Toulouse visit.

For this weekend, I could see something like Byrne, Tracy, Porter, Fardy, Molony, Ruddock, Penny, Deegan/Doris, JGP, Byrne, Kearney, COB/Reid, ROL, Byrne, Keenan.

Bring a few lads back in for the trip to Limerick such as Toner, Cronin, Leavy and Larmour and then go with a stronger side again when facing Ulster. Hopefully Jack McGrath is fit enough to take a spot on the bench before Toulouse.

Clegg · 17-12-2018 12:38pm

I'm convinced that last year's Christmas interpros gave the squad the belief they could win everything. It was incredible seeing a mixture of fringe players, first teamers and academy guys take apart Ulster and then Munster at Thomond. This time round things will be harder though. Our squad is deeper than last season's but so is Ulster's and Munster are desperate for a victory over us.

Win the home games and it'll be fine.

arsebiscuits1 · 17-12-2018 1:18pm

durthacht wrote: »

As O'Loughlin is likely to start at 12 in rounds five and six, should Leinster start him there in the coming league matches?

Conor O'Brien has been impressive at 12 so it would be tough on him to miss out, but as he is unlikely to start in the Champions Cup then I guess we might be expecting 12. O'Loughlin and 13. Jimmy O'Brien over the Christmas period?

I wonder is O'Loughlin a long term back up for both 12 and 13. He seemed impressive yesterday.

Thoughts?

ROL deputised very well at 12 when he replaced Isa much earlier than expected in 2 games towards the end of last season.

There were a lot of question marks over his defense last year which he has certainly answered since.

I think adding 12 to his locker really gives him an excellent chance at playing higher level rugby consistently.

As for the Xmas interpros and beyond. ROL is firmly in the 12 jersey for me until Robbie is back. But it is his to lose.

A big performance from COB (who I think is guaranteed good minutes save for injury over Xmas) in Ravenhill or Thomond will really put pressure on ROL.

As inexperienced as COB is, it's hard to beat a team with a 12 who gets genuine front foot ball and he is some man for that.

stephen_n · 17-12-2018 2:01pm

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

ROL deputised very well at 12 when he replaced Isa much earlier than expected in 2 games towards the end of last season.

There were a lot of question marks over his defense last year which he has certainly answered since.

I think adding 12 to his locker really gives him an excellent chance at playing higher level rugby consistently.

As for the Xmas interpros and beyond. ROL is firmly in the 12 jersey for me until Robbie is back. But it is his to lose.

A big performance from COB (who I think is guaranteed good minutes save for injury over Xmas) in Ravenhill or Thomond will really put pressure on ROL.

As inexperienced as COB is, it's hard to beat a team with a 12 who gets genuine front foot ball and he is some man for that.

He seems far more comfortable defending at 12 than 13, though that could be to do with who he has inside him and outside, when he plays 12 and 13. Having Ringrose there must make it easier to mind his own role. A lot of the time he played 13 last season was with Reid at 12. Though they can both tackle, they don’t seem to match well in defense in terms of reading the game and trusting each other.

troyzer · 17-12-2018 8:51pm

Looks like Barry Daly might be back in the next month or so.

Dubinusa · 18-12-2018 6:49pm

With Tom Daly gone away on loan, I would guess that COB most likely is getting a contract.
Nagle is away on loan too and I presume he is going full tilt to get a contract for Ulster.
I think Tom Daly would probably be better off going to England for a year or so. I can't see him featuring much for Connacht.
Any updates on Reid?