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

agree completely. Very very poor stuff. Just about the worst preparation we could have gone for.

Burkie1203

Lowe likely to get a few weeks off.
Furlong might be cited

Toulouse game 2 weeks away

crisco10

Aside from any potential citing, this game may not be a bad time to have an awakening. Think the level of performance hasn't been great since wasps game. A bit of a tough weeks sessions could help.

Squidgy Black

I'd imagine a few of the more senior players will be absolutely raging that they've lost to Munster with such a poor performance. Discipline was appalling and they let the occasion get the better of them.

redmca2

When a cool head was required (e.g. Nacewa) Sexton was a very unsuitable captain

VdF was excellent
Larmour good

Second half performance far far better.

Hookers need more throwing practice unfortunately.

redmca2

redmca2 wrote: »

When a cool head was required (e.g. Nacewa) Sexton was a very unsuitable captain

Is definitely a weakness.

stephen_n

redmca2 wrote: »

When a cool head was required (e.g. Nacewa) Sexton was a very unsuitable captain

Ehm Clermont two years ago? Not sure what Sexton did wrong as captain today. As a player well he didn’t have his best game that’s for sure.

Clegg

We could have won that even when down to 14. Leinster's indiscipline will be the major talking point, but poor execution shouldn't be overlooked. The overthrown lineout on Munster's 5m line and also Larmour not passing in the 22 when he had a man on his outside.

We still managed to play some good rugby with 14 men, but we made it too difficult for ourselves after that appalling first half.

Clegg

Well that was certainly disappointing. Losing is a terrible feeling, and that compounded by it being to your fiercest rivals and when you played so poorly. There's a train of thought that after a poor defeat you should play a similar starting side in the next game as a way of getting the players to redeem themselves. Obviously that's harder to do in rugby when you have to manage player workload. But in theory it wouldn't be a terrible idea to ask them to make up for that performance.

It's time to refocus on what we're actually good at. It's great to see a team playing aggressively, but that boiled over to thuggery and indiscipline. That's not how Leinster became so successful. Discipline and clinical finishing is what they're renowned for.

Donnielighto

Clegg wrote: »

Well that was certainly disappointing. Losing is a terrible feeling, and that compounded by it being to your fiercest rivals and when you played so poorly. There's a train of thought that after a poor defeat you should play a similar starting side in the next game as a way of getting the players to redeem themselves. Obviously that's harder to do in rugby when you have to manage player workload. But in theory it wouldn't be a terrible idea to ask them to make up for that performance.

It's time to refocus on what we're actually good at. It's great to see a team playing aggressively, but that boiled over to thuggery and indiscipline. That's not how Leinster became so successful. Discipline and clinical finishing is what they're renowned for.

Not feasible

Dave_The_Sheep

Thought Ryan, VdF and Larmour did well. Fardy mixed good with bad. Sexton lost the head early, and never got it back. He didn't seem to talk to his team when told to, and just riled the ref up with his reaction. He doesn't seem to be able to take when he's right but the ref disagrees, which a captain needs to be able to do - to pick his time.

Don't think Furlong will be cited.

Lowe will, and while he may not have meant it, it was bloody reckless and he'll cop a few weeks for it.

Discipline in the first half, awful. 5/6 years ago Munster were always at this stuff and it was nice to have the high horse. We've well and truly lost it after that performance.

What worries me most is how we lost the head. I'm hoping they get a serious kick up the arse from this game, or Toulouse will stuff us (if they play to potential).

Clegg

I thought Frawley looked good when he came on. He looked very comfortable on the ball. Threw an intercept pass, but that was more down to some very good defensive work from Munster.

troyzer

Clegg wrote: »

I thought Frawley looked good when he came on. He looked very comfortable on the ball. Threw an intercept pass, but that was more down to some very good defensive work from Munster.

He looks ready for these games anyway.

At one point, he popped up a ball and went chasing for it right in front of us. He threw Earls an elbow and when Carbery recovered it, he absolutely flattened him. He clearly injured him because he was hobbling and came off just after.

After flattening him and moving off, he looked back and just glared.

That's the single most positive thing I took out of the game.

That and Johnny's epic trolling. He was getting abuse from fans going off and he started counting the stars on his jersey.

Legend.

thegreycity

troyzer wrote: »

That and Johnny's epic trolling. He was getting abuse from fans going off and he started counting the stars on his jersey.

Legend.

I don't think any of Johnny's off the ball behaviour is legendary. I think it reflects pretty poorly on him and on the team with him as captain. It's the kind of behaviour that makes people hate players like Hartley and Ashton and with good reason.

I get it, everyone loves their own villains and defends them - and I'm not saying Johnny is one generally, but he certainly played the part today.

Buer

Clegg wrote: »

I thought Frawley looked good when he came on. He looked very comfortable on the ball. Threw an intercept pass, but that was more down to some very good defensive work from Munster.

An experienced 10 never would have thrown that. Earls came up to kill the ball going wide which was completely normal. The interception was a bonus. Frawley needs more experience at 10 to be able to assess that situation; it was a poor decision. He'll learn from it. I recall Sexton throwing a far worse one in his own half as a kid about 12 years ago.

Clegg

There have been some worryingly off colour performances recently. Bath away and this evening's game have come in the space of 3 weeks. I don't know what's the problem exactly. It can't just be that they're both away games. We played much better in those kind of fixtures last season.

thegreycity

Yea agreed. Frawley made a mistake but hes only 20 and was thrown into a cauldron with a man down, good experience and looks to have bags of potential. I do wonder how the match would have ended with Ross Byrne on the pitch though.

troyzer

thegreycity wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

That and Johnny's epic trolling. He was getting abuse from fans going off and he started counting the stars on his jersey.

Legend.

I don't think any of Johnny's off the ball behaviour is legendary. I think it reflects pretty poorly on him and on the team with him as captain. It's the kind of behaviour that makes people hate players like Hartley and Ashton and with good reason.

I get it, everyone loves their own villains and defends them - and I'm not saying Johnny is one generally, but he certainly played the part today.

He didn't initiate it. The Munster fans were hurling awful abuse at him.

Nothing wrong with quickly pointing out how many Heineken cups he has.

Other than that I agree, definitely a heel today.

thegreycity

troyzer wrote: »

He didn't initiate it. The Munster fans were hurling awful abuse at him.

Nothing wrong with quickly pointing out how many Heineken cups he has.

Other than that I agree, definitely a heel today.

Which is what fans will do in any stadium when a player has been acting the maggot. He should remember he's not just a Leinster player, he's also a senior player in the Irish set-up. These are the same people paying to see him play in green and fund his IRFU salary.

Clegg

Buer wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

I thought Frawley looked good when he came on. He looked very comfortable on the ball. Threw an intercept pass, but that was more down to some very good defensive work from Munster.

An experienced 10 never would have thrown that. Earls came up to kill the ball going wide which was completely normal. The interception was a bonus. Frawley needs more experience at 10 to be able to assess that situation; it was a poor decision. He'll learn from it. I recall Sexton throwing a far worse one in his own half as a kid about 12 years ago.

Oh yeah it was a bad decision. But in the context I can understand why he made it. We were down to 14 but the game was close and there to win. I do t mind that he went for it.

He needs more experience as a pro in any position. I don't t think he's reached 10 senior appearances yet. But in those he's looked like someone that will be a regular starter in the future.

troyzer

thegreycity wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

He didn't initiate it. The Munster fans were hurling awful abuse at him.

Nothing wrong with quickly pointing out how many Heineken cups he has.

Other than that I agree, definitely a heel today.

Which is what fans will do in any stadium when a player has been acting the maggot. He should remember he's not just a Leinster player, he's also a senior player in the Irish set-up. These are the same people paying to see him play in green and fund his IRFU salary.

Probably shouldn't be hurling abuse at him in that case.

thegreycity

troyzer wrote: »

Probably shouldn't be hurling abuse at him in that case.

To be honest I'm much more interested in the actions of the Leinster captain than I am in the actions of the faceless Munster crowd I couldn't hear.

Clegg

Ulster and Scarlets lost today so our league position is still the same. A win next weekend and I reckon that's that conference sewn up.

It's sad to see what's happened to Scarlets. From one of the best side sin Europe last season to an also ran this year. Losing Beirne and Barclay has killed them and they don't have the depth from their academy to compensate.

troyzer

thegreycity wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Probably shouldn't be hurling abuse at him in that case.

To be honest I'm much more interested in the actions of the Leinster captain than I am in the actions of the faceless Munster crowd I couldn't hear.

Which is fair enough but I could and it was fairly nasty.

Same with Lowe. A red was the right call but there were awful things hurled at him. I even heard one telling him to **** off back to New Zealand. Borderline racist.

Burkie1203

Clegg wrote: »

Ulster and Scarlets lost today so our league position is still the same. A win next weekend and I reckon that's that conference sewn up.

It's sad to see what's happened to Scarlets. From one of the best side sin Europe last season to an also ran this year. Losing Beirne and Barclay has killed them and they don't have the depth from their academy to compensate.

Halfpenny out indefinitely with concussion issues

Playing Parkes at 10

Multiple backline injuries and a powder puff pack with no real ball carriers

awec

troyzer wrote: »

Probably shouldn't be hurling abuse at him in that case.

Ah wise up.

Sexton got abuse after his early tantrum when it was obvious he was on the verge of losing the plot entirely.

It worked. It shouldn’t have worked, given Sextons experience, but the Thomond crowd played him like a cheap fiddle and he offered no leadership whatsoever. When a calm head was needed he was nowhere to be found. Could have been yellow carded for petulance alone, hardly captain material.

The qualities that make Sexton a terrific 10 make him a terrible captain.

Munster fans got under his skin today. More fool him.

Clegg

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Clegg wrote: »

Ulster and Scarlets lost today so our league position is still the same. A win next weekend and I reckon that's that conference sewn up.

It's sad to see what's happened to Scarlets. From one of the best side sin Europe last season to an also ran this year. Losing Beirne and Barclay has killed them and they don't have the depth from their academy to compensate.

Halfpenny out indefinitely with concussion issues

Playing Parkes at 10

Multiple backline injuries and a powder puff pack with no real ball carriers

Didn't know Halfpenny was out long term. Cassiem hasn't worked out like they'd hoped either. Was great for the Cheetahs last season but ineffectual this season.

troyzer

awec wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Probably shouldn't be hurling abuse at him in that case.

Ah wise up.

Sexton got abuse after his early tantrum when it was obvious he was on the verge of losing the plot entirely.

It worked. It shouldn’t have worked, given Sextons experience, but the Thomond crowd played him like a cheap fiddle and he offered no leadership whatsoever. When a calm head was needed he was nowhere to be found. Could have been yellow carded for petulance alone, hardly captain material.

The qualities that make Sexton a terrific 10 make him a terrible captain.

Munster fans got under his skin today. More fool him.

100% agree. I still don't know why this is some moral outrage that he pointed out his four cups.

He was out of the game at this point.

thegreycity

troyzer wrote: »

100% agree. I still don't know why this is some moral outrage that he pointed out his four cups.

I didn’t say it’s a moral outrage but there’s some middle ground between that and it making him a “legend”.