Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XI (The Finals Countdown)

stephen_n

A lot of rugby between now and then. If Leicester keep doing as bad as they are Sarries may well have overhauled them, who knows though. Depends on who they have in the league around that fixture too.

Pretty impressive that Leinster are half way through the pool stages and have only dropped one point in Europe and the league.

Dubinusa

It was exciting and very sloppy! Thought we did ok. Lots of good and some bad also. Northampton are a big young bruising side. We defended well enough but we gave up some pretty poor penalties. Ringrose's tackle was the worst. I don't think he meant to dump the lad, but it looked bad at full speed. Kelleher was pinged in the first half for off his feet, and Doris was pinged a couple of times also. The good was Healy, absolutely beast mode. He's still rockin. Ruddock was brilliant. Great physical play for the try. VDF again! Lowe was good, and Sexton was very good. I thought JGP was so so. I thought he was sloppy at times and brilliant at times. He was up and down, imo. Ringrose was good except for that bad penalty tackle. Very poor technique and very surprising. I don't think Porter did anything to keep ahead of Furlong? Toner was class.
Next weekend they must be ruthless. They must eradicate the penalties and the sloppy play. I expect Sexton to miss out. Hopefully not long term. I think a win next week and we'll be singing.

Shefwedfan

stephen_n wrote: »

That occurred to me today, the way things are shaping up either Munster or Sarries could well be the 8th seed. Sarries in Dublin distracted by a relegation battle is not as daunting as last year though.

Sarries will not be distracted by relegation, the only chance to knock them out is at the group stage, that’s not going to happen by looks of it.....come knock out they will have a sniff of a trophy and will go to win,,,,,

sydthebeat

The only realistic way sarries play Heineken cup next year is to win it this year.....

Burkie1203

stephen_n wrote: »

A lot of rugby between now and then. If Leicester keep doing as bad as they are Sarries may well have overhauled them, who knows though. Depends on who they have in the league around that fixture too.

Pretty impressive that Leinster are half way through the pool stages and have only dropped one point in Europe and the league.

Quins Glaws Wasps LI Sale are the opposition in/around European QF and SF

Buer

sydthebeat wrote: »

The only realistic way sarries play Heineken cup next year is to win it this year.....

They're not going to be far off 6th place in the Premiership come May. If you take 35 points off top of the table in the last 4 years, that team would have been 6, 5, 3 and 3 points off 6th spot.

Saracens will play the poor us game for the media but I have no doubt that McCall has 6th spot at the back of his mind.

171170

stephen_n wrote: »

Pretty impressive that Leinster are half way through the pool stages and have only dropped one point in Europe and the league.

Three!

One in Parma, one in Lyon and one in Glasgow!

prawnsambo

Buer wrote: »

They're not going to be far off 6th place in the Premiership come May. If you take 35 points off top of the table in the last 4 years, that team would have been 6, 5, 3 and 3 points off 6th spot.

Saracens will play the poor us game for the media but I have no doubt that McCall has 6th spot at the back of his mind.

They've also lost a match in the GP (1 out of 5) which this time last year was 0 from 7 iirc.

Burkie1203

https://twitter.com/CharlieFelix/status/1203601307321413632?s=19

Burkie1203

Burkie1203 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/CharlieFelix/status/1203601307321413632?s=19

Porter is incredibly mobile for a man of his power.

Going to be increasingly difficult to keep both Furlong and Porter well fed at Leinster. At this point we're relying on their loyalty to the club and desire to stay in Dublin because they are both first choice international talents. We have struck gold twice in just a few short years.

stephen_n

171170 wrote: »

Three!

One in Parma, one in Lyon and one in Glasgow!

You’re correct I for some strange reason had it in my head we got the TBP last week.

Podge_irl

Deleted User wrote: »

Porter is incredibly mobile for a man of his power.

Going to be increasingly difficult to keep both Furlong and Porter well fed at Leinster. At this point we're relying on their loyalty to the club and desire to stay in Dublin because they are both first choice international talents. We have struck gold twice in just a few short years.

When you add in Moore, who is no slouch, its a rather insane level of production at the position.

171170

stephen_n wrote: »

You’re correct I for some strange reason had it in my head we got the TBP last week.

I know what you mean - that performance was definitely worth five points!

ionadnapokot

Thought the entire pack was brilliant yest.

Toner played his best game since NZ.

Wouldn’t be too many arguments from me if that entire pack started for Ireland v Scot.
With Will Connors on the bench!

Richie_Rich89

Pretty impressive win. There's been some turnaround from the rabble Leinster were in '15/16'. You really have to hand it to Lancaster.

salmocab

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Pretty impressive win. There's been some turnaround from the rabble Leinster were in '15/16'. You really have to hand it to Lancaster.

Not to mention the PR machine of Leo

Shefwedfan

Richie_Rich89 wrote: »

Pretty impressive win. There's been some turnaround from the rabble Leinster were in '15/16'. You really have to hand it to Lancaster.

That rabble got top of table in Pro 12 and got to a final

Also the revolution started that season after the disaster of the MOC era and not playing the academy players....a transition season, some of that experience helped those players win the HC

Dubinusa

Leinster had just lost BOD D'arcy was at the end, Cullen had retired and M.O.C was out of his element. Leo bought in Molony, O'Loughlin and Ringrose. It was a transition and they have moved on brilliantly.

arsebiscuits1

Just catching up with all the comments over the weekend. Not too much more to be said on the game. Excellent result. Players stood up in their droves.

I noticed on here and Twitter and Reddit the general feeling towards Heaslip was overwhelmingly negative.

Personally I don't really get that.

People were giving out about him saying "we" all the time. But he addressed that himself light heartedly. People giving out about that should take into consideration, the onesidedness of RTE or BBC during the 6 nations or BT whenever there is a mildly English sounding club playing

His technical knowledge is more insightful than most and he's got a good knack of being technical but still "lay person friendly" His delivery could be a bit sharper, he has a tendency to ramble.

I like that he doesn't take himself too seriously

Obviously this is all subjective. I just feel people think it's a bit fashionable to hate him without giving too much thought into why. And I feel he's significantly better than a lot of colour commentators out there - especially Irish ones

Shefwedfan

arsebiscuits1 wrote: »

Just catching up with all the comments over the weekend. Not too much more to be said on the game. Excellent result. Players stood up in their droves.

I noticed on here and Twitter and Reddit the general feeling towards Heaslip was overwhelmingly negative.

Personally I don't really get that.

People were giving out about him saying "we" all the time. But he addressed that himself light heartedly. People giving out about that should take into consideration, the onesidedness of RTE or BBC during the 6 nations or BT whenever there is a mildly English sounding club playing

His technical knowledge is more insightful than most and he's got a good knack of being technical but still "lay person friendly" His delivery could be a bit sharper, he has a tendency to ramble.

I like that he doesn't take himself too seriously

Obviously this is all subjective. I just feel people think it's a bit fashionable to hate him without giving too much thought into why. And I feel he's significantly better than a lot of colour commentators out there - especially Irish ones

People hated Heaslip when he played so naturally they will hate him when he does commentary....



As a person I think he is a bit of a "d*ck" when I met him a few times. But nothing abnormal...he probably said the same about me :P



But as a player he was exceptional and very underrated.



As a pundit I find him extremely good. Better than some of the other expro's doing the circuit at the moment.

kingofthekong

Podge_irl wrote: »

When you add in Moore, who is no slouch, its a rather insane level of production at the position.

the guys coming behind in Aungier and Clarkson also look to be the real deal

kingofthekong

I think getting Saracens in Dublin would be ideal, if Saracens qualify they will go all out, no other team is beating them in the knockouts when they go full strength so Leinster would likely meet them at some stage and i'd prefer to do it at the Aviva with home advantage then in a neutral ground in the final...

Clegg

It's been seven weeks since Ireland were knocked out of the world cup. You'd think certain people would give the bashing a rest. Especially since it's a daily occurrence.

errlloyd

I'd say that game was hard to watch from the bench for Bob Kearney. Larmour tore it up, he was unselfish, good under the high ball.

The fact he was picked at fullback with DK on the wing shows Leinster rate the added value of Larmour at fullback more than they rate the difference between Rob and Dave rn. While it might well revert next week, it is notable that the away game was the one Larmour started. Even when we might have done with the extra experience the young lad was backed.

Burkie1203

Balls

https://twitter.com/CianTracey1/status/1204010379984154624?s=19

whatawaster

We shouldn't need Sexton between now and Christmas, and if the injury isn't too serious then a rest might be a good thing for him.

I would have played Ross Byrne on Saturday regardless

Shefwedfan

whatawaster wrote: »

We shouldn't need Sexton between now and Christmas, and if the injury isn't too serious then a rest might be a good thing for him.

I would have played Ross Byrne on Saturday regardless

Ross Byrne has been excellent in all the games he has played so far this season. Would be good for him to run another game in Aviva. Maybe with H Byrne getting a few mins?

Clegg

It's a big chance for Harry Byrne and Frawley. We know Ross is a capable deputy and he'll be wrapped in cotton wool now Sexton is out.

whatawaster

Shefwedfan wrote: »

Ross Byrne has been excellent in all the games he has played so far this season. Would be good for him to run another game in Aviva. Maybe with H Byrne getting a few mins?

Yeah, wouldn't mind seeing either H Byrne or Frawley getting some time at the weekend.

Clegg

errlloyd wrote: »

I'd say that game was hard to watch from the bench for Bob Kearney. Larmour tore it up, he was unselfish, good under the high ball.

The fact he was picked at fullback with DK on the wing shows Leinster rate the added value of Larmour at fullback more than they rate the difference between Rob and Dave rn. While it might well revert next week, it is notable that the away game was the one Larmour started. Even when we might have done with the extra experience the young lad was backed.

Paul Rees of the Guardian agrees with you.

1) Larmour suits for Leinster and Ireland
Ireland look like going into the Six Nations Larmour-plated. Joe Schmidt, who stood down as the national side’s head coach after the World Cup, never seemed to trust Jordan Larmour fully, certainly at full-back, but the 22-year old showed in Leinster’s emphatic victory over Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens that he is ready to take over from Rob Kearney, who was among the province’s replacements on Saturday. Larmour was the architect of Leinster’s first two tries, showing how deadly he can be in broken play if given just a trace of time and space, and he was part of a defensive unit that prevented the Saints from turning considerable second-half pressure into points. The victory puts Leinster in charge of Pool One with Northampton’s likeliest route to the quarter-finals being one of the best runners-up. Rivalling them for second place will be Lyon, who broke their Champions Cup duck with a 28-0 victory over Treviso.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2019/dec/09/rugby-union-talking-points-weekend-action-champions-cup