Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread XII (The Byrne Supremacy)

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384801#Comment_118384801

Well, of course there's luck involved. In retrospect, I think the French "forward" pass in 2015 wasn't actually forward, or at least not clearly and obviously so. England would have won the title if that decision had been different. And there was the Sarto intercept one year. But if England are finishing second four years in a row you'd have to ask is something a bit missing from their end, and not just luck. It's a bit like Eddie O'Sullivan's Ireland often finishing second.

And Johnson "shitshow"? England won the 6N title in 2011? And they at least made the quarters in the RWC.

RichieRich_89

Oh, and you'd also have to say he was let down by his scrum coach in the last game against Saracens.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384856#Comment_118384856

But if England are finishing second four years in a row you'd have to ask is something a bit missing from their end, and not just luck.

But that's my point. If it wasn't for bad luck, you wouldn't say there was something missing. 4 wins from 5, four years in a row is pretty good. If Hogg grounds the ball against us in 2015, Lancaster is a 6N winner. If Doussain doesn't miss his kick in 2014 or that pass doesn't drift forward Lancaster is a 6N winner. Those are things completely out of his control that could have gone either way. Grand Slams aren't easy. Eddie Jones in 6 years has only managed 1. Schmidt in 6 years only managed 1. Gatland winning 3 in 11 years with Wales was remarkable. So Lancaster putting together enough wins to win a title, 4 years in a row, is impressive no matter how you look at it, especially considering he didn't take over an outstanding group of players like Jones did and he built his team from very little. And he was undeniably unlucky not to win at least 1 and possibly 2 championships. He also beat NZ and came very close to beating them in Auckland in 2014.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384915#Comment_118384915

That's one way of looking at it. Personally, I think - considering it's four championships and 20 games - you can't just put it down to luck. Luck balances out over that length of time and number of games. How many things went for them that we don't remember?

They were consistently very good, but just not quite good enough.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384927#Comment_118384927

But they were no worse than we were in 2014 and 2015. Our PD was just +10 better than theirs in 2014 and +6 in 2015. And in Rugby over 5 games that's virtually nothing. It would be a tad hypocritical to celebrate us having a +6 better points difference, while at the same time saying England's performance in 2014 and 2015 "wasn't good enough" when it was virtually identical to ours.

Like, if Doussain got his kick in 2014 and Hogg grounded the ball in 2015, would we be saying Schmidt "wasn't good enough" and hailing Lancaster as the best coach in the world? When neither Schmidt nor Lancaster had any control over either event.

PMC83

Any updates on the weekend?

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118385982#Comment_118385982

Well this isn't promising

https://ulster.rugby/content/supporter-update-ulster-rugby-vs-leinster-rugby-round-9-urc-fixture-latest

PMC83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386338#Comment_118386338

Nope, sounds like theres still trouble in that camp

Former Former Former

Officially postponed now.

PMC83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118386925#Comment_118386925

Yeah a shame. It does seem like Leinster are covid free for the moment though.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/news/three-urc-r9-fixtures-postponed?fbclid=IwAR01jupzQ1j3sQZaIdl9CtswQa0fyb_7pEbiGg2KPoheVFzvQYcOiOdzT_U

Clegg

Wishing all the Ulster players affected a very swift recovery.

From a Leinster point of view we now have another week to reintegrate any players who were missing back into training. So that's a positive.

But on the other hand, it means greater fixture congestion towards the end of the season. May not be a positive for us considering that our second string of players have struggled somewhat this year.

Larbre34

A festive season without some good rugby game piss ups, feels like no festive season at all.

Although it has to be said, even if all games in both tournaments had gone ahead as originally scheduled, there wouldn't have been a Leinster home game in Dublin, between the dates of 11th December and 8th January (or even the 16th Jan???)

I don't know how the Leinster executive allowed that to happen, but they'd want to keep an eye on it in future years. A minimum of one festive game 7 days either side of Christmas, is the least fans and hospitality in the City should expect.

pickarooney

I'd half seriously suggest playing two games a week with different teams to resolve the backlog if and when the current spike is over

Larbre34

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387051#Comment_118387051

I agree completely and that's really the only option to complete the competitions before mid-summer.

However, that may be alright for the Leinsters of the World, but can Zebre Parma and the Dragons and a potentially European based quartet of SA teams, sustainably field a decent 40 players every week for months?

Exclamation Marc

Two games a week will never happen unfortunately. It would be the only way to get through the inevitable backlog however so you can assume they'll just award draws and/or restructure at some point.

Akrasia

Disappointing that another Derby has been postponed

Really hope these 3 games are the only casualties this weekend

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118387302#Comment_118387302

It would be easiest (and probably fine) for leinster to use two separate squads in a week but most clubs would really struggle so they wouldn't agree to it.

Akrasia

Perhaps leinster could field 2 teams during the HCup knockout weekends against a team who didn't qualify

Could be agreeable to both sides?

salmocab

There’ll be a restructuring done at some stage to the league

Former Former Former

The spare weekends during the 6N window give us some breathing room for refixed matches.

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118384649#Comment_118384649

Its clear from the Reponses Leinster fans know they have not delivered but instead of being honest they go for distractions. For years the media used money as the excuse for Lensters failings but now that Leinster is one of the richest clubs in the world it cant be used anymore. Now media are saying English clubs dont take Europe serious anymore. But wont say the english salary cap is 0-5 million with add ons where as Leinsters is 0-15 million. In the past leinster didnt care about the pro12 but now it is used to gloss over the fact they have 3 meaningful knock out games to year to win but cant.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118394008#Comment_118394008

Leinster’s record in the last 4 years is Won, Runners-up, QF loss to Saracens, SF loss to La Rochelle. Do you know how many clubs would kill for a record like that?

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118394069#Comment_118394069

Don’t bite……

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118394077#Comment_118394077

And don’t quote

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118394069#Comment_118394069

They won because Saracens were wrecked from back boning the lions even England finished 5th in the 6nations. The last 3 years is much like Munster record and Munster didnt have 12 players who beat the All Blacks. If Munster had the Leinster squad they would be more demanding.

TRC10

Boards is basically a 42 comments section these days

Sad really

Larbre34

Just wait until Jim hears about the European Super League that Munster isn't invited to 😁

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118394092#Comment_118394092

Saracens were so wrecked in April 2018 that they then went on to win the premiership that season after backboning the Lions and England's awful 6n

Saracens with their 6 Lions and Leinster with a paltry 5. The same Leinster who backbones the Ireland grand slam in 2018

Don't let facts get in the way of your utter stupidity.

OldRio

FFS. Stop feeding him.

molloyjh

This guy seems to have been banned from the 42 comments folks. That’s what you’re feeding.