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

Dubinusa

Raynal is dire for the breakdown. Could be a mad game!

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118958047#Comment_118958047

Probably suits us more than them.

Leinster are no saints at the breakdown.

We saw against Connacht how good we have become at being total shite bags at the slow roll away after the tackle

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118956363#Comment_118956363

We just need 5 from the last 3 games to guarantee top spot, not 6. Our PD is pretty much unassailable. But that 5 would be in the scenario where Ulster or Glasgow get the full 15 from their remaining games. Glasgow won’t as they’re away to Stormers, Bulls and Edinburgh. Ulster don’t exactly have it easy either with Munster and Sharks at home and Edinburgh away. I can see them get 10, maybe 14 from those games. Meaning we’d need at most 4 to ensure top spot.

tvpc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjxlRt2VNYw&ab_channel=SARugbymag.co.za

Why Sharks must punish second-rate Leinster

Neil3030

Dear oh dear.

Somebody want to tell them that with Leinster, a second team =/= a second-rate team.

Though I'm loving the spice.

TRC10

If they didn't want us to send a 2nd string team down there at the end of the season, they shouldn't have allowed us to rack up a 10-point lead at the top of the table.

From a Leinster POV, why on earth would we put our first XV through thousands of miles of travel to the other side of the world to play two highly physical games, so that they're fatigued for the game that our season actually hinges on.

Interested Observer

I see noted drugs cheat and ex-Munster player Gerbrandt Grobler is starting for the Sharks.

RichieRich_89

Pretty unfair how he was vilified though when they're all on it.

RichieRich_89

Osborne at 13 or 15 this weekend? If 13 is going to be his long-term position (and wing is going to be TOB's position going forward) I think I'd prefer to see him start in the centre, with O'Reilly or Cosgrave at fullback.

I wonder would Cosgrave be more likely to hit the ground running after playing 7s compared to O'Reilly playing 15s, but at a lower level. What's O'Reilly's kicking game like? Cosgrave's a noted goal-kicker from schools rugby and he was doing restarts for the 7s, so it's probably fair to assume his kicking out of hand is pretty good.

Clegg

*Ralph Wiggum I'm in danger post*

https://twitter.com/rugby_ap/status/1517422707381526528?t=AqpQ9e-NA-aw4OgEAICWZA&s=09

RichieRich_89

Might have been good to have Toner on tour. Just the size of him and Dunne together worked pretty well against Munster. He's a bit like Mike Ross as well; the more he plays the more he comes into form, so too much workload wouldn't have been that much of a concern.

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959845#Comment_118959845

Keep them moving.

Ulster showed how to manage a bigger pack pretty well against Toulouse. Run them side to side and not get dragged into a dog fight.

Keep playing off 10 and make these big boys run!!

arsebiscuits1

Henshaw signs to 2025. To the surprise of no one but I know the anxiety was rising given how long it took lol

https://www.irishrugby.ie/2022/04/22/robbie-henshaw-signs-irfu-contract-extension-to-2025/

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118959768#Comment_118959768

He needed Jamie heaslips lawyer

Clegg

That's great news about Henshaw. He's going through a very injury disrupted season, but he's world class when he can get a run of fitness. We're keeping himself and Ringrose for their peak years and hopefully there'll be more success to come.

Clegg

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1517457686857535489?t=koXnsOs4OIUCY2tgt0SZTg&s=09

arsebiscuits1

That's as beefy a pack as we could put out I guess.

Clarkson vs Nche will be a big ask.

Not expecting a win but hopefully we can keep it close!!

Clegg

Brian Deeny thrown straight in at the deep end for his debut. McKee will probably get 30 minutes off the bench for his debut too.

Soroka, Murphy and Moloney off the bench adds a bit of bosh as well.

arsebiscuits1

Sharks unsurprisingly favourites to win but the spread is only 3.5-45 points on PP and Skybet.

Fancy us for a LBP. Could be vital

Really not that bad a side in the circumstances; for all the whinging and nonsense about disrespecting the competition, it's not dissimilar (and arguably stronger given the inclusion of Porter & Kelleher) than the sides we've put out in the majority of URC games this season.

I would absolutely cherish a win here, and would go out of my way then to watch next week's installment of that Saffer rugby show.

Teferi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960439#Comment_118960439

The 'disprespecting the competition' arguments were bad faith arguments from the usual suspects. I wouldn't pay them any heed.

Dubinusa

Deeny into a baptism of fire! No better place to start his career. McKie on the bench, he's going to get 25 minutes. I'm delighted to see these young lads get a chance.

I reckon we will lose. But, by how much? This is a good proving ground for the rookies and for HB. The experience these lads get, will benifit them down the road.

The back row is fine and I like the back line. We can hopefully open this match up and wear them down.

Clegg

Really glad to see Harry Byrne back in the side. He's had a horrid time with injuries since the beginning of 2021 really. He had struck up a good partnership with Frawley as a 10/12 duo and hopefully they'll be able to find their rhythm again soon.

Also becoming a big fan of Jamie Osborne at 13. Felt he started the season slowly, but he has out in some very good performances recently.

It's a shame Joe McCarthy isn't available right now. He adds a lot of power and we'll need that over these two games.

Sharks team:

15-9: Aphelele Fassi, Werner Kok, Ben Tapuai, Marius Louw, Makazole Mapimpi, Curwin Bosch, Jaden Hendrikse

1-8: Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Thomas du Toit (c), Le Roux Roets, Gerbrandt Grobler, Siya Kolisi, Henco Venter, Phepsi Buthelezi

Reps: Kerron von Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Khutha Mchunu, Reniel Hugo, Jeandre Labuschagne, Sikhumbuzo Notsche, Grant Williams, Boeta Chamberlain

Really strong side, with lots of experienced Springboks. Two former Munster players in Du Toit and the drug cheat Grobler.

AdamD

I think a losing BP would be a decent result here

Dubinusa

Yep! Lbp would be helpful. I see a lot of international players for the Sharks. They will put huge pressure up front and from what I've see, their backline is really good.

That said, I hope we do put in a performance and keep it close. I think our pack is mobile and there's a lot of skill in the back row.

Playing in S.A is going to be very different from playing in Europe. The bok sides are going well and will be a force in the urc. It's a pity that the Welch regions are so poor and toothless. I can't see any way that a S.A side finishes near the bottom of the urc.

stephen_n

Maybe we should throw caution to the wind. Accept defeat and go for try bonuses in both games. Try make the games as fast and loose as possible.

molloyjh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960781#Comment_118960781

If we can get 2 points from the last 3 games then we have a top 2 finish sown up. Glasgow aren’t getting 13 from their 3 away games. The max Munster or the Stormers can manage is 62 and both of their PD is miles behind ours. Ulster could overtake us for 1st but they’d need to win all 3 and get at least 1 TBP. That’s doable but then it’ll be interesting to see how they go tonight after last week’s disappointment. Fail to win that and they won’t catch us (unless it’s a TBP draw).

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118960781#Comment_118960781

Pretty sure teams like Leinster don't just accept defeat, it's the reason they are so successful.

Serbian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118961698#Comment_118961698

I don't think we're necessarily accepting defeat, but we're definitely not setting ourselves up for much chance of a win either. It would be fascinating to know how Lancaster and Cullen have framed this trip to the squad and what kind of goals they've set out for the players — it's hard to see it as anything but nil points from the outside.

Have both Lancaster and Cullen travelled with the squad, or have one / both of them remained behind with the core group to prep for Leicester?