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

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120037103#Comment_120037103

Aye me too.

Must love hardship

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120037083#Comment_120037083

When Coombes "moved" the ball at the base of the ruck the ref called backwards... he had a great view of it and that's why he didn't ask the TMO to review it.. that said he could have been mistaken. He had a few strange calls in the game ion both sides.

phily2002

Coombes try I thought was OK. The Campbell try, the phase before the try pass, Daly comes a mile in from the side and does a flying tucked shoulder to Keenans head. Keenan gets on with it but really poor from the officials. He could have made a meal of it like POM tried with Deegan!!

dregin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120037103#Comment_120037103

The screenshot I posted was tge wrong phase, I think. They showed a replay much later on where he dropped and recollected the ball to touch it down.

Dubinusa

Connacht should come loaded and wounded. Who do we sit? Doris should come back in. VDF? I don't expect Ringrose. Could Henshaw be back? JOB back in at fb, and Conan to start. Doris at blindside, Conan at 8.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038049#Comment_120038049

I don't see why Connacht would come fully loaded to the RDS this Sunday. First off they're unlikely to win. Leinster rested some front liners and will probably be bringing back in Furlong, Doris, sexton, jgp, JOB, Ala'alatoa and J Ryan.

Secondly, Connacht have a much more important game the week after hosting the sharks. That's the game they should be targeting. I appreciate Connacht rested some of the front liners for the two challenge cup games, but they need to pick and choose their battles from here on in, and a away fixture to the RDS is a battle you sometimes need to be pragmatic about

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038217#Comment_120038217

Maybe! But they barely fired a shot against Ulster.

durthacht

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038049#Comment_120038049

I hope Milne, H Byrne, and Turner play this weekend as they must be so annoyed at having not got off the bench yesterday. McKee too, I suppose.

Front row might be an issue as Ed Byrne and Clarkson are injured so maybe lacking a little depth there, as Porter and Sheehan will need a good recovery week.

There was positive news on Connors so we might see him on the bench, which would be great. I'd like Deegan to get another go as he was mixed enough against Munster.

crisco10

I think ringrose, porter and sheehan really could do with a few weeks off in January, once the 6 nations starts it will hopefully all go until May.

arsebiscuits1

I imagine we wont be seeing Porter, Sheehan, Ringrose and possibly Lowe now until Europe.

The Connacht game will feature those who didn't play in Thomond and I expect a callow enough team sent to Ospreys the week after.

Reckon Connacht will be:

Healy, Kelleher, Ala'alatoa

Ryan, McCarthy

Doris, Conan, VDF

JGP, Sexton

Ngatai, Osborne

DK, JOB, Larmour

McKee, Milne, Vakh, Molony, Ruddock, Foley, Byrne, Turner

I'd like to see Penny continue to build on his strong showing in Thomond. But not sure where he slots in.

connachta

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038806#Comment_120038806

Connacht can win against this team, mind

back-row is hard to play but the rest is matched if Connacht team is full-strenght

AbusesToilets

Quiet word for Healy. Went 60 mins at TH and was very solid.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039039#Comment_120039039

The halfbacks are matched?

Rigor Mortis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039039#Comment_120039039

Wow, that is the funniest thing I have read all year.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039039#Comment_120039039

Connacht are capable on their day. Against mediocre opposition. Leinster will be tough for them. Even a weak Leinster side. I think it will be fairly tight. Connacht don't match up very well.

I can't see Leinster lose. Unless there's a red card etc.

Closest Leinster have come to losing this season was away to Connacht.

Their line speed (both teams offside all game) choked us and we couldn't build any continuity or get our phase game going.

We were fairly dominant against Munster, in particular the last 20 where it was our own mistakes preventing scores on Monday but that game against Connacht absolutely tested our resolve and we couldn't get on top.

pickarooney

Just wondering if there's any rule against running backwards. For the Coombes try he was arguably offside, picking the ball up behind him and twisting over the line. Very hard to see the ball and make the tackle (if I'm being generous and it isn't simply extremely difficult to stop Gavin Coombes at close range!). What would happen if a player took the ball off the base of the ruck a metre out and both he and a dummy runner ran backwards towards the line? The defence wouldn't know which player to tackle and theoretically it could be a penalty try if they hit the wrong man (or both).

Probably not the thread for this though

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039971#Comment_120039971

You have to have both feet in an onside position (behind the ball) in order to pick the ball from a ruck

Dubinusa

Fairly impressive display last week. Tight game and the most important facet for me was the control shown at end. Mad to think that we controlled possession like we did.

Connacht always show up. Sometimes we barely get over the hill. Connacht are capable.

Losing Ed Byrne and Treacy retiring don't help! Rotation is tougher. Milne surely is due minutes? McKee will have to be involved and Vakh also.

Dubinusa

Maybe we will get,

1. Milne

2. Kelleher

3. Furlong

4. Molony

5. Ryan

6. Doris

7. VDF

8. Conan

9. JGP

10. Sexton

11. DK

12. Ngati

13. Osborne

14. Larmour

15. JOB

16. McKee

17. Healy

18. Ala'Alatoa

19. Deeny/ Jenkins

20. Max

21. Foley

22. HB

23. Russell.

With Ospreys up after this, I suppose there will be even more rotation.

sydthebeat

Bookies already have it Leinster -18.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120040893#Comment_120040893

That’s a serious spread for an interpro.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120040002#Comment_120040002

yeah, but can you just turn around once you've picked it up?

arsebiscuits1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120039071#Comment_120039071

I saw a few people in the thread (and a few people in recent weeks months) saying he's past it, shadow of his former self, has to be gone by RWC and all other sorts of lazy conjecture.

So I went and scrutinised his major moments in the game and the positives far out weigh the negative.

It's a long note that I don't think anyone wants to read lol. But he was extremely effective and here is a summary.

He won a scrum pen at TH - yes Killer is not a formidable loosehead but that's still impressive.

He was extremely good at maul time and stood his ground and won his battles (except for the PT where he looses his edge battle and Munster roll around)

He single man lifted Baird (from the front!!) for a good disruption on Munster ball. Credit does need to go here to Bairds athleticism. Single man lift from the front is extremely difficult.

Didn't carry much and all his carries were pick and goes where he made a meter despite getting double hit.

He stopped Coombes on the gain line 3 times in a row from close range before being subbed off. Literally in the space of a minute he made 3 separate hits on him not giving a meter. This was the in the build up to their 3rd try.

He also beat Luke McGrath up the pitch to the ruck when Ringrose reclaimed the high ball and played scummy keeping quick ball going.

There were also moments of inaccuracy at ruck time and lineout time directly resulting in turnovers.

Overall a very good performance in what was one of the tougher games this year in the tight starting in a different position at 35 years old. Might have lost a yard or 2 of pace and explosiveness but those (looking at you Dubinusa...) who think he's not up to it anymore either can't or wont look at how much he still has to offer

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120041298#Comment_120041298

Agree with this. He battled hard. I'm one who doubts his ability at this stage. So, happy to have egg on my face.

Clegg

According to Cullen there are no fresh injury concerns following the Munster game. Connors and Furlong have stepped up their training and will be assessed later in the week.

Jenkins and Henshaw are still out however. No timeframe on their return.

Neil3030

🎵Joe Mc Carthy

C'est sa vie🎵

Dubinusa

Jenkins has a history of injury. His time at Munster was injury riddled. Hopefully, he's back soon. Is he on a 2 year deal?

Dubinusa

I think Larmour did very well v Munster. He should be in this week's side. Great to have him back.

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120041975#Comment_120041975

Agreed that its great to have him back.

Does he play on the wing again or do we shift him around.