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

Akrasia

Clegg wrote: »

Honestly this whole Rainbow Cup has been a bit of a farce. It extended the season beyond where it should have gone and Leinsters players switched off after the Champions Cup defeat.

I think it's been brilliant tbh

We're in approaching the final round now, and it's still all to play for and teams are putting out strong squads to play meaningful fixtures

Its a pity the bulls sneaked that win against stormers today because otherwise, we would have at least 5 teams in a position to make the final

Squidgy Black

How on earth was that lost. So sloppy.

Clegg

Sums up Leinsters Rainbow Cup. Low in quality, low in precision and in ambition.

razorblunt

“The yellow card epitomises his spirit” says Patterson on Wilson.

Aye a neck roll on a prone player. Such spirit.

A-Train

So so poor. They haven’t been that bad in years, heads completely gone. So poor is so many areas.

Roll on the summer break.

sydthebeat

Choice of motm summed up that game

Buer

Deserved win for Glasgow. Officials certainly didn't help and some calls were galling but the Leinster players weren't switched on at all.

Some of the bigger names for Leinster looked like they didn't want to be there at all. Compare Ringrose tonight with Slade last week and it's hard to think he is on the shortlist for a Lions call up at all. James Ryan was anonymous tonight.

The Leinster pack were mediocre. The front five really didn't show up outside of the scrum. Poor line out and never really showed the aggression they had earlier in the season.

kmart6

Can't say I'll miss Tommy Bowe, has been obviously gleeful about Leinster losing in recent weeks, treating the Rainbow Cup as if it's something they really care about. Once out of Europe there was no interest in this nonsense.

molloyjh

Nothing game in a nothing competition against a team dead set on acting the complete b*llocks throughout. Our heads haven't been in this competition. For good reason. It's a filler competition that doesn't mean a thing. The only problem we really have is that we still have 1 more round of this to go.

Clegg

Been wondering for a while now if Leinster need freshening up in the coaching department? Not for one second saying sack anyone, but rather get some new ideas from outside the system. We look especially blunt in attack.

We looked to be developing an attacking kicking game post lockdown and it was reaping dividends. But we abandoned that gameplan 20 minutes into the Saracens QF defeat and haven't returned to it since then. We just look a bit predictable.

stephen_n

Leinster just need this season to be over. They are clearly not interested at all.

razorblunt

Clegg wrote: »

Been wondering for a while now if Leinster need freshening up in the coaching department? Not for one second saying sack anyone, but rather get some new ideas from outside the system. We look especially blunt in attack.

We looked to be developing an attacking kicking game post lockdown and it was reaping dividends. But we abandoned that gameplan 20 minutes into the Saracens QF defeat and haven't returned to it since then. We just look a bit predictable.

I think there’s a few players there too that we’re riding in an armchair when massive points were being out on teams that are learning a lot more about themselves now.

Buer

stephen_n wrote: »

Leinster just need this season to be over. They are clearly not interested at all.

It's partly that but Glasgow were pumped up and brought line speed and physicality. Leinster struggled to cope with that and not for the first time.

They wanted to win and were certainly interested in winning but didn't have the tools tonight. There's a pattern when Leinster. They really needed a carrier to get them over the gain line off 10 but didn't have that available.

Clegg

On a slightly more positive note VDF was excellent again. Been my Leinster POTS. He's improved on his work at the breakdown and his went up a few notches as a carrier. He's turned into a rather effective option on the crash ball.

Doris was also impressive. We really missed him against La Rochelle. Conan was good, but the former just has a slightly better all round game. Ireland really missed him during the Six Nations also. The more I see of him the more I'm convinced he'll be Ireland's 8 for the next decade.

Buer

Saw the replay of the Wilson incident with it highlighted there. Yellow was right call. If there was a better angle it could have been red but hard for referee to give red on such poor footage.

Burkie1203

Buer wrote: »

Saw the replay of the Wilson incident with it highlighted there. Yellow was right call. If there was a better angle it could have been red but hard for referee to give red on such poor footage.

They never played the last angle when under review. That should have been Red. That can do serious damage in seconds.

clsmooth

Clegg wrote: »

Been wondering for a while now if Leinster need freshening up in the coaching department? Not for one second saying sack anyone, but rather get some new ideas from outside the system. We look especially blunt in attack.

We looked to be developing an attacking kicking game post lockdown and it was reaping dividends. But we abandoned that gameplan 20 minutes into the Saracens QF defeat and haven't returned to it since then. We just look a bit predictable.

Too much domestic success with one out runners. Been quite a few times over the last year where we’ve had the BP before halftime with close in drives.

clsmooth

Two lovely finishes from Keenan for the disallowed tries. Glided through. Silky player.

arsebiscuits1

Man i hated everything about that game.

Bad when my 2 highlights were disallowed tries.

Nothing worked for us tonight. Everything just seemed off. Except defense i guess. It was quite strong.

Really got the wrong side of a number of those decisions which is frustrating.

Some of those not deliberate knock ons were suspect. They're pro rugby players. It's always deliberate.

The sooner this Captains challenge gets nixed the better. All its led to is frustration from fans and referees responding poorly to it for players daring to call them out.

I can't get the thought out of my head that with a better TMO that Glasgow try doesn't stand as they wouldn't need a captains challenge and would have just called it forward rather that the whole officiating team looking to justify their decision

sydthebeat

Thought a lack of a kicking game really hurt leinster this evening.

Over reliance on possession increases risk of turn overs, and Glasgow has a field day.

arsebiscuits1

sydthebeat wrote: »

Thought a lack of a kicking game really hurt leinster this evening.

Over reliance on possession increases risk of turn overs, and Glasgow has a field day.

Garry had some nice touches in the first half as did Ross.

Luke didn't use the box kick much.

And the kicking game disappeared in the second half

Clegg

On reflection, the first half was actually quite decent from a Leinster perspective. We definitely had the advantage up front. We found soft shoulders and regularly made it over the gain line. We showed some ambition and more varied play at times. Players cutting angles off of inside balls, forwards running onto the ball at pace and quick thinking at the breakdown.

But the ROL yellow card right in half time seemed to deflate us completely. We were a different side in the second half. We weren't winning the collisions and there was no accuracy in our play in the phases or at set piece. Honestly we need a Sexton or a Nacewa on in the squad right now. Someone for the players to rally around.

Neil3030

Clegg wrote: »

Honestly this whole Rainbow Cup has been a bit of a farce. It extended the season beyond where it should have gone and Leinsters players switched off after the Champions Cup defeat.

Or Leinster have been a bit of a farce in this competition....

Clegg

Neil3030 wrote: »

Or Leinster have been a bit of a farce in this competition....

Tbf I was implying that in my post.

I think? It was hot out this evening and I've had pints.

stephen_n

Buer wrote: »

It's partly that but Glasgow were pumped up and brought line speed and physicality. Leinster struggled to cope with that and not for the first time.

They wanted to win and were certainly interested in winning but didn't have the tools tonight. There's a pattern when Leinster. They really needed a carrier to get them over the gain line off 10 but didn't have that available.

They are lacking in in accuracy, physical intensity and confidence. They may want to win games but they’re not showing up at the same time. We are following mistakes with mistakes constantly and that just doesn’t suggest a team that are fully clued in. We just look a little tired mentally. The desire to win is more a muscle memory than real intent.

thomond2006

Clegg wrote: »

Honestly this whole Rainbow Cup has been a bit of a farce. It extended the season beyond where it should have gone and Leinsters players switched off after the Champions Cup defeat.

€500k per team: 2m to the IRFU. They'll get over the farce.

Also, a farce compared to what exactly? The Pro14 was awful. Leinster, Ulster and Munster coasted it. The Rainbow is a makey uppey Cup, but at least it's competitive.

Neil3030

Clegg wrote: »

Tbf I was implying that in my post.

I think? It was hot out this evening and I've had pints.

Don't mind me, pints take precedence!

lawrencesummers

Gatland didn’t come away from that thinking he had maybe made a mistake about James Ryan, especially when you know the SA teams are going to try and be more physical than Glasgow.

Buer

lawrencesummers wrote: »

Gatland didn’t come away from that thinking he had maybe made a mistake about James Ryan, especially when you know the SA teams are going to try and be more physical than Glasgow.

Or Ringrose (who isn't even in the next 3 replacements at this point, I imagine) or Kelleher.

Doris was decent but Leinster were crying out for some of the big plays that Conan had been making of late.

Burkie1203

Buer wrote: »

Or Ringrose (who isn't even in the next 3 replacements at this point, I imagine) or Kelleher.

Doris was decent but Leinster were crying out for some of the big plays that Conan had been making of late.

I kinda of got the impression Leinster's players are to some degree mentally already on the beach.