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

SaoPaulo41

Taking that we get nothing next week. Then win v Ospreys , uls and Conn. Are all knockout games away or only final?

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043227#Comment_122043227

They'd only all be away if they finish somewhere between 4th and 8th.

Podge_irl

Munster beating the Bulls here would do us a big favour. I wouldn't worry too much about having to travel to play Glasgow.

techdiver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043307#Comment_122043307

Or better still. Glasgow lose one of their tour games in SA and we're back in poll position assuming we close out our remaining games apart from next week.

AdamD

Some serious overreactions to a B side losing away in South Africa

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043385#Comment_122043385

They are a point behind us though, with 2 games against Zebre and 2 SA games. Assuming they lose both their SA games we'd still potentially need to beat both Connacht and Ulster (away)

Clegg

Munster have done us a huge favour. Was expecting Bulls to win with a try bonus point. They only got one match point from it.

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122042934#Comment_122042934

Step one complete.. Now Bulls to beat Glasgow.

😁

Dubinusa

Here's another way of looking at this loss, if we don't play 2nd string players or young players, how will they gain experience? How will they step up if needed in the 1st 23? These results happen! Glasgow pounded us in our 1st match. No panic needed. A bad performance? Of course it is and hopefully the boys learn from it.

SaoPaulo41

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043388#Comment_122043388

Its not that we lost its how we lost

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043451#Comment_122043451

By playing alongside first-choice players. There's little merit to putting all the second stringers in one team. Apart from the demoralising aspect of being hammered on their rare chances to impress, they learn little and it splits the squad in two in a way that can't be good for morale.

Rugbyf565

It shouldn’t even be controversial to suggest that Luke McGrath’s career is over, Play Gunne next season

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043466#Comment_122043466

Also, they should be better prepped and coached. Players didn't look like they had the slightest idea what they were supposed to be doing out there for the first 25 min.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043466#Comment_122043466

Maybe, but we do play these lads v Scarlets etc. There's every chance that playing at altitude affects the team. I do like to see the 2nd role players play. Today they were poor, they have a difficult ride next week. It serves as a rung in a ladder. If a full strenght team played today and next week, we could sustain a couple of serious injuries and feck up the season. It's also notable that we had Healy, Frawley, Jenkins, Molony and Luke! All of whom were shyte! These results happen. Better now than in the business end of the season.

bingobango12

Munster did us a big solid there. As Podge said above, travelling to Glasgow is a whole different story than travelling to SA if it comes to it.

Clegg

There's a big fixture pile up incoming and I'm not sure we'll be able to guarantee a path to a home URC final. If Leinster get to the Champions Cup Final they'll have 5 fixtures in 5 consecutive weekends. The full strength 23 will most likely only play the European fixtures if they want to remain fresh.

Leaves a heavily rotated side for Ospreys at home and the two away Irish derbies. I think we can we two of those three. But really need a stronger squad to guarantee a clean sweep. Which I don't think Cullen or Nienaber will risk.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043466#Comment_122043466

Maybe now Lancaster's gone we can't really expect them to be able to change most of the team and play with fluency. It's worth noting though that Healy, Molony, Jenkins, McGrath, Harry Byrne, Ngatai and Frawley all started, which is a core experienced group.

Changes for next week? I'd hope to see Foley start and whichever one of Murphy and Gunne is the other touring scrumhalf bench.

Ben Bailey

Whatever questions arise about Leinster's selection today, the Bulls losing having prioritised this competition looks very poor.

Credit to Munster for staying with the Bulls throughout. Something Leinster manifestly failed to do today.

Clegg

If Leinster make it to the Champions Cup final Munster are in a good position to overtake us in the league.

They're six points behind us and will probably get a BP win next week. If Leinster get nothing against Stormers it's a one point difference and Munster have one away and two home games left.

markest

We'll try to help out by winning the Champions Cup semi so you get a rest week :)

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043583#Comment_122043583

Surely this squad should be capable of competing for 5 consecutive weekends tho? There's been enough rotation during the year to allow for a strong team being put out for the remaining fixtures. We should be aiming to win every game for the rest of the season after the SA trip.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043659#Comment_122043659

They're six points behind us and will probably get a BP win next week

Ah I certainly wouldn't be going that far. They've a decent shot for sure, but the Lions can be dangerous. But it is a serious possibility that I had not given much thought to.

conquestscarer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043468#Comment_122043468

We have managed the scrum half situation we are in terribly the last 2 years. McGrath wasn't trusted in the 2022 champions cup final until the 75th minute. That was basically sticking him on for the craic. For context Joe McCarthy who was incredibly inexperienced and not really trusted came on a minute later. The same thing happened in the 2023 final. He wasn't trusted in big games 2 years ago and we have committed very little time in the league to playing Murphy and Foley.

I might be able to excuse his poor passing but at almost every single ruck he has his **** hand's in the air complaining. It's like watching someone in first year of school play scrum half. It's not good enough.

On the passing front it looks like the yips to me. It's gotten worse and worse and it's completely off the mark this season. Not only is it slow but it's almost always too low or too high.

Exclamation Marc

Glasgow still have the Bulls and Lions to travel to. Munster still have the Lions away.

If we lose next week, it's not the end of the world and we'll still be in a good position to finish top. I still have us pegged for first or second in the league.

scott1974

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043494#Comment_122043494

I'm not a bandwagoner but I was shouting for Munster today.. :)

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043659#Comment_122043659

They're six points behind us and will probably get a BP win next week

Will they even be favourites for it?

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043610#Comment_122043610

The red card was crucial! Anything can happen.

Clegg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043787#Comment_122043787

If Leinster get to the Champions Cup final I doubt we'll see any of the first choice 23 play the remaining three URC fixtures. Europe is the priority and always will be. They'll do everything to keep players fresh. They'll take the URC playoffs as they come.

Rugbyf565

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122043838#Comment_122043838

yep completely agree. Cormac Foley’s done everything right whenever he’s played, a guy like him needs more minutes, he looks much more calm than McGrath and has a faster pass speed too. My impression is that to play Nienabers game plan we need a faster operator at 9. When JGP isn’t there it all goes to ****.

Dubinusa

Lions scored some fantastic tries! Fair play to them. A good side. Remember, they pulverized Connacht in Galway.