OFFICIAL Buildup Thread - Leinster vs Stade Rochelais Champions Cup Final 28/05/2022

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136634#Comment_119136634

Well, I think I do agree that Andy farrell does need to look at this game and learn for 2023. SA could easily do the same to us come the WC.

As a leinster fan, I could take a slightly more positive view tho. LAR beat us out the gate last year, and this year only just pipped us. Isn't that an improvement? And while I think we were clearly beasted in 2020 and 2021, I really don't buy that's what happened on Saturday. The scrum was challenging but we won all our own ball, and the penalty count was only about 2 to 1 on their put in. (It was 1 each until the last 10, but can't remember how many scrum pens there were in that final set). The leinster attacking maul was a potent threat all game, while again I don't think LARs really got going bar 1 or 2 examples.

If anything LAR identified space on our edges, and their big ball carriers only did just enough in midfield to open a bit of space. And there were plenty of LAR attacks that went nowhere because of this.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136439#Comment_119136439

Against Wales & Scotland our scrum went well

Nah it didn't. Against Wales Porter was completely at sea, Francis had him on toast. The Welsh lads kept pointing it out to the ref, but Raynal kept letting us away with us.

And while Scotland didn't beast us like England and France did, they definitely had the upper hand in that area.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119135603#Comment_119135603

Sophisticated? You realise the average iq is below 100?

pickarooney

"Bear in mind, that Aldritt is 264 lbs! Conan is about 245! That's a fairly big difference. Ross Molony is about 17 stone. He said himself that he is107 kgs. That's too light for this type of opponent."

Ah here, Dub, pick one unit and stick to it!

Henry Ford III

What was wrong with Keenan's hand?

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136826#Comment_119136826

Just pointing out the size difference. It's fairly obvious to see.

ujjjjjjjjj

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133186#Comment_119133186

Actually I thought it was staggeringly pathetic from them, they had just won the game, Barnes was fine all game just like he always is (I think he is consistently good) and they have to boo Barnes like a bunch of kids. It was pathetic.

shootermacg

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136791#Comment_119136791

Al that's great love. It's always great for someone like you to have something to aspire to. :D

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136667#Comment_119136667

The stats may say Leinster won their own ball on scrum but I don't think there was any doubt which side was consistently under pressure.

When a side who are losing with 14 men have penalties under the posts and consistently opt for a scrum you know they have clear dominance.

Leinster were (rightly) adopting the Japan approach on their own ball of getting it straight down the tunnel to 8 and out of there as quick as possible.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137408#Comment_119137408

Any place, any time. Name how much you want to put on it. I'll take you in a iq test.

Yes that's right I'm confident I'm much smarter than you.

Neil3030

Before this thread inevitably descends into a "my fronto-parietal network boasts stronger functional connectivity than yours" I thought of something else, which may or may not have flown under the radar: my word Sheehan came on and took to the occasion like a duck to water. Nailed his throws, kept the set piece steady, and did great work in the tight. Serious prospect there who could be ahead of Kelleher before long.

Stephen_Maturin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137408#Comment_119137408

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119137792#Comment_119137792

Hahah

For **** sake lads.

Safe to say the thread has run its course

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136763#Comment_119136763

Well maybe that tells us that the issues are more to do with technique rather than size...

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136863#Comment_119136863

And weight doesn't always tell the full story, just because Alderitt has 20 pounds on a player doesn't automatically make him a more powerful player. I fear we are starting to fall into the same issue as in 2019 where we are obsessing about size and ignoring arguably bigger issues like technique and in the end doing nothing to fix either problem.

Clegg

Cross posting from the Leinster thread.

Stats for last weekends game have been published. It shows that the talking point of Leinster being overpowered doesn't fully make sense. We had greater gainline success, collision dominance and a faster average ruck speed. You don't get this if your forwards aren't in the game. Leinster definitely tightened up and weren't as expensive in their style. But that's not wholly due to any sort of La Rochelle physical dominance.

La Rochelle an incredible job in monopolising possession and starved us of the ball. Also, they were incredibly cynical in their own 22 and conceded penalties to kill Leinster attacks. Where Leinster fell down is constantly going for the points it seems.

https://twitter.com/RosscoHamilton/status/1531544125115359232?t=kNT4Au0HqAUfCDXvrqGapQ&s=09

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119136512#Comment_119136512

Where were Leinster's good tactics though? Would be nice if in 1 final for a change it wasnt Leinster opposition that were the only side prepared for the final...

Neil3030

I'd actually argue that one of Leinster's good tactics was to take the points. Building a platform of 21 points in a final won't see you with a loser's medal all too often.

jimdemp

Outside of VDF the Leinster pack were dominated. The set piece crumbled. The backs if not on the front foot don't have the xfactor to get scores from nothing. None of the back 3 have electric pace but they are steady eddies. Lowe is a battering ram handy for when you get lots of possession and phases. He has a big boot which is handy if you have steady eddies instead of caucaunibucas.

bluedex

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140518#Comment_119140518

Total rubbish. Comes from the Ruari O'Connor/Irish Independent style of writing the first negative thing that comes into your head, or that you heard some punter say in the pub. Did you not see the stats quoted above?

Clegg

Jim is troll.

Don't mind him. He's harmless.

hold my beer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140610#Comment_119140610

They're just looking for attention. And you're giving it to them. Several posters on here should be ignored, makes it a much nicer place (when people don't quote their moronic statements)

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140348#Comment_119140348

Ah, they should've gone for the lineout at the start of the half i think. The maul was dominant and la Rochelle were on the rack. A try there would have been a big hole to come back from

Shehal

Alot of the excuses about physicality were made before a ball was kicked so now Leinster lost its seems to be the excuse people use even if it defies logic.

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140794#Comment_119140794

You dont go to a lineout when up against bigger men who are bullying you. Leinster knew they could not score so went for 3. When leinster are back in the URC they will go to the lineout because they can score.

jimdemp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140610#Comment_119140610

I saw the game and Leinster offered nothing in attack. They are good solid pros in the backline but none have the xfactor. Lamour may have done something but they didnt trust him. But that is Cullen playing t safe

OldRio

Please grow up. Its getting boring.

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140818#Comment_119140818

Yeah. I was pleasantly surprised by how effective the maul was once or twice. And the scrum held up better than I expected it to. They're excellent at getting the ball out quickly. I think the arguments that focus on the scrum being the reason Leinster lost are just lazy and inaccurate.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119140348#Comment_119140348

Hard to reject a series of absolute gifts. LR conspired to give away so many pointless penalties in front of the posts. If they'd cut out the brainless stuff the game could have been a whitewash.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119141937#Comment_119141937

They gave away penalties rather than let Leinster build momentum. Their tactical masterpiece was to kill the ball whatever the cost.

BoardsMember

It comes down to a couple of mistakes you wouldn't expect. Failure to clear our lines by Sexton and then Keenan. Keenan foot in touch off a clearance kick to touch. And a lack of conviction - whether that be how our attack shaped up at times (looked a bit one out runners like old), or not going for try when we had them on the ropes. I thought at the time we were right to take our points.