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

Dubinusa · 29-05-2022 9:13pm

I hope so! I think RB is at the best he's ever going to be. I just can't see him taking a step forward. He's just a good player, that's it!

HB is still unknown and is injury prone. Who knows if he gets a good run of games, maybe he can be a really good 10.

Frawley at the very least is an option. Sexton is on the way to retirement and it's going to be a struggle to maintain standards.

jimdemp · 29-05-2022 9:29pm

Leinster players refusing to do media after the game lacked class and respect for la Rochelle. No surprise giving Sexton is the leader of that group. sore losers and typical spoilt private school guys throwing their toys out of the pram

dingbat · 29-05-2022 9:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119129130#Comment_119129130

"african"?

Really?

This is to put your utterly nonsense weight and point stuff to one side.

But... "African"?

Off you f**k, please.

TRC10 · 29-05-2022 10:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119131967#Comment_119131967

Stop giving him attention

ersatz · 30-05-2022 6:48am

That game reminded me of the recent series of Leinster coming apart in this competition but it also reminded me of the 2015 Argentina qtr final where Ireland were dismantled tactically. Maybe a traditional world cup winning back rower import would have made a difference but after not getting over the try line in the first 20 mistakes crept in and the teams sharpness deserted them. I'd bet LAR saw Leinster taking points before half time as a victory as you expect Leinster more the any team to go for the corner in those minutes. My big take away is hats off to ROG, he tore Leinster a new one, again. It will be interesting to see how the coaching team adjusts for next season.

RichieRich_89 · 30-05-2022 6:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133202#Comment_119133202

Is there any reason to believe that they will adjust? They lost to Saracens in 2020 after also losing to them in 2019, and now they lose to La Rochelle two years in a row. Where's the adapting and coming up with a plan to win? There doesn't appear to be much preparation of opposition-specific tactics/plays/moves.

ersatz · 30-05-2022 7:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133210#Comment_119133210

A lot of people saying it happens, just get back on the horse and I do agree with that, Leinster beat LAR most days and yesterday things just didn't click. Then note that LAR did have really tough matches to get to the final, Leinster cake walked it. But maybe the coaches will adjust the breakdown work and look at yesterdays tactical kicks and also how to counter LAR's flooding the 10 and 12 channel very successfully. It didn't take much in the end to undermine Leinster's game: close off the outside in defense, hang onto the ball, and compete/slow the ball at the breakdown. Others have tried but LAR x 2 and Saracens x 2 succeeded. Even Sexton acknowledged taking some of those penalty kicks was a mistake and they needed tries. One thing I've thought for several years now is that a big experienced back rower would make a difference and perhaps we are drinking our own coolaid imagining that because we have tons of BRs coming out of Leinster (and Munster) we are sorted in those positions, but against the very best we aren't.

I'd be surprised if NZ aren't taking a long look at that game thinking about Ireland's visit.

salmocab · 30-05-2022 8:09am

A mate was saying yesterday if Sexton cleared that kick late on in the game where he kinda got caught in an awkward spot then Leinster likely would have won. LAR had a great game plan and stifled Leinster, Leinster were a bit inaccurate. It took the final play of the game for them to win, I’m not too caught up in this feeling that it’s a disaster and everything needs to change

yerrahbah · 30-05-2022 9:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119129130#Comment_119129130

Am what?

KaneToad · 30-05-2022 9:24am

"tore them a new one"

Slight hyperbole there. A 3 point win in a match where there were behind until the last few mins.

Former Former Former · 30-05-2022 9:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133325#Comment_119133325

I think if that ball hadn't bounced off JOB's knee and just gone dead, we'd have won. LAR looked out on their feet at that point but it seemed to give them a huge boost, then the ensuing drop-out sent them over the top and we never really got back in control.

TRC10 · 30-05-2022 9:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133560#Comment_119133560

It was from that goal line drop out that Dulin went for the drop goal, which Sexton fielded and then proceeded to perform the act of madness that he did. We were 18-10 up and in complete control at that point. If Sexton just clears that, I think we win. Instead, he gifts LAR possession on our line, they score, it's 18-17 and it's game on again.

3 days later and I still can't understand how a 37 year old, with so much experience, playing in his 6th final could do something so braindead.

I don't buy the "LAR tactically out smarted Leinster" thing. They played very well. But we were in control before we decided to hand all the initiative and momentum back to them.

brokenangel · 30-05-2022 9:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133574#Comment_119133574

The biggest moment of the match for me. Leinster seemed to have contained La Rochelle at that stage, just keep them out of the 22 and they couldn't break down our defence. Then that disaster happened and they got exactly what they wanted, a lineout with maul close to the line.

Then it was game on, if Leinster had cleared, worked our way back up to score another penalty it was game over....

But these things happen....

Former Former Former · 30-05-2022 10:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133574#Comment_119133574

Well yeah, I should have said "the drop out and what followed"

Leinster taking the drop out also got the LAR crowd hyped up due to their complete ignorance of the laws of the game. Two minutes of booing for a correct call in their favour.

Quin_Dub · 30-05-2022 10:09am

The end result was definitely fine margins , but Leinster didn't mentally adjust and seemed to go to "finals" mode far too early.

The Lineout maul was hugely effective and they should have gone to the corner off at least some of those penalties , particularly the one just before half time , La Rochelle had given away a couple of penalties already and Barnes had warned them , a try then would have utterly changed the complexion of the game. As it was we took 3 points and then gave up a soft penalty early in the 2nd half to wipe out that advantage.

Hindsight is always fantastic , but game management under severe pressure seems to be an issue. Not sure if that it because they are rarely under that kind of pressure so the skill isn't developed , but the difference for me in the game wasn't physical or tactical per se , it came down to 2 or 3 poor game management decisions.

Not going for the corner off at least 1 of those penalties in the 22 , the lack of a clearance from the Dulin drop goal for example.

Those weren't errors made under pressure from the opposing defence for the most part.

TRC10 · 30-05-2022 10:43am

It was also Sexton who instructed Luke McGrath to box kick in Newcastle 3 years ago, which was the turning point in that final too.

We really are paying for his Cardiff heroics in 2011. Because that's two finals now where his game management/decision making has played a massive part in us losing.

Former Former Former · 30-05-2022 10:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133853#Comment_119133853

That is an INCREDIBLE take on things.

OldRio · 30-05-2022 10:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133853#Comment_119133853

What an odd statement.

OldRio · 30-05-2022 11:00am

The poster that wanted rid of Lancaster was also an 'odd' take on things.

the baby bull elephant · 30-05-2022 11:01am

Sexton went off a few minutes later. Quite possible he didn't have confidence in his ability to kick. He still managed to offload to Keenan who could have kicked and the rucking over him wasn't good enough. Small things make a difference at that level and there's plenty of blame to go around.

TRC10 · 30-05-2022 11:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133931#Comment_119133931

Never said that

Clegg · 30-05-2022 11:06am

^

Exactly. The Sexton, Keenan and JOB errors were all minor in nature, which unfortunately compounded into a major one. I'm not going to rip into them for it.

Leinster were incredibly close to winning that match. They had the lead in the 79th minute of the game. We just didn't get the bounce of the ball. Twice in fact. It's just one of those things.

OldRio · 30-05-2022 11:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133966#Comment_119133966

Never said you did.

Quin_Dub · 30-05-2022 11:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133968#Comment_119133968

Totally agree - I don't think there's a need to start dismantling everything and doing some kind of root and branch fresh start or anything, but Leinster do seem to "go into their shells" a bit when under pressure in games.

As an article I read said , they stopped "being Leinster" for large parts of the game and played a very closed down game plan.

Even with that as you say, they led game for 79 minutes and were a bounce of a ball or the lack of a slip from winning.

awec · 30-05-2022 11:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119133944#Comment_119133944

Sexton went off a few minutes later because he was hurt in the tackle after he decided not to kick it.

TRC10 · 30-05-2022 11:23am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119134007#Comment_119134007

they stopped "being Leinster" for large parts of the game and played a very closed down game plan.

But we do this every single year, without fail. It's just yet another failure of a season, with the same problems rearing their head. And yet all anyone is saying is "oh well, small margins, maybe next year". F*ck that, something needs to change, or this will keep happening. This squad should be winning the European Cup most years. We have an international team and no salary cap to contend with.

Nothing is changing. The issues that have plagued us consistently since 2018 haven't been fixed, only poorly masked. We still get totally spooked when teams don't roll over for us. I called this out after the Bath and Leicester games and got called crazy for it in here. I won't believe any hype around this team until they're holding up the Heineken Cup.

A-Train · 30-05-2022 11:31am

Still such a hard result to take. The game plan they were playing up to the final went missing due to LAR tactics but also Leinster going into their shell a good bit. I know points on the board wins games but they should have backed themselves to go for the corner a few times especially in the 1st half.

It really feels like the one that got away. I can't see how they can go on from here in Europe over the next few years. Scrum is being taken apart by the bigger and better teams, lack of power in the second row is a major issue(with very high hopes being pinned on McCarthy) and a massive issue at 10 when Johnny retires at the end of next season with Ross Byrne being grand for the URC but you will not win a Heineken cup with him at 10, Harry being injury prone and completely unproven and possibly Frawley being looked at again after being developed as a 12 for the last couple of years.

Now the mental tag of choking in finals will be thrown at them. They need to regroup and win the URC which will still feel like a disappointing season. All they can do is go away again and keep trying, it just gets harder and harder to stay focused when 4 years in a row they are beaten by big powerful teams (This is not to say Sarries and LAR are the exact same).

WeleaseWoderick · 30-05-2022 12:23pm

Will take a while to get over the disappointment from that match. The loss to Saracens in 2019 was more definitive and a bit easier to take for that reason. Saturday's match turned on a couple of small moments (Sexton/Keenan not clearing, taking points over a lineout attack on several occasions).

I had feared all week that we might tighten up due to it being a final and sadly that's how it turned out. Credit to La Rochelle though as they had a gameplan to disrupt our normal style of play and were very clinical when they got their own chances.

One thing with taking the kicks rather than going for the corner is that it felt like most of the kicks were straight in front. I think if any were more difficult, we'd have taken the gamble of going for the corner. Can be certain that La Rochelle were happier conceding 3 a few times as it stopped any real consistent pressure being put on them.

Dubinusa · 30-05-2022 12:24pm

It's a tough loss. But, we played poor rugby. La Rochelle were the better side. Without Sexton and Keenans **** up, we win this one. But Sexton didn't have time to make a good play. It was a lucky break for La Rochelle. But, you need luck in these games.

So next season will be tougher. Sexton will be older. Porter is in no man's land at the scrum and will there be a mental block. As a unit the backline didn't play well and maybe Larmour could have made a difference.

We do have a lot of work to do for next season. This season hasn't ended yet. I don't know if they can pick themselves up from the weekend and go on to win the urc!

Very disappointing end to our European campaign.

jimdemp · 30-05-2022 12:33pm

Old man Sexton trying to run it from under the posts and losing the final must be the craziness decisions in Rugby i have every seen. If any other 10 did it the Dublin media would say this is proof he cant play international for Ireland.

mod: warned for trolling.

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

Comments