Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

NO sign - have emailed LB

It's a bit like a traditional France v South Africa match up, France have always been better in terms of a style that's exciting and artful, but SA have very often strangled them to win.

The obvious way to deal with such line speed is to chip over the top where there'll be plenty of space. But that's just not how Leinster play. Kicks over the top also leave you vulnerable to being counterattacked against. Just requires a bad bounce. Leinsters set piece attack has been a huge strength. They'll want to keep ball in hand as much as possible to manipulate the defensive line and create gaps.

I guess what Leinster will do is keep the ball in hand, pummel the breakdown and eke penalties out of La R. If you go for the corner and keep the ball in a maul you negate the defences line speed somewhat. They're very fast off the line at set piece, but if you can get penalties out of them that'll get the referee on their case too.

We'll need hyper accuracy at the set piece for that however. That's what let us down last season

Was looking at some highlights yesterday with this very thought in mind. Ulster are a great example here of what NOT to do against that kind of defense, i.e., flat attacking shape (nobody behind ball carriers to clean), lazy lateral passing from 9 to 10 to a midfielder (buys the La Rochelle defense line enough time to get over the gain line and hit them for negative gain).

Leinster will be going immediately into contact off each pass in their box shape. Once the shotguns can clean out effectively, any and all advancing La Rochelle defenders will now be offside. There'll be gaps to attack and penalties to be won.

Contrast Leisnter's shape in the phases (link: starting from the lineout at 2:08 on the game clock) leading up to Alldritt's first turnover in last year's final. Flat, isolated runners.

One year later, look at their shape in their very first set of phases (link: starting with Keenan taking it into contact at 0:20 on the game clock). Ball only ever goes to a player with at least one, usually 2 forwards within 2 yards. Quick recycle each time and Henshaw is eventually away into a gap.

If I'm ROG, I'm watching what Munster did - get up fast, use good tackling technique, but don't compete. Instead, fan out, keep the numbers balanced on each side. Make the shotguns surplus to requirements (i.e., they have nobody to clean) and use that man advantage to can keep pressuring them and try move them back up the field.

BUT, two crucial things. The first is fitness. If you move Leinster back, they'll eventually kick it to you, but keep it in play. Your fullback now has to either give them a set piece around midfield or kick it back to Leinster. Leinster murder teams on transition, and will be more than happy to ratchet up the ball-in-play time.

The second, is the personnel that Leinster will be bringing in this week, who Munster didn't face. Doris and Ryan in particular, who will add so much to their attacking play.

tl:dr - Leinster will combat the LaR blitz with their box formation. LaR won't be able to do what they did to Ulster in that clip, or even to Leinster last year. They also don't have the fitness to do what Munster did to Leinster, and the latter will have superior personnel.

I work in Ballsbridge and they've started adorning the EPCR and Champions Cup branding on all the light posts on the Shelbourne Road and Lansdowne Road.

It's getting very real now.

O boy I hope not. The quality of their kit is dreadful. That would be a major step down from Adidas. Never mind how over priced they are for such poor quality. No Leinster kit for me if it is Castore:(

The last couple of years the adidas gear has been nice, few duffers before that. Are Castore the crowd doing the Irish soccer gear? I hope not as that’s truly awful stuff.

I know some people were asking about a fan village for the final.

It doesn't appear that there is an official EPCR organised event l, but the Leinster Supporters Club have two going at the Sandymount Hotel and at Lansdowne Rugby Club for anyone interested.

I know! I just expect to lose to them.

Jesus! Conan's stats.... brilliant

I would have considered it fairly universally known that La Rochelle have spent big on that squad and compete at the top level financially.