Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

Clegg · 24-11-2023 1:01pm

Team is out. Conan and Henshaw both start with a 6-2 split on the bench. Glad Penny is in the squad as his form warrants it. Culhane is in too which is a surprise for someone so young. Not like he doesn't deserve the chance however.

Osborne and Deegan are unfortunate to miss out though. The former especially. Would have him ahead of Henshaw.

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby/status/1728020654564262190?t=PPFhZONifwXxuna1Ru_Sow&s=09

AdamD · 24-11-2023 1:03pm

Disappointed that Osborne hasn't been picked.

scott1974 · 24-11-2023 1:06pm

No sign of Baird either, a few big names left out.

arsebiscuits1 · 24-11-2023 1:09pm

Munster team:

Simon Zebo; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron (C), Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Brian Gleeson, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.

Ahern at 6 is an unusual choice and presumably means they're going after our lineout hard. No Edogbo either given how good he's been recently. And how hyped he's been by several pundits

Clegg · 24-11-2023 1:10pm

Frawley can play 10/12/15 which makes him an obvious candidate for the bench, especially in a 6-2 split. But we really have to get Osborne in there somewhere. Would have preferred the traditional 5-3 bench.

Munsters backline doesn't look the strongest. Scannell and Zebo are both there. Strong enough pack though. Kleyn is back and they've moved Ahern to blindside. Think that's also an admission that thier lineout is a worry for them.

Ben Bailey · 24-11-2023 1:15pm

Scott 'Kwagga' Penny

Nienaber has arrived (in spirit)

Clegg · 24-11-2023 1:19pm

Disappointed for Deegan, Ngatai and Osborne. They've been some of our best players in the opening rounds of fixtures. Would hope they get a chance to stake a claim for Champions Cup spots in the game against Connacht.

The Munster bench looks weak. Can definitely see us targeting them in the final 30 minutes.

24-11-2023 1:21pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411553#Comment_121411553

Interesting that Conan has been explicitly named at 6, with Doris at 8. Have Leinster done that before?

Agreed - I would have liked to see Osborne and Deegan rewarded for their form and retained in this 23. Big vote of confidence in Culhane.

Clegg · 24-11-2023 1:23pm

Delighted for Boyle and Culhane however. Both have played exceptionally well this season.

arsebiscuits1 · 24-11-2023 1:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411674#Comment_121411674

No. At least not from the off.

According to All Rugby this is Conans first start at 6 since the Draw away to Castres in January 2017.

Having said that he has more than likely switched to 6 at some point since then mid game.

Overall he has started 127 senior games for Leinster, Ireland and the Lions. 122 of them have been at 8. 5 have been at 6

ulsteru20s · 24-11-2023 1:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411592#Comment_121411592

I’d guess Edogbo and Nankivell are rested. He’s played every game and the latter came directly from NZ rugby to play.

I don’t think Munster are targeting this game as much as Glasgow. Just looking at the selection.

RichieRich_89 · 24-11-2023 2:53pm

It's disappointing that Osborne's not involved. He could even have shifted to the wing in place of Larmour.

clsmooth · 24-11-2023 3:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412190#Comment_121412190

I suspect they’re managing his minutes hopefully with the view to having him involved against LAR in a few weeks. In the meantime Henshaw needs game time.

Clo-Clo · 24-11-2023 3:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412190#Comment_121412190

Why? Larmour has been playing well so far this season and a senior player now. Osbourne will get plenty of game time and is a centre

Must love hardship · 24-11-2023 3:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412459#Comment_121412459

I wouldn't mind seeing what Osborne could do on the wing. But it's about integrating lads back into the team this week and next week and go with the strongest team for the la rochelle match.

Both Conan and Henshaw need game time. Deegan and Osborne are unlucky to miss out but hopefully will be back in next week.

Also I hope Leinster actually use the bench tomorrow. I would be critical of the bench used v la rochelle the past 2 years leaving Frawley on the bench for 80 minutes both days.

Finally is Lowe around the squad? Didn't see any photos of him lately. Injured? Or given time off?

AbusesToilets · 24-11-2023 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411601#Comment_121411601

Osbourne can play across the whole backline, I'd take him over Frawley in every position ( bar 10 obviously). Don't agree with Henshaw coming right in over him at all.

24-11-2023 4:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412576#Comment_121412576

Saw a comment elsewhere suggesting he is currently back in NZ, unsure for the duration or exact reasons.

EDIT: Referring to James Lowe, obviously.

Dubinusa · 24-11-2023 4:15pm

Disappointed for Deegan and Osborne.

Dubinusa · 24-11-2023 4:24pm

Gleeson in the Munster team. In my opinion, he's the best backrow young player since Leavy.

scott1974 · 24-11-2023 4:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411652#Comment_121411652

I wonder are they trying to keep the Irish combinations together rather than trying to integrate too much..

Maybe they are learning from previous season's??

24-11-2023 6:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121412969#Comment_121412969

Learning what from previous seasons? Leinster are typically red hot at this time of year regardless of the season. If trophies were won any time before May then Leinster would have filled their boots in recent years.

I don't think the guys excluded would have materially weakened Leinster either.

Leinster started a weaker side in this very fixture in the Aviva last year: no Keenan, Osborne on the wing, Ala'alatoa & Clarkson as THPs v Furlong and Ala'alatoa this year, and had Deegan and Penny as flankers. They also had Clarkson, Nick McCarthy and Rob Russell coming off the bench, and still managed a comfortable, BP, 14-pt win.

StormForce13 · 24-11-2023 6:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121406674#Comment_121406674

Ever hear anyone giving about "The Hand of Back? Used to be a regular whine until a few years ago! 😉

Dubinusa · 24-11-2023 6:25pm

After this tilt I think it will be a different side to face Connacht. I expect Baird to start, Jenkins also and I think Ed B will get his season started. It is also an opportunity to possibly get Frawley involved as out half? I reckon HB starts though.

Dubinusa · 24-11-2023 6:30pm

I just subscribed to florugby. I watched the entire Scarlets match and although we put up a big score, I though Leinster were sloppy and underwhelming. Maybe I expect too much!

Some very poor sloppy moments in this match. I watched Holly reffing the scrum and was scratching my head. Not to dump on Holly but, does anyone think the scrum was a bag of shyte? Porter was not happy!

The commentary for this match was brilliant. No idea who the comms were though, but very very good.

ersatz · 24-11-2023 8:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121407690#Comment_121407690

Thanks for the level of detail in your post and I’m not disregarding that some of those ref decisions going another way might have had a consequential impact on the outcome. But it’s vital to look at Leinster’s performance and ask why they can’t get over the line against LAR, a team routinely beaten by French teams Leinster always dominate. There is a mental component to this that is not easily explained away by reference to reffing decisions. Leinster barely passed the ball in the second half, scored only 3 points, made a lot of unforced errors and bad decisions and were it not for their stout Defense they would have been blown away, without firing a shot.

Close game in name only when you consider how rudderless their attack was for 40 minutes. The ultimate fiasco between JGP and Byrne was emblematic of the previous 40 minutes ball in hand.

frankly I was reminded of it by the All Black game in the WC, closely beaten by a team who we quite frankly should have beaten, but didn’t. In the cares of LAR it’s becoming a habit of Leinster’s to lose games they could/should/might have won except for on field errors and coaching might have beens.

Podge_irl · 24-11-2023 8:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121407412#Comment_121407412

Both times against La Rochelle their big players, particularly their pack, were able to wear Leinster down.

I 100% fundamentally disagree with this.

The pack, and Doris in particular, were rebuffing everything that LAR were throwing at Leinster. We repeatedly turned them over and they looked like they had no idea how to break down our defence. Eventually the pressure showed because we were singularly incapable of clearing our lines. I will not ascribe blame to him as there were extenuating circumstances, but Lowe should not have started either final.

Podge_irl · 24-11-2023 8:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121411553#Comment_121411553

Have to say, I really, really do not care for the idea of Frawley covering a 6-2 split from the bench.

Clegg · 24-11-2023 8:59pm

Leinster defended incredibly well in the final. The second half effort especially was some of the best I've ever seen from an Irish side. But as Podge says above, we couldn't transition that excellent defence into territory at all.

There's an article in the Irish Times from earlier this week talking about Leinster's overhaul of its defensive structure. They're competing far more at the ruck and are willing to be a few men down in the defensive line if it means we slow down the opposition's ball or win a turnover. It's definitely a change from how we usually defended when coached by Lancaster. The best way to stop sides like La Rochelle from building momentum is to keep the ball away from them. Could be a way of combating their power.

That being said, we competed at the rucks a lot in last season's final to quite a bit of success, but still couldn't win. It all comes down to those shanked kicks. Maybe we'll see more effective transition attacks off turnover ball this season? It's definitely something we weren't brilliant at under Lancaster.

24-11-2023 10:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121413713#Comment_121413713

I think Frawley is a great option if you’ve just got one back to cover a multitude of positions because he can do a good job at 10,12,13 and 15 (played really well opposite Lukhanyo Am in the URC QF last year), but I completely agree - I just don’t like the 6-2 split in general. Feels like an unnecessary risk IMO.

AbusesToilets · 24-11-2023 10:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121413837#Comment_121413837

There's also the factor that we stopped playing again, and went into our shells. We had opportunities to go to the corner, after scoring the 3rd try and instead took shots at goal. The last sequence where we marched down the field shows to me that we messed up by choosing to kick the ball away and play defensively. Our backs not passing is a criminal stat imo.

Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

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