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Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IV

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    #5102
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Heroditas wrote: »
    Fanning's season is over - broke his arm right at the end of the game tonight apparently.

    What? How did none of us see that?


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    #5103
    former legend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,309 ✭✭✭former legend


    vienne86 wrote: »
    What? How did none of us see that?

    TV showed him going off holding his arm alright, in the closing minute or two.

    We'd better hope Kirchner is not injured and that McFadden will be back sooner rather than later.


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    #5104
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,184 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    vienne86 wrote: »
    What? How did none of us see that?

    He was in a lot of discomfort coming off. Didn't think it was a break but definitely took a heavy knock.


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    #5105
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,445 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    Buer wrote: »
    He was in a lot of discomfort coming off. Didn't think it was a break but definitely took a heavy knock.

    Definitely a break by all accounts.


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    #5106
    blackdog1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,130 ✭✭✭blackdog1


    Noel reid is a lovely player..probably the best passer of the ball in the squad. Only problem is he doesn't do the dirty workbin the rucks for me. Id love to see him play 10 down the line if that aspect of his game doesn't improve. Luke mcgrath showed up well. Wasn't impressed with his passing before but it was great tonight. Think he has everything else


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    #5107
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Heroditas wrote: »
    Definitely a break by all accounts.

    Feck. We need McFadden to get stuck back together again.


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    #5108
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,445 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    vienne86 wrote: »
    Feck. We need McFadden to get stuck back together again.

    Baby K and Kirchner.
    Unless Kirchner is out injured too!


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    #5109
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    Heroditas wrote: »
    Baby K and Kirchner.
    Unless Kirchner is out injured too!

    Fitz? I know he's week by week but he's regularly in training pics with the rest of the squad, I reckon he's always very close but with his record they don't take any chances


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    #5110
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Tox56 wrote: »
    Fitz? I know he's week by week but he's regularly in training pics with the rest of the squad, I reckon he's always very close but with his record they don't take any chances

    I was afraid to even hope for Luke to return. That'd be brilliant.


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    #5111
    Morf
    Registered Users Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭Morf


    errlloyd wrote: »
    Throw the game against Ulster, put out the under 15s. Prefer them to Ospreys (note I believe Ulster are better, just Ospreys are weird)

    That would be an awful PR move.

    The official opening of Ravenhill should get a very strong Leinster team even if injuries are a huge issue up their way. They deserve the occasion and the respect in that regard. I'd hope BOD would play if fit to compliment that.

    Players (at least some have explicitly said) want a string of high intensity games this time of year anyway.


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    #5112
    Morf
    Registered Users Posts: 3,822 ✭✭✭Morf


    Buer wrote: »
    In Reid, I'd like to think we're looking at a guy who, with another year, could be an option at European level. He has developed hugely. Threw one really poor pass and fumbled once or twice but that was far outweighed by his support, running and one great turnover on the deck. He punches way above his 90kg also.

    I should announce my vested interest here as a paid-up member of the Noel Reid fan club. Could add a bit more dog when it comes to hitting rucks but huge progress and delighted for him.


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    #5113
    sullivlo
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,994 Mod ✭✭✭✭sullivlo


    Morf wrote: »
    I should announce my vested interest here as a paid-up member of the Noel Reid fan club. Could add a bit more dog when it comes to hitting rucks but huge progress and delighted for him.

    I've joined the club too.

    I was talking to him last night and he said he will never grow a beard though. He has too much of a baby face and can't.


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    #5114
    vienne86
    Registered Users Posts: 17,075 ✭✭✭✭vienne86


    Morf wrote: »
    I should announce my vested interest here as a paid-up member of the Noel Reid fan club. Could add a bit more dog when it comes to hitting rucks but huge progress and delighted for him.

    I'm delighted for him, and for Leinster! It's a real 'good news' story and it's great to see. Agreed that a bit more umph in rucks would help, but he cerainly isn't afaid of tackling and going in to contact. Count me in as part of his fan club!


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    #5115
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,445 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    Almost sure he won an excellent turnover last night against a Treviso forward.
    Delighted to see him progress at the rate he has - very promising for the future and MOC seems to have quite a bit of faith in him. Hopefully that bodes well for our style of rugby in the future but I still scratch my head when I see Reid, for all intents and purposes, on the crash ball sometimes.
    Bastareaud he ain't!


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    #5116
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    justsomebloke wrote: »
    At this point I would be disappointed if we didn't beat ulster

    Really? I think that's high expectations tbh. They beat us twice last year when we were supposedly a better team and playing better.

    Ulster are a very good side and I wouldn't let the Glasgow defeat change that idea. They will be extremely fired up because if last years final and the truth of the matter is we only beat them this year because of SOB and Fitz who will more than likely miss this fixture.

    Like the ospreys game, I'd be content with a LBP and it was always going to be that way in my predictions for the run in. I think we'll give it a good go and with no European distractions we hand every chance of over turning them.


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    #5117
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    The big thing about Reid that surprises me is how good he is at crash ball. I mean for a lanky 90 kg centre I always wince when I see him going high into contact but he almost always makes a few yards. I think he's just quite an explosive runner and what he lacks in bulk he makes up for in leg drive.

    There was a funny bit when RK was really bollicking him over something. He got caught behind the gain line, I'm not sure if he could do much about it but maybe he called for the ball when it wasn't on. But anyway they had a proper tiff on the field. Then on the next play he went on to score a try. That summed up his performance for me, anytime he made a mistake you'd expect his frustration to get the better of him, but instead he'd just work harder and do something brilliant.

    Was clear motm for me, along with jamie.


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    #5118
    hogandrew
    Registered Users Posts: 441 ✭✭hogandrew


    .ak wrote: »
    Really? I think that's high expectations tbh. They beat us twice last year when we were supposedly a better team and playing better.

    Ulster are a very good side and I wouldn't let the Glasgow defeat change that idea. They will be extremely fired up because if last years final and the truth of the matter is we only beat them this year because of SOB and Fitz who will more than likely miss this fixture.

    Like the ospreys game, I'd be content with a LBP and it was always going to be that way in my predictions for the run in. I think we'll give it a good go and with no European distractions we hand every chance of over turning them.

    I think Ulster's squad for the night will have a huge bearing on expectations. A lbp against a full Ulster squad in ravenhill would be good. If they don't get players back then it may not be as tough an ask. They look to be struggling in the front row after last night. If we have 2 international front rows available it would be a big advantage


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    #5119
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,095 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Ulster are decimated though.


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    #5120
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    .ak wrote: »
    Really? I think that's high expectations tbh. They beat us twice last year when we were supposedly a better team and playing better.

    Ulster are a very good side and I wouldn't let the Glasgow defeat change that idea. They will be extremely fired up because if last years final and the truth of the matter is we only beat them this year because of SOB and Fitz who will more than likely miss this fixture.

    Like the ospreys game, I'd be content with a LBP and it was always going to be that way in my predictions for the run in. I think we'll give it a good go and with no European distractions we hand every chance of over turning them.

    Court best afoa Black Fitzpatrick pienaar all missing would change the outlook on things.


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    #5121
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »
    Court best afoa Black Fitzpatrick pienaar all missing would change the outlook on things.

    True, in that sort of context I'd be more confident, but they're still a top team and I wouldn't be disappointed with a lbp away from home to them.


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    #5122
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,184 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    Keep in mind the Ulster team that won in Dublin last season had no Afoa, Marshall, Bowe or Ferris and won. They're capable to taking us to the cleaners in Belfast even with the current injuries.


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    #5123
    Tox56
    Registered Users Posts: 11,636 ✭✭✭✭Tox56


    .ak wrote: »
    The big thing about Reid that surprises me is how good he is at crash ball. I mean for a lanky 90 kg centre I always wince when I see him going high into contact but he almost always makes a few yards. I think he's just quite an explosive runner and what he lacks in bulk he makes up for in leg drive.

    There was a funny bit when RK was really bollicking him over something. He got caught behind the gain line, I'm not sure if he could do much about it but maybe he called for the ball when it wasn't on. But anyway they had a proper tiff on the field. Then on the next play he went on to score a try. That summed up his performance for me, anytime he made a mistake you'd expect his frustration to get the better of him, but instead he'd just work harder and do something brilliant.

    Was clear motm for me, along with jamie.

    He's 6'1 or so and not particularly small, but he can get seriously low to the ground. I saw people questioning his ruck work but without looking too closely I thought he did well there, he had one great turnover (where he was BODesque in his ability to get low) and there was a good clear out too ahead of Heaslip's (I think?) try where again he used his low centre of gravity to clear the man out.

    I'm way way more optimistic about his future than at the start of the season, although it remains to be seen how he will cope in the high level games (Europe particularly) that call for rock solid basics and 0 mistakes in attack or defence, and where space will be at a premium. Has to be said though he had an excellent game against Ulster in the RDS with their international midfield of Jackson-Marshall-Cave so he has the ability


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    #5124
    jacothelad
    Registered Users Posts: 5,911 ✭✭✭jacothelad


    Heroditas wrote: »
    Anyone els reckon we'll send a second string to Ravenhill if Glasgow hold on to beat Ulster?
    We'd be guaranteed top spot with a win against Edinburgh so MOC might decide to rest a load of players to prevent any injuries.
    Problem is that they have next weekend off anyway so match sharpness might be lacking.

    I reckon that's all you'll need. Ulster are now without..
    1. Court / Black 2. Best. 3 Afoa.Fitzpatrick. Lutton
    4.........5 Tuohy
    6 Diack, Ferris, 7 .......... 8. Wilson.
    9 Pienaar.

    So of Ulster's first choice 1 to 9 possibilities we only have Williams, Muller, Henderson and Henry out of the 14 possible starters. Catastrophic.

    Leinster's 2nds would win at a canter given the fact that Ulster have one fit prop in the entire squad and he has only started one game.


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    #5125
    Buer
    Registered Users Posts: 24,184 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    Lulling us into a false sense of security there, Jaco.

    Firstly, we've no idea of the prognosis for Court and Lutton although it doesn't look good. Black said himself he expects to be playing again this season so could well be available in two weeks. Afoa is being monitored on an ongoing basis so might be around in a couple of weeks.

    Looking beyond the prop situation (and I'd expect one or two of them to return in the meantime), the Ulster side should be something along the lines of:

    Herring, Muller, Henderson, Ferris, Henry, Williams, Marshall, Jackson, Trimble, Marshall, Cave, Bowe, Payne.

    That's more than enough to take on Leinster at home in a must win game.


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    #5126
    Grimebox
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,997 ✭✭✭Grimebox


    Weird atmosphere at the RDS yesterday. A lot of people weren't even watching the match and were just having pints in the sun


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    #5127
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Grimebox wrote: »
    Weird atmosphere at the RDS yesterday. A lot of people weren't even watching the match and were just having pints in the sun

    Yeah bit of a festival atmosphere but I enjoyed and have the sunburn to show for it.


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    #5128
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,442 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    .ak wrote: »
    Yeah bit of a festival atmosphere but I enjoyed and have the sunburn to show for it.

    You got sunburnt yesterday?

    It was like 11 degrees!


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    #5129
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    awec wrote: »
    You got sunburnt yesterday?

    It was like 11 degrees!

    ... Who's going to tell awec it's the sun you get sunburn from?


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    #5130
    .ak
    Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    But yeah basically a few min the sun and I get a colour.


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    #5131
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,442 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    :D

    Fair enough. Didn't think it was sunburn weather yet!


This discussion has been closed.
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