[.ak]

Teams for tomorrow. Not televised. Such a pity as I really wanted to see how the Madigan, Reid and Macken would get on. I'd say they'd slice up that midfield all day!

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS:

15: Hallam Amos
14: Will Harries
13: Adam Hughes
12: Ashley Smith
11: Aled Brew
10: Lewis Robling
9: Wayne Evans

1: Nathan Williams
2: Sam Parry
3: Nathan Buck
4: Luke Charteris CAPTAIN
5: Rob Sidoli
6: Danny Lydiate
7: Lewis Evans
8: Toby Faletau

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Steve Jones
17: Phil Price
18: Dan Way
19: Jevon Groves
20: Tom Brown
21: Jonathan Evans
22: Pat Leach
23: Jack Dixon

LEINSTER:

15: David Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Nathan White
4: Devin Toner
5: Damian Browne
6: Kevin McLaughlin CAPTAIN
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Jordi Murphy
21: Luke McGrath
22: Isa Nacewa
23: Darren Hudson

REFEREE: Marius Mitrea (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: James Jones, David Jones (both WRU)

[WeeBushy]

Would love to see that team play. No Ruddock, is he injured? Also interesting to see McGrath in the bench over cooney, unless he's injures as well.

[chancer12]

Originally Posted by .ak

Teams for tomorrow. Not televised. Such a pity as I really wanted to see how the Madigan, Reid and Macken would get on. I'd say they'd slice up that midfield all day!

NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS:

15: Hallam Amos
14: Will Harries
13: Adam Hughes
12: Ashley Smith
11: Aled Brew
10: Lewis Robling
9: Wayne Evans

1: Nathan Williams
2: Sam Parry
3: Nathan Buck
4: Luke Charteris CAPTAIN
5: Rob Sidoli
6: Danny Lydiate
7: Lewis Evans
8: Toby Faletau

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Steve Jones
17: Phil Price
18: Dan Way
19: Jevon Groves
20: Tom Brown
21: Jonathan Evans
22: Pat Leach
23: Jack Dixon

LEINSTER:

15: David Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Noel Reid
11: Fionn Carr
10: Ian Madigan
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Jack McGrath
2: Sean Cronin
3: Nathan White
4: Devin Toner
5: Damian Browne
6: Kevin McLaughlin CAPTAIN
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Leo Auva'a

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Aaron Dundon
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Jordi Murphy
21: Luke McGrath
22: Isa Nacewa
23: Darren Hudson

REFEREE: Marius Mitrea (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: James Jones, David Jones (both WRU)

Delighted to see Conway back, was beginning to wonder what happened him. Bit disappointed not to see Luke, last w/end wasn't one of his better games and I think he could do with scoring a few tries. Interesting to see Kearney at 15 with Reid at 12

[[Jackass]]

Delighted to see Luke McGrath on the bench!! Hope he gets some decent game time (NOT at the expense of anything happening to Reddan though! )

Re Reid, he mixes the sublime with the awful, but if he has a future with Leinster, it's definitely as a 12 and most definitely not as a 10.

Great to see Conway back too.

Shame O'Malley still out.

[emmet02]

what time is KO?

nevermind, 2hour drive probably too much

[Tox56]

Would have liked to have seen how Ryan does at 7, seems to be growing into the role and is up against a very decent backrow.

[.ak]

Originally Posted by [Jackass]

Delighted to see Luke McGrath on the bench!! Hope he gets some decent game time (NOT at the expense of anything happening to Reddan though! )

Re Reid, he mixes the sublime with the awful, but if he has a future with Leinster, it's definitely as a 12 and most definitely not as a 10.

Great to see Conway back too.

Shame O'Malley still out.

Dunno if I agree with the Reid thing. Whilst I think he has an exciting step, and his offload is lovely, when he nails a game at 10 he's a brilliant prospect. I know he was awful at 10 for the semi-final, but he was just sublime there for the Ponty match. And he's done well there in the senior team too... He definitely needs to iron out the issues when he's having a bad day at the office... but I definitely think he's better prospect at 10, as he's a tad light at 12 and has been shown up defensively at AIL level.

No harm in having a player that can shift comfortably between roles mind you... A traditional 2nd 5/8th.

Yeah pity on the O'Malley thing. He's been unlucky with injury in the same sense Luke has too - picking up silly niggles at important parts of the season. Ideally, a midfield with Madigan, Reid and EOM would be an offensive nightmare for opposition. At this stage, I doubt EOM will get another game before the end of the season.

[errlloyd]

I ****ing love our second string, so exciting.

[molloyjh]

Originally Posted by WeeBushy

Also interesting to see McGrath in the bench over cooney, unless he's injures as well.

Broken jaw IIRC.

Originally Posted by [Jackass]

Re Reid, he mixes the sublime with the awful, but if he has a future with Leinster, it's definitely as a 12 and most definitely not as a 10.

I would tend to agree with this myself. The game against Ponty was without doubt a far handier one than the one against Munster, hence the better display that day. A Madigan-Reid-EOM/Macken combination could be quite impressive.

[irishbucsfan]

Jackass being very harsh on Reid. He doesn't mix the sublime with the awful as far as I'm concerned. Haven't seen him do anything awful personally, bar his kicking in the semi.

I do think he's a 12 though. Really don't think he's too small, he's a big guy. He's so skillful. I really think hell compliment Macken very well. I think this could be a center partnership for the future with a higher potential than that of Ferg/EOM.



Luke McGrath on the bench is forced by injury to Boss and Cooney but I hope he gets on and shows up well.

Ryan at 7 could well steal the show again.

[GerM]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

I do think he's a 12 though. Really don't think he's too small, he's a big guy. He's so skillful. I really think hell compliment Macken very well. I think this could be a center partnership for the future with a higher potential than that of Ferg/EOM.

Think you’re on the money there, IBF. If I was to have my ideal 12 he’d be a solid enough bloke with great hands, a break and a boot. The ideal 13 would have a good offload, be a big fella with good footwork and a good outside break. Macken is perhaps lacking that little bit of pace to burn people on the outside but he looks very dangerous there and his handling is improving. His ability to get his hands free has improved significantly over the past year. Another 2 years of increasing game time and they could form a very handy partnership.

[.ak]

For me EOM is the second most promising 13 in terms of attack (Behind BOD!). I really like Macken, I think he's a bit of a speedster and is probably the stronger when he straightens up, but EOM is just so dangerous when in the red zone. He's got a step to rival Darce's in his day and has generally got a great rugby brain. Even on his bad days I find it hard not to like him.

[shuffol]

Would've liked to see D.Kearney at FB, offensively he's got a great game for there, runs excellent lines and can break through tackles. At national level other than Rob our options are pretty sparse there, so many young wings about we could do with one who could cover 15.

[WeeBushy]

Originally Posted by molloyjh

Broken jaw IIRC.

Ah yes, I remember that now. Missed the semi-final against Munster as a result.

[[Jackass]]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

Jackass being very harsh on Reid. He doesn't mix the sublime with the awful as far as I'm concerned. Haven't seen him do anything awful personally, bar his kicking in the semi.

I do think he's a 12 though. Really don't think he's too small, he's a big guy. He's so skillful. I really think hell compliment Macken very well. I think this could be a center partnership for the future with a higher potential than that of Ferg/EOM.

Just to clarify, this isn't based solely on the Munster game, where granted he was absolutely awful, but I've seen him a number of times over the last 2 seasons, and whilst he is a massively skilled player, he is (imo) an awful 10 on a bad day.

I'd liken his form to that of Contepomi, when he's good, he's amazing, when he's bad, you lose the game. At least at 12 he isn't the rudder of the entire team, and I think he's better at 12 where he doesn't carry that burden.

McGrath / Cooney, Sexton / Madigan, Carr / Fitzgerald, Reid / McFadden, Macken / O'Malley, D. Kearney / Hudson & R. Kearney / Conway are super future backline options.