Luke Fitzgerald

marius

Anyone else really looking forward to seeing him play outside Horgan and O'Driscoll today? Last few matches he has played I've been very impressed with him, has a tendency to overplay things at time but some of it could well come off when he is playing with O'Driscoll.
Fantastic prospect....roll on 6:30....

Diamondmaker

15: Girvan Dempsey
14: Luke Fitzgerald
13: Brian O'Driscoll CAPTAIN
12: Shane Horgan
11: Denis Hickie
10: Felipe Contepomi
9: Chris Whitaker

Mouth watering all right!!..........
No foaming at mouth smiley here:mad:

I feel darcy could find himself in trouble with his place as the kind of odd man out. His game and build is so similar to BOD and Horg contrasts BOD with the electric pace of old man Hickie ( who proved last week hes still got ..whats that stuff? ) and Luke on the wing.

Then bring in Chris and Felipe and who the hell do you mark when Leinster get the ball??
Please god the Lineout gets working soon and this is one exciting team to see!

daveirl

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shoutman

Setanta not showing this?

daveirl

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RuggieBear

daveirl wrote:

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you are ****ing ****ting me???


that's my evening ruined if that's the case

Amz

RuggieBear wrote:

you are ****ing ****ting me???


that's my evening ruined if that's the case

Ditto I was all set up with a bottle of wine and something nice to cook for dinner planning to watch it.

Goddamnit!

accensi0n

Same as myself. Was looking forward to sitting down and watching it with a few drinks before I head out.

Sucks.


(I better see a bigass scoreline on planet-rugby when I get home.)

Diamondmaker

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhh:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Weekend ruined!!! I would hav ebleedin gone to the West if I knew it was not on!!! It s not even on the radio . Hooke is goin on about Munster and Leinster are playing...with no coverage.Hopefully off the ball do the 2nd half!

Sucks being in Munsters shadow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diamondmaker

16 all 10 mins to go 2 in bin Leinst one in for Connacht, Mal started a brawl....:mad:

have been reduced to teletext and sporadic newstalk up dates, what was to such a promising evening is making mne GGGrrr!

Jilm

16-31 FT

I didn't see the match but Leinster scored two tries in injury time so the final score flattered them.

Diamondmaker

yeah scrappy game, whitaker shoulder injury, did not sound too impressive but a bonus point away from home not a bed net result ..

toomevara

Didn't see the game but have been reliably informed that Leinster were appalling. Apparently, were it not for two howlers by the normally solid McHugh which led to two tries and the concession of a super soft try in the first 5mins, the scoreline could have been an awful lot different.

RuggieBear

getting a bit worried. Leinster have been piss poor so far this season and the lineout is a ****ing joke.

toomevara

RuggieBear wrote:

getting a bit worried. Leinster have been piss poor so far this season and the lineout is a ****ing joke.

On the plus side apparently Trevor Hogan had a very solid game (lineout woes aside), anyone hear how Vermaas fared?

Sangre

Can't wait for my commitments to be over so I can actually start watching matches again?
Anyone see new Leinister 10 page thing in Evening Herald? Gonna be pull-out every Friday it seems now. Hopefully it'll be good, can get paper in college for 50c.

Diamondmaker

In Leinster defence to the current form ( or lack there of )
They were playing up until last night with an awful lot of new caps, and guys who have also only even been in Dublin a few months...this will all have to settle.
Vermass,Finegan,Hogan,Luke,Whittaker,Keogh..none have mpore than 4/5 caps!

Any settlement that had been done coming up to last night was undone by the reintroduction of the internationals...it haas to be disruptive.
Add to this Leinster were a week behind in starting from the other teams, then started away, 1 home and then 2 more away....next up Munster at waht has to be considered neutral rather than home almost, sure it may even look like a home game for Munster if the HEC SF is any indication!

I will reserve judgement for another while until a bit of cohesion develops.

The lineout was very troubled once again last night and that really is an issue however! Cheika kinda glossed over it in an interview saying how we can still score without a functioning line out, maybe! but what a handicap to have on a team...7 lost on own throw in 2 games!

Munster will catch and drive us over next week every time on our defensive ball...worrying!:(

Amazotheamazing

Diamondmaker wrote:

The lineout was very troubled once again last night and that really is an issue however! Cheika kinda glossed over it in an interview saying how we can still score without a functioning line out, maybe! but what a handicap to have on a team...7 lost on own throw in 2 games!

Munster will catch and drive us over next week every time on our defensive ball...worrying!:(

Cheika is right to a degree, Leinster are one of the few teams who don't especially need a lineout, and would be able to beat most other teams without one. However, to win either the HEC or the ML, you will need to beat a handful teams who are capable of denying the Leinster backs ball. It might only be 15% of the teams Leinster actually play, but they'll be the most important 15%.

Diamondmaker

Amazotheamazing wrote:

Cheika is right to a degree, Leinster are one of the few teams who don't especially need a lineout, and would be able to beat most other teams without one. However, to win either the HEC or the ML, you will need to beat a handful teams who are capable of denying the Leinster backs ball. It might only be 15% of the teams Leinster actually play, but they'll be the most important 15%.

Damn right! they need to sort out the lineout and get a pack with some of the savagery of the munster boys.

It is very early days yet and there is huge porential, there was no out cry or panic while Munster were propping up the ML table!
Next Fri should be a real test for bothe teams, both off back of tricky away wins. Will Munster suffovate the Leinstyer backs as ;last year or will Leinsters obvious superiority ion the back line some how get enough ball to win it?

Its going to be a fascinating match, I cant wait. Chieks will unsderstand a helluva lot more now about the Munster etos to going intoi this game!
Maybe tranquilizer darts for Paul, Donnach and Freedie is the way!:D

toomevara

Diamondmaker wrote:

It is very early days yet and there is huge porential, there was no out cry or panic while Munster were propping up the ML table!

Tbh nobody in Munster gives a good God Damn about the ML. Sure, we want the bragging rights when it comes to the local derby's but thats about it...Its ALL about the HC defence....The ML doesnt even feature on the radar.

Diamondmaker

toomevara wrote:

Tbh nobody in Munster gives a good God Damn about the ML. ......................The ML doesnt even feature on the radar.

Ehhh it just a yard stick, a measure of form that can be used at this stage to see how squads are coming together. My point being that Leinster like munster have just to get into their stride and afford the internationals and nubies to gel and it is too early to right them off or say they are dire.

The ML is some what a measure of a squads depth however and should not be dismissed, the guys getting the ML run ins are potentially critical further on in the season if injuries play their part.

toomevara

Diamondmaker wrote:

Ehhh it just a yard stick, a measure of form that can be used at this stage to see how squads are coming together. My point being that Leinster like munster have just to get into their stride and afford the internationals and nubies to gel and it is too early to right them off or say they are dire.

The ML is some what a measure of a squads depth however and should not be dismissed, the guys getting the ML run ins are potentially critical further on in the season if injuries play their part.

Absolutely correct, just my point. The ML is seen as very much a secondary campaign, but useful for all the reasons you've expertly outlined. Munster retain the HC but finish bottom of the ML...as far as I'm concerned job done (as long as we dont lose to Leinster;) )

Jilm

toomevara wrote:

Munster retain the HC but finish bottom of the ML...as far as I'm concerned job done (as long as we dont lose to Leinster;) )

How do you feel about the European Challenge cup? ...'cause thats what Munster would be playing in next season as opposed to the HC if they finish bottom of the ML table

RuggieBear

ah but don't the winners get automatic entry?

Besides i'd reckon that Munster or Leinster would walk the Challenge Cup if they took it seriously

Jilm

RuggieBear wrote:

ah but don't the winners get automatic entry?

Nope.

Besides i'd reckon that Munster or Leinster would walk the Challenge Cup if they took it seriously

Munster have higher aims than a 2nd tier comp like the ECC ...though it might be just the right level for Leinster.

RuggieBear

you yourself said that is what they would be playing if they came last in the ML.

Jilm

RuggieBear wrote:

you yourself said that is what they would be playing if they came last in the ML.

True but I was responding to Toomevaras post (note the ). I don't for an instance think Munster will finish bottom of the ML or fail to qualify for next season HC (may EOS coach Ireland for the next 12 years if I'm wrong).

RuggieBear

Jilm wrote:

(may EOS coach Ireland for the next 12 years if I'm wrong).

Jaysus...don't be saying things like that!!!!!:eek:

Diamondmaker

toomevara wrote:

Absolutely correct, just my point. The ML is seen as very much a secondary campaign, but useful for all the reasons you've expertly outlined. Munster retain the HC but finish bottom of the ML...as far as I'm concerned job done (as long as we dont lose to Leinster;) )

You must be the only Munster person dismissing the ML in such away cos you aint playing it next year if Connacht top you this year in ML, then you will give, what was it, a good god damn !;) about it !

Diamondmaker

Jilm wrote:

Nope.Munster have higher aims than a 2nd tier comp like the ECC ...though it might be just the right level for Leinster.

Leinster playing with the bottom half of the ML and lowly French and English teams...Just the right level?

How does this figure?

Jilm

Diamondmaker wrote:

Leinster playing with the bottom half of the ML and lowly French and English teams...Just the right level? How does this figure?

We'll see on Friday.

daveirl

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toomevara

Diamondmaker wrote:

You must be the only Munster person dismissing the ML in such away cos you aint playing it next year if Connacht top you this year in ML, then you will give, what was it, a good god damn !;) about it !

urghh....got me there Diamondmaker, damn my penchant for overblown hyperbole!!!

Diamondmaker

That is all !

Diamondmaker

Jilm wrote:

We'll see on Friday.

:cool: