Edinburgh v Leinster, Heineken Cup

ALH-06

Leinster squad named, all the big guns are back of course...

FORWARDS: Cian Healy, Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman, John Fogarty, CJ Van Der Linde, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner, Rocky Elsom, Cameron Jowitt, Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Keogh

BACKS: Chris Keane, Chris Whitaker, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Simon Keogh, Felipe Contepomi, Brian O'Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney


Predictions?

Also, anyone know if this will be available online at a later time? I'm playing a match in Scotland on Saturday afternoon!

Inquitus

ALH-06 wrote: »

Leinster squad named, all the big guns are back of course...

FORWARDS: Cian Healy, Ronan McCormack, Bernard Jackman, John Fogarty, CJ Van Der Linde, Stan Wright, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O'Kelly, Devin Toner, Rocky Elsom, Cameron Jowitt, Sean O'Brien, Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Keogh

BACKS: Chris Keane, Chris Whitaker, Jonathan Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald, Simon Keogh, Felipe Contepomi, Brian O'Driscoll, Gary Brown, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney


Predictions?

Also, anyone know if this will be available online at a later time? I'm playing a match in Scotland on Saturday afternoon!

It should be a win, probably less than 10, but recent Leinster performances don't inspire and it wouldn't surprise me if we are sifting through the wreckage of this Leinster season come Monday.

Part of me thinks Leinster will be chastened and come out with a point to prove and put in a really good performance to silence the doubters and right the ship.

Part of me worries that this malaise runs deeper and a week is not enough time to fix it.

That said Edinburgh are no great shakes and a return to any sort of form should be enough to eek a victory.

Hows that for sitting on the fence eh?

Crash

Does your bum not get sore there? :P

wixfjord

If i was cheiki id go with the obvious forwards, they mainly pick themselves with foragty healy toner o brien on the bench. The backs is where the critical decisions lie. Will he drop sexton? Will dempsey or kearney play? Fitz to centre? Personally id have it contepomi, kearney, bod, fitz, horgan, depmsey. But a big q over fitz in the centre. Probably wont be a game for backs anyway.

ALH-06

wixfjord wrote: »

If i was cheiki id go with the obvious forwards, they mainly pick themselves with foragty healy toner o brien on the bench. The backs is where the critical decisions lie. Will he drop sexton? Will dempsey or kearney play? Fitz to centre? Personally id have it contepomi, kearney, bod, fitz, horgan, depmsey. But a big q over fitz in the centre. Probably wont be a game for backs anyway.

He definitely has a few big calls to make in the backs but O'Brien was one of the few that impressed versus Connacht - he's definitely putting pressure on Jennings' place at this stage.

Breakdown has become a worry area for Leinster now this season. Outmuscled and outplayed there for the last two weeks now.

Sangre

I can't take another loss. I had such high hopes for this season.

Podge_irl

I'm thinking something along the lines of:
Leinster: 15
Edinburgh: one million, five hundred and seventy six thousand, three hundred and eleven

[Jackass]

Strangely, I'm looking forward to this game.

I expect, neigh, demand a response from the players. We could not have been given a more timely boot up the hole and couple that with the poor form of Edinburgh and Wasps, we have a great oppertunity here to get this season rolling. 2 wins over the next 2 weeks and we have put ourselves in a great position to get out of the group.

And as I always say, you win the Heiniken cup in your first six games. The group is the hard part, but once your out anything can happen, almost anyone can win it, and you give yourself a nice draw, you never know.

I really hope I'm right and a repsonse is in the post. The season starts now.

Strange to think however we're potentialy only one game, or 4 days, away from the end of our season.

C'MON LEINSTER!!

bleg

think myself that leinster will get the finger out and put a good score on edinburgh

Crash

[Jackass] wrote: »

C'MON LEINSTER!!

sorry, just felt this needed more emphasis.

cruiserweight

I am going to the game on Saturday, hoping for the best but fearing the worst

buck65

I think Leinster will win this one , pulling away in the 2nd half. Edinburgh are a very mediocre side - mid table ML at best. If they don't they (Cheika) are in big trouble. 3 losses in a row is unacceptable by their standards especially looking at the opposition.
A loss here would be the end of their HCup! Actually looking at their group Castres and Burgh are well matched. Leinster have the measure of these 2 at home- away points will be crucial to progressing in 2nd place.They need 4 pts here and 5 at home v Edinburgh.

ALH-06

LEINSTER TEAM NAMED:

15: Girvan Dempsey
14: Shane Horgan
13: Luke Fitzgerald
12: Brian O’Driscoll
11: Rob Kearney
10: Felipe Contepomi
9: Chris Whitaker

1: Stan Wright
2: Bernard Jackman
3: CJ van der Linde
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Rocky Elsom
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: John Fogarty
17: Cian Healy
18: Trevor Hogan
19: Stephen Keogh
20: Chris Keane
21: Jonathan Sexton
22: Gary Brown


A few interesting changes, nothing too surprising though. I think there'll be relief that Contepomi's resprising the OH berth, which leaves space for Horgan, Kearney and Dempsey in the back three, with FItz moving to 13.

That's a formidable looking teamsheet, but will they perform!!! I really really really hope so - I can't take another group exit this year!

I think Leinster will win this one, but not by much.

ALH-06

By the way does anyone know if this is available to watch online? Thanks

ktulu123

Good looking team! Hopefully Conters will be a much needed improvement at 10! Looking forward to the game now!

Climate Expert

Handy enough game for Leinster. I reckon a win by ten.

Hippo

Climate Expert wrote: »

Handy enough game for Leinster. I reckon a win by ten.

No such thing as a handy enough game for Leinster at the moment! And especially Edinburgh away...I'll settle for a one-nil win.

Climate Expert

Well they did just put 50 points on them less than a month ago. And Murrayfield isn't really a fortress of intimidation.

Hippo

A month feels like a long time in rugby right now, and an almost-empty Murrayfield hasn't been much of a help to us before.

Stev_o

Climate Expert wrote: »

Well they did just put 50 points on them less than a month ago. And Murrayfield isn't really a fortress of intimidation.

Considering that last year only Toulouse managed to win there in that group? Dont play ignorant mate.

Climate Expert

Stev_o wrote: »

Considering that last year only Toulouse managed to win there in that group? Dont play ignorant mate.

Edinburgh were playing very well at that point last year. Not so this year.

Trojan

I'm hoping for a Leinster win, but we'll be extremely lucky to get a bonus point.

Crash

Interesting to listen to the lads on rte at the moment, commenting on how every time he's played kearney has looked sharp as hell, yet isn't an amazing winger. Thinkg Contepomi at ten should make a diff and hopefully this game will change thanks to it.

[Jackass]

I agree about Kearney, but the main problem is that Shaggy has been poor and Dempsey has been very good, so Kearney needs to play on the wing if Dempsey starts...and now that Nacewa is injured & Fitz has gone to centre, he's needed on the wing again. I totaly agree he should play full back - but he's maybe a victim of being versatile, but also it doesn't make sense at the moment to play him at full back.

I really like the line up. Considering Nacewa, O'Kelly, O'Brien & D'Arcy are all out injured, it's more or less the best 15 we could put out. I'm hoping Toner really steps up in this game and gets aggressive and in the faces of the opposition. He really needs to use his massive frame to impose himself on the opposition and game more and this is his oppertunity to step up. MO'K needs a natural sucsessor, I hope Toner proves he's the man for the job.

You know on paper we should nearly be looking for a BP win here, but I don't give a toss, just get us the 4 points.

Crash

To be honest, Toner is very similiar to MOK - not the most aggressive player known to man, but generally competent around the field, strong, fast, and a good lineout player to boot. I'd say he has fine prospects in years to come.

marco_polo

Leinster (-5) :eek: not touching this one with a barge poll.

All the same I expect you to do the business tommorrow, It is a good opportunity to put the MurrayField HEC hoodoo behind you. The scots are looking particularly vunerable at the moment, so even something resembling say 80% of Leinsters best form from last season should get the job done tommorrow.

Good luck anyways.

JWAD

[Jackass] wrote: »

I really like the line up. Considering Nacewa, O'Kelly, O'Brien & D'Arcy are all out injured, it's more or less the best 15 we could put out

Don't be too despondent, mate. Keogh in my opinion is a better backrower than O'Brien currently is so subs in that area are fine. d'Arcy is definitely missed but this is the chance for Fitz to step up and I reckon he's more than up to the task. In the locks, Toner now has his chance. He's defo a promise. the quality of the backs isn't a problem. Its how they manage to apply themselves.
Leinster for the win today.

Climate Expert

Anybody who doesn't believe Leinster can do this put your money where your mouth is. Betfair have decent odds of 2/1 for an Edinburgh win.

wixfjord

Just saw jennings tearing strips off lads in the huddle, bit more of that needed today.


CMON LEINSTER!

chris85

any one know where i can watch this online or if there is full match coverage on later on somewhere other than sky sports?

Inquitus

I put the money on Leinster to beat the Handicap of -5, I have doubts, but if Leinster can't raise it for this game with the season on the line then I'll be shocked.

dreamer_ire

chris85 wrote: »

any one know where i can watch this online or if there is full match coverage on later on somewhere other than sky sports?

It's on here
http://www.justin.tv/widgets/jtv_live.r9763.swf?channel=sportzone1

Inquitus

Edinburgh start well, 5 gone.

KevIRL

Great try there

juvenal

Edinburgh have had the brighter start, but another turnover by Leinster and Rock Elsom storms over for a try with Contepomi adding the extras.

19mins Edinburgh 3 Leinster 7

copacetic

great finish, shows what Rocky may be able to contribute. great steal by Demspey from the ruck also.

Trojan

Argh, what a waste!!!

Inquitus

Good try, Edinburgh tunring it over too much, 3-14

juvenal

A lot of gaps in both defences. Great run by Heaslip, and the support by CJ.

BLATANT forward pass, and nice break by Dr Phil - and then BO'D with the support under the posts.

Edinburgh 3 Leinster 14

Very scrappy game so far.

copacetic

juvenal wrote: »

A lot of gaps in both defences. Great run by Heaslip, and the support by CJ.

BLATANT forward pass, and nice break by Dr Phil - and then BO'D with the support under the posts.

Edinburgh 3 Leinster 14

Very scrappy game so far.

ref has had a few very dodgy decisions, the ruck had formed on the edinburgh line just before that when it broke to an edinbuirgh player offside on the ground. just waving play on ws ridiculous.

miss from paterson!! nuts.

juvenal

That's a poor miss by Patterson from the penalty.

If Leinster can add another few points before half-time they'll be very happy with the scoreline, but not the performance perhaps, which hopefully will improve.

copacetic wrote: »

ref has had a few very dodgy decisions, the ruck had formed on the edinburgh line just before that when it broke to an edinbuirgh player offside on the ground. just waving play on ws ridiculous.

Yeah he's been a bit inconsistent alright to both sides. I think it was Fitzgerald who was waving his arms and shouting at the ref when Edinburgh recovered the ball, but he just waved on play.

Trojan

That missed forward pass was pathetic from the entire officiating team. Well finished by BOD.

Inquitus

3-19 non existant tackling from Edinburgh and another long range breakaway try.

Jackz

BOD playing well.

davyjose

Nice play from Bod, that's more like it.

Trojan

This is no great shakes from Leinster but the scots just aren't good enough. Is it a case of Leinster making them look bad? (I don't believe that)

juvenal

Trojan wrote: »

That missed forward pass was pathetic from the entire officiating team. Well finished by BOD.

Indeed, unacceptable at this level of competition. I almost thought that Debney missed another one when Jennings lost it in the tackle and suddenly Dempsey was cantering towards the line untouched.:eek: He was very slow to blow the whistle, and it sounded like the Edinburgh players had to tell him.

Nice ONE! Great break by BOD, nice sidestep, and Dr Phil on his shoulder to finish the try. Contepomi misses the extras.

36mins Edinburgh 3 Leinster 19.

Inquitus

3-24, more non existant tackling, Edinburgh are shocking, but thats the winning BP wrapped up I would say. So 5 points and no complaints.

juvenal

Always nice to see the BP wrapped up (hopefully!) by half-time, especially in the bogey ground against the bogey team! Nice work on the touchline and Horgan with a trademark touch down.

I think Leinster haven't been especially great, but Edinburgh have been quite poor, which is surprising.

38mins Edinburgh 3 Leinster 24

Super Sidious

Was that BOD's first try in donkeys??? He's having a stormer, great to see some glimmer of the old BOD!

Inquitus

Shame I dont have the red button, I am stuck with this crap for the duration, I'd like to have a look at Clermont v Sale......damn you UPC