Leinster v Castres 6/12/08 KO: 1.35pm

wixfjord

Leinster squad announced....

The Leinster squad to face Castres Olympique in Saturday's Heineken Cup Pool 2 clash at the RDS (KO: 1.35pm) has been named...
Ireland internationals Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip, Shane Jennings and Rob Kearney are included in the 24-man panel for the visit of the French side.

The squad also features fellow Ireland stars Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan, Shane Horgan, Bernard Jackman, Brian O’Driscoll and Leinster’s most capped player Malcolm O’Kelly, while New Zealander David Holwell is also included in the panel after his recent return to the province.

Almost 15,500 tickets have now been sold for Saturday’s game and tickets are still available on http://www.leinsterrugby.ie as well as from all Ticketmaster outlets. Limited tickets are also on sale in Donnybrook from Spar and the Leinster Rugby Store. Supporters are advised to arrive early and use Public Transport.

Leinster Rugby are delighted to help support Fr. Peter McVerry's 'Welcome Home' charity who will benefit from a bucket collection in and around the RDS at Saturday's Heineken Cup game. In addition, the charity will benefit from 10% of all programme sales on Saturday.

Saturday’s ‘Family Day’ starts at Midday and will feature the Canterbury Roadshow, Face Painting and Player Appearances in the parade rings at the back of the Anglesea Stand. There will be a half-time Mini rugby exhibition between Portlaoise and Tullow.

Leinster squad to face Castres Olympique…

Forwards (14): Cian Healy, Brian Blaney, Bernard Jackman, CJ van der Linde, Stan Wright, Trevor Hogan, Devin Toner, Malcolm O’Kelly, Rocky Elsom, Cameron Jowitt, Shane Jennings, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip, Stephen Keogh

Backs (10): Chris Keane, Chris Whitaker, David Holwell, Jonathan Sexton, Simon Keogh, Luke Fitzgerald, Brian O’Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Rob Kearney


A lot of injuries for Leinster, but should have too much for Castres and a bp is possible.

Hamo

I took Leinster at 16/1 before the HC started, hopefully your right.... we haven't seen any real conviction from leinster yet, there's always a doubt

Chucky the tree

Interesting too see if Sexton gets the nod and if so how will he do.

Crash

So assuming this'll be the 15. You could interchange Healy for Wright but imo Healys been playing better and deserves a HC start. Hogan and Keogh are always gonna be the two to lose out, unfortunately. Don't see Holwell starting over Sexton IMO.

1. Cian Healy
2. Bernard Jackman
3. CJ Van Der Linde
4. Mal O'Kelly
5. Devin Toner
6. Rocky Elsom
7. Shane Jennings
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Chris Whitaker
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Rob Kearney
12. Luke Fitzgerald
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Shane Horgan
15. Girvan Dempsey

16. Brian Blaney
17. Stan Wright
18. Cameron Jowitt
19. Sean O'Brien
20. Chris Keane
21. David Holwell
22. Simon Keogh

crisco10

Going Forward wrote: »

So assuming this'll be the 15. You could interchange Healy for Wright but imo Healys been playing better and deserves a HC start. Hogan and Keogh are always gonna be the two to lose out, unfortunately. Don't see Holwell starting over Sexton IMO.

1. Cian Healy
2. Bernard Jackman
3. CJ Van Der Linde
4. Mal O'Kelly
5. Devin Toner
6. Rocky Elsom
7. Shane Jennings
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Chris Whitaker
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. Rob Kearney
12. Luke Fitzgerald
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Shane Horgan
15. Girvan Dempsey

16. Brian Blaney
17. Stan Wright
18. Cameron Jowitt
19. Sean O'Brien
20. Chris Keane
21. David Holwell
22. Simon Keogh

That would be a strong team. It always amazes me the quality Leinster have in the backs. Thats without Felipi, Isa and Darse. I really think we should be targetting another BP win.

Crash

Leinster team announced.

LEINSTER:

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

1: Stan Wright
2: Bernard Jackman
3: CJ van der Linde
4: Devin Toner
5: Malcolm O’Kelly
6: Rocky Elsom
7: Sean O’Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Brian Blaney
17: Cian Healy
18: Trevor Hogan
19: Stephen Keogh
20: Chris Keane
21: David Holwell
22: Simon Keogh

No surprises in the backs - Wright pips Healy to the start, pity though, i'd have liked to have seen Healy get a start in the HC. Steven Keogh comes in as bench cover for the injured Jennings, while Trevor Hogan beats Jowitt into the subs (injury possibly?)

Oh, and fair dues and best of luck to O'Brien, of course, on not just his first HC start, but his debut as well!
Should be a good game, and hopefully nowhere near as cold as last week!

Hippo

Hamo wrote: »

I took Leinster at 16/1 before the HC started, hopefully your right.... we haven't seen any real conviction from leinster yet, there's always a doubt

Plenty of conviction in the HC so far, maybe not much in the ML

RugbyFanatic

Excited to see how Sexton and O'Brien will do.

Shame Healy isn't starting.

mike65

Castre second string sent over so should be a good chance to get a big score on the board.

Podge_irl

Happy to see Sexton and O'Brien starting, slightly disappointed that Healy hasn't taken over from Wright - he's been the more impressive whenever he's come on as a sub.

Stev_o

Here's hoping Greenwood is the second commentator if its Reggie ill loose my head the guy is so very annoying and offers nothing as a commentator

Stev_o

Horgan looks like a liability

Orizio

Pretty poor start by Leinster, a lot of dodgy kicking, Driscoll knock on etc.

Lomu

This NI commentator wrecks my head. I reckon we could see holwell at half-time!

Orizio

6 - 0 to Leinster. Playing well, could have had a couple of tries with some more poise.

D.S.

Toner is having a great game so far...

Lomu

O'Brein playing a stomer on his hc debut!

D.S.

Hilarious try - won't complain though!

Boots09

Anyone got a stream for the match?

Lomu

http://www.justin.tv/sportzone1

nearly over though

Stev_o

Toner MOTM deservedly so amongst a team that badly performed. Leinster need to look at themselves now and say they need to improve as they cant afford to be this bad when they get out of the pool.

Crash

There are positives though. At a number of points the flow of ball along the backline was much, MUCH closer to what we were used to seeing in previous years. O'Brien and Toner storming through as great young players.

Also, was astounded by the difference the moment Kearney slotted back into fullback when Girve went off. Went from having a mediocre overall performance to being inventive, strong, and EVERYWHERE.

Stev_o

Going Forward wrote: »

There are positives though. At a number of points the flow of ball along the backline was much, MUCH closer to what we were used to seeing in previous years. O'Brien and Toner storming through as great young players.

Also, was astounded by the difference the moment Kearney slotted back into fullback when Girve went off. Went from having a mediocre overall performance to being inventive, strong, and EVERYWHERE.

Well look at it this way some of the passing was dreadful really poor stuff Fitz really couldnt locate anyone with his passes. Leinster werent cynical enough they spent at least 20 minutes or something in Castres 22 and i took them a bloody long time to just get one try. They badly need to get in and get out with points especially a match where they should of targeted a BP victory.

But yeah you have to say O'Brien and Toner had a stormer hopefully they can keep it up and Cheika will keep faith in them

anonymous_joe

Disappointing result in terms of the bonus point, but that's a performance that shows a team building itself up.

There's hints that this team when it fully hits its stride is going to be superb. I hope that's the case.

Toner, O'Brien, Kearney, Fitzgerald, Healy and so on really do bode well for the future.

Paulw

A win is a win, and to score 33 points in any game is decent. Yeah, they were fairly poor today, but at the end of the day it's a win.

Next week's game should be very interesting.

toomevara

Leinster never in danger, Castres utterly appalling but some of the Leinster decision making dull in the extreme...job done, but must do better..

RuggieBear

tedious game not helped by leinster playing poorly nor castre time wasting at every ****ing opportunity.
Every penalty and free kick they had was a 30 second discussion.
every other ruck they had someone needing treatment.Overheard someone saying that they had 18 men out with injuries...they seriously need to look at the conditioning staff

Crash

Was baffled, to be honest, why the choice was made to go for the posts when 1)we were more than capable of getting the bonus and 2)the lineout was working flawlessly. Down the lines would have been a much better option. Fair dues to holwell on taking that last kick out of hand so well though

Shelflife

Its no good to say that thay were always in control, never looked like losing and that 33 points is a good haul, the fact of the matter is that leinster took a long time to put away a 2nd string team.

Fitz was very poor, sexton was only ok (on that performance if ogara gets injured we are shagged), some of the decision making was terrible 13points up the opposition on a team warning you need the tries and the decision ?? kick for points.

keane was poor, the defense stretchted(and a man down) and he goes down the blind side, and then on the last play when thet need a try for the BP he kicks the ball away.

simply put if leinster met a proper team (leicester) they would have had their asses whooped with that performance, forwars were grand , toner and o brien were good but no creatitivity in the backs at all.

checka will not be happy.

[Jackass]

Shelflife wrote: »

Its no good to say that thay were always in control, never looked like losing and that 33 points is a good haul, the fact of the matter is that leinster took a long time to put away a 2nd string team.

Fitz was very poor, sexton was only ok (on that performance if ogara gets injured we are shagged), some of the decision making was terrible 13points up the opposition on a team warning you need the tries and the decision ?? kick for points.

keane was poor, the defense stretchted(and a man down) and he goes down the blind side, and then on the last play when thet need a try for the BP he kicks the ball away.

simply put if leinster met a proper team (leicester) they would have had their asses whooped with that performance, forwars were grand , toner and o brien were good but no creatitivity in the backs at all.

checka will not be happy.

It was a bad day at the office alright.

it was actually Whitakers choice though to go for the posts when Lesinter were 13 points (2 converted tries away) from Castrs, who had not threatend our line once in the game with about 20 to play. This situation makes me furios and I see it a few times with Leinster. IIRC it happend very recently against Dragons, I remember it happend last year against Edinburgh in the HEC which cost us a bonus point, it's done the same this weekend and it is stupid.

Where is the killer instint? That 1 bonus point is the difference between home quarter or away quarter - it's the difference between group all but over and Wasps still in there - it's the difference between 2nd seeds or 3rd seeds....so much and the game was in the bank. Bizzare - again as I said before - a lack of leadership and self belief to go for the corner and power over the line.

In fairness to Castres though it has to be said it wasn't all just Leinsters poor play, they also had an excellent defensive performance.

I don't know why Keane is in the squad at all, never mind within a country mile of the starting 22.

You can't say he always doesn't have an impact any way. Last play of the game, need a try for a bonus and he kicks the ball away...

If any of the big boys (like Leicester) came next week I don't think we would have our asses whooped, but we would need to step up to alright.

There's no doubt about it, despite the result and the points, Leinster can look back on this game as a major set back in the race for the HEC and should look for the bonus next weekend.