Leinster Vs Cardiff Blues (K.O. 19.30pm Saturday)

Timothy Bryce

Leo Cullen returns from injury to captain the side and is included in a strong pack which also sees the return of CJ van der Linde from injury. Cullen partners Devin Toner at second row, while Sean O’Brien starts in the back-row alongside Rocky Elsom and Jamie Heaslip.

In the backline, Brian O’Driscoll partners Felipe Contepomi, with Shane Horgan starting on the right wing and Gordon D’Arcy moving to the left and Rob Kearney continuing at full-back.

Meanwhile, Ireland trio Girvan Dempsey, Luke Fitzgerald and Malcolm O’Kelly are named on a strong replacements bench.

There will be a ‘Family Day’ from 6pm featuring the Canterbury Roadshow, Leo the Lion, Bouncy Castles and the FM104 face-painters. Almost 14,000 tickets have been sold for Leinster’s home fixture against Cardiff in the RDS on Saturday night. Tickets are still on sale from the usual outlets and can be purchased at the RDS from 5pm.

LEINSTER:

15: Rob Kearney
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O’Driscoll
12: Felipe Contepomi
11: Gordon D’Arcy
10: Isa Nacewa
9: Chris Whitaker

1: Stan Wright
2: Brian Blaney
3: CJ van der Linde
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Rocky Elsom
7: Sean O’Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Ollie le Roux
17: Cian Healy
18: Malcolm O’Kelly
19: Stephen Keogh
20: Chris Keane
21: Luke Fitzgerald
22: Girvan Dempsey

Timothy Bryce

Great to see Fitz moved out of centre - it's been a long time coming.

I question Nacewa's ability to lead the line but I think this is a strong team who should win.

RuggieBear

good team and le roux on the bench!

RugbyFanatic

This is a very exciting line up great to see Cullen back and Toner cementing his place and also delighted to see Kearney starting Fullback. Would of loved to see Fitzgerald starting on the wing as well but what can you do

I really hoped Cian Healy would start but Wright has been in excellent form so not too upset over that decision.

Le Roux on the bench.....................hes elegiable for the HC as well...hmmmmmmmmmmm

Paulw

That's a really strong team, and great options on the bench. Should make for a good match.

crisco10

Annoyed that work has taken me away from Dublin this weekend. Would love to be there to see Ollie again! If he comes on the place will go mental!

You do have to wonder though, is it a missed chance to give some of the Academy hookers a cheeky bit of gametime?

Very strong bench overall though. Except Chris Keane.;)

Spore

Is this being shown live? Had a quick look at Setanta and could only find highlights on Setanta Ireland at 21:00

justsomebloke

Spore wrote: »

Is this being shown live? Had a quick look at Setanta and could only find highlights on Setanta Ireland at 21:00

it's on setanta 1 and not setanta ireland as far as I know

Timothy Bryce

Spore wrote: »

Is this being shown live? Had a quick look at Setanta and could only find highlights on Setanta Ireland at 21:00

It's on Setanta Sports 1

RugbyFanatic

Essentially its a bench of 5 players who would walk onto almost any Magners League team.

wixfjord

I cannot understand the need to bring in le roux. A great servant last year but to bring in a guy who is not only not match fit but probaby unfit too (lets remember his fitness was in question last year too!) and who isnt a hooker in front of a guy like harris-wright is nonsensical. The more this season goes on the more im turning against cheika. Ill gladly eat my words if they somehow win the hc but the team seems to have gone backwards since last year and decisions like this dont help.

RugbyFanatic

wixfjord wrote: »

I cannot understand the need to bring in le roux. A great servant last year but to bring in a guy who is not only not match fit but probaby unfit too (lets remember his fitness was in question last year too!) and who isnt a hooker in front of a guy like harris-wright is nonsensical. The more this season goes on the more im turning against cheika. Ill gladly eat my words if they somehow win the hc but the team seems to have gone backwards since last year and decisions like this dont help.

I agree somewhat but at the same time I think its nice to see Ollie Le Roux back.

By the way Richard Sweeney would probably be ahead of Harris Wright anyway.

Out of interest have players like Richard Sweeney, Connor McInerney and Kevin McLaughlin ever started for Leinster proper? I remember there was a great buzz about these guys after they won the U20s grand slam but as far as I can tell they have yet to even make a sub appearance for Leinster

Podge_irl

Delighted to see Toner in ahead of Mal. He's really come on a lot this year. Also great to see Kearney back at full back - hopefully he gets an extended run there now and is put there for the 6 Nations. Not sure I'm massively fond of the 9-10-12 combo.

crisco10

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Out of interest have players like Richard Sweeney, Connor McInerney and Kevin McLaughlin ever started for Leinster proper? I remember there was a great buzz about these guys after they won the U20s grand slam but as far as I can tell they have yet to even make a sub appearance for Leinster

McLaughlin started a couple of games last year. Remember he playing openside :eek: against Newport in the last game of last season. Also think he started at 8 against the Ospreys in Swansea. If I remember correctly, he played okay without setting the world alight!

[Jackass]

Hmm...my problems with the team would be:
Healy should be ahead of Stan
Fitz should be at 11
D'Arcy should be at 12 (pending fitness of course)
Nacewa should be at 14 (he's not an outhalf - the sooner Cheika realises this the better)
Contepomi should be at 10
Horgan should be on the bench

Most of the right players on the pitch bar fitz and healy, but strong team none the less..even with all the backs out of position. But you also have to allow for players to be rested / rotated and for other players to get a chance. Positions need to be sorted out though - With D'Arcy back Fitz should only play wing, Kearney & Dempsey need to now be in direct competition for one place - no wing for Kearney - Nacewa needs to be considered a FB or wing. D'Arcy needs to be considered a centre. Contepomi needs to be considered primarily an out-half.

Great things about the team:
O'Brien getting an extended run starting (even though Jennings gone, deserved it anyway)
Toner getting in ahead of Mal for an extended run (deserves it and got to plan for next year!!)
Brilliant to see captain fantastic back!! Hopefully will add much needed leadership and decision making.
Great to see CJ back!!
Amazing if Ollie comes on!!!
Bench looks very strong.

All in all should be a good game, Cardiff look strong too...we'll see what happens tonight, but hopefully a good win will get us into 2nd place coming into business end of things.

Gelio

I'm not happy to see horgan starting

anonymous_joe

Anyone know how much tickets are?

uberwolf

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Anyone know how much tickets are?

I have 4 you can collect from Kilmainham

RugbyFanatic

Would of preferred to see this

1.Healy
2.Blaney (But if Le Roux was 100% fit...)
3.CJ
4.Cullen
5.Toner
6.Rocky
7.Sean O'Brien
8.Heaslip
9.Whiteaker
10.Nacewa
11.Keogh
12.Contepomi
13.O'Driscoll
14.Fitzgerald
15.Kearney


I don't think D'arcy is as good as Keogh or Fitzgerald on the wing and doubt hes ready to start centre yet. With Keogh we have a natural finisher in our backline. Also if Le Roux was fit I would definitely throw him in

Gelio

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

Would of preferred to see this

1.Healy
2.Blaney (But if Le Roux was 100% fit...)
3.CJ
4.Cullen
5.Toner
6.Rocky
7.Sean O'Brien
8.Heaslip
9.Whiteaker
10.Nacewa
11.Keogh
12.Contepomi
13.O'Driscoll
14.Fitzgerald
15.Kearney


I don't think D'arcy is as good as Keogh or Fitzgerald on the wing and doubt hes ready to start centre yet. With Keogh we have a natural finisher in our backline. Also if Le Roux was fit I would definitely throw him in

No arguements here

RugbyFanatic

Good pre match video interview with Sean O'Brien

http://leinsterrugby.wavenex.ie/players/96-sean-obrien-back-row

[Jackass]

Would you stick with Nacewa at 10?? I just don't see it, with that backline I'd even put Nacewa at 13, BOD at 12 and Contepomi at 10. For me, Contepomi is the only option when it comes to first choice 10.

Don't know if it was mentioned already, but Sexton really blew it this season, slipped right down the pecking order. Good to see Cheika not being overly / blindly loyal. Just a shame he switched his attention to Nacewa for that jersey. I've really had issues with Cheikas selection policy this year..

remus808

RugbyFanatic wrote: »

With Keogh we have a natural finisher in our backline.

Hold on a minute.. Luke Fitzgerald? Far superior, no? Think the "Keogh is an epic try-scoring machine" thing is getting out of hand, someone mentioned it once on here and it's been trotted out ad nauseum since.

taidghbaby

match is on s4c if you havent got setanta!

juvenal

Updates anyone?

Tried S4C online, but I'd say it's geoblocked. Anyone watching a stream?

juvenal

Got one!

mms://s4c.unique-media.tv/s4c_uk_live

I just got in the door - anyone give a brief analysis of what's happened so far?;)

Cool_CM

Can' find a stream but at the moment tis
9 - 11 to cardiff according to BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/live_scores/4776533.stm

taidghbaby

14-12 to cardiff-they've had the better of the 2nd half so far!

juvenal

Le Roux just came on for Blaney - wtf?!

Cool_CM

Great penalty by Contepomi, 18 - 17 Leinster

kensutz

Cool_CM wrote: »

Great penalty by Contepomi, 18 - 17 Leinster, into stoppage time

Stoppage time and yet a drop goal and a penalty scored in the mean time.

marius

any update/final score?

delta_bravo

83rd minute, Leinster 21 Cardiff 20. Thought the ref wouldve called it after the kick but its still going

delta_bravo

Over now, Leinster win by one

juvenal

What happened with the clock?

I was watching the S4C stream and it went well into the 84th minute? I presumed that they just had a rolling clock and weren't keeping the actual game time.

Some finish, looked like Contepomi was restraining one of the Blues players there at the final whistle? I'm sure they were less than impressed with the referee, if there was a question over the timekeeping?

Leinster 21 Cardiff 20. Dr Phil 7/7 with penalties.

How did Kearney play at full back? Any other comments on great/shocking performances? I only saw the last 20 minutes online.

cruiserweight

juvenal wrote: »

What happened with the clock?

I was watching the S4C stream and it went well into the 84th minute? I presumed that they just had a rolling clock and weren't keeping the actual game time.

I was watching it on S4C as well and they seemed to be a bit inconsistant about when they stopped the clock and when the kept it running. I might be wrong but the clock seemed to be still running when the ref went to the TMO for a decision over the Leinster try

phog

juvenal wrote: »

What happened with the clock?

I was watching the S4C stream and it went well into the 84th minute? I presumed that they just had a rolling clock and weren't keeping the actual game time.

Some finish, looked like Contepomi was restraining one of the Blues players there at the final whistle? I'm sure they were less than impressed with the referee, if there was a question over the timekeeping?

Leinster 21 Cardiff 20. Dr Phil 7/7 with penalties.

How did Kearney play at full back? Any other comments on great/shocking performances? I only saw the last 20 minutes online.

Jamie Roberts seemed annoyed with the ref.
Time was okay on Setanta.
Kearney was superb at FB and should keep the No15 shirt for province and country.
Leinster should be worried about the yardage Cardiff seemed to make almost at will, though their defence prevented them scoring tries each time.

Cool_CM

kensutz wrote: »

Stoppage time and yet a drop goal and a penalty scored in the mean time.

cruiserweight wrote: »

I was watching it on S4C as well and they seemed to be a bit inconsistant about when they stopped the clock and when the kept it running.

Was going by the S4C clock

ironingbored

Watched the whole match on S4C instead of wasting €10.00 on a ticket after the connaught game.

Leinster are getting worse. No backline cohesion, no leadership and no settled team.

Horgan looked so lethargic my granny would put him to shame.
Wright gave away so many penalties in the scrum it was unreal.

I am soooooo worried about next week against Wasps. The only players who redeemed themselves IMO were O'Brien and Heaslip, and Kearney and to a lesser degree BOD, bar the stupid decision to try and take the ball over the line while in a horizontal position on the floor. All this while 2 metres from the line.

Amazotheamazing

ironingbored wrote: »

Watched the whole match on S4C instead of wasting €10.00 on a ticket after the connaught game.

Leinster are getting worse. No backline cohesion, no leadership and no settled team.

Horgan looked so lethargic my granny would put him to shame.
Wright gave away so many penalties in the scrum it was unreal.

I am soooooo worried about next week against Wasps. The only players who redeemed themselves IMO were O'Brien and Heaslip, and Kearney and to a lesser degree BOD, bar the stupid decision to try and take the ball over the line while in a horizontal position on the floor. All this while 2 metres from the line.

Don't worry, yes Leinster are going pretty poorly at the minute, but Wasps are absolutely muck this season.

remus808

ironingbored wrote: »

Watched the whole match on S4C instead of wasting €10.00 on a ticket after the connaught game.

ironingbored wrote: »

I am soooooo worried about next week against Wasps.

Really? TBH dosen't seem like you could give a ****!

remus808

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Don't worry, yes Leinster are going pretty poorly at the minute, but Wasps are absolutely muck this season.

Wasps have been on the up lately, beating Quins last weekend, who had looked excellent recentely. Typical Wasps.

RugbyFanatic

[Jackass] wrote: »

Would you stick with Nacewa at 10?? I just don't see it, with that backline I'd even put Nacewa at 13, BOD at 12 and Contepomi at 10. For me, Contepomi is the only option when it comes to first choice 10.

Certainly not after tonight :eek:

I still think Nacewa however is simply too class to leave out. After tonights game I want to see something along the lines of

9.Whitaker
10.Contepomi
11.Nacewa
12.D'arcy
13.O'Driscoll
14.Fitzgerald
15.Kearney

I honestly don't know why Cheika didn't throw D'arcy in at centre for the last 15 minutes I know it was a close game but with the way Nacewa played at outhalf and how absent Horgan was I thought it was a very logical move. If Contepomi goes outhalf for Wasps then that leaves a centre position open which Fitzgerald would take however given Horgan's performance would you not prefer Fitzgerald to slot in on the wing and D'arcy going centre?

ironingbored

karmabass wrote: »

Really? TBH dosen't seem like you could give a ****!

I was physically sick after the performance last week. Do want to comment on the game or just throw a few cheap shots?

RugbyFanatic

karmabass wrote: »

Hold on a minute.. Luke Fitzgerald? Far superior, no? Think the "Keogh is an epic try-scoring machine" thing is getting out of hand, someone mentioned it once on here and it's been trotted out ad nauseum since.

I was saying Luke Fitzgerald is far superior than D'arcy on the wing, which he is.

I was also saying that Keogh is better on the wing than D'arcy is as he is an actual winger in the sense that his positioning is always spot on, has more pace than D'arcy and as seen last season is a great finisher.

RugbyFanatic

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Don't worry, yes Leinster are going pretty poorly at the minute, but Wasps are absolutely muck this season.

Obviously haven't been watching Wasps lately..

RugbyFanatic

juvenal wrote: »

How did Kearney play at full back? Any other comments on great/shocking performances? I only saw the last 20 minutes online.

Kearney was superb at full back his kicking was excellent and his retention was immense. Made two very nice breaks almost resulting in tries and ended the night as Magners League MOTM.

Horgan was completely absent the entire game, really didn't do anything and never really came looking for any work at all.

Brian O'Driscoll was very good today, an excellent turnover (reminded me of that time against Bath), some menacing darting as he cut through lines, great hands, good offloads and was unlucky not to get two tries (in the second one I don't think he was off his feet but whatever)

Contepomi was brilliant and essentially won the game for Leinster today kicking 7 from 7. His passing was good and broke through the defense a lot. One fault however would be his attempt of offloading when it wasn't on for the Kearney break as I reckon if he had held on it was a certain try.

Nacewa was woeful but he really isn't an outhalf. Other than his kicking everything else was fine but his kicking really was dreadful.

D'arcy didn't see too much of the ball but when he did you could see elements of his old self making hard yards

Whitaker was fine I thought for the most part however there was a few instances where the ball came out at his feet and it took what felt like an eternity for him to realize this is not acceptable at all imo.

Heaslip redeemed himself tonight I thought. Won so much ball on the ground and was a general nuisance for the opposition

Sean O'Brien put in another good performance, carrying lots of good ball and essentially doing the groundwork turning over with ease. Jennings should be very worried.

Rocky was his usual self enough said.

Toner I thought was very quiet, good in the lineout but didn't really see him carry much ball like he usually does

Cullen like Toner I thought was quiet but did a very good break at the start of the game and made his tackles.

CJ unfortunately went off injured which was a damn shame because he was DESTROYING the scrums

Blaney was absolutely dreadful.

And as for Wright? he could of lost the game for us tonight, worst player on the entire pitch.

In conclusion

Excellent :
Kearney
O'Driscoll
Contepomi
Heaslip
O'Brien

Poor :
Nacewa
Blaney
Wright
Horgan

phog

ironingbored wrote: »

Watched the whole match on S4C instead of wasting €10.00 on a ticket after the connaught game.

Jaysus, you're the kind of supporter every team craves for. I suppose if Leinster are lucky enough to get through to the H/C final you'll be one of the real supporters looking for tickets?

BTW, when did Leinster sell ML tickets for €10 or was I ripped of being charged €30 for Munster games in the RDS?

RugbyFanatic

phog wrote: »

Jaysus, you're the kind of supporter every team craves for. I suppose if Leinster are lucky enough to get through to the H/C final you'll be one of the real supporters looking for tickets?

Ah leave him alone phog hes not as bad as all those Leinster born and bred Munster supporters who started sprotting up after Munster's Heineken Cup win

at least hes still a Leinster fan, albeit a poor one :pac:

barnesd

As a Leinster fan, that has left me with no confidence at all for next week. I'm heading over to the game but I've a feeling we're going to get beaten badly. The level of performance you need to do well in the HEC just isn't there. We gave up yards for free all night, awful at contact. CJ seems to be made of ****ing glass, and we need him desperately to shore up the scrum. I hate to say it but I thought Wright was very poor and I'd drop him for next week. I'm not sure a single Leinster player took on and beat a defender all night. When going wide nobody attempted to straighten the line and fix his man, but just drifted across the pitch making it easy to defend. Kearney was pretty much the only positive, the guy is a brilliant player.

Also I have no idea how the Cardiff try was given. Terrible decision.

Paulw

CJ was taken off to the hospital for a scan.

Kearney was clearly the best player on the field. Brilliant under the high ball, and great counter attacking.

Again, problems with the scrum, but not as bad as last week.

Two weird decisions by the officials, with the first try being allowed, and the Leinster try by BOD being disallowed.

A result is a result though.