Leinster v Ulster Sunday 29th March 17.30

[Jackass]

Well Magners is back!!

While I enjoyed every second of the international season, I'd be lying if I said I didn't occasionally pine back to the boys in blue for some rugby action also. Just as things are heating up...they cool back down...

This game indicates the begining of the most crucial bracket in Leinsters season, make or break games vs Munster in the Magners only a week later, and Heineken Cup dreams hang in the balance in London the following weekend. Leinster must win this to keep the hunt for glory alive.

The squad has been announced with some very welcome inclusions in the form of CJ, Cullen & Nacewa, all coming back from injury - and Gordon D'Arcy, opting to refuse his week off after the grand slam triumph to continue his season with Leinster. A strong overall squad is available:

Forwards (17): Cian Healy, Ronan McCormack, Brian Blaney, John Fogarty, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Knoop, Stan Wright, CJ van der Linde, Leo Cullen, Trevor Hogan, Devin Toner, Malcolm O’Kelly, Rocky Elsom, Cameron Jowitt, Shane Jennings, Sean O’Brien, Stephen Keogh

Backs (12): Paul O’Donohoe, Chris Whitaker, Felipe Contepomi, Jonathan Sexton, Simon Keogh, Isa Nacewa, Gordon D’Arcy, Fergus McFadden, Eoin O’Malley, Shane Horgan, Gary Brown, Girvan Dempsey

My prefered team: (will edit in actual team when announced)
1. Healy
2. Jackman
3. Van Der Linde
4. O'Kelly
5. Cullen
6. O'Brien
7. Jennings
8. Elsom

9. O'Donoghue
10. Contepomi
11. Nacewa
12. D'Arcy
13. McFadden
14. Horgan
15. Dempsey

Should make for a great game. Ulster are a tough side and have found great form in climbing back up the table after a very poor start to the season, but are now just 1 win off top 4 in the league and have pulled off a very impressive double over Munster along the way. Should be massively tough game, but I fancy Leinster to win by more than 7 with no bonus.

A good win here brings us nicely into the 2 biggest games, which will decide our season in both competitions, over the following 2 weeks - hopefully getting players back match fit for that also.

Great to see them back again.

stephen_n

Personally I'd like to see Sexton start considering the matches we have ahead and with Contepomi gone next year Sexton needs game time to start settling into the role of first choice outhalf unless of course Cheika decides to go for Nacewa again:(

Legion2008

Looking forward to this game as well .... I'd be surprised if Darcy starts though, I reckon he'll come off the bench if needed as an impact.

I'm hoping the other guys parade the 6 nations trophy before the game .... should make for an absolutely cracking atmosphere and then roll on thomond the following week and then the stoop the following week.

No lull in top class rugby ... woo hoo ...

barnesd

I hope Sexton starts. Very happy to see O'Brien, VDL, Nacewa and Cullen after their injuries.

Also much respect to D'Arcy, apparently he was given this weekend off but insisted on playing!

taidghbaby

lads i'd be worrying about Phil leaving....next year...not a few weeks before we play a heineken cup quarter final (and a magners league to win!!). We need to get cohesion back as quick as possible!!

fair play to d'arcy too!!

anonymous_joe

A little nervous about this one.

Ulster are really coming back into form, but I think a focused Leinster performance could secure a win, I just hope Cheika's got a better gameplan than before the 6 Nations.

Podge_irl

Leinster absolutely, desperately need Cullen at the top of his game for the Munster and Quins games if we are to have any chance. Its great to see him back and hopefully he'll get up to match fitness. With Cullen back there is a greater chance of O'Donoghue keeping his spot at 9 as well, as we will have less need of Whits' leadership.

Ideally I would like to see Sexton start at 10, but if not then hopefully he gets a good 20/30 minutes. He's got to be our back-up fly half for the rest of the season and he needs some game time to see if he can get back to form as well. Didn't realise Nacewa was going to be back so soon either, I thought he was still injured.

barnesd

Leinster are in the habit of naming injured players in squads so wouldn't be surprised if Nacewa doesn't make the cut, same with CJ.

ALH-06

stephen_n wrote: »

Personally I'd like to see Sexton start considering the matches we have ahead and with Contepomi gone next year Sexton needs game time to start settling into the role of first choice outhalf unless of course Cheika decides to go for Nacewa again:(

This is no time to be talking about next year / player development. We're getting into the business end of the season. We need to start playing our best 15 to try get some cohesion back after the international season - got MASSIVE games coming up, no time for experimentation...

Having said that, I'd continue the experiment with O'Donoghue, only because the SH incumbents are so, so bad.

juvenal

Leinster v Ulster
Sunday 29 March 2009, 5.30pm
RDS, Dublin

Leinster|No.|Ulster
Girvan Dempsey|15|Clinton Schifcofske
Shane Horgan|14|Andrew Trimble
Fergus McFadden|13|Darren Cave
Gordon Darcy|12|Paddy Wallace
Isa Nacewa|11|Simon Danielli
Felipe Contepomi|10|Ian Humphreys
Chris Whitaker|9|Isaac Boss
Cian Healy|1|Tom Court
Bernard Jackman|2|Rory Best
Stan Wright|3|BJ Botha
Leo Cullen|4|Ed O'Donoghue
Malcolm O'Kelly|5|Ryan Caldwell
Cameron Jowitt|6|Matt McCullough
Shane Jennings|7|David Pollock
Ricky Elsom|8|Chris Henry

Leinster replacements: J Fogarty, CJ van der Linde, R McCormack, T Hogan, D Toner, S O'Brien, P O'Donohoe, J Sexton, S Keogh.

Ulster replacements: N Brady, B Young, C Del Fava, R Diack, C Willis, I Whitten, T Nagusa

barnesd

CJ still injured so

[Jackass]

barnesd wrote: »

CJ still injured so

Ah I wouldn't say so. He's on the bench so will probably give him about 20 minutes to get fitness back and would expect to see him start for Munster - or it could just be precaution seeing as the 2 following games define our season against 2 teams with a very powerfull pack and CJ has been injury prone, might just be protecting him a wee bit.

Other than that though, good team - great to see Nacewa starting, he'll be available for Munster and Quins so hopefully. Cullen, O'Kelly, Jackman back also, could be getting the key people back at just the right time.

I'll be looking for Healy and McFadden to impress yet again and although it's harsh on Sexton, I'm glad to see Contepomi at 10 - 3 quarters of the way through the season - Contepomi at 10?? Nacewa on the wing?? I think MC is finally copping on to our best back line - just in time also!!

I'm hoping this is all the pieces now falling into place for the business end of the season!

On another note, disapointed to see O'Brien on the bench and Jowitt get the nod at 6. Nothing against Jowitt as a squad player, but O'Brien is superb and deserves a shot at 6 as a first teamer to have cover for swapping around and injuries, but could be the same as CJ and not 100% yet so taking it easy on him.

Also would like to see O'Donoghue keep going at 9, but not going to kick up too much of a fuss, a lot more things are looking right now than wrong.

Hopefully we can put in a big performance and keep the pressure on Munster!!

NickNolte

This is going to be tough. That Ulster team looks really good... and they don't even have Ferris back yet.

barnesd

[Jackass] wrote: »

Ah I wouldn't say so. He's on the bench so will probably give him about 20 minutes to get fitness back and would expect to see him start for Munster - or it could just be precaution seeing as the 2 following games define our season against 2 teams with a very powerfull pack and CJ has been injury prone, might just be protecting him a wee bit.

Leinster have named 9 replacements with the 7 to be finalised on the day. I'll make a gentlemans bet with you that CJ won't be there.

chupacabra

Ulster by 10.

LeeroyJones

Looking forward to McFadden and Cave playing at opposite number.
2 very promising centres in Ireland at the moment

barnesd

CJ confirmed on the bench. I was wrong, and am quite pleased about it.

stephen_n

ALH-06 wrote: »

This is no time to be talking about next year / player development. We're getting into the business end of the season. We need to start playing our best 15 to try get some cohesion back after the international season - got MASSIVE games coming up, no time for experimentation...

Having said that, I'd continue the experiment with O'Donoghue, only because the SH incumbents are so, so bad.

Not exactly like Sexton is experimental really just more out of form and confidence from being benched so much this year by Cheika. Not knocking Ulster but this would be the easiest of the three games we have coming up and if there is any sense Contepomi will be starting at ten for the other two!

thomond2006

nil nil 14 mins gone. FC missed simple kick.

http://www.justin.tv/kostaz005

NickNolte

Leinster having real difficulty making any kind of impact with their back line.

thomond2006

Am I the only person watching the game????

26 mins gone: Trimble butchered a chance, messed up a chip over Shaggy.

3 - 0 Leinster

Great game, fast paced.

NickNolte

That's better from Leinster.

stephen_n

Nice attack there good to see Whittaker getting the ball away quickly defence is really tight from ulster Contepomi needs to be trying a few chips in Behind the Ulster defence

thomond2006

3 - 3 Humphs pen.

thomond2006

6 - 3. FC pen.

stephen_n

6-3 FC Penalty

thomond2006

6 - 3 to Leinster, HT.

NickNolte

*yawn* Hope the second half is better.

thomond2006

Great play by D'Arcy, McFadden in the corner. TMO decision.

Edit: TRY GIVEN.

Converted. 13 - 3 Leinster. 49 mins.

Sherifu

Deserves a try.

Very nicely worked.

NickNolte

Great try

barnesd

Superb try.

stephen_n

Nice Break Darce try Leinster by McFadden

bleg

game over

stephen_n

Try Leinster maybe a bonus point possible yet

Sherifu

Boom, headshot.

NickNolte

Try for Leo Cullen. Come on lads, get that bonus point.

Stev_o

How much money have Leinster wasted on CJ? How many minutes of rugby has he actually played? The amount of injuries he's getting his way to high and it's becoming a burden on Leinster.

thomond2006

NickNolte wrote: »

Come on lads, get that bonus point.

Now now!!

DonkeyPokerTour

Glass Der Linda on, and 15sec later he's off again. In that time he dominated the scrum, but its very frustrating to see him on and off and injured so often. And I'm a Munster fan! Must be terrible if your a Leinster fan!

NickNolte

Try Elsom!

Sherifu

Bonus point.

BP try - easy

NickNolte

Simon Keogh try. Bonus point for Leinster and very well deserved after about 5 minutes of Ulster indiscipline.

thomond2006

Try and BP, F**KS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

cruiserweight

Bonus point, better from Leinster in the second half. I just hope that D'Arcy's injury is not to bad

NickNolte

Leinster 32 - 6 Ulster FT

louthandproud

Great 2nd half from Leinster, Ulster were sh1t though. The stage is now truly set for TP.

thomond2006

louthandproud wrote: »

The stage is now truly set for TP.

Oh, it most certainly is. :cool:

*Evil Laugh*

NickNolte

thomond2006 wrote: »

Try and BP, F**KS SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad:

It'll make for a more interesting game next Saturday at least.

wixfjord

Great 2nd half from leinster, good win. I hope they throw money at elsom to get him to stay, must be nearing double figures in MOTM's this season he is a fantastic athlethe. Pity the same cant be said for our other recent import CJ, toe injury my arse, can you imagine john hayes going down because of that. He hasnt played well when he has been fit and looks to be a big waste of money.

Good performances from jennings who has been immense in recent games, Healy who is a fantastic ball carrier and a much better option than vdl imo even if it is the wrong side for him (i think ). Nacewa did alright and looks to be a his best on the wing, i would start him ahead of horgan against munster and quins. Thought sexton played well when he came on, he looks a lot happier and seems to have bulked up quite a bit. Roll on tp and the stoop!

Darceys injury news will be very important hope it isnt too serious