Scarlets v Leinster, Sat 12 Dec. 18:00. SS1

danthefan · 11-12-2009 12:02pm #1

How is there not a thread for this?

LEINSTER
15: Rob Kearney
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Isa Nacewa
10: Shaun Berne
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Cian Healy
2: John Fogarty
3: CJ van der Linde
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Nathan Hines
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Sean O'Brien
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Bernard Jackman
17: Mike Ross
18: Stan Wright
19: Malcolm O'Kelly
20: Stephen Keogh
21: Paul O'Donohoe
22: Fergus McFadden
23: Girvan Dempsey

SCARLETS
15 Daniel Evans, 14 Andy Fenby, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 Lee Williams, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Martin Roberts, 1 Iestyn Thomas, 2 Ken Owens 3 Deacon Manu, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Dominic Day, 6 Simon Easterby, 7 Richie Pugh, 8 David Lyons (captain).

Replacements: 16 Emyr Phillips, 17 Phil John, 18 Jamie Corsi, 19 Vernon Cooper, 20 Rob McCusker, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Rhys Priestland, 23 Gareth Maule.

bamboozle · 11-12-2009 12:17pm

good to see POD finally being rewarded with a place in a HC squad

thomond2006 · 11-12-2009 12:19pm

Delighted for POD.

accensi0n · 11-12-2009 12:36pm

What's Lamont like at 13? Can't picture him being very good in that position..

Sangre · 11-12-2009 12:41pm

Leinster should definitely try to target that pack - we have a fair few solid ball carriers that should be used to suck up defenders.

11-12-2009 12:43pm

Delira, Stan the man is back

Thanos · 11-12-2009 12:48pm

Strong enough looking team, nice to see Paul O'Donohoe and Fergus McFadden on the bench along with the welcomed return of Stan.

Beanmachine · 11-12-2009 12:51pm

Sangre wrote: »

Leinster should definitely try to target that pack - we have a fair few solid ball carriers that should be used to suck up defenders.

Yeah i agree,their pack doesnt look the greatest really,Lyons makes some decent yards for them but really Leinster should try dominate them from the get go.Leinster's bench is very strong and would love to see it emptied when the Scarlets begin to tire towards the end of the match.
Not really worried about Berne at 10 he has bags of expierience and if his place kicking is off Kearney or McFadden could step up no problem.

smurphy29 · 11-12-2009 1:04pm

Well, I must say it's good to see McFadden and O'Donoghue promoted to the 23. I think we can win this - Llanelli are missing two of their three best players in Rees and Mark Jones, so they should be eminently beatable. Obviously, much depends on Berne, but if he can just have a solid outing and distribute nicely we should be able to tough it out. We've a tough, dynamic pack and should be able to dominate. I'll still be very nervous at 5.55pm tomorrow though.

thomond2006 · 11-12-2009 1:16pm

smurphy29 wrote: »

Well, I must say it's good to see McFadden and O'Donoghue promoted to the 23. I think we can win this - Llanelli are missing two of their three best players in Rees and Mark Jones, so they should be eminently beatable. Obviously, much depends on Berne, but if he can just have a solid outing and distribute nicely we should be able to tough it out. We've a tough, dynamic pack and should be able to dominate. I'll still be very nervous at 5.55pm tomorrow though.

Ken Owens is a very good player, earlier in the ML he was at hooker for 43 out of 45 clean Scarlets lineouts.

anonymous_joe · 11-12-2009 1:30pm

Nervous about this.

I think we should win, but still, bloody nervous.

Stan and POD in the squad is fcuking fantastic though.

irishbucsfan · 11-12-2009 1:38pm

Hopefully at some point during the match if things are going well we can bring McFadden on for Berne, then switch Nacewa into 10 and D'arcy out onto the wing. I'd be interested to see how McFadden gets on, given his very shakey performance last weekend. (Same goes for O'Donohoe I guess)

eoin2nc · 11-12-2009 1:48pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Hopefully at some point during the match if things are going well we can bring McFadden on for Berne, then switch Nacewa into 10 and D'arcy out onto the wing. I'd be interested to see how McFadden gets on, given his very shakey performance last weekend. (Same goes for O'Donohoe I guess)

I hope not, Nacewa should not be let near the 10 position ever again!

Noffles · 11-12-2009 1:48pm

As a Scarlets fan I'm hoping we can ignore what we're doing in the Magners and try and continue how we're doing in the HC..

have to concede the pack does look, on paper, a tad shaky but at home we should be good enough to hold our own..

lets see, if it's a good game it'll make the return to the RDS a lot better and as I'm attending I'd like to see that!

11-12-2009 1:51pm

I think POD can cover 10 as well as play 9,so Cheika certainly isnt taking any chances with two back up outhalf and a third goal kicker.

I fancy our chances and im looking foward to seeing if McLaughlin can continue his great form for us,hes been a real find.

The depth on the be bench is unbelievable aswell,reminds me of the Munster teams.
Some of those guys wont be around alot longer so if they want to do something special the time is now.

irishbucsfan · 11-12-2009 2:22pm

eoin2nc wrote: »

I hope not, Nacewa should not be let near the 10 position ever again!

I'd give him another chance. I never thought he was that bad... If they can make sure he doesn't kick out of hand ever.

11-12-2009 2:45pm

Even though we have a backline (other than 10) that most teams could only dream of. I wouldn't be embarrassed if we played 8 man rugby and ground out a result tomorrow.

Its really disappointing to have to play in such a fashion, but I really cant see Berne stepping up to the mark. I would love for him to prove me completely wrong though. Also, expect to see Horgan at first receiver for most of broken play, funnily enough this is an aspect of his game that few people notice, he will set up a lot of plays for us.

Kearney to kick penalties for touch, Berne to take the place kicks?

I wish I had more faith in Berne, but I think we will still win this regardless.

Stev_o · 11-12-2009 2:46pm

Miracle Petite Meteoroid wrote: »

I think POD can cover 10 as well as play 9,so Cheika certainly isnt taking any chances with two back up outhalf and a third goal kicker.

I fancy our chances and im looking foward to seeing if McLaughlin can continue his great form for us,hes been a real find.

The depth on the be bench is unbelievable aswell,reminds me of the Munster teams.
Some of those guys wont be around alot longer so if they want to do something special the time is now.

It's weird to see such old faces on the bench alright, Leinster can feel lucky that they can call on such experience if needs be. That said the most impact will probably come from POD and McFadden.

Speaking of McFadden is Cheika going to try develop him as a 12 now? Seemed a bit of unsure of the defensive structures at 12 when playing against the Dragons but i honestly think that if he can familiarise himself there he could be be within distance of leap frogging D'Arcy and making a bid from international honours.

11-12-2009 3:19pm

Stev_o wrote: »

Speaking of McFadden is Cheika going to try develop him as a 12 now? Seemed a bit of unsure of the defensive structures at 12 when playing against the Dragons but i honestly think that if he can familiarise himself there he could be be within distance of leap frogging D'Arcy and making a bid from international honours.

I think Darcy is a 13 who has been shoehorned at 12 because of who is beside him.If Bod got injured I would put mcfadden at 12 and Darcy at 13.

He is very unlucky with who is in front of him in both position,so he will remain a squad player for a few years or he will have to look elsewhere I think.

For me Darcy is one of the best 12's in the world and he is overlooked by people for some unknown reason,imagine how good he would be at 13?

irishbucsfan · 11-12-2009 3:26pm

Miracle Petite Meteoroid wrote: »

For me Darcy is one of the best 12's in the world and he is overlooked by people for some unknown reason,imagine how good he would be at 13?

Depends what you want from your 12. If you want someone to create and spread the ball to the 13/wing then D'Arcy's not close to being the best in the world. If you want a quasi-13 who will attempt to break the line and take the ball into contact then D'Arcy is right up there.

If BOD had never existed I think D'Arcy could well be one of the best 13s in the world, he does almost everything BOD does, including turn over ball. He's a bit unlucky in that regard. We're very lucky to have the two of them.

Hippo · 11-12-2009 3:43pm

I think (hope, really) Leinster will manage a result, but only just. The noisy home crowd could be a factor, though hopefully Parc y won't be full

11-12-2009 3:45pm

Hippo wrote: »

I think (hope, really) Leinster will manage a result, but only just. The noisy home crowd could be a factor, though hopefully Parc y won't be full

I'll be listening out for that Llanelli fan bursting his lungs screaming "SCAARRRRLETS". Always a treat.

Hippo · 11-12-2009 3:52pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'll be listening out for that Llanelli fan bursting his lungs screaming "SCAARRRRLETS". Always a treat.

ALH-06 · 11-12-2009 4:10pm

Does no-one else think that, provided we find some kind of cohesion and fluidity, Leinster should definitely win this? Without wanting to sound arrogant, it would seem to me that man for man we are superior in almost every position on the pitch. Our pack should be a different class to theirs and our outside backs definitely have a decisive edge as well. The only position where Scarlets have a distinct advantage is at outhalf. Yep, the pivot!

But Berne at 10 is as yet an unknown quantity for us, so don't write him off before we give him a chance. He'll get it tomorrow and hopefully he'll take it. I think he will - just needs to get the basics right starting off, the rest will follow.

I hope.

bamboozle · 11-12-2009 4:27pm

ALH-06 wrote: »

Does no-one else think that, provided we find some kind of cohesion and fluidity, Leinster should definitely win this? Without wanting to sound arrogant, it would seem to me that man for man we are superior in almost every position on the pitch. Our pack should be a different class to theirs and our outside backs definitely have a decisive edge as well. The only position where Scarlets have a distinct advantage is at outhalf. Yep, the pivot!

But Berne at 10 is as yet an unknown quantity for us, so don't write him off before we give him a chance. He'll get it tomorrow and hopefully he'll take it. I think he will - just needs to get the basics right starting off, the rest will follow.

I hope.

problem is we can expect a disjointed first quarter as the players all bed back into the Leinster team patterns, hopefully if we contain them for first 20 minutes we'll be sorted.

11-12-2009 4:29pm

Hippo wrote: »

I think (hope, really) Leinster will manage a result, but only just. The noisy home crowd could be a factor, though hopefully Parc y won't be full

Their attendances are nothing short of disgraceful,Id say it will be no where near full.

11-12-2009 6:00pm

ALH-06 wrote: »

Does no-one else think that, provided we find some kind of cohesion and fluidity, Leinster should definitely win this? Without wanting to sound arrogant, it would seem to me that man for man we are superior in almost every position on the pitch. Our pack should be a different class to theirs and our outside backs definitely have a decisive edge as well. The only position where Scarlets have a distinct advantage is at outhalf. Yep, the pivot!

But Berne at 10 is as yet an unknown quantity for us, so don't write him off before we give him a chance. He'll get it tomorrow and hopefully he'll take it. I think he will - just needs to get the basics right starting off, the rest will follow.

I hope.

I can only see a comfortable win for Leinster. Concerns about Berne are exaggerated i think. And Parc y Scarlets is hardly a den of intimidation.

11-12-2009 6:07pm

2040 wrote: »

I can only see a comfortable win for Leinster. Concerns about Berne are exaggerated i think. And Parc y Scarlets is hardly a den of intimidation.

They won away against London Irish which is pretty impressive. Has Berne even played Heino cup rugby yet? I remember watching him against Ulster I think and he was mediocre.

anonymous_joe · 12-12-2009 12:04am

Deleted User wrote: »

They won away against London Irish which is pretty impressive. Has Berne even played Heino cup rugby yet? I remember watching him against Ulster I think and he was mediocre.

Berne's grand. He's not mediocre per sé, we're just used to internationals playing in Ireland.

Outhalves in Ireland in the last couple of seasons have included a Humphreys, O'Gara, Contepomi, Sexton, etc. He's not of that quality, but he's a competent player.

However, he's also a 12.

RugbyFanatic · 12-12-2009 12:26pm

Not happy with Berne at 10 would of much rather seen even McKinley.

Ian_K · 12-12-2009 12:28pm

Lads give Berne a chance!
He has plenty Heineken experience with Bath and a few caps for Australia A so he cant be that bad...
Plus a wet night up in Ravenhill is hardly the easiest place 2 make your debut!