Leinster vs Ospreys, Friday 7.35pm, TG4, BBC2 Wales.

CouchSmart

The Leinster squad trained in UCD on Monday afternoon with a number of Ireland international players set to re-join the panel for the visit of the Ospreys to the RDS in Friday night's Magners League clash, kick-off 7.35pm.

Luke Fitzgerald stepped up his rehabilitation from the knee injury sustained during the November series and a decision on his availability will be made at Thursday's team announcement.

Kevin McLaughlin featured for 80 minutes on Saturday for the first time since last May and he was joined by the returning Eoin O'Malley who had missed the province's recent victories over ASM Clermont Auvergne and Ulster.

A number of the Ireland representatives who were unavailable for the last two fixtures as part of the IRFU player welfare programme - including Gordon D'Arcy, Cian Healy, Jamie Heaslip and Jonathan Sexton - are in contention alongside the likes of Leinster Academy graduates David Kearney, Fergus McFadden and Niall Morris who were all try-scorers in the bonus point victory over Connacht at the weekend.

Leinster lie in third place in the Magners League table, a point ahead of the Ospreys.

Friday's game marks Leinster's 50th competitive fixture in the RDS and looks set to be played in front of another strong crowd.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/magnersleague/2011/0103/leinster_fitzgeraldl.html

Seems we have a near full squad to choose from although no mention of O'Driscoll being back.

Considering it's HC next week it'll probably be fairly close to a first team with maybe a few players given a rest.

I'd like to see:

15. Fitzgerald
14. Horgan
13. O'Malley
12. D'Arcy
11. McFadden
10. Sexton
9. Boss
8. Heaslip
7. Jennings
6. O'Brien
5. Hines
4. Cullen
3. Ross
2. JHW
1. Healy

Rest both Strauss and Nacewa. We need Strauss to be fit for the two following weeks. Nacewa has started all of Leinster's games this season so maybe start him on the bench and see if Luke does a job at 15, we're pretty light there with Rob out.

Trojan

CouchSmart wrote: »

Nacewa has started all of Leinster's games this season so maybe start him on the bench and see if Luke does a job at 15, we're pretty light there with Rob out.

Nacewa has been incredible this season. Man of the League, if there is such an award.

ambid

CouchSmart wrote: »

Seems we have a near full squad to choose from although no mention of O'Driscoll being back.

Considering it's HC next week it'll probably be fairly close to a first team with maybe a few players given a rest.

I'd like to see:

15. Fitzgerald
14. Horgan
13. O'Malley
12. D'Arcy
11. McFadden
10. Sexton
9. Boss
8. Heaslip
7. Jennings
6. O'Brien
5. Hines
4. Cullen
3. Ross
2. JHW
1. Healy

Rest both Strauss and Nacewa. We need Strauss to be fit for the two following weeks. Nacewa has started all of Leinster's games this season so maybe start him on the bench and see if Luke does a job at 15, we're pretty light there with Rob out.

This makes sense to me. I'd be keen to see McFadden retained as he's done so well this season. I'd hate to see Fitzgerald just walk into the side at McFadden's expense just because he's fit again. All players should have to earn the shirt back.

Fitz at 15 and McFadden on the wing makes sense.

Also think you're right about Strauss. If he picks up an injury we'll be in pretty big trouble.

Ciaran-Irl

CouchSmart wrote: »

Seems we have a near full squad to choose from although no mention of O'Driscoll being back.

Considering it's HC next week it'll probably be fairly close to a first team with maybe a few players given a rest.

I'd like to see:

15. Fitzgerald
14. Horgan
13. O'Malley
12. D'Arcy
11. McFadden
10. Sexton
9. Boss
8. Heaslip
7. Jennings
6. O'Brien
5. Hines
4. Cullen
3. Ross
2. JHW
1. Healy

Rest both Strauss and Nacewa. We need Strauss to be fit for the two following weeks. Nacewa has started all of Leinster's games this season so maybe start him on the bench and see if Luke does a job at 15, we're pretty light there with Rob out.

Solid team. I'd be very happy if we started that.

introu

Saw them train up in UCD the other day, BOD Horgan and Fitz all heavily involved in what looked like the starting back line.

durkadurka

Team named. 14 Irish internationals and 1 soon to be Irish qualified....
SOB and Isa rested presumably.


LEINSTER:
15: Luke Fitzgerald
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O’Driscoll
12: Gordon D’Arcy
11: Fergus McFadden
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan
1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Clint Newland
19: Nathan Hines
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Isaac Boss
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O’Malley/Isa Nacewa
REFEREE: Nigel Owens (WRU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Simon McDowell, Mark Hermin (both IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Barry O’Keeffe (Leinster Rugby Referees), 5th OFFICIAL: Gary Glennon (Leinster Rugby Referees), TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

wixfjord

Sahweet!
Nice to see Luke at FB again after a disaster there early season.

Also not to be pedantic but it's 13 Irish internationals by my count innit?

Seems as if Spreys will be putting out a poor team too by their site.

wixfjord

Ospreys team:
15 Barry Davies

14 Nikki Walker

13 Sonny Parker

12 Ashley Beck

11 Richard Fussell

10 Dan Biggar

9 Rhys Webb

1 Duncan Jones

2 Huw Bennett

3 Craig Mitchell

4 Ian Gough

5 Ian Evans

6 Tom Smith

7 Justin Tipuric (Capt)

8 Ryan Jones

Replacements

16 Mefin Davies

17 Ryan Bevington

18 Cai Griffiths

19 James Goode

20 Jonathan Thomas

21 Jamie Nutbrown

22 James Hook

23 Gareth Owen

Very beatable imo.

durkadurka

wixfjord wrote: »

Sahweet!
Nice to see Luke at FB again after a disaster there early season.

Also not to be pedantic but it's 13 Irish internationals by my count innit?

Seems as if Spreys will be putting out a poor team too by their site.

Who doesnt have a cap?

wixfjord

durkadurka wrote: »

Who doesnt have a cap?

Ryan??

lemansky

wixfjord wrote: »

Very beatable imo.

Nigel Owens was quoted as saying (in my head anyway) something similar

Nigel Owens wrote:

Very beatable-lol jk leinster to lose

durkadurka

did he not go on the summer tour. Did I dream that whole section?

Edit: it was ruddock wasn't it.

lologram

durkadurka wrote: »

did he not go on the summer tour. Did I dream that whole section?

You're thinking of Ruddock, I think

sock puppet

wixfjord wrote: »

Ryan??

Isn't McFadden still uncapped too?

theKramer

sock puppet wrote: »

Isn't McFadden still uncapped too?

Yeah, hes not capped. He played for Ireland v Barbarians in June of last year, before they went down south, but that doesn't count towards official caps.

durkadurka

Damn you all with your "facts"!!

Still there's also Kearney injured, ruddock and o Brien benched or rested.

We could theoretically field a team of recent international Irish players with the exception of hooker, since fogarty retired.

funky penguin

Good to see SOB rested, we'll need him in the coming weeks.

Whats with the Nacewa/O'Malley selection? Is O'Malley trying to prove fitness?

Hope Fitz has a stormer. Great to see McFadden in the team as well.

Can't wait now! Something to look forward to after a 3 hour exam on Friday! :eek:

Ciaran-Irl

wixfjord wrote: »

7 Justin Tipuric (Capt)

8 Ryan Jones

Quite the fall from grace, Ryan. You would have presumed he would be captain in Al-Wyn's absence.

almighty1

No Bowe, Williams, Hook, AW Jones, Byrne, Phillips, Collins etc. :eek:

That Ospreys team are there for the taking.

Cmon Leinster.

Wonder why BOD is playing. Would have had a darcy O'malley combo myself.

bamboozle

hope fitz grabs the 15 jersey with a stormer

yimrsg

bamboozle wrote: »

hope fitz grabs the 15 jersey with a stormer

Isa has been brilliant there all season so I can't see how in one match he'll displace him, I just hope he comes through the match ok.

thebaz

very strong team - massive game for Dom ryan - big game could see him into the Irish panel , with WC in mind , and the fact he can play both sides

molloyjh

theKramer wrote: »

Yeah, hes not capped. He played for Ireland v Barbarians in June of last year, before they went down south, but that doesn't count towards official caps.

He was due to go on the Summer Tour but was injured in that game iirc...

funky penguin wrote: »

Good to see SOB rested, we'll need him in the coming weeks.

His eye from last week prevented his selection I think rather than him being rested. But it's no harm either way.

funky penguin wrote: »

Whats with the Nacewa/O'Malley selection? Is O'Malley trying to prove fitness?

Was wondering that myself. Looks like one or the other is carrying a knock. I wonder if O'Malley aggrevated the rib injury against Connacht maybe?

funky penguin wrote: »

Hope Fitz has a stormer. Great to see McFadden in the team as well.

Fingers crossed for Fitzy alright. The more options we have in the more positions the better. And Ferg has well and truly earned his spot. He has to be in the running for the 6 Nations.

tolosenc

Change Strauss to Cronin, Shaggy to Bowe and the flankers to SOB and Ferris and I'd be happy to see that as the Ireland XV come February.

CouchSmart

tolosenc wrote: »

I'd be happy to see that as the Ireland XV come February.

For the sake of controversy. :P

Anyway, delighted with the team. Good to see the young flankers getting games, I had some slight fears they might fade into the shadows now with McLoughlin back.

Luke Fitz could secure his position as Ireland 15 with a few good performances, starting with tomorrow. Hopefully he plays great!

First home Leinster game this season for me! Not bad considering I live in Scotland now...

Disappointed with the hairsprays team, thought we might have a fight on.

Seriously impressive how much Irish players we have coming through, floods, not trickles!

durkadurka

Fitz was brutal at the start of the season at full back so here's hoping it goes well. They were his first few games back after a long hiatus I suppose.

I seem to remember him suffering under the high ball.

The only worries for me for Leinster these days is that there isn't good enough cover for Sexton and Strauss. There's plenty of options elsewhere in the pack, at scrumhalf, centre and back 3.


Berne was pretty poor last week at outhalf.

CouchSmart

durkadurka wrote: »

Fitz was brutal at the start of the season at full back so here's hoping it goes well. They were his first few games back after a long hiatus I suppose.

I seem to remember him suffering under the high ball.

The only worries for me for Leinster these days is that there isn't good enough cover for Sexton and Strauss. There's plenty of options elsewhere in the pack, at scrumhalf, centre and back 3.


Berne was pretty poor last week at outhalf.

Ye, he was a disaster at full back earlier in the season, though he did ok against Samoa there. High balls are definitely not his high point.

Berne is limited but as far as back up tens he's about the best we could hope for. I don't mind him as back up and with Madigan coming through I don't think it's as weak as it seems.

We're very stuck at Hooker.

LostPassword

CouchSmart wrote: »

We're very stuck at Hooker.

Cronin should shore that up from next season anyway - for the remainder of this season we've just got to hope that Strauss stays fit.

Amazing to see that the Ospreys are more or less writing this fixture off. Without Collins and Holah, they just are not the same side. Says a lot about Leinster's strength this season.

jack01986

Anyone know where I'd find a live stream for the match tonight?

thomond2006

Very beatable Ospreys side, clearly they are focused on the Heineken.

Justin Tipuric is captain eh? Interesting call given his inexperience at top level.

wicklowdub

jack01986 wrote: »

Anyone know where I'd find a live stream for the match tonight?

http://live.tg4.ie/

CouchSmart

Good bit of rain in Dublin today, hopefully won't slow us down to much.

I'm genuinely excited to see Fitz play at fullback with a team that should dominate the Ospreys.

durkadurka

Is there any English language commentary for this anywhere?

jolley123

Will this be on the red button for the bbc channels?

CouchSmart

Think BBC wales are showing it, might be english commentary there.

SomeFool

BBC 2 Wales have it

GiftofGab

durkadurka wrote: »

Is there any English language commentary for this anywhere?

The magners league website says it's also on BBCw, which van be got through the 'add channels' on sky but I can't seem to find the frequency anywhere

durkadurka

Feck it I only have ntl

theKramer

jack01986 wrote: »

Anyone know where I'd find a live stream for the match tonight?

http://www.blogtv.com/people/dart1801

wixfjord

Pissing rain! Hope it eases off a bit. Anyone know did EOM make it?

RuggieBear

no more streams. there is thread for that

Cormic

GiftofGab wrote: »

The magners league website says it's also on BBCw, which van be got through the 'add channels' on sky but I can't seem to find the frequency anywhere

From our friends on the Satellite forum.

BBC2 Wales
10.788 V 22000 5/6

SomeFool

Don't know if anyone's watching the Ulster game but they're 27-6 up after 30 mins. Trimble is looking good as is Faloon.

durkadurka

Exchanging penalties, 3 all

wixfjord

Bad miss there. Fitz was it?

durkadurka

Who missed that tackle?

durkadurka

Lovely kick johnny

wixfjord

Definite crossing there from a Leinster man in the build up to that!

durkadurka

6-3