HEC Quarter Final: Leinster vs Leicester; Sat 9th April; KO 18:00; Sky Sports

CouchSmart

The 2009 finalists meet in what is surely going to be one of the best games of the 2010/11 season. Leicester, one of the great clubs of Europe, have been in fine form in their domestic league racking up two wins on the road since the six nations ended. Leinster, who were being hailed as the best team in Europe prior to the six nations, are still finding their feet with a win and a loss from their last two games.

The sold out Aviva has really become a second home for Leinster this season, with strong performances there against Munster and Clermont earlier in the year. The English contigent of the Leicester team won't have the fondest of memories of the place either, having been thumped there only 3 weeks ago. Ben Youngs and Toby Flood, especially, will be out to make up for their poor showings on that day.

Both teams have great squads with players like Martin Castrogiovanni and Dan Cole fighting for the starting no. 3 jersey at Leicester and Mike Ross and Stan Wright competing for the same jersey at Leinster. Each team will be missing important players, Leicester's captain, Geordan Murphy, out with an ankle injury and prop Marcus Ayerza likely to face a lengthy ban for head butting Harlequins Joe Marler. Leinster also have injury worries as flanker Shane Jennings continues his rehab from a knee injury and fullback Rob Kearney is still out after sustaining an injury in the Autumn Series.

The last time these teams met at the quarter final stage Leicester managed an upset beating Leinster by 16 points at Lansdowne Road. Memories of that defeat remain with Leinster's supporters and the players will no doubt be trying to right that wrong this weekend.

Key players:
Leinster:


Sean O'Brien; His big carriers and huge work rate helped Leinster secure a home quarter final having been placed in a so called group of death. His defensive work is as good as you'll see any where in the world and his power with ball in hand guarantees his team go-forward ball.


Isa Nacewa; Leinster's Fijian fullback is arguably the best in Europe. He's a constant threat from the back and rarely makes a mistake, gives the whole team confidence knowing he's covering your back. Given any space and time he's likely to cut any defense apart.

Leicester:


Toby Flood/Ben Youngs; The young halfbackscombine brilliantly and frequently manage to break down the sturdiest of defenses. Their constant probing of the fringe defense and ability to bring the players around them into the game is a joy to watch. They'll be keen to make up for their horror showing in Dublin 3 weeks ago.


Thomas Waldrom; The New Zealand born No. 8 has just recently announced that he's qualified to play for England and it's nearly a dead cert that he will. The form No. 8 in the English premiership, he's been a key part of Leicester's good form and excellent performances in the league to date.

Individual Battles:


Sean O'Brien vs Tom Croft: Two players with huge futures. In two years time they'll surely be fighting it out for a starting Lions test jersey. They're both excellent players and it's interesting how differently they play in the same position. Croft is the athletic, speedy, line out dominant blindside while O'Brien brings his own style of hard running, offloading and a huge work rate. Whether or not O'Brien will be playing at 6 is yet to be decided but it will remain a mouth watering battle.



Brian O'Driscoll vs Manu Tuilagi: If ever there was a case of master vs apprentice, surely this is it. The living legend of Brian O'Driscoll coming up against another up and coming player. Tuilagi has been a real find this season with many pundits calling for him to get a start for England. One things for sure, both of these players will have an outcome on the result.

Come on, Leinster!

CIARAN_BOYLE

I'm hoping for this team

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Hines
Cullen
O'Brien
D Ryan/Jennings
Heaslip

Redden
Sexton
McFadden
D'arcy
O'Driscoll
Horgan
Nacewa

cadea

Nice write up, really hope Leinster go on to win it again

Conas

If tonight proved anything, we certainly need a Mr Shane Jennings in at openside for this one. One hell of a player, and the only out and out openside flanker in the Leinster squad at the moment. I still think on his day he's one of the best in Europe. Seanie needs to be switched to 6.

I'm pretty much happy with everything else. I wouldn't have Mcfadden in on the wing ahead of Fitzgerald like Ciaran suggests above though. I would also be thinking about having McLaughlin at lock maybe ahead of Cullen?

CouchSmart

Conas wrote: »

I'm pretty much happy with everything else. I wouldn't have Mcfadden in on the wing ahead of Fitzgerald like Ciaran suggests above though. I would also be thinking about having McLaughlin at lock maybe ahead of Cullen?

Really? Drop the captain? He's not at his best but I would never go as far as dropping him, for a flanker none the less.

The team will probably be the same as the one that lined out against Munster with Reddan and maybe Heinke starting. I wasn't too impressed with Healy's scrummaging tonight, he should have done better and there was a marked improvement when Heinke came on. If Jennings is fit he's straight back in, obviously.

totallegend

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I'm hoping for this team

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Hines
Cullen
O'Brien
D Ryan/Jennings
Heaslip
Redden
Sexton
McFadden
D'arcy
O'Driscoll
Horgan
Nacewa

Is there any merit in starting VDM? Leicester are going to go hard at the scrums and maybe he's a better bet, then Healy to come on as the game breaks up.

If Jennings was fit, it would be a massive boost; the back-rowers played well individually against Munster but there wasn't the same cohesion between back and forwards that Jennings provides.

RuggieBear

talk rugby folks

yosser hughes

If Jennings is fit then I'd like to see him back in there.However he hasn't played in a while so maybe bring him off the bench? I'm not sure about Luke at this stage. The rest of the team picks itself I think.
edit: Actually now that I think about it,no,the rest does not pick themselves. Reddan should definitely start.I don't rate Boss at all.

GerM

Can only hope Leinster were holding back last night. I think some of the players may have been slightly containing themselves. I can't recall another occasion this season where the likes of Healy and SOB have been as quiet in terms of rucking and smashing anything that moves.

Worth noting that Ayerza was red carded yesterday and looks odds on to be suspended for next week. That means Stankovich will start at loosehead which is a boost for Leinster. He's a good player but Ayerza is the clear first choice for them.

CIARAN_BOYLE

totallegend wrote: »

Is there any merit in starting VDM? Leicester are going to go hard at the scrums and maybe he's a better bet, then Healy to come on as the game breaks up.

Maybe yeah, I thought Cian did a good job against Castro against Italy and against Cole when playing England and I was thinking that I would be happy with how he did in those games. Then again VDM did well when he came on against Munster and maybe that should be rewarded.

Stev_o

Cullen will start would make no sense dropping him against his old club. I fully expect our lineout to be shot to pieces because Chuter ****s bricks anytime he's come against Cullen.

wixfjord

Stev_o wrote: »

Cullen will start would make no sense dropping him against his old club. I fully expect our lineout to be shot to pieces because Chuter ****s bricks anytime he's come against Cullen.

Whats the loos of Ayerza going to do Steve O? I know Stankovich is another monster, but a good prop?
Also, would you have a guess at the starting 15? Will the likes of Mafi, Allen, Agulla etc start?

Quint2010

Would definately start Reddan. Last night was a reality check for Leinster. I think they will come out all guns blazing and take this by 10 points. Leicester wont be able to live with Leinsters intensity.

Stev_o

wixfjord wrote: »

Whats the loos of Ayerza going to do Steve O? I know Stankovich is another monster, but a good prop?
Also, would you have a guess at the starting 15? Will the likes of Mafi, Allen, Agulla etc start?

Probably going to be

15 Hamilton
14 Auggula/M Smith
13 M Tuilagi
12 Allen
11 A Tuilagi
10 Flood
9 Youngs
8 Waldrom
7 Newby
6 Croft
5 Slater
4 Mafi
3 Castro
2 Chuter
1 Stank


It's a okay side. Not great but it's what we have. The front row should be experinced enough to hold their own Stanko is a very good scrummaging prop always has been but he won't add as much dynamism as Ayerza would around the park.

Obviously my main concern is the lineout where Cullen will probably read Chuters thoughts however everyone knows the ball is going to Croft 99% of the time.

Allen is good and has never let the side down. He has been in good form and scored a cracker of a try against Bath. Manu is what you d expect from a Tuilagi hard hitting but with added soft hands. I expect Leinster to use the loop move to try expose him on a number of occasions.

Back three is mixed. Obviously on front foot Alex will start bumping off people with ease but i still have nightmares of him being caught positionally by Sexton in that final.

It's up in the air really. Should be a cracker of a match with both sides looking to play. I think the weather will be the biggest factor in all of this. If it comes down to grinding match i think we have the edge but if the tempo goes through the roof we ll be in danger.

Dr.Evil

I hope Sean O'Brien eats Tom Croft, he's so frustrating to watch, he's a glorified winger..

wixfjord

Hmmm, Leicester always have this air of invincibility about them, but that team is no great shakes. Bar 9 + 10, and perhaps tighthead, we're better.
However, the X factor of the two Tuilagis, Mafi and Croft is a big plus.
It's one thing I actually think Leinster lack, bar Nacewa.

CouchSmart

Stev_o wrote: »

Probably going to be

15 Hamilton
14 Auggula/M Smith
13 M Tuilagi
12 Allen
11 A Tuilagi
10 Flood
9 Youngs
8 Waldrom
7 Newby
6 Croft
5 Slater
4 Mafi
3 Castro
2 Chuter
1 Stank

Is Deacon injured? Surely he'd be starting if not.

almighty1

Anybody know if this is a sell-out?

Kilo

almighty1 wrote: »

Anybody know if this is a sell-out?

According to Newstalk yesterday it is, with an estimated 10,000 coming from Leicester.

dave13

Kilo wrote: »

According to Newstalk yesterday it is, with an estimated 10,000 coming from Leicester.

Thats some estimate considering they apparently returned over 6000 tickets from their allocation.

totallegend

dave13 wrote: »

Thats some estimate considering they apparently returned over 6000 tickets from their allocation.

Yeah, an initial allocation of 12,500 and somewhere in the region of 6,000 were returned. Still, that's a sizeable crowd to be supporting the away team and going on the 2005 game, they'll be making some amount of noise...

GerM

It has previously been reported that the Tigers only sold 4k which sounds about right. 6k would be a massive group of fans to bring over. Even 4k is impressive for a quarter final given that people are feeling the pinch these days. It's going to be one hell of an atmosphere on the day though.

smurphy29

Forget last saturday's little derby, this is the big one. Leinster got a stinker of the draw, and even Barnesy has it right onthis one: the tournament winners will be playing in Dublin on saturday.

Looking at the Leicester backline it's pretty ordinary in places, and we all know that Leinster must do as Ireland did tp England, and get at the two halves. We'll need to play at a similar tempo to that against Clermont. Do that and we have the winning of the match.

In many ways saturday's result and performance is probably the perfect outcome. Enough class int he first half for the players to know they still have it, but enough frustration in the second and at the outcome to make sure the players are angry and up for this. They should be like caged beasts all week, and no doubt Joe Schmidt (or should that be Wagamama?) will be keeping them on a diet of raw meat all week.

Auvers

quick question I am Munster fan but I am going to the match this weekend to support Leinster

would it bad taste to go in my Munster shirt to the match?

GerM

Auvers wrote: »

quick question I am Munster fan but I am going to the match this weekend to support Leinster

would it bad taste to go in my Munster shirt to the match?

Generally I don’t think it would be bad taste but given that it’s only a matter of days since Munster beat Leinster I doubt your average Leinster fan will see it that way after a few pints! Would advise against it. More than likely it would be fine but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few comments were thrown your way. No benefit to wearing it.

bamboozle

Auvers wrote: »

quick question I am Munster fan but I am going to the match this weekend to support Leinster

would it bad taste to go in my Munster shirt to the match?

yes, just likes its bad taste for munster/leinster jersey's to be worn to irish games.

GerM

smurphy29 wrote: »

Forget last saturday's little derby, this is the big one. Leinster got a stinker of the draw, and even Barnesy has it right onthis one: the tournament winners will be playing in Dublin on saturday.

Whatever about the teams that Leinster are due to face or potentially face, no draw that provides a team with home games all the way to the final should be considered a stinker. Home advantage is a massive, massive boost. We’ve beaten both Leicester and Toulouse at home in recent years. I’d take a home game against Toulouse or Leicester ahead of playing someone like Biarritz away any day of the week.

ironingbored

Auvers wrote: »

quick question I am Munster fan but I am going to the match this weekend to support Leinster

would it bad taste to go in my Munster shirt to the match?

You might be mistaken for a Munster fan supporting Leicester. In that case, you might get the odd comment or two. If you have an Ireland shirt that might be a better bet.

It's not soccer though so you're not taking your life into your hands.

Auvers

ironingbored wrote: »

It's not soccer though so you're not taking your life into your hands.

I know this all to well, going to Rugby matches for a lot of years and it would be be a sad day if soccer mentality ever comes to the fore while going to a Rugby match

but wearing the shirt might lead to a bit of banter and craic and I would never support an another team over an Irish one

RE: The "Jersey" Issue

I think wearing Provincial Jerseys to Ireland games is fine, the Provinces are a subset of the national team.
I think wearing Ireland Jerseys to Provincial matches is fine, showing that you're there to support Irish rugby.

But after the HEC in Edinburgh, I'll never advocate wearing a Provinical Jersey to a game that involves another province. It just doesn't make any sense, and causes undue hassle. The fans we met in Munster Jerseys in Edinburgh were most definitely the "fair weather" type, and hadn't a clue about anything really, but they were there to cause tension, and they said it themselves!

Unfortunately, quite a lot of the people I spoke to afterwards had similar stories about the Munster fans, even if they were taking the piss, it was in pretty poor taste.

Ultimately, I reckon someone turning up in a Munster Jersey on Saturday wouldn't be tarred and feathered, but everyone's going to paint that same picture of those annoying, drunken, bitter, "anti-Leinster" Munster fans that were in Edinburgh that day.

Tbh, just don't wear it. It's just not worth the hassle, and obviously if you had to ask that, you pretty much knew it.

trackguy

smurphy29 wrote: »

Forget last saturday's little derby, this is the big one. Leinster got a stinker of the draw, and even Barnesy has it right onthis one: the tournament winners will be playing in Dublin on saturday.

Looking at the Leicester backline it's pretty ordinary in places, and we all know that Leinster must do as Ireland did tp England, and get at the two halves. We'll need to play at a similar tempo to that against Clermont. Do that and we have the winning of the match.

In many ways saturday's result and performance is probably the perfect outcome. Enough class int he first half for the players to know they still have it, but enough frustration in the second and at the outcome to make sure the players are angry and up for this. They should be like caged beasts all week, and no doubt Joe Schmidt (or should that be Wagamama?) will be keeping them on a diet of raw meat all week.

This will be done by winning the battle upfront. If Leinster can win the forward battle, they will run riot over Leicester. Even if they achieve parity, they whould be favourites as they have much more class in the backline.

trackguy

bamboozle wrote: »

yes, just likes its bad taste for munster/leinster jersey's to be worn to irish games.

Rubbish. Bad taste? You must be joking.

I support Leinster, they're Irish. I support Ireland. What's the problem? Half the bloody Ireland team is made up of Leinster players?!!

smurphy29

GerM wrote: »

Whatever about the teams that Leinster are due to face or potentially face, no draw that provides a team with home games all the way to the final should be considered a stinker. Home advantage is a massive, massive boost. We’ve beaten both Leicester and Toulouse at home in recent years. I’d take a home game against Toulouse or Leicester ahead of playing someone like Biarritz away any day of the week.

You're quite right Ger: the only 'draw' element gave us a home semi, should we get there, which is by no means a stinker. The stinker element, I guess, is that by finishing as the second top seed, we somehow conspired to end up against the next best team in the tournament, and one with a tradition of travelling without fear to tough gounds. It's going to be one tough game.

Quint2010

Kevin McLaughlin has just tweeted "the less said about my scan results the better". Looks as though he is in trouble for saturday..

GerM

Quint2010 wrote: »

Kevin McLaughlin has just tweeted "the less said about my scan results the better". Looks as though he is in trouble for saturday..

He's a massive loss if out. We need to try to combat their line out and maul and providing them with comfortable ball is going to be something we cannot do. Not sure if Ruddock is ready for this. In an ideal world, Jennings would be back but I don't know how he could go from not having played in a month or two to this level overnight.

Hippo

Quint2010 wrote: »

Kevin McLaughlin has just tweeted "the less said about my scan results the better". Looks as though he is in trouble for saturday..

Apparently it's his bodyfat scan! Nothing to see here...

phog

Quint2010 wrote: »

Kevin McLaughlin has just tweeted "the less said about my scan results the better". Looks as though he is in trouble for saturday..

What happened him? I remember him being subbed but didn't realise that he had an injury. Wishing him a speedy recovery, this is the busines end of the season and it's what players live for.

phog

phog wrote: »

What happened him? I remember him being subbed but didn't realise that he had an injury. Wishing him a speedy recovery, this is the busines end of the season and it's what players live for.

he got fat apparently.

funky penguin

Auvers wrote: »

quick question I am Munster fan but I am going to the match this weekend to support Leinster

would it bad taste to go in my Munster shirt to the match?

Wear an Irish one if you have it, or something green (wouldn't force you to wear blue ).

I think it's brilliant you're supporting Leinster, but whatever way you look at it, Munster aren't playing in the Aviva on Saturday, so there's no real reason to wear it.

Quint2010

Hippo wrote: »

Apparently it's his bodyfat scan! Nothing to see here...

Ah well there you go. Much ado..

Otacon

"WHO ATE ALL THE PIES?"

Sorry Locky :pac:

wixfjord

Hippo wrote: »

Apparently it's his bodyfat scan! Nothing to see here...

That may have been my mistake on Leinsterfans!

bamboozle

trackguy wrote: »

Rubbish. Bad taste? You must be joking.

I support Leinster, they're Irish. I support Ireland. What's the problem? Half the bloody Ireland team is made up of Leinster players?!!

were you at the HC final in '09? there were plenty of 'munster' fans in their munster jerseys cheering on leicester, it didnt exactly go down too well with many Leinster fans.

if its not bad taste then its certainly aomewhat pointless wearing a Munster or Leinster jersey to an Irish game as neither province are playing. Anyway that's my opinion and you're entitled to yours.

hardCopy

Hippo wrote: »

Apparently it's his bodyfat scan! Nothing to see here...

Ah, I thought it was something more serious when I read this

GerM

Ayerza's RFU hearing is at 3pm today. Should know in a couple of hours if he's unavailable for the weekend. I'd be surprised if he saw anything less than a 4 week ban which I believe is the minimum for a headbutt.

CouchSmart

Leicester statistics show their weak spots:
Bob Casey

RUGBY: DIARY: Despite their shortcomings, Leicester, as they have proved with victories on the road over Bath and Harlequins, will relish Saturday’s Leinster clash

IT SEEMS trite to suggest the Leicester Tigers represent a formidable hurdle for Leinster when they arrive at the Aviva Stadium next weekend given their obvious pedigree in English rugby and the Heineken Cup, twice former winners of the latter tournament, but it is their current form rather than past achievements that makes them so dangerous.

The Tigers will turn up mentally and physically strong and present about as tough a draw as Leinster could have been handed, given the teams remaining in the European Cup. Some teams don’t travel well but that’s not the case with the current Leicester side. Two seasons ago their away form was a concern but that’s no longer the case.

In recent times they went to Bath and inflicted the heaviest defeat their hosts have suffered at the venue. Before that they had travelled to Wales in the European Cup and destroyed the Scarlets in their own backyard.

I was listening to Tigers’ outhalf and playmaker Toby Flood last week and he spoke about how the team were in the midst of their own mini-tour with away matches to Bath, Harlequins and Leinster. Leicester won the first two but hopefully might have to settle for two from three in terms of victories.

When you’re on the road it can give a team clarity because you spend a lot of time together in hotels and there are very few distractions from rugby matters. Leicester are the Man United of rugby, the team everyone else wants to beat. They have primacy in the city over their soccer brethren, an unusual state of affairs when examining the general rule. Training facilities are arguably the best in the country, and they were the first English club to introduce a canteen system to directly monitor players’ food intake.

They are a very tight-knit club and when signing players look beyond their playing ability; the personality of the player is vital too. Take, for example, the likes of Craig Newby, Scott Hamilton, Martin Castrogiovanni and Thomas Waldrom, all of whom have bought into the culture to become top players: only Castro would have arrived with an international-sized reputation. The Italian turned down silly money from France to stay at Leicester, although in all probability his decision was influenced by Geordan Murphy threatening him with a meat cleaver: the two are partners in a restaurant.

Leicester boast a voracious work ethic. It matters what you do on a daily basis, not who you are.

A member of the London Irish backroom staff, Andre Quinn, was at a recent sports science conference and one of the speakers was former England manager Steve McClaren. He spoke about his time at Manchester United and how Alex Ferguson would constantly be banging on his window to get the players to come in long after training had finished. The corollary at Arsenal, according to McClaren, was that the players would come in do their training and be gone at midday.

Leicester is a community club, the players live locally and they socialise together. It creates a very strong bond. Geordie (Murphy) will be a loss but in Hamilton the Tigers have a player with a good rugby brain. They play a power game based on a corrosive scrum, excellent lineout and abrasive ball-carriers. Leicester look to pummel teams into submission. They keep up the pressure until the cracks appear. They are quite happy to build the scoreboard with three-pointers and only up the tempo when it suits them. They view the scrum as a weapon; who wouldn’t when you have Dan Cole to start and Castro to close out the game, or vice versa?

Their lineout is excellent, both offensively and defensively. They can get three pods in the air, which is a decent feat under the new laws and really tough to call against. Newby jumps at the front with a one-man lift, while Tom Croft, Louis Deacon and George Skivington move up and down the line. They’re a well drilled unit.

Leicester have live lineout and scrum sessions in training. Crucially they’re able to do this because of the size of their squad. We couldn’t do this at London Irish because we don’t have 45 players and couldn’t afford the risks of “going live”, so to speak.

There is huge competition at the club and no one is untouchable. You look at a guy like Jordan Crane, who is putting pressure on Waldrom, and that applies right throughout the positions.

Leinster will need to use quick throws from their back three and shorten the lineouts in an attempt to take Leicester out of their routine. I think they’ll go with Kevin McLaughlin to try to counter the Tigers’ lineout options because the last thing a team wants is to let the English team maul you to death on receipt of cheap lineout ball.

Waldrom and Newby have good rugby brains, the nous to run a game, choose the right lines and exploit opposition weaknesses. They also possess big carriers behind the scrum in the Tuilagi brothers.

Manu Tuilagi, in the centre, can be a little naïve in chasing the big hits but one statistic Leinster should note is that according to the official data, he is third in the list for most defenders beaten having played half as many matches as the two players above him.

His midfield partner, Anthony Allen, is having a brilliant season while despite their showing with England in Dublin, Ben Youngs and Flood have excelled for their club.

Leinster, though, may find some heart from the statistics.

Leicester are third from bottom in terms of the number of offloads – they prefer that power game – have the highest number of missed tackles and the third highest turnovers conceded.

Despite these shortcomings, Leicester, as they have proved with victories, on the road over Bath and Harlequins will relish Saturday’s assignment.

They won’t be fazed by the occasion, the atmosphere or the venue. They’ll love nothing more than coming over and upsetting the formbook – it’s not often they’re regarded as underdogs – and for those England internationals who suffered recently at Lansdowne Road that’s going to be a massive motivation.

Leinster will have to win this match on the merit of their performance on the day. They’re certainly good enough to do that but they’ll need to be operating close to their best.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2011/0404/1224293733110.html

Good article by Bob Casey about Leicester's strengths and weaknesses.

trackguy

bamboozle wrote: »

were you at the HC final in '09? there were plenty of 'munster' fans in their munster jerseys cheering on leicester, it didnt exactly go down too well with many Leinster fans.

if its not bad taste then its certainly aomewhat pointless wearing a Munster or Leinster jersey to an Irish game as neither province are playing. Anyway that's my opinion and you're entitled to yours.

I wasn't at the final but that is not my point - I was referring to Ireland national team matches not provincial ones.

Do you expect that fans who wear a province's jersey to an Ireland match will only cheer players from that province?

Aside from the 'pointlessness' of wearing a Leinster/ Munster jersey to Ireland match - where is the 'bad taste' you refer to?

Anyway, back on topic, I'll be at the Leinster game at the weekend. I don't happen to own a Leinster jersey but I'll be supporting them as ferociously as anybody else.

danthefan

Changes from the Munster game: I'd definitely have Reddan starting. There's a case for McFadden but I'm sure it'll stay as it is. Backrow is tricky. Jennings would definitely be starting if he played in the Munster game but I'm not sure you can just throw a guy back into a HEC QF after a decent spell out. It'll probably be McLaughlin for the lineout and workrate I'm guessing.

Podge_irl

Don't think they can put Jennings straight back in after being out so long. Bench is the best he could hope for and honestly I think I'd rather have Ruddock coming on then Jennings, just in terms of impact. Would expect the same backrow as the Munster game. Reddan will start ahead of Boss but otherwise as you were I imagine. Think McFadden deserves a spot, but it's not really going to happen now as Fitz was reasonably good against Munster. The complete lack of incision from the centres is a worry, especially against such a poor midfield as Munster put out.

tolosenc

I'd be looking to go with:

Heinke, Strauss, Ross, Leo, Hines, SOB, Jenno/Ryan, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton, Fitz, Darce, BOD, Shaggy, Isa.

Bench would be something like: Healy, Stan, Harris-Wright(or is he injured?), Locky, Ruddock, Boss, McKinley, McFadden.

danthefan

Dropping Healy makes no sense to me.