Leinster v Ulster ML Semi Final Friday 13th May RDS KO 19.05 tg4/bbcNI

Quint2010

The oldest fixture in irish provincial rugby is upon us for the second time in four weeks as Leinster and Ulster clash at the penultimate stage of the Magners League at the RDS on friday night. Leinster of course are going for an historic double and are hoping this match starts a run of three successive knock-out weekends. Ulster, having made significant progress under Brian McLaughlin this season having also reached the HC knockout stages, will be smarting from the 34-26 defeat dealt out to them at the same venue four weeks ago and will surely revel in the role of party poopers. Joe Schmidt is once again set to juggle the resources at his disposal with half an eye on next weeks Heineken Cup final. With O'Driscoll, Fitzgerald, Sexton,Ross Reddan and Cullen all rested for last friday nights 38-3 dismantling of Glasgow Warriors and Cian Healy and Isa Nacewa receiving limited game time, expect all 15 players who started against Toulouse to see some game time this friday. Ulster on the other hand will see this as their cup final and with Paddy Wallace, Andrew Trimble and Stephen Ferris all ruled out through injury, McLoughlin will surely name the same 15 that started against The Dragons.

Leinster predicted starting 15:
Nacewa
Horgan
BOD
McFadden
Fitgerald
Sexton
Reddan
Healy
Strauss
Ross
Cullen
Hines
SOB
Jennings
Heaslip

Subs: D'Arcy, Madigan, Boss, Van der Merwe, JHW, Wright, McLoughlin, Ruddock

almighty1

Cant wait for this match. Its a massive 2 weeks for Leinster and we could be on the cusp of something really historic.

I have a feeling we will see McLoughlin at 2nd row again to partner Leo.

CMON LEINSTER

CouchSmart

Don't think this is on BBC. It's on both TG4 and RTE2 though.

CatFromHue

i cant see mcfadden starting ahead of darcy.

mcfadden would have started in the centre against glasgow if he was being groomed for a possible semi final start there.

irishbucsfan

They started Boss in both games against Ulster this year. Wouldn't be surprised if he started again. Also would be extremely surprised to see McFadden ahead of D'arcy. If he starts, he'll be wearing 11.

Pack will be as per OP. Would be extremely shocked if Hines was left out, one of the best players we have.

durkadurka

Here's hoping for any win and NO INJURIES

overshoot

my head and all logic says a leinster win but i have this voice in the back of my head that says ulster will come out really strong and agressive and nick it

Quint2010

CouchSmart wrote: »

Don't think this is on BBC. It's on both TG4 and RTE2 though.

The Leinster site says TG4 and BBC NI

CouchSmart

Quint2010 wrote: »

The Leinster site says TG4 and BBC NI

http://entertainment.ie/tv/display.asp?channelID=82&programme_day=13%20May%202011&programme_time=time6&programme=#RTE-Two

Haven't seen it listed yet as being on BBC anywhere. Still though, their programming always changes.

prospect

overshoot wrote: »

my head and all logic says a leinster win but i have this voice in the back of my head that says ulster will come out really strong and agressive and nick it

I feel the same.
It is a tough match, a derby, Ulster have a point to prove from a fortnight ago, Leinster undoubtedly have an eye on next weeks HEC Final.

Quint2010

CouchSmart wrote: »

http://entertainment.ie/tv/display.asp?channelID=82&programme_day=13%20May%202011&programme_time=time6&programme=#RTE-Two

Haven't seen it listed yet as being on BBC anywhere. Still though, their programming always changes.

BBC NI have shown alot of the Ulster games live this season. Be amazed if its not on there. RTE are showing the Munster match with TG4 covering this one. The official Ulster site also says BBC are showing the game

CouchSmart

Quint2010 wrote: »

BBC NI have shown alot of the Ulster games live this season. Be amazed if its not on there. RTE are showing the Munster match with TG4 covering this one. The official Ulster site also says BBC are showing the game

RTE are showing this game. You should add it to the title, so people are not confused.

CIARAN_BOYLE

http://www.magnersleague.com/matchcentre/schedule.php

Magners site lists TG4 and BBCNI as the broadcast partners

Podge_irl

Not really worried at all. Leinster are a significantly better team even without Ulster's injuries, and Ulster simply can't carry the injuries they've got to contend with. Coupled with it being at home for Leinster I think PP 10 point handicap is about right.

Quint2010

CouchSmart wrote: »

RTE are showing this game. You should add it to the title, so people are not confused.

As far as I can make out, RTE.IE are showing both games live but only the Munster game is live on RTE television

Digifriendly

BBC2 NI now have this match listed on the EPG. Munster vs Ospreys is live on both RTE2/S4C. BTW I think 'Scarlets' should read 'Dragons' in first post.

CouchSmart

Quint2010 wrote: »

As far as I can make out, RTE.IE are showing both games live but only the Munster game is live on RTE television

I don't know why you won't believe me. It's on RTE: http://www.rte.ie/ten/listings/?date=2011-05-13. People are going to read your title and be disappointed it's not on RTE, yet it is.

Anyway, it should be a cracker of a game. It's definitely going to be close, no way Ulster will let us build up a lead like they did 3 weeks ago. Whoever wins will do so only by a score.

Quint2010

CouchSmart wrote: »

I don't know why you won't believe me. It's on RTE: http://www.rte.ie/ten/listings/?date=2011-05-13. People are going to read your title and be disappointed it's not on RTE, yet it is.

Anyway, it should be a cracker of a game. It's definitely going to be close, no way Ulster will let us build up a lead like they did 3 weeks ago. Whoever wins will do so only by a score.

The reason I would quibble with this is because if you look at your link and move to saturday, there is no rugby on RTE at all yet they advertised the fact they were showing the Munster Ospreys game last friday after the Munster Connacht game. Also if you look at that link you will see that TG4 also list live rugby on friday and dont list it for saturday. They cant both be showing the Leinster match and neither showing the Munster one. On top of that, the Leinster website says the Leinster Ulster game on TG4 and the Munster website says their game is on RTE.

Quint2010

"The Leinster squad trained in the RDS on Monday morning ahead of Friday night's Magners League play-off with Ulster in the RDS (KO: 7.05pm) with the management reporting no fresh injury concerns from last Friday night's victory over Glasgow Warriors. Leo Cullen, Sean O’Brien, Brian O’Driscoll, Eoin Reddan and Heinke van der Merwe are all in contention for selection after being rested in the 38-3 bonus point victory which helped book a home semi final berth against Ulster.


Should O’Driscoll feature he will do so for the 150th time in Leinster colours. Meanwhile, Shane Horgan’s second half try was his ninth in 24 Magners League and Heineken Cup appearances to date this season.


The team is expected to be named on Thursday lunchtime."

Quint2010

Latest Ulster team news: Dan Tuohy ruled out. Hamstring.

durkadurka

Tickets on public sale now

jacothelad

Quint2010 wrote: »

Latest Ulster team news: Dan Tuohy ruled out. Hamstring.

So is Faloon. Shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff. We're ballixed.

thomond2006

If Ulster had a full side with Botha, Tuohy, Ferris, Faloon, Wallace, Trimble etc playing I'd give them a chance. Without them they don't have a prayer tbh. In contrast Leinster are only missing Kearney and Berne and that doesn't really affect them.

Teferi

The only thing that troubles me is that literally anything can happen in knock-outs. On paper Leinster should win but there is that touch of luck that is needed in any knock-out match.

jacothelad

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Ulster had a full side with Botha, Tuohy, Ferris, Faloon, Wallace, Trimble etc playing I'd give them a chance. Without them they don't have a prayer tbh. In contrast Leinster are only missing Kearney and Berne and that doesn't really affect them.

Sadly, I have to agree. even with a full deck, Ulster still lack that extra 'sporting brutality' that top rugby sides have and I don't mean foul play. I've described their performances this year as 'rickety'. I.E. it's all held together mostly but every now and then one of the elastic bands breaks - like D'Arcy dropping the ball against Saints or allowing Tonga'huia to score because Trimble his eleven thumbs.

I'd say that if fit, Kearney and Berne wouldn't get a look in at the moment while all Ulster's injured guys would be swept into the team and supplied with Virgins and Ambrosia ( not the creamed rice lads).

Podge_irl

Teferi wrote: »

there is that touch of luck that is needed in any knock-out match.

No there isn't. Ulster would need a large dose of luck to win. Leinster won't need any. Ulster may win, but it's an exceedingly slim possibility. Leinster are simply a better team.

I am pie

Podge_irl wrote: »

No there isn't. Ulster would need a large dose of luck to win. Leinster won't need any. Ulster may win, but it's an exceedingly slim possibility. Leinster are simply a better team.

Leinster are leagues ahead of Ulster in terms of ability and experience. Ulster don't have the squad to cope with injuries unfortunately. It'll be a great occasion for Ulster and a sign of the progress we are making. Hopefully we gave you a good game and the travelling support get behind the men in white. Stand up for the Ulstermen ....hoping for an upset !! Hoping Spence gives another good performance and make a case for a world cup spot. He has come on leaps and bounds this year.

Teferi

Podge_irl wrote: »

No there isn't. Ulster would need a large dose of luck to win. Leinster won't need any. Ulster may win, but it's an exceedingly slim possibility. Leinster are simply a better team.

Check out the first couple of pages of the Munster V Quinns thread a few weeks back. Now compare it with the last few pages. So much on egg on so many faces.

CatFromHue

quins on paper had a stronger 8,9,10 and 12 than munster. they were equal in monye and brown. they had a young pack that showed no fear.

ulster on paper will find it hard to better their leinster equivalents. plus they will have the two defeats already this season in the back of their minds.

Podge_irl

Teferi wrote: »

Check out the first couple of pages of the Munster V Quinns thread a few weeks back. Now compare it with the last few pages. So much on egg on so many faces.

Perhaps. I'm not denying Ulster can win, I think they are a good team. They're also lack depth and experience and the injuries they have will almost certainly trouble them.

I just don't think there is any point in empty platitudes or pretending the game is 50/50. Of course Ulster could win but Leinster are currently a far better team.

rosskind

Can't see any hope for Ulster. They might be able to cling on for a while with some penalties but I can see Leinster pulling away after 50+ mins.

durkadurka

I kind of hope he doesn't play the obvious first xv. I want the players to be unsure of their place and be fighting for a shirt.

So a back row of say jenno 7, locky 6 and sob at 8 maybe, so everyone has a chance to stake a claim. Also McFadden at 12 and fitz at 11..

Actually shaggy has played a lot lately so maybe give him a week off and put McFadden at 14.

Boss for 50 mins against his old club.

I am pie

Are there tickets still available ?

CIARAN_BOYLE

I am pie wrote: »

Are there tickets still available ?

Yeah its still on sale at ticketmaster

I'd say there is around 2,000 seats left. link on the front page of leinsterrugby.ie I think

thomond2006

Ulster squad:

Forwards:
Jerry Cronin, Tom Court, Paddy McAllister, Declan Fitzpatrick,
Rory Best, Nigel Brady, Andi Kyriacou,
Dan Tuohy, Johann Muller, Neil McComb, Tim Barker,
Pedrie Wannenburg, TJ Anderson, Ali Birch, Chris Henry, Robbie Diack.

Backs:
Ruan Pienaar, Paul Marshall,
Ian Humphreys, Patrick Jackson,
Ian Whitten, Luke Marshall, Nevin Spence, Darren Cave,
Mark McCrea, Simon Danielli, Tommy Seymour, Craig Gilroy, Conor Gaston, Jamie Smith, Adam D'Arcy.

smurphy29

It'll be tough for Ulster to win with so many injuries, most of those out are among their best players too. But Leinster won't underestimate them; as we've seen recently, Ulster's back play is very impressive, they've a 9-10 on fire at the moment and Spence, Gilroy and Danielli are all good, hard runners. Trimble's a big miss though.

Durkadurka, I think that's what Joe will do. It would make a lot of sense to give guys like McFadden and vd Merwe a chance to audition for a spot in the final. I'd imagine Darce, Fitz and BOD will all be begging Joe for a start though - McFaddden's form must be frightening the life out of them at the moment. Backrow prediction is SOB, Jenno, Heaslip. Locky could get another run out at 4, with Cullen and Hines splitting the game 50/30.

durkadurka

Only 14 k sold for this so far. Combination of apathy and stretched budgets I reckon.

totallegend

durkadurka wrote: »

Only 14 k sold for this so far. Combination of apathy and stretched budgets I reckon.

Probably the latter. Recently, I've had to fork out for:
- Season ticket renewal (in March, why?)
- Heineken Cup QF & SF
- Trip to Limerick for the ML
- Trip to Cardiff

Another €45 for a ticket to the Ulster game, on top of a potential ML final in two weeks? Meh... (I guess there's a bit of apathy there as well )


Plus of course, Leinster make a big noise about selling 16,000 tickets for every obscure ML game going; of course that includes the 13,000 season tickets - they don't have that to pad their figures this time so for once the number of tickets sold might actually match the number of people in the ground.

durkadurka

100% totallegend

Crash

Friday at 7:05pm doesn't help either - I'm pretty hard pushed to get from work to the 7.30pm Friday games, 7.05pm just makes it near impossible if its a busy day.

totallegend

Ulster Team v Leinster (Magners League, RDS, Friday 13th May, kick-off 7.05pm)
(15-9): A D'Arcy; C Gilroy, D Cave, N Spence, S Danielli; I Humphreys, R Pienaar;
(1-8): T Court, R Best (capt), D Fitzpatrick, J Muller, T Barker, P Wannenburg, C Henry, R Diack;
Replacements (16-23): A Kyriacou, P McAllister, J Cronin, N McComb, T Anderson, P Marshall, I Whitten, C Gaston.

totallegend

Despite the injuries, it's still a very decent first Ulster XV. Very little to offer on the bench though...

Quint2010

LEINSTER:
15: Isa Nacewa
14: Fergus McFadden
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss
1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Nathan Hines
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Stan Wright
19: Devin Toner
20: Kevin McLaughlin
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: David Kearney

durkadurka

durkadurka wrote: »

I kind of hope he doesn't play the obvious first xv. I want the players to be unsure of their place and be fighting for a shirt.

So a back row of say jenno 7, locky 6 and sob at 8 maybe, so everyone has a chance to stake a claim. Also McFadden at 12 and fitz at 11..

Actually shaggy has played a lot lately so maybe give him a week off and put McFadden at 14.

Boss for 50 mins against his old club.

so nearly, nearly right!!!

CouchSmart

Pretty much our strongest team bar the exclusion of Shaggy. Great to see the O'Brien, Jennings and Heaslip backrow back in action.

Quint2010

CouchSmart wrote: »

Pretty much our strongest team bar the exclusion of Shaggy. Great to see the O'Brien, Jennings and Heaslip backrow back in action.

Is Shaggy injured I wonder? He isnt even on the bench..

durkadurka

rest I'd say, he's played a lot lately.

Hippo

Terrified of injuries with this team. Sexton, Isa, Strauss all off the pitch asap.

Jemo

Shaggy is no doubt being rested. Hes not very versatile (anymore) so having Kearney there is probably the better option. Interesting to see what Kidney does if Boss stays ahead of Reddan for the run-in. But all said, thats an extremely strong team, will be good to see Luke and McFadden on at the same time to see who comes out the better! I'm looking forward to this game, should be very physical, think we'll have the class to pull away when their big guys get tired and we have more power in the replacements. This starting lineup makes me confident that all eyes are on the Magners this week and that a performance will be expected.

ALLEZ LES BLEUS! bring on Friday!

eoin2nc

Surely a face off between Fitz and Fergus for the starting position next week? May the best man win!

totallegend

CouchSmart wrote: »

Pretty much our strongest team bar the exclusion of Shaggy. Great to see the O'Brien, Jennings and Heaslip backrow back in action.

Must be ages since those three started a game together, delighted to see it.

Somewhat disappointed not to see VDM get a start, thought he was great against Toulouse (and not just for that first scrum) but has had no game time since. Hopefully he'll get a decent run-out.

I'd say Eoin Reddan is getting nervous...