Leinster Vs Aironi RDS Sat 6pm NO TV

durkadurka

LEINSTER:
15: Isa Nacewa
14: Fionn Carr
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Luke Fitzgerald
11: Dave Kearney
10: Noel Reid
9: Cillian Willis
1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Jamie Hagan
4: Steven Sykes
5: Devin Toner
6: Ciaran Ruddock
7: Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN
8: Leo Auva'a
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Jason Harris-Wright
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jack O'Connell
19: Damian Browne
20: Jordi Murphy
21: John Cooney
22: Ian Madigan
23: Brendan Macken
AIRONI:
15: Ruggero Trevisan
14: Sinoti Sinoti
13: Roberto Quartaroli
12: Gabriel Pizarro
11: Giovanbattista Venditti
10: Tito Tebaldi
9: Tyson Keats
1: Alberto De Marchi
2: Roberto Santamaria CAPTAIN
3: Fabio Staibano
4: Joshua Furno
5: George Biagi
6: Josh Sole
7: Simone Favaro
8: Nick Williams
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Davide Giazzon
17: Matias Aguero
18: Luca Redolfini
19: Filippo Cazzola
20: Filippo Ferrarini
21: Naas Olivier
22: Gilberto Pavan
23: Riccardo Pavan
REFEREE: Marius Mitrea (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Leo Colgan, Mark Hermin (both IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Nigel Correll (Leinster Rugby Referees), 5th OFFICIAL: Andrew Baird (Leinster Rugby Referees)

Noel Reid Gets a start and Sykes is back.
Two ruddocks in the back row!

Hopefully we have enough to get over the line.

Kinger83

Nice to see Noel Reid getting a start, he looks promising.

justsomebloke

woohooo can't wait. Missed the first 2 home rabo games as I was on holiday so really looking forward to this

GerM

Very interested to see how Reid gets on. He's a nice passer and has a bit of spark about him but this level will be foreign to him. He'll have a second less to do anything compared to what he's used to. I would worry about the quality of ball he'll be provided with given that back row. No balance to it really. Aironi have their tails up this season and there's no reason they shouldn't be able to push Leinster all the way. This Leinster side will hold no more fear for them than Glasgow did recently. I think we'll win by a fraction.

yosser hughes

Noel Reid. I don't know anything about him. Any info? Excuse my ignorance:o

GerM

yosser hughes wrote: »

Noel Reid. I don't know anything about him. Any info? Excuse my ignorance:o

St. Michaels players in school. Played wing 1st year SCT and then outhalf. Has played Irish schools and involved in Leinster underage set ups. Played in the U20 WC last year and shared the jersey with McKinney. Filled in at centre a bit also where I think his long term future may lie; he can play across the back line. Has played for Leinster A at centre. Nice pass, good runner with decent pace but game control isn't superb.

irishbucsfan

I see Reid as more a 2nd 5/8th myself. Though I think given our current crisis we've learned that we need to have someone else tested at the position. The back row looks potentially dodgy but at least Willis has been in great form to give him a bit of help.

Could do with a big performance from our tight 5. Excited to see Sykes.

yosser hughes

GerM wrote: »

St. Michaels players in school. Played wing 1st year SCT and then outhalf. Has played Irish schools and involved in Leinster underage set ups. Played in the U20 WC last year and shared the jersey with McKinney. Filled in at centre a bit also where I think his long term future may lie; he can play across the back line. Has played for Leinster A at centre. Nice pass, good runner with decent pace but game control isn't superb.

Thanks Ger. It'll be interesting to see how he gets on tomorrow night.It will be a step up but it would be great if can handle it. We are badly in need at OH with all the injuries etc.

molloyjh

I'm nervous about this one tbh. Last season Aironi ran us close in the RDS and we weren't missing as many to the Ireland camp or injury. They have their tails up now too as GerM has pointed out.

irishbucsfan

molloyjh wrote: »

I'm nervous about this one tbh. Last season Aironi ran us close in the RDS and we weren't missing as many to the Ireland camp or injury. They have their tails up now too as GerM has pointed out.

That's true but the team also chose to rest a lot of players that day

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Andrew Conway
13: Brendan Macken
12: Eoin O'Malley
11: David Kearney
10: Ian Madigan
9: Paul O'Donohoe

1: Heinke van der Merwe
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Clint Newland
4: Kevin McLaughlin
5: Devin Toner
6: Rhys Ruddock CAPTAIN
7: Dominic Ryan
8: Stephen Keogh

I don't think the team is much weaker than that team tbh. Aironi's team is I'd imagine.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's true but the team also chose to rest a lot of players that day



I don't think the team is much weaker than that team tbh. Aironi's team is I'd imagine.

Looking at the line-ups again I'm starting to feel better. Thanks. Although it'll still be tight.

Quint2010

Name: Noel Reid

School: St. Michael's College
Leinster 'A' Caps: 3 (v Munster, Ulster, Connacht)
British & Irish Cup Caps: 5 (v Newport, Plymouth Albion, Cornish Pirates, Worcester Warriors, Bedford Blues)
Ireland Under-20 Caps: 6 (v Wales, France, England, Argentina, Samoa, Scotland)
Leinster Under-20 Caps: 3 (v Ulster, Munster, Connacht)
Leinster Under-19 Caps: 2 (v Munster, Connacht)
Ireland Under-18 (Schools) Caps: 2 (v Wales, Scotland)
Leinster Under-18 (Schools) Caps: 8 (v Munster, Connacht, Ulster, all 5 appearances on 2006/07 South African tour)


A very impressive underage CV I have to say. Hopefully he can step up to the mark

andrewdcs

I know I know, its done to death, and exceedingly greedy what with RWC but

GAH!

to not being on TV. as an expat its always the Leinster games I'm available to watch in the local that arn't on.... Turning into a Munster / Ulster supporter at this rate. Ah well. Would love a chance to see the da'youf a few more times before everyones back.

line up looks pretty nippy if on the light side and tight 5 look reasonably, eh, tight. Can we give Toner an "angry" injection? Just still feel he needs to stop shaving for a few days and eat raw meat to function in a second row these days.

bamboozle

Reid played AIL with Clontarf last season, great kicker from ground and hands, not the greatest game management (yet), tends to DIY a little too much but the flip side of that is that he's confident, he likes to take the ball on himself and also is fond of the chip over the opposing centers. Has a real quality about him.

CatFromHue

I thought Ciaran Ruddock was a second row!

I don't know much about Aironi other than they have 10 players missing as they're in New Zealand.

Our team is as we know very much a weekend almost scratch side so if we get a win it will be brilliant.

CIARAN_BOYLE

CatFromHue wrote: »

I thought Ciaran Ruddock was a second row!

The LR site says he is a lock but he usually plays for Leinster A at 6. I think he is too small for second row (a 6"4) but when he joined the academy there was a lot of back rows so someone said lets call him a 2nd row. That plan may have been abandoned a while but no one changed the website.

phog

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

The LR site says he is a lock but he usually plays for Leinster A at 6. I think he is too small for second row (a 6"4) but when he joined the academy there was a lot of back rows so someone said lets call him a 2nd row. That plan may have been abandoned a while but no one changed the website.

I remember checking when Leinster lauched the 6'6" campaign the heights of the players in the acadamy and both Ruddock and Marshall were down as 6'4", so they are hardly going to move the two of them to the back row.

BTW, the link for Martin Moore doesn't work on the site.

shuffol

Can anybody who's been at the games tell me how Jack O'Connell and Mcgrath have gotten on and whether they've had much game time. Both looked promising for the Ireland u-20s a few years back. Am I right in thinking that both can play either side of the scrum, I know O'Connell can anyway.

CIARAN_BOYLE

shuffol wrote: »

Can anybody who's been at the games tell me how Jack O'Connell and Mcgrath have gotten on and whether they've had much game time. Both looked promising for the Ireland u-20s a few years back. Am I right in thinking that both can play either side of the scrum, I know O'Connell can anyway.

McGrath has 33 minutes from 2 games and O'Connell has 10 minutes from 2 games

To be honest I don't think we've seen enough of either to say how they have gotten on really.

McGrath and O'Connell both can play either side but I think that McGrath is a lot better at LH and O'Connell is better at TH. I wouldn't use them on the other side unless they were on the bench in a 22 man squad,

irishbucsfan

McGrath played TH this season and looked handy enough.

I think he'll more than likely end up a bench player due to that versatility and due to the ages of Healy/Hagan.

[Jackass]

I think it's great to see the replacement front row of McGrath, O'Connell and Harris-Wright, as well as Hagan starting, we're developing some superb depth in the front-row from underage.

Also looking forward to seeing Reid, I know nothing about him, but sounds interesting, clearly replacing McKinley in having two young options coming through at 10.

I would have liked to see Macken get a start and gutted for Conway that he's not around to rack up lots of game time at the moment.

shuffol

Leinster really leading the way in propping talent coming through. The Irish u-20 scrum has been fairly solid over the past couple of seasons despite been up against much bigger packs and Leinster have had a virtual monopoly over the starting props, Mcgrath, O'Connell, Stewart Maguire, Martin Moore, Tadhg Furlong and James Tracy have all shown up well.

CatFromHue

If this rain doesn't stop this game is going to be a mess in an empty RDS. It's been absolutely bucketing down since about 11pm last night

Mantel

CatFromHue wrote: »

If this rain doesn't stop this game is going to be a mess in an empty RDS. It's been absolutely bucketing down since about 11pm last night

Hardly anyone is going to show up, even if the rain stops now. Think they'll try postpone it?

GerM

I can't see more than 8k showing up, if even. Nobody who has a ticket for the north or south will go. The weather is absolutely atrocious. Very few parents will take their children. Forecast doesn't get any better with localised flooding a possibility.

.ak

Looking forward to this. Although the weather is looking muck... Hopefully the guys play a tight game. Haven't seen Noel Reid yet, looking forward to seeing him. Any reason why he's starting though? Surely if they're looking to feed him into a senior role they'd bench him and try him if the game is won.

justsomebloke

Ye I really hope it stops raining soon

WeeBushy

According to here its not going to stop raining until tomorrow morning

http://www.weather-forecast.com/locations/Dublin/forecasts/latest

copacetic

It's absolutely horrible out, thundering rain. Hope it clears up soon, south and north aren't fun it this weather

GerM

copacetic wrote: »

It's absolutely horrible out, thundering rain. Hope it clears up soon, south and north aren't fun it this weather

South and north are bloody dangerous in this weather! It's actually getting heavier. If it continues with this regularity and force, I can see a pitch inspection having to take place.

copacetic

GerM wrote: »

South and north are bloody dangerous in this weather! It's actually getting heavier. If it continues with this regularity and force, I can see a pitch inspection having to take place.

Well if you have the wind at your back which the south mostly does it's not a total disaster, but wind in your face with this rain means you wouldn't even be able to see past the 22. Its a bit warm for full on raingear too!

Quite a bit of flooding on roads so the pitch will struggle alright if it keeps up...

ongarite

In in the North stand and determined to go to this game!!
Please stop raining..

.ak

Probably a stupid question, but here it goes...

Now a days with modern sports grounds there's a huge amount of money spent on maintaining pitches to make sure game fixtures go ahead (freezing permitted).

So, with an open ground like RDS, in a rainy country like Ireland, is it not worth investing in some sort of pull-over ground cover (i.e like the cover you'd get on a tennis court). Is there such a thing? And would it be effective? Obviously can't keep it covered all the time as it'd kill grass, but it'd be worth it's salt if the likes of tonight's match gets called off!

chancer12

Not goning to match, anyone mind posting updates if it goes ahead?

.ak

chancer12 wrote: »

Not goning to match, anyone mind posting updates if it goes ahead?

I'll try on my dog n bone

fml. Not on TV? I just emigrated ffs.

durkadurka

Deleted User wrote: »

fml. Not on TV? I just emigrated ffs.

From your location you might be going to see the tigers on a regular basis?

durkadurka

durkadurka wrote: »

From your location you might be going to see the tigers on a regular basis?

nope, perhaps the Potters at the Britannia though!

ongarite

0-0 here still. Terrible conditions leading to loads of spilled balls and knock ons.

.ak

23 min. Aironi 14 yellow card not releasing in their 22. Isa misses penalty, 0/2 :-(

.ak

Penalty aironi going off feet. Isa misses 0/3

.ak

37 min Aironi try, converted.

7-0

frackingishell

THANKS FOR THE UPDATES AK.
are aironi all over them or what? are leinster looking like theyre panicing?

.ak

HWe pretty much just had a try but ref was badly positioned so called it as held up. Scrum 5. Auva'a goes openside but is pinged for holding on. Half time. Aironi 7-0

frackingishell

i know its early days ak, but are leinster in danger of losing this- real danger like? many attacks for aironi?

.ak

frackingishell wrote: »

THANKS FOR THE UPDATES AK.
are aironi all over them or what? are leinster looking like theyre panicing?

It's fairly even. I would say that Leinster are probably ahead with can't 60% territory and defo been putting on the pressure. Some lovely offloads and Fitzgerald having a decent game. The ruddock bro's having a good game too. Too many errors but to be fair we've forced 3 decent pen's but isa has missed all 3 (first he fluffed, second two pulled to the left)

Realistically they were easy kicks. Should be 9-7.

Their try was a forward effort off a lineout. We were soft, caught napping.

Mini's aren't knocking on as much haha

BarackPyjama

Updates on Twitter via http://twitter.com/#!/leinsterrugby

.ak

frackingishell wrote: »

i know its early days ak, but are leinster in danger of losing this- real danger like? many attacks for aironi?

Hmm.. imo depends if we back our set piece in the second half. We've dominated the mauls all day. If we go for try's we'll win... Clocking the points ain't working. Aironi's attack is so-so

.ak

SEcond half. Madigan on for Reid

thomond2006

It would be the some shock if Aironi held on!

.ak

48 min lovely step from Madigan, try! Isa converts. 7-7