Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

totallegend

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

You have to be a properly registered member of the club to fit the squad, Bent and Goodman hadn't arrived yet.

EOM was supposed to be back for this match.

That's me told!

CIARAN_BOYLE

totallegend wrote: »

That's me told!

I do understand your point though, if hiring from Currie Cup or ITM cup its up to the management to ensure that they player is available early enough to fit into the squad for the HEC.

ray jay

A strange looking side, but more than enough for Zebre. I just hope they work together well enough to get the bonus point, Leinster really do need to play more clinically to improve their league position.

ssaye

ray jay wrote: »

A strange looking side, but more than enough for Zebre. I just hope they work together well enough to get the bonus point, Leinster really do need to play more clinically to improve their league position.

Its very hard to be clinical in 2 comps with so many injuries and as JS said they were bottom of the table after week 1 and now in contention. I am happy.


4 Points is fine for me even against bottom of the table Zebre, I would take a shock loss if they were to get back to back wins against Clermont.

Leinster walked the league last year with nothing to show for it due to the playoffs. A bit of a run in the new year and they can afford probably 7 losses and still make 4th spot based on the last few years.

Ospreys and Munster lost 9 2/3 seasons ago and made 4th

durkadurka

Munster lost 9 in an 18 game league and qualified, which is even more remarkable

Tox56

Clermont team for game against Toulouse tomorrow:



I know people go on about the Rabo resting players and all that, but this is a game between two of the best teams in France the week before a crucial H Cup game, and Clermont are fielding a half strength team. I would say at most 4-5 of those will start against us next week.

.ak

Gas. No dress rehearsals then. Thing is we badly need to test out players, they don't.

molloyjh

Tox56 wrote: »

Clermont team for game against Toulouse tomorrow:



I know people go on about the Rabo resting players and all that, but this is a game between two of the best teams in France the week before a crucial H Cup game, and Clermont are fielding a half strength team. I would say at most 4-5 of those will start against us next week.

Crap, they'll be well fit and up for the game next week so.

yougottagoboy

Tox56 wrote: »

Clermont team for game against Toulouse tomorrow:



I know people go on about the Rabo resting players and all that, but this is a game between two of the best teams in France the week before a crucial H Cup game, and Clermont are fielding a half strength team. I would say at most 4-5 of those will start against us next week.

I count at least 8 certain starters? the front row is 2nd choice but outside of that it looks pretty first choice to mw

.ak

I'd say Cudmore, Para, Rougerie, Hines... maybe Elvis.

thomond2006

Lee Byrne will start at fullback against Leinster if he's fit.

yougottagoboy

.ak wrote: »

I'd say Cudmore, Para, Rougerie, Hines... maybe Elvis.

Hines,back row,half backs,centres and floch will probably start. maybe jacquet and buttin as well

.ak

yougottagoboy wrote: »

Hines,back row,half backs,centres and floch will probably start. maybe jacquet and buttin as well

You're having a giraffe?

The team that'll start is more like:

Debaty, Kayser, Bardy
Hines, Cudmore
Elvis, Ludovic, AN other
Para, James
Fofana, Rougerie,
Nalaga, Byrne, Sivi

Tox56

.ak wrote: »

You're having a giraffe?

The team that'll start is more like:

Debaty, Kayser, Bardy
Hines, Cudmore
Elvis, Ludovic, AN other
Para, James
Fofana, Rougerie,
Nalaga, Byrne, Sivi

I'd have thought Zirakashvili ahead of Bardy? And Bonnaire in the backrow

yougottagoboy

.ak wrote: »

You're having a giraffe?

The team that'll start is more like:

Debaty, Kayser, Bardy
Hines, Cudmore
Elvis, Ludovic, AN other
Para, James
Fofana, Rougerie,
Nalaga, Byrne, Sivi

Jesus you're right completely forgot about the back three and fofana. Does James start ahead of Skrela now?

.ak

yougottagoboy wrote: »

Jesus you're right completely forgot about the back three and fofana. Does James start ahead of Skrela now?

Yep, James has been playing very good for the past two seasons. Skrela is usually the bench option.

.ak

Tox56 wrote: »

I'd have thought Zirakashvili ahead of Bardy? And Bonnaire in the backrow

You're right about Zirak yeah. I thought Bonnaire was injured?

GerM

Chouly is the first name on the team sheet this season in the back row. Himself, Bonnaire and Lapandry I would have thought are the likely back row. Cudmore and Hines in the row. Zirikashvili, Kayser and Domingo up front. Parra and James at half back. Rougerie and Fofana in the middle. Byrne, Nalaga and Sivi as the back three. Barring injuries, that's the team I would think.

Clegg

Tbh I don't think Leinster have a hope of winning in Clermont or even getting a BP. We're just not playing well.

The home match is crucial. Leinster will need a bonus point win at Lansdowne as I can't see them actually topping the group. It will probably be a best loser's spot for Leinster. Every single point is vital.

tolosenc

.ak wrote: »

You're having a giraffe?

The team that'll start is more like:

Debaty, Kayser, Bardy
Hines, Cudmore
Elvis, Ludovic, AN other
Para, James
Fofana, Rougerie,
Nalaga, Byrne, Sivi

As in Julien Bardy?

At tighthead?

I'd be very happy if he started there against Leinster.

.ak

tolosenc wrote: »

As in Julien Bardy?

At tighthead?

I'd be very happy if he started there against Leinster.

I meant Zirak, as Tox pointed out.

Ciaran-Irl

yougottagoboy wrote: »

I count at least 8 certain starters? the front row is 2nd choice but outside of that it looks pretty first choice to mw

Only Rougerie, Cudmore, Hines and Parra will start next week.

The team against us will be something like:

15 Lee Byrne, 14 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 13 Aurélien Rougerie, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Napolioni Nalaga, 10 Brock James, 9 Morgan Parra,

8 Damien Chouly, 7 Julien Bonnaire, 6 Lapandry, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Jamie Cudmore, 3 Davit Zirakashvili, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Thomas Domingo.

16 Ti'i Paulo, 17. Vincent Debaty, 18 Daniel Kotze, 19 Julien Pierre, 20 Elvis Vermeulen, 21 Radoslavjevic , 22 David Skrela, 23 Benson Stanley.

Bardy, King, Buttin, Floch, Vosloo, Jacquet - these are examples of players that won't even make the bench. Stupid depth at Clermont. It must be really hard on the poor French teams that they have to play their first team every week though. I can completely understand now how the Rabo teams have such an unfair advantage in the HEC. Clermont are only playing Toulouse after all. Who the hell are they anyway?

thomond2006

Buttin should move, he was in the French picture last season.

Podge_irl

It still amazes me Clermont haven't found someone better than James. It's the only place we have an obvious advantage in the backs though and we are very much at a disadvantage in some.

CatFromHue

Podge_irl wrote: »

It still amazes me Clermont haven't found someone better than James. It's the only place we have an obvious advantage in the backs though and we are very much at a disadvantage in some.

They did sign Skrela and he is on the bench. Though in general I wouldn't be his biggest fan. He came on for Colomiers in the 1998/99 HEC final against Ulster.

Hype710

CatFromHue wrote: »

They did sign Skrela and he is on the bench. Though in general I wouldn't be his biggest fan. He came on for Colomiers in the 1998/99 HEC final against Ulster.

You sure? Thought he played on the wing for Ulster..

CatFromHue

Hype710 wrote: »

You sure? Thought he played on the wing for Ulster..

Nah, that was your ma :P

tolosenc

Podge_irl wrote: »

It still amazes me Clermont haven't found someone better than James. It's the only place we have an obvious advantage in the backs though and we are very much at a disadvantage in some.

In fairness, we have an obvious advantage over almost every other team on the planet at OH.

.ak wrote: »

I meant Zirak, as Tox pointed out.

Tox didn't really point out that Bardy is (primarily) a flanker!

Tox56

tolosenc wrote: »

In fairness, we have an obvious advantage over almost every other team on the planet at OH.



Tox didn't really point out that Bardy is (primarily) a flanker!

To be fair the Clermont bench has a flanker as #18 and a tighthead prop as #23 for some reason

thomond2006

As of this weekend, Malzieu has a calf problem and Vosloo has a fractured pelvis (ouch!) so I'm guessing they won't be available.

btw Skrela is getting released at the end of the season