Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

tolosenc

totallegend wrote: »

5 points would be a great outcome but equally valuable would be if we could restrict Clermont to 4, i.e. no try BP over there and no losing BP here. That would put us in a great position.

Try BP at home, with ASM getting nothing coupled with picking up the LBP away and not allowing 4 tries would be immense.

Can see Clermont scoring 4 tries against us on Sunday, though. I mean, we demolished a woeful Cardiff in the RDS and still let in 3.

justsomebloke

Deleted User wrote: »

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056822732

I really want to say fionn carr, as that would mean he couldn't possibly get near the pitch but I really want the tickets as well

ssaye

tolosenc wrote: »

Try BP at home, with ASM getting nothing coupled with picking up the LBP away and not allowing 4 tries would be immense.

Can see Clermont scoring 4 tries against us on Sunday, though. I mean, we demolished a woeful Cardiff in the RDS and still let in 3.

We have the beating of them in the forwards, try to deny them ball all day long and Jonny to kick to the corners. Its the centre partnership and wings where they have an advantage. Bad weather 10 man rugby would probably suit us next weekend.

Forecast here still too far out
http://www.accuweather.com/en/fr/clermont-ferrand/132153/month/132153?monyr=12/01/2012

CatFromHue

Honestly, i think we're going to win both games! :eek:

ssaye

CatFromHue wrote: »

Honestly, i think we're going to win both games! :eek:

Love it

CatFromHue

It's not going to be easy by any means but we certainly have the ability and the mentality to do so.

Beating a big French team in their home ground is one of the only unticked boxes for this Leinster team to do.

To a degree we also have a need to do so.

Their home record so far in the Top 14 is impressive but there's only been a score in it at the end against a fair few of those teams. Yes they are still winning but there is plenty for us to be optimistic about.

Clermont Auvergne 24 - 21 Toulon
Clermont Auvergne 19 - 12 Biarritz
Clermont Auvergne 28 - 25 Stade Français
Clermont Auvergne 44 - 20 Grenoble
Clermont Auvergne 13 - 12 Racing Metro
Clermont Auvergne 53 - 31 Perpignan

Burgo

CatFromHue wrote: »

Honestly, i think we're going to win both games! :eek:

Wish I was that optimistic!

.ak

If we managed to pull 6 points (LBP + TBP/WIN) over the double header we'd be coming from zero to hero in two weeks.. Fingers and toes crossed!

Teferi

I feel we will lose away and sneak a win in the Aviva.

ssaye

Teferi wrote: »

I feel we will lose away and sneak a win in the Aviva.

I think sneaking a win away is more likely than sneaking one at home. Excellent record in the AVIVA and I believe we will beat them at home by at least 2 scores.

Teferi

ssaye wrote: »

I think sneaking a win away is more likely than sneaking one at home. Excellent record in the AVIVA and I believe we will beat them at home by at least 2 scores.

I'd agree if we had some steam behind us, unfortunately I feel key players are coming back slightly to late.

Teferi

Also, can't see us getting the luck we had last year. Literally the flex of a bicep would have lost us that game.

ssaye

Teferi wrote: »

Also, can't see us getting the luck we had last year. Literally the flex of a bicep would have lost us that game.

Indeed, I am sort of expecting a loss and anything better is a bonus. Need to win in the AVIVA in anyway.

If you want to be the best even with so many injuries/lack of game time/continuity these are the games that the players usually step up.

If we can dominate the backrow and Parra/James get the yips, you never know.

CatFromHue

Teferi wrote: »

Also, can't see us getting the luck we had last year. Literally the flex of a bicep would have lost us that game.

You could equally argue it wasn't luck that our defence put Fofana in such an awkward position that he dropped the ball.

The team worked so hard in defence in the knock out stages of the HEC that we got what we deserved defence wise if you ask me. We made 123 tackles against Clermont, 134 tackles against Cardiff, and 129 tackles against Ulster. To put this into perspective Clermont made 76, Cardiff made 94, and Ulster made 131!

Teferi

Yeah our defense was incredible but 9 times out of 10 if a player lands like Fofana does they are going to get the try. He just got a bit unlucky and we got a bit lucky.

No harm in that, all the great teams need a little luck to get where they are.

tolosenc

Pressure's on Clermont. I mean, if we win on Sunday, we win the pool...

I've had 2 dreams about the game. A 15 all draw, and a 18-13 Leinster win (which involved a 78th minute BOD intercept, so unlikely).

ssaye

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/newsroom/10698.php

Hold hands

There are no major injury concerns for the province arising from Saturday night’s bonus point victory over Zebre. Sean O’Brien and Jonathan Sexton were replaced at the interval as a precaution and both Ireland internationals will take a full part in training this week alongside Damian Browne who suffered a cut above his right eye on Saturday.

.ak

Stuff of legends if Johnny pulls out a big game for his 100th cap for this...

Come to think of it, it's amazing how much this team relies on Sexton. For me we can manage without BOD or Kearney, but without Sexton we just get blown away. He's been instrumental to all 3 of our H-Cups. Whilst we were playing rubbish in the 09/10 season, we still went out because Sexton broke his jaw....

ssaye

.ak wrote: »

Stuff of legends if Johnny pulls out a big game for his 100th cap for this...

Come to think of it, it's amazing how much this team relies on Sexton. For me we can manage without BOD or Kearney, but without Sexton we just get blown away. He's been instrumental to all 3 of our H-Cups. Whilst we were playing rubbish in the 09/10 season, we still went out because Sexton broke his jaw....

Although Berne did fine in 09/10 season as backup overall, Sexton missing away to Toulouse was huge.

.ak

ssaye wrote: »

Although Berne did fine in 09/10 season as backup overall, Sexton missing away to Toulouse was huge.

Yeh, Berne did himself no shame but we really missed Sexton. Could you imagine if Sexton was missing next week? :eek:

ssaye

.ak wrote: »

Yeh, Berne did himself no shame but we really missed Sexton. Could you imagine if Sexton was missing next week? :eek:

Dont give me nightmares, until the team takes to the field I will be a bag of nerves all week :pac:

ssaye

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1212027/

http://www.inpho.ie/assignment/Leinster-Rugby-Squad-Training-amp-Press-Briefing/tQJwWbHb4zrGoyW1SnEbOQ..a?ts=q7Dv_-KeUGYnBXbsJre7GQ..a

Morale seems high in training


Good to see

Dundon, Flanagan and Ryan back training a bit too

BigHeel

ssaye wrote: »

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1212027/

http://www.inpho.ie/assignment/Leinster-Rugby-Squad-Training-amp-Press-Briefing/tQJwWbHb4zrGoyW1SnEbOQ..a?ts=q7Dv_-KeUGYnBXbsJre7GQ..a

Morale seems high in training


Good to see

Dundon, Flanagan and Ryan back training a bit too

It is great to see these guys back training.

molloyjh

ssaye wrote: »

http://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1212027/

http://www.inpho.ie/assignment/Leinster-Rugby-Squad-Training-amp-Press-Briefing/tQJwWbHb4zrGoyW1SnEbOQ..a?ts=q7Dv_-KeUGYnBXbsJre7GQ..a

Morale seems high in training


Good to see

Dundon, Flanagan and Ryan back training a bit too

No sign of EOM in those. For all the talk of him being pretty much ready to come back has he been in any of the training pics lately?

ssaye

molloyjh wrote: »

No sign of EOM in those. For all the talk of him being pretty much ready to come back has he been in any of the training pics lately?

Think he was due to come back and got a calf strain about 10 days ago

Anything from 3-6 weeks rest if he doesn't need surgery not sure how bad

Clegg

Looks like Dave Kearney is injured again.

And still no sign of Luke Fitz.

I doubt he'll ever be back.

Tox56

Clegg wrote: »

Looks like Dave Kearney is injured again.

And still no sign of Luke Fitz.

I doubt he'll ever be back.

There were plenty of pictures of Fitz from the last training session they photographed (last Monday):

http://www.sportsfile.com/id/702897/
http://www.sportsfile.com/id/702896/

They said he just wasn't doing contact stuff yet, but you would think/hope that he isn't far off a return.

tolosenc

When are we expecting a team announcement? Thursday?

Meyo

Clegg wrote: »

Looks like Dave Kearney is injured again.

And still no sign of Luke Fitz.

I doubt he'll ever be back.

talk about overreacting. He was training last week, its a serious neck injury, no need to rush it.

.ak

He (Luke) trained today.