Pro12: Leinster vs Scarlets, RDS, Sat 23rd Feb, K.O 19:45, TG4

.ak

A massive game for both sides that falls within the 6N window, giving the upcoming stars their day in the sun (or not, as the case may be this Saturday at the RDS!)

EOM retains his place at the expense of Macken, who may have got a spot on the bench but for McFadden and Madigan being released from the Irish camp. The team has plenty of potential, but big question marks are above Noel Reid's name on the team sheet. Whilst he looked decent last week off the bench, his ability to steer a team to a win is completely untested at this level.

Scarlets meanwhile have retained 4 of their internationals, and look to have put together an all together more balanced team sheet. Owen Williams was deadly with the boot last week against Munster, and Leinster will need to be clinical to avoid being punished by his long range strikes.

It's tight in the middle of the table, and you feel this is a winner takes all game, Leinster badly need to get some breathing space between them and Scarlets, and then maybe they can kick on and challenge for a play off spot.

RABODIRECT PRO12 TABLE

Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | Pts
1 (1) | Ulster Rugby | 15 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 58
2 (2) | Glasgow Warriors | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 51
3 (3) | Leinster Rugby | 15 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 49
4 (5) | Scarlets | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 46
5 (4) | Ospreys | 15 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 43
6 (6) | Munster Rugby | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 41


LEINSTER:

15: Dave Kearney
14: Andrew Conway
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Andrew Goodman
11: Fionn Carr
10: Noel Reid
9: Isaac Boss

1: Jack McGrath
2: Aaron Dundon
3: Michael Bent
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Ben Marshall
6: Dominic Ryan
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jordi Murphy

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Thomas Sexton
17: Jack O'Connell
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Mark Flanagan
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: John Cooney
22: Ian Madigan
23: Fergus McFadden

SCARLETS:

15: Aled Thomas
14: Nick Reynolds
13: Gareth Maule
12: Adam Warren
11: Andy Fenby
10: Owen Williams
9: Aled Davies

1: Phil John
2: Emyr Phillips
3: Jacobie Adriaanse
4: George Earle
5: Johan Synman
6: Aaron Shingler
7: Josh Turnbull
8: Rob McCusker CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Matthew Rees
17: Rhodri Jones
18: Samson Lee
19: Jake Ball
20: Sione Timani
21: Gareth Davies
22: Kristian Phillips
23: Dale Ford

REFEREE: Marius Mitrea (FIR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Michael Black, Jonathan Peak (both IRFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Brian MacNeice (Leinster Rugby Referees), 5th OFFICIAL: Simon Owens (Leinster Rugby Referees), TMO: Dermot Moloney (IRFU)

thomond2006

Please win this 8-0.

CIARAN_BOYLE

thomond2006 wrote: »

Please win this 8-0.

thats an awfully specific request. May I ask why?

Quint2010

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

thats an awfully specific request. May I ask why?

Deny Scarlets any points whatsoever while not really doing our own points difference much good?..

.ak

TBH I think Scarlets are the stronger team on paper, we'll be doing well to win, let alone deny them a LBP.

thomond2006

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

thats an awfully specific request. May I ask why?

Realistically we won't catch ye, so do us a favour and don't give Scarlets anything.

jacothelad

.ak wrote: »

TBH I think Scarlets are the stronger team on paper, we'll be doing well to win, let alone deny them a LBP.

They are crap. Bonus point win. Given that Ulster, with 25 players missing, will almost certainly lose to 'Glasgae' tonight, things are tightening at the top. That will bring you within 4 or 5 points of the top. Glasgow within 2 or 3. Makes for an exciting run in. 30th of March should have been a real humdinger between Leinster and Ulster but without our best 15 or so players we just aren't competitive enough yet.

P_1

thomond2006 wrote: »

Please win this 8-0.

That's a very precise bet to be going for

jamiedav2011

jacothelad wrote: »

They are crap. Bonus point win. Given that Ulster, with 25 players missing, will almost certainly lose to 'Glasgae' tonight, things are tightening at the top. That will bring you within 4 or 5 points of the top. Glasgow within 2 or 3. Makes for an exciting run in. 30th of March should have been a real humdinger between Leinster and Ulster but without our best 15 or so players we just aren't competitive enough yet.

Listened to you on Talking Rugby say the same Jaco, they're certainly not crap and that backrow is HEC standard.

BP is out of the question, I'd be happy with a 1 point win.

thomond2006

jacothelad wrote: »

They are crap. Bonus point win. Given that Ulster, with 25 players missing, will almost certainly lose to 'Glasgae' tonight, things are tightening at the top. That will bring you within 4 or 5 points of the top. Glasgow within 2 or 3. Makes for an exciting run in. 30th of March should have been a real humdinger between Leinster and Ulster but without our best 15 or so players we just aren't competitive enough yet.

Ah they're hardly crap, they did beat Munster after all....






.....

durkadurka

Leinster are 11 point favourites in PaddyPower, which i t hink is a bit off. I'd put us about 3 point favourites. They did after all beat Munster comfortably last week.

Its a pretty weak starting lineup, significantly weaker than last week , due to the absence/benching of Madigan, Luke, Ferg, Cronin and Toner most of whom had stormers last week.

We do have Leo back though and he knows how to win matches in fairness to him.

I'd be happier if I saw VDM in there.

Still, looking forward to seeing how the likes of McGrath and Reid gets on - we'll be seeing a lot more of then next season by the look of it.

Hopefully we can nick a win and put some pressure on Ulster.

[Jackass]

jacothelad wrote: »

They are crap. Bonus point win. Given that Ulster, with 25 players missing, will almost certainly lose to 'Glasgae' tonight, things are tightening at the top. That will bring you within 4 or 5 points of the top. Glasgow within 2 or 3. Makes for an exciting run in. 30th of March should have been a real humdinger between Leinster and Ulster but without our best 15 or so players we just aren't competitive enough yet.

Definitely wouldn't say Scarlets are crap. They tanked pretty much the same group of Leinster players with a half century earlier in the season, and I really don't like the look of this Leinster team.

Who am I to question Joe, but we took Ulster away lightly, not sending our best team, this Scarlets game looks like we've taken them lightly, where to begin...Reid at 10? We've already lost the game, when that team sheet came out, I'd be surprised if Bookies continued to accept bets on Scarlets.

Conway and Carr, not to go into the whole should or shouldn't thing, but do they really give a sh*t at this point? They're just waiting to pack their bags, they've nothing to prove at Leinster as they're been shown the door anyway, hope they stay professional and try to impress.

Luckily Scarlets tight five are crap, because I'm not sold on Bent and Marshall, whilst quality, seems a little light weight in second row (in terms of size etc. - superb talent and no doubt will prove me wrong I hope).

Not pleased with the selection tbh, would be a lot more confident if guys like McFadden and Madigan were starting (are they really too tired to play after the rigours of holding tackle bags? :rolleyes:)

Coupled with the fact that Scarlets have nearly a full deck to pick from, I'm very nervous about this one, really really hope we get the win, any kind of win, as it's a massive game, all the more reason I'm a bit disappointed with the selection, as I was with the trip to Ulster. These are must win games.

P_1

[Jackass] wrote: »

Definitely wouldn't say Scarlets are crap. They tanked pretty much the same group of Leinster players with a half century earlier in the season, and I really don't like the look of this Leinster team.

Who am I to question Joe, but we took Ulster away lightly, not sending our best team, this Scarlets game looks like we've taken them lightly, where to begin...Reid at 10? We've already lost the game, when that team sheet came out, I'd be surprised if Bookies continued to accept bets on Scarlets.

Conway and Carr, not to go into the whole should or shouldn't thing, but do they really give a sh*t at this point? They're just waiting to pack their bags, they've nothing to prove at Leinster as they're been shown the door anyway, hope they stay professional and try to impress.

Luckily Scarlets tight five are crap, because I'm not sold on Bent and Marshall, whilst quality, seems a little light weight in second row (in terms of size etc. - superb talent and no doubt will prove me wrong I hope).

Not pleased with the selection tbh, would be a lot more confident if guys like McFadden and Madigan were starting (are they really too tired to play after the rigours of holding tackle bags? :rolleyes:)

Coupled with the fact that Scarlets have nearly a full deck to pick from, I'm very nervous about this one, really really hope we get the win, any kind of win, as it's a massive game, all the more reason I'm a bit disappointed with the selection, as I was with the trip to Ulster. These are must win games.

I wouldn't say it was that man, more due to the fact that they would have been training out of position and on different tactics etc

durkadurka

[Jackass] wrote: »

Who am I to question Joe, but we took Ulster away lightly, not sending our best team, this Scarlets game looks like we've taken them lightly, where to begin...Reid at 10? We've already lost the game, when that team sheet came out, I'd be surprised if Bookies continued to accept bets on Scarlets.

QUOTE]

The bookies have Leinster -11 on this. Time you put a bet on because they think we'll crush em.

GerM

[Jackass] wrote: »

Not pleased with the selection tbh, would be a lot more confident if guys like McFadden and Madigan were starting (are they really too tired to play after the rigours of holding tackle bags? :rolleyes:)

If you are not with the Leinster squad during the week you do not start. That has been the policy under Schmidt since day one and he has spoken of it publicly in the past.

Teams prepare specific patterns and tactics for their next opposition. If the players aren't there, they cannot be part of those tactics.

jamiedav2011

How exactly are we taking Scarlets lightly?

We've picked our best available team, with Madigan and McFadden (who would probably only have been released today) on the bench. As any Leinster fan will know Joe likes to use the players that have trained all week ahead of those who haven't.

Don't know what the Ulster away thing has to do with anything, it's a completely different situation to this weekend.

Kinger83

P_1 wrote: »

I wouldn't say it was that man, more due to the fact that they would have been training out of position and on different tactics etc

Yeah Schmidt generally doesn't like selecting players to start if they haven't been training with the team all week.

Madigan will probably come on early enough if Reid is struggling though.

.ak

Poll added.

big dan

Can't make the game tonight so I have two free tickets (season tickets) in the north stand. If anyone wants them PM me with your name and email address and I will forward the pdfs to you. Obviously you will need to print them.

Gone

decisions

Just looked out my window to see its snowing! What's the forecast for the game this evening?

Big Nelly

Hey guys. Is this on TV? TG4 and S4C by any chance?

decisions

TG4 have it.

CatFromHue

Here in Dun Laoghaire it's been drizzling, then sleeting, and then snowing!

Just starting to snow again now too!

.ak

Yep been snowing in the city centre, so I imagine it'll be a wet, slippy day!

Tomtom364

What's the TV coverage of this? (I'm in the UK)

durkadurka

Tg4

durkadurka

Tis cold at the rds tonight.

Who's gonna goal kick?

irishbucsfan

Went looking for a stream and im watching some american one (its on ads so im worried!)

The ad for "Connacht v Zebre" with an american accent was well worth it though. Brilliant stuff.

Rightwing

Small attendance at this match.

durkadurka

durkadurka wrote: »

Tis cold at the rds tonight.

Who's gonna goal kick?

Goodman it is

CIARAN_BOYLE

durkadurka wrote: »

Tis cold at the rds tonight.

Who's gonna goal kick?

Goodman is a recognised goalkicker and Reid has some experience and Carr has kicked in the AIL and EOM and D Kearney have kicked at underage level

but its Goodman taking the kicks 1/1

OldRio

That was nasty

durkadurka

That was fcuking outrageous

tolosenc

Could have been two yellows in that. Argument for a red? Earle literally drove straight through the support. He knew what he was doing.

Shelflife

straight red for no 4 and a yellow for no1 , disgraceful tactics from th.e scarlets.

Extremely dangerous

thomond2006

Not watching the game, what happened?

Shelflife

Scarlets 4 cleaned out the support lifter while they were in the air. deliberate and very dangerous.

Scarlets 1 tried the same at the front but with no success. terrible tactics on a fellow professional

Thanos

thomond2006 wrote: »

Not watching the game, what happened?

Line out, Jordi went up and one of his lifters was taken out so he came down hard, yellow card for the offence

tolosenc

Bent having a stormer.

Glass Prison 1214

I notice Marshall is scrummaging as the TH lock, does he always lockdown on that side of the scrum?

jamiedav2011

Impressed with this performance so far. Marshall and McGrath playing well, as is Murphy.

Grimebox

Strange that Madigan is on the bench, I will not doubt the coach though. In Schmidt We Trust

Glass Prison 1214

Murphy is impressively fast for a forward.

tolosenc

Please let that have been a try.

ambid

What a try!!!! Beautiful!

Glass Prison 1214

Brilliant try Goodman!!

Thanos

That was super play!!

Irlandczyk

What a f***in try! Great piece of skill there! Fionn Carr did very well with that arching run and fired a good pass off.

Edit: Bit of luck there with Goodman making the catch, but doesn't take anything away from that try!

jamiedav2011

Try of the feckin season!
What a cracker!
Well done Carr.

Big Nelly

Great try!!! he busted the Scarlets player!!!

CIARAN_BOYLE

tolosenc wrote: »

Could have been two yellows in that. Argument for a red? Earle literally drove straight through the support. He knew what he was doing.

was away from the game for a bit and have just caught up to this incident. Disgraceful that there was just a yellow card, should have been a straught red.