Match Thread: Newport Gwent Dragons vs Leinster Rugby, Friday 01st Mar 7:00pm, NO TV

molloyjh

The Race for the Finish

Rounds 14 to 17 of the Pro12 are incredibly important rounds in the context of the whole season. Teams are stripped of their internationals for the most part and squad depth is truly tested. Added to that the injuries picked up by sides over the course of the previous 5 months and this part of the season has the potential to shake up the league standings somewhat. Nothing illustrates that more than top spot. Earlier in the season Ulster had built up what was deemed to be an almost unassailable lead with an unbeaten run up to Christmas. Now they are only 3 points ahead of Glasgow and 5 ahead of Leinster, with a trip to the RDS yet to come. You'd still fancy Ulster to top the table - aside from the Leinster game their run in is relatively easy. And while there was a definite top 6 and bottom 6 to the table earlier in the season there is now a bit of a gap appearing between 3rd and 4th also. We're coming into the final straight and the race for the finish is well and truly on.

Leinster have had an excellent run during the 6 Nations period, getting 14 points from 3 games. The Dragons on the other hand have only managed 4 with a 1 point win away to Zebre. Their 60-0 drubbing at the hands of Glasgow in Rodney Parade 2 weeks ago hurt them and they will not want to see any kind of a repeat of that this weekend. That said their squad reminds me of something I read in a blog regarding Leinsters selection in this fixture 3 years ago - it's a real who's who of "who!?". Leinster must be favourites to win this one. And even just a win with no TBP would see Leinster get a very respectable 18 points from 4 games.

It is disappointing that this is not on TV, but what isn't disappointing is the squad rotation we've seen from Leinster during this window. There's been plenty of game time given to so much of the squad. Mark Flanagan was the 51st player to be capped this season! And with the rotation and the lack of internationals the 14 points gained is even more impressive. It makes the thoughts of next year without some of our first string players a little less intimidating. I'll be glued to social media for the game. Hopefully we'll see something of it on ATH next week.

|

15: Luke Fitzgerald|15: Dan Evans
14: Dave Kearney|14: Adam Hughes
13: Brendan Macken|13: Pat Leach
12: Fergus McFadden|12: Jack Dixon
11: Fionn Carr|11: Hallam Amos
10: Ian Madigan|10: Steffan Jones
9: Eoin Reddan|9: Jonathan Evans
|
1: Jack O'Connell|1: Phil Price
2: Sean Cronin|2: Sam Parry
3: Jamie Hagan|3: Nathan Buck
4: Mark Flanagan|4: Ian Nimmo
5: Devin Toner|5: Jevon Groves
6: Dominic Ryan|6: Lewis Evans CAPTAIN
7: Shane Jennings CAPTAIN|7: Nic Cudd
8: Rhys Ruddock|8: Ieuan Jones
|
16: Aaron Dundon|16: Hugh Gustafson
17: Jack McGrath|17: Aaron Coundley
18: Michael Bent|18: Dan Way
19: Leo Cullen|19: Rob Sidoli
20: Jordi Murphy|20: Adam Jones
21: John Conoey|21: Wayne Evans
22: Andrew Goodman|22: Tom Prydie
23: Eoin O'Malley|23: Will Harries

.ak

Excellent write up. As 'gimmes' come, this one is pretty good. Hope we don't balls it up and Dragons don't pull it out of the hat, as we really need the points.

ssaye

Mark Flanagan was the 51st player to be capped this season!

Great stat

Where dya get it

its_phil

That back line looks so fast. Hopefully it stays dry

ssaye

its_phil wrote: »

That back line looks so fast. Hopefully it stays dry

Should be dry clear, perfect weather

molloyjh

.ak wrote: »

Excellent write up. As 'gimmes' come, this one is pretty good. Hope we don't balls it up and Dragons don't pull it out of the hat, as we really need the points.

I'd be hopeful of a 5 pointer tbh. Our back line looks pretty good. To get 19 points during the 6 Nations would be great. And with Ulster at home to Treviso and Glasgow at home to Cardiff we really do need to keep the pressure on both of them. A win then against Glasgow in a couple of weeks would see us into second place. And a win the following week against Ulster could see us within a couple of points of top spot.

ssaye wrote: »

Mark Flanagan was the 51st player to be capped this season!

Great stat

Where dya get it

It was in the LTV interview with Easterby.

irishbucsfan

If the game isn't on TV then why the Friday night scheduling?

Hagz

I hate seeing Ruddock at 8, but I'm looking forward to seeing Macken in a strong back-line.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

If the game isn't on TV then why the Friday night scheduling?

Only the Munster game is on Saturday, everything else is on tomorrow. No idea what that's about tbh.

CIARAN_BOYLE

molloyjh wrote: »

Only the Munster game is on Saturday, everything else is on tomorrow. No idea what that's about tbh.

Probably someone asked if the games could be held early in the weekend so that any fringe internationals released would have longer to rest up

molloyjh

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Probably someone asked if the games could be held early in the weekend so that any fringe internationals released would have longer to rest up

Actually yeah that makes sense.

jamiedav2011

Only place I'd be worried there is our front 5 and scrum. Dave Parade is a small, sticky pitch, but with a strong bench we should be ok.

Quint2010

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Only place I'd be worried there is our front 5 and scrum. Dave Parade is a small, sticky pitch, but with a strong bench we should be ok.

Dave Parade! Classic!:D

Larbre34

Shame it isnt on TV, I would have watched it on Dave ja vu Parade!

Seriously, this lack of telly coverage is woeful. Out of 3 recent games, thats 2 with no coverage and one on Bog4 á leabh ag Jerry MahoganyGaspipe.

All other provinces are being televised live this weekend.

chippers

It would be interesting to see if McFadden kicks penalties and conversions in this game!

totallegend

Larbre34 wrote: »

Shame it isnt on TV, I would have watched it on Dave ja vu Parade!

Seriously, this lack of telly coverage is woeful. Out of 3 recent games, thats 2 with no coverage and one on Bog4 á leabh ag Jerry MahoganyGaspipe.

All other provinces are being televised live this weekend.

Welsh TV have to take the flak for this one, RTE/TG4 can hardly send an outside broadcast unit to Wales (and BBC Wales are already doing Scarlets v Edinburgh tomorrow).

Losty Dublin

Larbre34 wrote: »

Shame it isnt on TV, I would have watched it on Dave ja vu Parade!

Seriously, this lack of telly coverage is woeful. Out of 3 recent games, thats 2 with no coverage and one on Bog4 á leabh ag Jerry MahoganyGaspipe.

All other provinces are being televised live this weekend.

It's up to the TV stations to take on coverage of the games. Camera and broadcast back up is on site at virtually all the grounds. Much and all as I'd like to see it, I can't help but suspect that thie one will be too one sided to make for good TV.

thomond2006

bump

Glass Prison 1214

Anyone know a decent website for updates on the match?

justsomebloke

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Anyone know a decent website for updates on the match?

The twitter machine is your best bet

opinionatedfan

TRY Leinster

Conas

opinionatedfan wrote: »

TRY Leinster

wooohooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

ongarite

Cronin with the try and Madigan converts from the touchline.

tolosenc

Beautiful stuff. Maybe.

Tox56

"And from the touchline, Madigan converts brilliantly"

opinionatedfan

another try by cronin

CIARAN_BOYLE

opinionatedfan wrote: »

another try by cronin

Madigan misses the conversion 12-3

ongarite

Someone at the game better be recording this on their phone!!

crisco10

https://twitter.com/leinsterrugby

Pretty good updates.

opinionatedfan

Kearney with the 3rd try

molloyjh

Dave Kearney gets the third. And we're not even 20 mins in.....

thebaz

its a pleasure to watch leinster - after Ireland

opinionatedfan

thebaz wrote: »

its a pleasure to watch leinster - after Ireland

i wish i could watch it

ongarite

Feck sake, pissed off now that this isn't even online.
Hope ATH have highlights on Monday.

crisco10

thebaz wrote: »

its a pleasure to watch leinster - after Ireland

Shame we can't watch it. :-(

Without getting ahead of ourselves, could be a chance to get on top on points difference tonight. Would also love to see Luke get on the scoreboard.

Grimebox

justsomebloke wrote: »

The twitter machine is your best bet

Best way to use twitter other than just watching @leinsterrugby? I don't really use twitter

molloyjh

Sounds ridiculously one sided. Carr tries a grubber kick, it's fielded by Dragons and cleared. Yet 40 seconds later we're 5m from their line! There doesn't seem to be any respite for the Dragons fans.

molloyjh

Dragons pen

6-19 after 30 mins

molloyjh

Dragons yellow card at 32 mins. Centre Jack Dixon.

Dragons drop goal on 34 mins. 9-19.

crisco10

Dragons down to 14. but coming back into the game at 9-19

molloyjh

9-19 HT

Errors costing us. Penalty going dead, knock ons etc. Still with the quality in the squad we should be getting the bonus point at this stage.

crisco10

eh 14-19 now. wake up!

Thanos

Wow talk about taking your foot off the gas.............
Need to get the finger out before they get the upper hand

matthew8

McGrath, Bent, Cullen, O'Malley on. Hopefully they can make a difference.

crisco10

Sounds like Dragons have woken up in Defence too. but come on!

molloyjh

We seem to have been on their line several times and come away with nothing.....come on Leo, get it sorted!

molloyjh

Murphy on for Ryan.

crisco10

Ah come on Leinster twitter,,,teasing us "this is a cruicial passage"...then never tell us!! :-)


Think they heard me....4th try!! baby k!

molloyjh

Finally! Dave Kearney in for number 4...

Quint2010

TRY! Bonus point secured ! Kearney!

durkadurka

Still need to win the match