Match Thread: Leinster Rugby vs Glasgow Warriors, Saturday 11th May 19:35,BBCAlba/TG4

Grimebox

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LEINSTER:|GLASGOW:
15: Rob Kearney|15 Stuart Hogg
14: Fergus McFadden|14 Sean Maitland
13: Brian O'Driscoll|13 Sean Lamont
12: Gordon D'Arcy|12 Alex Dunbar
11: Isa Nacewa|11 DTH Van der Merwe
10: Jonathan Sexton|10 Peter Horne
9: Isaac Boss|9 Niko Matawalu
1: Cian Healy|1 Ryan Grant
2: Richardt Strauss|2 Pat MacArthur
3: Mike Ross|3 Jon Welsh
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN|4 Tim Swinson
5: Devin Toner|5 Al Kellock
6: Kevin McLaughlin|6 Josh Strauss
7: Sean O'Brien/Shane Jennings|7 John Barclay
8: Jamie Heaslip|8 Ryan Wilson
REPLACEMENTS:
16: Sean Cronin|16 Fraser Brown
17: Jack McGrath|17 Moray Low
18: Jamie Hagan|18 Ed Kalman
19: Quinn Roux|19 Tom Ryder
20: Shane Jennings/Rhys Ruddock|20 Rob Harley
21: John Cooney|21 Henry Pyrgos
22: Ian Madigan|22 Ruaridh Jackson
23: Andrew Conway|23 Mark Bennett


REFEREE: Pascal Gauzere (FFR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Marius Mitrea, Giuseppe Vivarini (both FIR), TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR)


No match thread yet? Usually Friday afternoon's are all about building up to the weekend games! I'm no writer so I'm not going to try too hard :pac:

Few Lions facing off in the form of Hogg vs Kearney for any spectators without who don't follow either. Halfpenny surely has his name on that 15 jersey though at this stage. I am slightly surprised of how strong a team Leinster put out since I don't rate Glasgow all that much compared to some, but this is a knock-out rugby and anything can happen. Horne perplexes me at 10. I don't know a huge deal about him, I would have thought Jackson would have started. Weather is looking more rainy and dull unlike last week's pristine festival so expect less tries to be scored.

Paddy Power are saying Leinster by 10, but I'm thinking Leinster by a little less than that; 7. Glasgow will be up for this in a big way.

totallegend

Glasgow have a very good back three, plenty of pace and finishing ability there. Matawalu is a very dangerous scrum-half with ball in hand and needs to be very closely watched by Jennings.

Beyond that, it's hard to see where they have an edge on Leinster.

thomond2006

Peter Horne at 10?!

molloyjh

Not as nervous about this one as I was about the Ospreys game. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It's a quality Leinster line-up, and for the most part a strong Glasgow line-up. Horne at 10 is the obvious weakness. Neither side bear much resemblance to the sides that met at the end of March. Given the strength of the Leinster line-up and the fact that we seem to be coming into form I'd expect a win. Not sure it'll be double figures as the bookies suggest though.

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

Peter Horne at 10?!

Might see Hogg taking the goal kicks?

molloyjh

totallegend wrote: »

Might see Hogg taking the goal kicks?

Yeah I'd say so.

vienne86

totallegend wrote: »

Might see Hogg taking the goal kicks?

I'd say so. I have barely heard of Horne - I wonder why he's starting instead of Jackson....????

I think this will be very tight, especially given the weather forecast. Leinster should win, but I'm nearly as nervous as I was for the Ospreys match.

jamiedav2011

totallegend wrote: »

Glasgow have a very good back three, plenty of pace and finishing ability there. Matawalu is a very dangerous scrum-half with ball in hand and needs to be very closely watched by Jennings.

Beyond that, it's hard to see where they have an edge on Leinster.

Grant, Kellock, Strauss are three quality players in key positions.

Think this will be closer than many think.

.ak

Shaggy confirming what a lot of posters have thought about Jamie's role reversal with the emergence of strike runners in Sob/Healy.

thomond2006

This is going to be a cracking match. I'll be rooting for Leinster but I hope Glasgow back up their great league form this year with a good performance in Dublin. The more strong teams in the league the better, it improves everyone's performances.

Teferi

Hook talked a lot less rubbish with Shaggy beside him.

Good to see our thoughts about Heaslip confirmed by someone who was actually involved recently.

errlloyd

vienne86 wrote: »

I have barely heard of Horne

He was the scorer of my try of the season tbh, helped by some wonderfully neutral commentary!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UWfEwTCOhw

Synode

That's some try. Fair play to him.

yosser hughes

I think Horne is a class act actually. Great player. Ropey kicker though, but that is fixable. He has great awareness of what's around him when the play breaks up a bit.
Glasgow will be no pushover but I think Leinster have come on in leaps and bounds in the last few weeks and should win.

P_1

Wasn't Horne at 0 when Glasgow went on their bonus point streak earlier on during the season?

PhatPiggins

Slowest Leinster backline in living memory?

joconnell

Apparently McFadden's the quickest in the squad over 20,40 and 60 metres.

.ak

Horne's a fantastic centre. I had him touted for international rugby and even a Lions bolter. Think he'd shine on a good team. However, playing him at 10 is a total unknown afaik.

.ak

joconnell wrote: »

Apparently McFadden's the quickest in the squad over 20,40 and 60 metres.

Well believable, his top end is unbelievably quick. He got a few opportunities in the 2010/11 season to prove it.

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

Horne's a fantastic centre. I had him touted for international rugby and even a Lions bolter. Think he'd shine on a good team. However, playing him at 10 is a total unknown afaik.

He's played at 10 multiple times actually

jspuds

Does BBC Alba have English commentary?

sydthebeat

jspuds wrote: »

Does BBC Alba have English commentary?

Never anytime I've watched.

vienne86

sydthebeat wrote: »

Never anytime I've watched.

Ooooh.....I was almost certain that I got it on the red button....maybe I'm wrong. I'm going to the match today, so won't be able to check that out.

sydthebeat

vienne86 wrote: »

Ooooh.....I was almost certain that I got it on the red button....maybe I'm wrong. I'm going to the match today, so won't be able to check that out.

Il check later

Are you sure youre not confusing it with s4c which has the red button option for english commentary?

Digifriendly

jspuds wrote: »

Does BBC Alba have English commentary?

No but pre/halftime/post match analysis is in English and summarising during the game tends to be as well.

irishbucsfan

Never seen English commentary on Alba and as an expat I'm pretty reliant on them.

vienne86

sydthebeat wrote: »

Il check later

Are you sure youre not confusing it with s4c which has the red button option for english commentary?

Didn't think so, but I have only watched ALBA a couple of times. You're probably right.

trouttrout

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Slowest Leinster backline in living memory?

Ah come on, that's a serious exaggeration!

Plenty of pace in the form of McFadden. Kearney is no slouch either

Buer

trouttrout wrote: »

Ah come on, that's a serious exaggeration!

Plenty of pace in the form of McFadden. Kearney is no slouch either

Indeed. Not a bullet over 10m but in full stride he can seriously move. The video of him running down Laulala against the Barbarians showed him in full flight. It's sort of like when a lot of people used accuse Horgan of being a big plodder and then saw him open up against Tuilagi and Murphy against Leicester or his intercept against the Scarlets when he went 80m.

Not too many professional rugby back three players are slow at all, it's just rare enough to see them get the ball in open spaces. Conway is a flyer but you wouldn't know it watching most of his games for Leinster this season.

Bridge93

Buer wrote: »

Indeed. Not a bullet over 10m but in full stride he can seriously move. The video of him running down Laulala against the Barbarians showed him in full flight. It's sort of like when a lot of people used accuse Horgan of being a big plodder and then saw him open up against Tuilagi and Murphy against Leicester or his intercept against the Scarlets when he went 80m.

Not too many professional rugby back three players are slow at all, it's just rare enough to see them get the ball in open spaces. Conway is a flyer but you wouldn't know it watching most of his games for Leinster this season.

Yeah McFadden and Kearney have pace, and I've always thought that Sexton is very quick for a 10. Last game was the first time we saw what Conway has.

jamiedav2011

Generally nowadays, Leinster backs get little chance to show their straight line speed anyway, we play a completely different game than many other sides.

I'd rather have a Luke Fitz or Isa, neither top line speedsters, than a Conway or Carr any day. Think how many times Carr, or Conway prior to last week, got to show their pace?

CatFromHue

Probably not the slowest in running terms but not one of our most slickest that's for sure.

BOD and D'arcy aren't what they used to be, still very good though.
McFadden is good but not the most creative
Nacewa and Kearney aren't having their best seasons.

durkadurka

Nacewa is back to his best I think. And Kearney has been improving a lot the last month or so.

Grimebox

Jaysus I just reread my preview, it doesn't even make sense me fail english

errlloyd

Alba doesn't have English commentary.

I read why somewhere. It's something to do with the amount of Channels BBC allocate to their regional broadcasters.

Hagz

Ridiculous. What's the neutral supporter supposed to do? I'm sure there are many Welsh fans who want to watch this game, or English, or anyone.

errlloyd

I'm fairly sure this week it's just bad luck.

Tg4 and RTE had made their choice a while back, that RTE would show Friday night and Tg4 Saturday, I think they did before Ulster topped the table. It is a technical reason not a policy reason that Alba can't provide coverage.

ktulu123

Getting nervous about the game now. Glasgow are a decent team & have been class all season. Their gonna put everything into this so Leinster will need to be at their 'Heineken Cup' best.

errlloyd

does anyone have any deets on SOB's fitness test?

ulster_Beef

This will be an interesting game. With Leinster only beating Glasgow by an aggregate 11 points from the two games this season? As an Ulster fan id prefer to play Glasgow, but if its Leinster, we'll just have to beat them for a third time haha

vienne86

ktulu123 wrote: »

Getting nervous about the game now. Glasgow are a decent team & have been class all season. Their gonna put everything into this so Leinster will need to be at their 'Heineken Cup' best.

Agreed. It'll be tight, especially in this weather...we'll need to be at our best. Really looking forward to it though.

PJ Maybe

I have a spare North Stand ticket for the match tonight.

If anyone would like to go and wants it send me a PM and I'll email it to you, you'll need to print it off.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He's played at 10 multiple times actually

I meant to me. I don't know what he's like at 10, so can't comment.

eyeball kid

Whats the weather like in Dublin at the moment? Have a feeling this will be a pretty close game. Glasgow have been playing well this season, wouldn't be taking them too lightly but I'd imagine that Leinster will have enough to win.

.ak

eyeball kid wrote: »

Whats the weather like in Dublin at the moment? Have a feeling this will be a pretty close game. Glasgow have been playing well this season, wouldn't be taking them too lightly but I'd imagine that Leinster will have enough to win.

It's all seasons... Rain, hail, sun, hot, cold, windy... take your pick.

bilston

ulster_Beef wrote: »

This will be an interesting game. With Leinster only beating Glasgow by an aggregate 11 points from the two games this season? As an Ulster fan id prefer to play Glasgow, but if its Leinster, we'll just have to beat them for a third time haha

I'd rather play Leinster. We owe them after the HEC last year plus Glasgow are awkward buggers anyway so either way it will be a tough final. If the weather is mucky in Dublin tonight it could be squeaky bum time for Leinster but they should have too much class and experience to add to the home advantage.

.ak

Yeah, someone asked me who did I want to win last nights game and I said Ulster. Nothing to do with the difficulty of the opposition, but Leinster vs Scarlets for the final would be such an anti-climax! If it's an Ulster v Leinster final it'll be a cracker infront of a full house.

awec

.ak wrote: »

Yeah, someone asked me who did I want to win last nights game and I said Ulster. Nothing to do with the difficulty of the opposition, but Leinster vs Scarlets for the final would be such an anti-climax! If it's an Ulster v Leinster final it'll be a cracker infront of a full house.

I have to head up home on the night of the final for an event. Just my luck, having to go back up north when Ulster are playing in Dublin.

I'll totally miss the game, won't even be able to watch on TV.

I think Ulster v Glasgow would be easier to miss and less sickening, so...

.ak

awec wrote: »

I have to head up home on the night of the final for an event. Just my luck, having to go back up north when Ulster are playing in Dublin.

I'll totally miss the game, won't even be able to watch on TV.

I think Ulster v Glasgow would be easier to miss and less sickening, so...

Ah in reality not going makes it easier for you, you don't have to decide who you REALLY want to support in the RDS if Leinster qualify. Sure you're as Dublin as coddle now.

cython

errlloyd wrote: »

does anyone have any deets on SOB's fitness test?

Looks like he failed it, based on the Pro 12 Facebook page posting this as the team sheet:

errlloyd

Absolute confusion about what the rest of our subs were doing...