MATCH THREAD: Leinster vs Scarlets, 13th Sept 2014 14:30, RDS, Sky Sports 2

molloyjh · 12-09-2014 4:12pm #1

Home Sweet Home

After a disappointing performance and deserved loss away to Glasgow last week Leinster will be keen to make amends back home in the RDS this week. There has been plenty of talk in the media about how poor they were in Scotstoun and how, had they managed to nick it in the end, a win would have been daylight robbery. The coaches will have been impressing on the players all week the need to make amends, and the need to ensure a win in front of an expectant home crowd.

Matt O'Connor has made a number of changes to the squad with Devin Toner, captain Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney all being available. These three players have become real leaders among the team and that was something that seemed lacking last week. The pack have, for all intents and purposes, 7 internationals starting with 2 more on the bench. This is where Leinsters strength lies these days and it is here that they will be looking to win the contest. The Scarlets pack though is not exactly short on experience and number 8 Rory Pitman really stood out last week against Ulster. I think Leinster will have the better of the Scarlets at the set piece though with a very strong tight 5. It's here they'll need to make it count. Last week they came off second best in contact, both in attack and in defense, and then too at set piece where the scrum was very poor and the line-out seemed a non-runner until the replacements came on later in the game. This cannot be allowed to happen again as without the platform provided by the forwards there is nothing the back line can do.

Injuries have forced the coaches hands somewhat with both Reid and D'Arcy injured, meaning Madigan is starting at 12 and Gopperth at 10. It is somewhat disappointing to see Boss start again after another poor performance last week. His form at the end of last season was dodgy enough and he needs to turn things around soon. While there is a logic to him starting so that Reddan can come off the bench now that he has recovered from his broken leg and completed pre-season it is still a little frustrating when Luke McGrath is waiting in the wings to get a shot and just isn't getting it. Brendan Macken is really our only real 13 available and assuming that McFadden is being rested the back 3 pretty much picks itself aswell.

Last week Leinster came up against a well drilled, well organised and very skillful Glasgow side who were smarting from the Pro12 final in May. This week they will face a Scarlets side who drew at home to Ulster in a fairly entertaining game. But the one thing that stood out in that game was that the defenses, on both sides, were somewhat lacklustre. It's hard to see the Welsh side shutting Leinster down as effectively as Glasgow did. Which is good news as in attack we looked incredibly predictable and one paced. I'm sure there will be a response this week which should hopefully nullify any improvements in the Scarlets defence.

Leinsters defense last week was pretty porous though too and Scarlets have the ability to take advantage of that. They are missing their try-scoring scrum-half Gareth Davies, but Leinster will still need to make sure they have really tightened up that side of their game or this could easily become a repeat of that Scarlets-Ulster game from last week.

I'm going to say Leinster will step up their game this week, with some issues still present going forward, and win by 9.

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Tox56 · 12-09-2014 4:21pm

#JusticeForLukeMcGrath #MOCout #YOLO

Buer · 12-09-2014 4:29pm

That table shows up the other provincial match threads for the inferior products that they represent.

Nice work, molloy.

molloyjh · 12-09-2014 4:48pm

Tox56 wrote: »

#JusticeForLukeMcGrath #MOCout #YOLO

Careful now. I'm not a member of the MOC Out brigade. Justice for Luke I can get behind though. :pac:

.ak · 12-09-2014 5:09pm

#InBossWeTrust?

12-09-2014 5:57pm

Buer wrote: »

That table shows up the other provincial match threads for the inferior products that they represent.

Nice work, molloy.

Some of us are a bit more understated

molloyjh · 12-09-2014 6:22pm

connemara man wrote: »

Some of us are a bit more understated

WHAT DO YOU MEAN!!!????

Swiwi. · 13-09-2014 5:28am

Buer wrote: »

That table shows up the other provincial match threads for the inferior products that they represent.

Nice work, molloy.

It was like opening a Xmas present. On my smartphone I was like damn it Molloy nice preview but where's the table?! Where's the effin table! Ah, there's the table (warm relief). Kept me guessing, nice work mate.

former legend · 13-09-2014 12:59pm

Right, big game for Leinster. I'm predicting a win by 7-12 points with that Scarlets backline opening us up on more than one occasion.

Winters · 13-09-2014 1:17pm

Quick dash from a pre season friendly to the DART. En route to RDS. Looking forward to a good game and atmosphere. Save me some of those free burgers please!

.ak · 13-09-2014 1:43pm

Holy crap the heat.... Incoming farmers tan

The Pheasant2 · 13-09-2014 1:49pm

Liam Williams out with groin injury

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 1:50pm

Good team play there. No panic. Exploited the space.

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 1:50pm

Perfect, much more like it. Kearney looks right up for it

corny · 13-09-2014 1:51pm

Gopperth very good in that passage.

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 1:51pm

That was a really nice try.

Pudsy33 · 13-09-2014 1:52pm

That pass by Madigan was classic

.ak · 13-09-2014 1:53pm

Lovely touch from mads.

Btw thomond2006 can be seen in the crowd wearing a blue Leinster polo.... Hmmm...

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 1:56pm

That was sloppy.

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 1:56pm

What in the name of fcuk

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 1:56pm

That's a try

former legend · 13-09-2014 1:57pm

Shove on Macken, no?

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 1:58pm

Some speed from Macken is nothing else

P_1 · 13-09-2014 2:06pm

Gophert is looking like a 10 who's down on his confidence.

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 2:12pm

Kearney the QB who throws to himself

corny · 13-09-2014 2:12pm

Did Kirchner touch it? Kick was too high from Kearney

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 2:13pm

I think you have to award that

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 2:14pm

Kearney doing really well so far.

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 2:15pm

That was a wonderful line from Kirchner as well who looks right up for it, cant be too many concerns over the back 3 this season

Edit: Or.. eh.. maybe there could be

wp_rathead · 13-09-2014 2:16pm

former legend wrote: »

Shove on Macken, no?

No was shoulder to shoulder which is perfectly legal

Clever from Kearney there

corny · 13-09-2014 2:17pm

ffs

13-09-2014 2:17pm

Bollox

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 2:18pm

Hopefully it's not serious.

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 2:18pm

ZK is very unlucky, hopefully nothing too serious.

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 2:21pm

Easy.

corny · 13-09-2014 2:22pm

Average enough defending but 3 super scores now.

13-09-2014 2:22pm

Madigan better make the kick after heading wide!

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 2:22pm

Madigan could have got closer to the posts. Nice play again though.

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 2:22pm

Madigan has looked sharp

awec · 13-09-2014 2:23pm

Anyone else at the game see Healy doing his one arm press ups warning up?

I was knackered just watching it.

Padkir · 13-09-2014 2:23pm

What's the score folks?

Buer · 13-09-2014 2:23pm

In foreign lands, anyone willing to give a run down of who is playing well, badly and how we are looking in terms of attack?

AbusesToilets · 13-09-2014 2:24pm

Best game I've seen from RK in awhile, carrying really well and actually passing.

corny · 13-09-2014 2:25pm

Why are you leading with the feet Cronin

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 2:26pm

Buer wrote: »

In foreign lands, anyone willing to give a run down of who is playing well, badly and how we are looking in terms of attack?

Kirchner was and Kearney is ripping it up. Dom Ryan and B Macken are looking very solid too which is encouraging

former legend · 13-09-2014 2:26pm

Poor from Cronin

Kanrith · 13-09-2014 2:26pm

Should have dived earlier.

Kiwi_knock · 13-09-2014 2:26pm

Great defence, no try. Poor attempt to ground by Cronin

Tox56 · 13-09-2014 2:26pm

He has a wingers pace but that was absolutely shocking finishing from Cronin

Awkward Badger · 13-09-2014 2:27pm

What's the score?

13-09-2014 2:28pm

Tox56 wrote: »

He has a wingers pace but that was absolutely shocking finishing from Cronin

Is he hurt? Looks like he didn't want to dive. Was slowing down a bit to the line also...

MATCH THREAD: Leinster vs Scarlets, 13th Sept 2014 14:30, RDS, Sky Sports 2

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