MATCH THREAD: Leinster vs Cardiff, Fri 26th Sept 2014 19:35, RDS, TG4

molloyjh

Must Win?

After a second loss in three games away to Connacht last week which saw Leinster dominate the first half and then subsequently fail to turn up in the second Leinster will look to get their campaign back on track for the second time at home again to a Welsh side again. Cardiff don't have the greatest of histories here in Dublin and have at times looked utterly disinterested in the fixture. Twice in the last few years we've put 50 points on them in the RDS, and they copped a lot of flak in the game 2 years ago. They were an embarrassment to the league that day having the likes of Warburton, Roberts, Cuthbert and Halfpenny all starting yet they managed to concede 9 tries.

It's hard to get excited for this game, and even to do a preview for it. What Cardiff side will show up today? If they turn up and play to their ability they could cause Leinster problems, but so far this season there has been no sign of them doing that. It's not made any easier by the rocky start to the season that Leinster have had and all the injuries that have been building.

Michael Bent and Martin Moore get their competitive season debuts while new addition to the squad Kane Douglas starts beside Devin Toner. We can't expect too much from Douglas at this early stage as he's only been here a week. And it's particularly important to remember that his second-row partner has been away in Carton House for most of that week. Our back-row lacks an out and out openside and Rhys Ruddock will need to put himself about a bit to ensure that Warburtons impact on our ball is minimal. Ryan has had a run of games and while he has played well, he still has some work to do. It would be great to see him put in a big performance today.

In the backs the Reddan-Gopperth pairing needs to be more accurate than it was last week. We had opportunities that we gave up too easily through inaccuracy, and while Redser can be forgiven due to a lack of game time we need to see improvements there. Madigan and Darce link up in the centre and the back 3 remains unchanged.

Leinster bench is fairly callow so points need to go on the board in the first half, again unlike last week. And it would be great to see Luke McGrath get a decent run out. He had a mixed bag against Connacht in the 6 minutes that he was on, but he had so little time to settle into the game and was forced to try and make things happen that it's hard to hold that against him. Reddan was flogged and was visibly shattered a good 10 minutes before he came off. We need to see a more proactive use of the bench this week.

It's nigh on impossible to talk about Cardiff because no matter what any individual could bring to the table you can't escape the feeling, based on experience, that they will choose not to bring it. Leinster favourites to win by 18 points. You might think that generous after last week, but after the performance against Scarlets it would be hard to bet against it as well. It's a strange contradictory time we live in! I'll go with Leinster by 12.

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15. Rob Kearney|15. Rhys Patchell
14. Fergus McFadden|14. Alex Cuthbert
13. Gordon D'Arcy|13. Cory Allen
12. Ian Madigan|12. Dafydd Hewitt
11. Darragh Fanning|11. George Watkins
10. Jimmy Gopperth|10. Gareth Davies
9. Eoin Reddan|9. Lewis Jones
|
1. Michael Bent|1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Sean Cronin|2. Kristian Dacey
3. Marty Moore|3. Adam Jones
4. Devin Toner|4. Jarrad Hoeata
5. Kane Douglas|5. Chris Dicomidis
6. Rhys Ruddock|6. Josh Turnbull
7. Dominic Ryan|7. Sam Warburton
8. Jamie Heaslip CAPTAIN|8. Josh Navidi CAPTAIN
|
16. Bryan Byrne|16. Matthew Rees
17. Ed Byrne|17. Sam Hobbs
18. Tadhg Furlong|18. Taufa'ao Filise
19. Mike McCarthy|19. Macauley Cook
20. Jack Conan|20. Manoa Vosawai
21. Luke McGrath|21. Tavis Knoyle
22. Steve Crosbie|22. Adam Thomas
23. Mick McGrath|23. Dan Fish

errlloyd

Yeah, its a meh game if ever there was one.

molloyjh

errlloyd wrote: »

Yeah, its a meh game if ever there was one.

But at the same time a pretty important one for us. Win it and we can get our season back on track. Lose and we could find ourselves in a spot of bother. Cardiffs form though, both this season and historically in this fixture, make it impossible to see past a home win. I suppose what worries me about that is the fact I was so confident last week and for the Dubs against Donegal.

Hagz

Hard to get excited about this game? Not when I look at the bench of Leinster. Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. All of them are huge prospects. And of course it's the first time we'll get to see our new long term signing Kane Douglas.

Personally this is the most exciting game of the season so far for me.

molloyjh

Hagz wrote: »

Hard to get excited about this game? Not when I look at the bench of Leinster. Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. All of them are huge prospects. And of course it's the first time we'll get to see our new long term signing Kane Douglas.

Personally this is the most exciting game of the season so far for me.

Fair play Hagz. A man with a positive disposition.

armchaircoach

Hagz wrote: »

Hard to get excited about this game? Not when I look at the bench of Leinster. Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. All of them are huge prospects. And of course it's the first time we'll get to see our new long term signing Kane Douglas.

Personally this is the most exciting game of the season so far for me.

If last week is anything to go by you'd have more chance of seeing those guys in the 1859 afterwards than on the pitch.

Tox56

Hagz wrote: »

Hard to get excited about this game? Not when I look at the bench of Leinster. Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. All of them are huge prospects. And of course it's the first time we'll get to see our new long term signing Kane Douglas.

Personally this is the most exciting game of the season so far for me.

Crosbie and M McGrath are interesting too. Definitely not in the same category as the others but theyve been impressive when theyve played

vienne86

It's hard get worked up about this game......espeically if you've been watching the Ryder Cup all day......but I'll be there. It's a must win. Don't know what we'll do if we lose this one.

Zzippy

Patchell is wasted at fullback for Cardiff, would have been in Wales' 6N squad only for injury. Really good flyhalf...

Hagz

Tox56 wrote: »

Crosbie and M McGrath are interesting too. Definitely not in the same category as the others but theyve been impressive when theyve played

Absolutely, I was going to throw in both of them but as you say, they're not in the same category as the others. But Crosbie looked very composed on his debut and I'm starting to see him more as a 12 who, like Noel Reid, gives you another distributor in the back-line. And Mick has looked full of beans any time he's been given a chance.

.ak

Hagz wrote: »

Hard to get excited about this game? Not when I look at the bench of Leinster. Ed Byrne, Bryan Byrne, Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Luke McGrath. All of them are huge prospects. And of course it's the first time we'll get to see our new long term signing Kane Douglas.

Personally this is the most exciting game of the season so far for me.

Don't forget the beard on the bench.

Buer

Really encouraged by Ruddock's comments in the build up. Sounds like he's not only looking forward to facing someone like Warburton, he really wants to put down a marker against the Blues back row and show what he can do.

I think the less flashy players are going to really come to the fore tonight and put in big showings. Ruddock, Moore, Fanning, McFadden etc. I think the blokes that run hard and hit hard are going to make hay this evening.

Cardiff have a second and back row that are lightweight and mobile. We should look to absolutely batter them senseless in the pack. We've a monster second row pairing and Ruddock and Ryan are not lacking for pure power either. Throw in The Hoop in the front row and I hope we maul them into oblivion.

Dominic Ryan, maul try scorer supreme, 10/1 for first try.

stephen_n

Is there a match? who knew?




I don't like the idea of writing teams off, especially teams with some of the players Cardiff have, really can't see this being -18 with the team (including bench) we are putting out, we should win, not sure about the BP though.

ssaye2

Madigan 10/1 first try

Popping up everywhere and loves the RDS.

Hopefully will pay for the weekend

armchaircoach

Since we're discussing nicknames recently, who is the Hoop, mentioned a few posts back?

Buer

armchaircoach wrote: »

Since we're discussing nicknames recently, who is the Hoop, mentioned a few posts back?

Not a nickname, as such, just a term I used for Martin Moore.

molloyjh

armchaircoach wrote: »

Since we're discussing nicknames recently, who is the Hoop, mentioned a few posts back?

I'm assuming Marty Moore, but I've no idea why.

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

I'm assuming Marty Moore, but I've no idea why.

Cause of the size of the bleedin' hoop on him.

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

Cause of the size of the bleedin' hoop on him.

It all makes sense with the right accent... :P

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

It all makes sense with the right accent... :P

You must be from south of de river.

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

You must be from south of de river.

Indeed sir I am.

Kanrith

Good enough start to the match.

Tox56

Reddan's majestic underhand bullet pass for the 22 restart the highlight of the match so far

Taco Corp

Atmosphere seems pretty dead

awec

Captain_Hindsight wrote: »

Atmosphere seems pretty dead

There is none.

That's a terrible miss that btw.

Taco Corp

Jones penalised earlier for binding on the arm so he continues to bind on the arm at the next scrum ...

its_phil

Disgraceful pass from Reddan

errlloyd

So far its been dire.

Taco Corp

This is the most uneventful 25 mins of rugby I can remember watching

19543261

Captain_Hindsight wrote:

Jones penalised earlier for binding on the arm so he continues to bind on the arm at the next scrum ...

Reverse psychology is what that is.

Beaner1

Another MOC classic in the making.

awec

Shocking from Reddan there. Pick the ball up and pass it. Less dicking about required.

Taco Corp

Last two rucks have been embarrassing for leinster

Tox56

This is eh, uninspired

Hagz

This blows

former legend

Dumb and Dumber there.

Should have been a yellow

awec

What happened there folks? Looked like he reversed the pen?

aimee1

is sam warburton playing? or is he not allowed under his central contract

BBDBB

maybe he reversed the reversal?

A-Train

Leinster are terrible once again, at the match and players look like they don't have a game plan!

Kicks from hand have not been good or general play.

BBDBB

nasty clash of heads

Taco Corp

awec wrote: »

What happened there folks? Looked like he reversed the pen?

He did. Douglas took the 9 out then got hit late in the back. Reversed for the late hit

Losty Dublin

Some magic from Kearney only to be followed up by some Tommy Cooper stuff from Fanning with that knock on.

former legend

awec wrote: »

What happened there folks? Looked like he reversed the pen?

Yeah, Douglas turned his back and Hoeata shoulder charged him in the back. Serious idiocy.

Irlandczyk

Very nasty looking clash there. Sore just watching that replay

aimee1

so far its awful.

1. kicks out on the full when under no pressure
2. awful passing
3. giving away dumb penalties needlessly when under no pressure [do they not trust themselves in defence anymore]
4. what exactly is the gameplan?
5. Is MOC on 2 or 3 year contract?

errlloyd

Very short flashes of non utter crap, but mostly utter crap. Frustrating to watch...

To be fair I think Kearney has been good again and Madigan hasn't done much wrong. The rest of 9-15 have been poor.

Taco Corp

What is Madigans head made of?

aimee1

then we get that, brilliant.

BBDBB

good individual try from |Ruddock

Kanrith

Really good try by Ruddock, that play was a little less panicky this time.