Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread VI: End of the MOC [Revenge of the STH]

aimee1

molloyjh wrote: »

After we lost our 2 European openers we only played 1 game before playing Toulon, which was at home to Ulster. Those 3 wins you are referring to are the upswing that I was talking about. I don' t think we should be following up a brief upswing of 3 wins with 2 losses.

even with "full strength" there could be two losses followed by lads going in cold to Pro12 games thru 6n with little gametime. So for me the pro's outweigh the cons.

Leinster got 8 [?] points from 20 last year in 6n window. Think leo is aiming for a lot more then that this time around.

jacothelad

That 'unwon' try bonus point that Ulster fecked up could cost the IRFU 500,000 Euro. A costly selection indeed.

irishbucsfan

molloyjh wrote: »

After we lost our 2 European openers we only played 1 game before playing Toulon, which was at home to Ulster. Those 3 wins you are referring to are the upswing that I was talking about. I don' t think we should be following up a brief upswing of 3 wins with 2 losses.

The players don't care about the 2 losses, it won't affect momentum. If it was games they wanted to win and they lost it would be a problem, but these games mean nothing to that group.

At least the young guys have a lot to play for, the vets would just be going through the motions.

aimee1

jacothelad wrote: »

could cost the IRFU 500,000 Euro. A costly selection indeed.

which selection? Leinster's for tomorrow or the Ulster half backs last week ??

matthew8

If we want to help Ulster then the Wasps game is the one we want to win anyway. If Ulster can get 5 points from Oyonnax that leaves Bath with a mountain to climb, even if Ulster get nothing at Saracens. They are 47 points behind Ulster on points difference, so will need to either get 2 try bonus point wins, or 2 wins, 1 try bonus and make up 47 points despite Ulster likely thrashing Oyonnax. I don't think Ulster have anything to worry about there. Wasps are in a much better position, they only need 4 points to match Ulster's likely total and are 54 points ahead on points difference.

jacothelad

aimee1 wrote: »

which selection? Leinster's for tomorrow or the Ulster half backs last week ??

Did you read the post? Perhaps read it again. How would Ulster dropping a possible bonus point last week be affected by a Leinster selection this week?

sydthebeat

leinster gone out to +5 now.. thats a 9 point turn around due to the team selection

bath -10.5 is 7/4... so just not attractive enough.

Hagz

I think it, he does it. Love the selection.

Hagz

The 'A' team
1. Loughman
2. Byrne
3. Heffernan
4. O'Connor
5. Beirne
6. Murphy
7. Leavy
8. Timmins
9. McCarthy
10. Marsh
11. Fanning
12. Crosbie
13. Daly
14. Byrne
15. Dardis

16. Dundon
17. Porter
18. Ryan
19. Ryan
20. Rock
21. Byrne
22. Kelleher

Selliott190

Hagz wrote: »

The 'A' team
1. Loughman
2. Byrne
3. Heffernan
4. O'Connor
5. Beirne
6. Murphy
7. Leavy
8. Timmins
9. McCarthy
10. Marsh
11. Fanning
12. Crosbie
13. Daly
14. Byrne
15. Dardis

16. Dundon
17. Porter
18. Ryan
19. Ryan
20. Rock
21. Byrne
22. Kelleher

James Ryan starts ahead of Beirne for Lansdowne..

aimee1

jacothelad wrote: »

Did you read the post? Perhaps read it again. How would Ulster dropping a possible bonus point last week be affected by a Leinster selection this week?

makes perfect sense on second viewing, bit dopey today

irishbucsfan

Selliott190 wrote: »

James Ryan starts ahead of Beirne for Lansdowne..

He's quite new to the A team though, not the same as playing for a club every week.

Selliott190

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He's quite new to the A team though, not the same as playing for a club every week.

True enough.. still I know which player has a serious future at Leinster and who doesn't.

Interested Observer

Hagz wrote: »

I think it, he does it. Love the selection.

Me too. Such a breath of fresh air compared to last season. I don't think we'll win but a lot to be happy about there.

irishbucsfan

Interested Observer wrote: »

Me too. Such a breath of fresh air compared to last season. I don't think we'll win but a lot to be happy about there.

We didn't have any dead rubbers last season

Interested Observer

irishbucsfan wrote: »

We didn't have any dead rubbers last season

That's a fair point but there's scope in the league to experiment.

irishbucsfan

Interested Observer wrote: »

That's a fair point but there's scope in the league to experiment.

There would have been scope if a) the team weren't playing so poorly and b) the final league position wasn't crucially important (as we then discovered when the European draw was made)

.ak

Delighted with that selection tbh. Absolutely no reason to play a stronger team IMO. If we lose, at least the guys will know it was a nothing game, if they win then the fringe players will get a massive boost going into the pro12 which should be our main focus now.

No nonsense approach, fair play to Cullen as I'm sure he was under pressure to pick a strong XV.

thomond2006

.ak wrote: »

Delighted with that selection tbh. Absolutely no reason to play a stronger team IMO. If we lose, at least the guys will know it was a nothing game, if they win then the fringe players will get a massive boost going into the pro12 which should be our main focus now.

No nonsense approach, fair play to Cullen as I'm sure he was under pressure to pick a strong XV.

So this means the Leinster internationals won't have started a game for a month before the Six Nations? Forget about Ulster for a second...how does this make sense?!

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

So this means the Leinster internationals won't have started a game for a month before the Six Nations?

I think some of them could start next week.

Some guys need lots of rugby to perform, Cian Healy seemingly is one (although banned/injured currently). Some guys are capable of turning it on very quickly like Rob Kearney. I think some of the players will be quite keen to play again. Sean O'Brien is the type of guy I'd expect to see. Heaslip is out, not sure if he'll be back.

Ultimately the coaches and players will know who needs game time and who is better off with the rest.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

So this means the Leinster internationals won't have started a game for a month before the Six Nations? Forget about Ulster for a second...how does this make sense?!

I don't really subscribe to the thought that players need to be playing over and over to hit form.

The internationals have played a lot of rugby already. Some of them will play next week too. But Ireland is a different animal anyway,

hogandrew

.ak wrote: »

I don't really subscribe to the thought that players need to be playing over and over to hit form.

The internationals have played a lot of rugby already. Some of them will play next week too. But Ireland is a different animal anyway,

There are a few players that seem to need it, Ross would be the first to come to mind but maybe it's more to do with an extended run without injuries.

There are definitely players who the rest will benefit. McGrath and toner have played a lot.

I'm probably looking forward to the game a bit more after seeing that team named

Shefwedfan

Can't wait for this game tomorrow. Need to invest in a pair of gloves I think, it is going to be cold......

pickarooney

Hagz wrote: »

The 'A' team
1. Loughman
2. Byrne
3. Heffernan
4. O'Connor
5. Beirne
6. Murphy
7. Leavy
8. Timmins
9. McCarthy
10. Marsh
11. Fanning
12. Crosbie
13. Daly
14. Byrne
15. Dardis

16. Dundon
17. Porter
18. Ryan
19. Ryan
20. Rock
21. Byrne
22. Kelleher

Delighted to see Byrne and Byrne called up. Not so sure about Byrne. Beirne could be interesting.

.ak

awec wrote: »

You're at home. The integrity of the competition needs to be maintained even just a little bit. This selection is not respecting the competition.

All will be forgiven if you win, but it is disappointing to see Leinster even take the risk and go down this road.

With all due respect, **** the competition. :pac:

Stainalert

Selliott190 wrote: »

James Ryan starts ahead of Beirne for Lansdowne..

Incorrect

Selliott190

[QUOTE=Stainalert;
]Incorrect[/QUOTE]

Ryan has started at lock over Beirne since he made his breakthrough earlier this season.

Beirne rarely ever plays lock for Mike Ruddock.

salmocab

The selection has me more interested in the match today than i otherwise would have been.

ArmchairQB

Selliott190 wrote: »

Ryan has started at lock over Beirne since he made his breakthrough earlier this season.

Beirne rarely ever plays lock for Mike Ruddock.

Probably more to do with Beirne's availability than anything, he has signed a professional/Development contract and usually that means less availability to the clubs

Stainalert

Selliott190 wrote: »

Since Ryan debutrd and theyve both been available Ryan has started at lock, Beirne has either started at 6 or been on the bench.

Beirne was behind Stephen Gardiner(former Ireland u20) last season for Lansdowne too.

Beirne is 24 now, I'd be shocked if he ever had a meaningful leinster career. He should head to the championship and play regular professional rugby.

How Leinster rated him higher than Alan O'Connor..

Sorry but you have got it completely wrong - Since Ryan debuted for Lansdowne Beirne has only been available once and on that occasion started at 6 because that is where Lansdowne needed him to play (Deegan was injured) not because Ryan is necessarily a better second row. No reason why Ryan and Beirne couldn't play in the 2nd row together. Beirne's professional career to date has largely been interrupted by injury and that is why he has had very little game time. In my opinion he has performed very well this season for whoever he has played for.