Leinster vs Munster buildup

thomond2006

Clegg wrote: »

SOB's performance against New Zealand is the best I've ever seen from any Irish Rugby player for province or country. Hit that level of workrate, accuracy and intensity that made him unstoppable and immovable.

I do not recall such a game against New Zealand.

Clegg

Munster

Clegg wrote: »

SOB's performance against New Zealand is the best I've ever seen from any Irish Rugby player for province or country. Hit that level of workrate, accuracy and intensity that made him unstoppable and immovable.

Yup. On a day when everyone was very good, he was exceptional. Best player on the pitch for either team.

I wonder had all the all-blacks filled out their TUE's before that match...?

paddy no 11

Deleted User wrote: »

Yup. On a day when everyone was very good, he was exceptional. Best player on the pitch for either team.

I wonder had all the all-blacks filled out their TUE's before that match...?

.........

thomond2006

Munster XV:
Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Keith Earls, Rory Scannell, Ronan O'Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Conor Murray;
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland; Peter O'Mahony - capt., Tommy O'Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Duncan Casey, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Robin Copeland, Jack O'Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Jaco Taute.



POM starting!!!!

Kilcoyne starting over Cronin is a surprise. Big step up for ROM.

Mahatma Geansai

The team that scores the most points

I would imagine that the plan is to pair the best and worst scrummaging props together. That is why Kilcoyne is paired with Ryan, and Cronin with Archer.

Delighted to see POM back fit, but there is a worry that it is a week or two too soon for him to be starting.

Copeland's first game of the season and he is the sub lock.

thomond2006

Leinster Rugby: (Leinster caps in brackets)

15. Rob Kearney (178)
14. Rory O'Loughlin (3)
13. Garry Ringrose (26)
12. Robbie Henshaw (0)
11. Isa Nacewa (151) CAPTAIN
10. Johnny Sexton (128)
9. Luke McGrath (54)
1. Cian Healy (157)
2. Sean Cronin (117)
3. Tadhg Furlong (54)
4. Devin Toner (184)
5. Ian Nagle (1)
6. Rhys Ruddock (115)
7. Jordi Murphy (84)
8. Jamie Heaslip (220)

16. James Tracy (20)
17. Jack McGrath (98)
18. Mike Ross (139)
19. Ross Molony (27)
20. Dan Leavy (18)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (5)
22. Joey Carbery (5)
23. Noel Reid (64)

Nagle starting ahead of Molony, wow! Henshaw back fit is great to see.

sullivlo

thomond2006 wrote: »

Leinster Rugby: (Leinster caps in brackets)

15. Rob Kearney (178)
14. Rory O'Loughlin (3)
13. Garry Ringrose (26)
12. Robbie Henshaw (0)
11. Isa Nacewa (151) CAPTAIN
10. Johnny Sexton (128)
9. Luke McGrath (54)
1. Cian Healy (157)
2. Sean Cronin (117)
3. Tadhg Furlong (54)
4. Devin Toner (184)
5. Ian Nagle (1)
6. Rhys Ruddock (115)
7. Jordi Murphy (84)
8. Jamie Heaslip (220)

16. James Tracy (20)
17. Jack McGrath (98)
18. Mike Ross (139)
19. Ross Molony (27)
20. Dan Leavy (18)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (5)
22. Joey Carbery (5)
23. Noel Reid (64)

Nagle starting ahead of Molony, wow! Henshaw back fit is great to see.

No vdf?

connemara man

Henshaw in what most Connacht fans would have said is his weakest position that he has played in.

sullivlo

Munster

sullivlo wrote: »

No vdf?

Rested. Good opportunity to give him a break so he can play vs the better teams.

Thanos

Munster

Really looking forward to see how that 12/13 partnership goes for Leinster.

Mahatma Geansai

The team that scores the most points

Won't be long before we see the same posters who derided Nagle a few years ago, calling for him to play for Ireland.

He's been out of the professional game for 2 years, and he appears to be straight in as first choice lock for Leinster. Impressive going.

Munster

No Kirchner, no Van De Flier, Nagle starting. Are we at the point where we can positively say "Lancullen curve ball".

Definitely a surprising selection.

sullivlo

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Won't be long before we see the same posters who derided Nagle a few years ago, calling for him to play for Ireland.

He's been out of the professional game for 2 years, and he appears to be straight in as first choice lock for Leinster. Impressive going.

It certainly won't have anything to do with him improving as a player.

:rolleyes:

molloyjh

Delighted to see ROL get the start on the wing. Could have easily gone with Kirchner there. Centre partnership might be a bit of a weak spot for us until Robbie gets up to speed but it's a bloody exciting one. The back line get a thumbs up from me anyway.

No VDF is a big call. But with Robbie only back I suppose a 6-2 split wasn't likely to happen so one of our stupidly good back rows was always going to be left out. Nagle is the bit of a surprise in the row. He was solid last week so there's a lot to build on there. It'll be interesting to see how he goes against his old teammates. Would be worried about our scrum though with Molony on the bench. Toner will play the 80 and will surely play at least some of that on the TH side when Molony comes on, but we'll still be vulnerable there in the last quarter. Wonder where that leaves Kearney in the overall pecking order. Selections over the next few weeks are going to be very interesting.

Interested Observer

Munster

That isn't a first choice Leinster team really, given everyone who is fit. Interesting selection, not what I expected at all. Delighted to see O'Loughlin given a shot in such a big game, Leinster badly need some depth and quality in the back three.

Henshaw, delighted obviously.

Podge_irl

Munster

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Won't be long before we see the same posters who derided Nagle a few years ago, calling for him to play for Ireland.

He's been out of the professional game for 2 years, and he appears to be straight in as first choice lock for Leinster. Impressive going.

No one derided him a few years ago because he never bloody played.

sydthebeat

nagle in to disrupt munster lineouts??

i dont think he showed that much against blues to demand inclusion over molony, but hey, love to see him give that "MOTM against Aussies" performance again

leakyboots

The team that scores the most points

Surprised it's Killer over Cronin... delighted VdF ain't playing, think TOD will do well against Jordi. Conway must not be fit, pity, ROM is average enough in my eyes. There's a couple of players with fitness/injury worries on both sides - POM & Scannell... Henshaw & Kearney...

So many mouthwatering clashes all over the park!

thomond2006

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Won't be long before we see the same posters who derided Nagle a few years ago, calling for him to play for Ireland.

He's been out of the professional game for 2 years, and he appears to be straight in as first choice lock for Leinster. Impressive going.

Who derided him exactly? He was very talented but was behind all-time Irish greats at Munster and then couldn't stay fit.

molloyjh

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

Won't be long before we see the same posters who derided Nagle a few years ago, calling for him to play for Ireland.

He's been out of the professional game for 2 years, and he appears to be straight in as first choice lock for Leinster. Impressive going.

Anyone with an ounce of sense saw his potential but also realised he wasn't reaching it. If he can with Leinster then more power to him, it would completely vindicate his decision to take a break from the game.

But let's not go getting ahead of ourselves here. If you want to consider this selection a definitive first choice 23 from Leinster fire away, but I'd say Josh would have something to say about that. I'd imagine we'll be seeing some rotation in a few positions over the next few weeks, both in the starting 15 and the match day 23.

Munster

Won't be long before we see the same posters who told us that Nagle should be starting for Ireland ahead of Toner a few years ago, deriding him for making such a positive career move.

former total

Munster

Kirchner has played every minute of the campaign so far so he needed a rest, and it's good to see O'Loughlin getting another run.

Huge call to start Henshaw for his Leinster debut and his first game in five months...

Is Tadhg Furlong now the first-choice tighthead?

Fair play to Nagle if he's overtaken both Molony and Kearney; I think we'll miss McCarthy's aggression and work rate though, hope he gets back soon.

No VDF in the 23 is a major surprise, I would guess he's injured?

thomond2006

Munster have a great chance here to win. A couple of factors...Henshaw's first match, an inexperienced player in ROL on the wing and VDF rested. The Aviva doesn't match the RDS for an intimidating atmosphere so the 'home' advantage isn't as big a factor.

thomond2006

Munster

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster have a great chance here to win. A couple of factors...Henshaw's first match, an inexperienced player in ROL on the wing and VDF rested. The Aviva doesn't match the RDS for an intimidating atmosphere so the 'home' advantage isn't as big a factor.

Maybe, but I look at that game last week against Cardiff away with a weaker 23 than this and I do have to wonder.

The home game against Ospreys again, we annihilated their forwards for 50 minutes.

A lot of guys are about to get serious exposure to almost test level intensity on both sides which is great.

shootermacg

The team that scores the most points

Munster with a two point lead at 60 minutes, bring on Keatly, Copeland, Archer and Cronin, Cronin / Copeland gives away a silly penalty and Keatly ensures that munster never make it out of their half for the remainder.

For me, the subs could lose the game. They should have started Cronin, Killer is much more composed and has less chance of giving away a penalty in the final 20. Copeland also is a bit of a penalty machine at the ruck. Keatly can't close out a game either.

Very excited about this now

leakyboots

The team that scores the most points

shootermacg wrote: »

Munster with a two point lead at 60 minutes, bring on Keatly, Copeland, Archer and Cronin, Cronin / Copeland gives away a silly penalty and Keatly ensures that munster never make it out of their half for the remainder.

For me, the subs could lose the game. They should have started Cronin, Killer is much more composed and has less chance of giving away a penalty in the final 20. Copeland also is a bit of a penalty machine at the ruck. Keatly can't close out a game either.

Composure is not something I associate with Killer, he strikes me as a bit of a lunatic! Cronin is prone to the odd brainfart, great scrummager though.

I'd say Jack will be on before Robocope. Copeland reminds me of Spies, bit of a flat-track bully and good on hard ground with space in front him but afraid to do the dirty work.

Keatley has landed us last minute dropgoals in the past to save us in big games... his form has been good this season to be fair but yeah, wouldn't put the house on him to bring us home!

former total

Munster

With the exception of Chisholm/Kleyn in the second row, are Munster essentially at 100% strength?

Mahatma Geansai

The team that scores the most points

former total wrote: »

With the exception of Chisholm/Kleyn in the second row, are Munster essentially at 100% strength?

Missing Saili/Arnold in the center too.

case885

former total wrote:

With the exception of Chisholm/Kleyn in the second row, are Munster essentially at 100% strength?

Saili, Arnold, Conway would be involved if fit.