Northampton v Leinster Match Thread 9.12.15 19:45 @ BT SPORTS

Leinster Northampton
15. Rob Kearney Ben Foden
14. Adam Byrne Ken Pisi
13. Garry Ringrose Luther Burrell
12. Robbie Henshaw JJ Hanrahan
11. Isa Nacewa © Jamie Elliot
10. Joey Carbery Stephen Myler
9. Luke McGrath Nic Groom
8. Jamie Heaslip Louis Picamoles
7. Josh Van der Flier Tom Wood ©
6. Sean O'Brien Jamie Gibson
5. Hayden Triggs Courtney Lawes
4. Devin Toner Michael Paterson
3. Tadhg Furlong Paul Hill
2. Sean Cronin Mickey haywood
1. Jack Mc Grath Alex Waller

16. James Tracy Dylan Hartley
17. Cian Healy Ethan Waller
18. Michael Bent Gareth Denman
19. Rhys Ruddock Api Ratuniyarawa
20. Jack Conan Teimana Harrison
21. Jamison Gibson-Park Tom Kessel
22. Ross Byrne George Pisi
23. Rory O'Loughlin Ahsee Tuala


Heinekin Cup Final 2012

Pool Table


Domestic Form
Leinster Score Result Northampton Score Result
Leinster v Dragons 28-15 W Leicester v Northampton 19 - 11 L
Scarlets v Leinster 38 - 29 L Northampton V Newcastle 16 - 22 L
Zebre v Leinster .10 - 33 W Worcester v Northampton 17 - 18 W
Leinster v Connacht 24 - 13 W Northampton V Gloucester 23 - 20 W
Leinster v Munster 25 - 14 W Harlequins v Northampton 9 - 20 L

Preview
It's top against bottom of pool 4 despite only 2 points separating the teams as this years Champions cup double headers get underway.

This is the second time Leinster have faced Northampton in a double header in the pool stages of this competition, the previous encounters resulting in two away wins and two home losses.

Northampton's form appears to be the worse of the two, though one would argue that they are playing against superior opposition.

Both teams enjoyed opening round wins with Northampton taking a late score to win against Montpellier and Leinster gaining a try bonus point win at home against Castres.

The swing for each team happened in round two with Leinster scrapping back to take a late losing bonus point against Montpellier. Northampton collapsed away to Castres losing 41 - 7.

Both team sheets are strong, Leinster having the edge in the starting 15 but Northampton showing depth with a strong bench including current England captain and all around nice guy Dylan Hartley.

Both teams have a contingent of Internationals with Leinster bolstered by 11 players involved in the wins over New Zealand and Australia.

Tactics
Leinster have gone for two ball carrying back rows on the bench with no dedicated cover at lock. Devon Toner is normally well able for 80 and Hayden Triggs will likely make way for one of Ruddock or Conan in the latter stages.

With a cohort of ball carries Leinster are likely to play fairly direct rugby with Joey Carbery playing flat and putting some of our pacier forwards through space. Our Back three are all good to excellent in the air with Adam Byrne earning his first European cap after an impressive run of games.

With Sexton's absence and a reduced number of line out options I suspect we will either contest kicked balls or hold onto possession. Sean O'Brien is critical here along with Van der Flier to ensure we maintain good pace at the breakdown.

I'm not familiar enough with Northampton to comment on their approach but would invite posters to highlight where their strengths are.

Result
Too close to call. It's a game that could go either way but I'm going to go with a Leinster win and a reasonable margin between the two teams. I expect Leinster to take 9 points from the next two games.

CMOTDibbler

I think that's spelled Worcester. Pronounced locally as Wuuster

Oh! and Cloucester?

awec

Didn't realise this was on BT :mad:

CMOTDibbler

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

I think that's spelled Worcester. Pronounced locally as Wuuster

Oh! and Cloucester?

I've no idea what you're talking about....

ManAboutCouch

Deleted User wrote: »

I've no idea what you're talking about....

Not a notion about Connacth either

Icemancometh

Leinster haven't got a 6-2 split on the bench, JGP, Byrne & O'Loughlin are all there.

CMOTDibbler

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

I think that's spelled Worcester. Pronounced locally as Wuuster

Oh! and Cloucester?

ManAboutCouch wrote: »

Not a notion about Connacth either

Icemancometh wrote: »

Leinster haven't got a 6-2 split on the bench, JGP, Byrne & O'Loughlin are all there.

I should have stuck to a one liner like the Munster thread.

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

I should have stuck to a one liner like the Munster thread.

Date of the match is a bit strange too...

irishbucsfan

The crests are different sizes

irishbucsfan

The table isn't centered

.ak

.ak wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbl5XV6SPFs

Just to get into the spirit of things...

What a performance. Luuuuuuke motm performance, BOD's last few moments of magic, Darce's beard, that backrow, Kearney never passes :rolleyes:

No sexton that day either..

Zzippy

Yep, I think this is the worst formatted match thread we've ever seen, folks. Molloy is literally having an OCD meltdown right now, curled in the foetal position exactly 35.4cm from either edge of his immaculately made bed, muttering something about tables...

awec

Take a look at my match thread venjur, that's how it's done properly.

.ak

Should we just take venjur out the back and shoot him?

.ak

.ak wrote: »

Should we just take venjur out the back and shoot him?

When you find out that it's awec taking you around back

CMOTDibbler

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The crests are different sizes

And they should be in the table.

We're a picky bunch here in Leinster Venjur, we expect high standards in everything. This isn't the Connacht thread where you can misspell names, make up words and use malapropisms.

molloyjh

Whats an Isa Nacea and why is it copyrighted?

CMOTDibbler

molloyjh wrote: »

Whats an Isa Nacea and why is it copyrighted?

He just made it up and is hoping it'll catch on.

irishbucsfan

This is not the 5 star performance we were promised

molloyjh

And how do teams score fractions of points?

Buer

Venjur, were you having a f*king stroke when writing this up or what?

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

And how do teams score fractions of points?

excel kept trying to turn them into dates... :mad:

irishbucsfan

When Venjur told us his child was keeping him up all night I didn't realise he meant his child was writing up the match thread

You're all going on a list.

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

When Venjur told us his child was keeping him up all night I didn't realise he meant his child was writing up the match thread

"But Daddy I don't know how to spell Ratuniyarawa"

Zzippy

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

And they should be in the table.

We're a picky bunch here in Leinster Venjur, we expect high standards in everything. This isn't the Connacht thread where you can misspell names, make up words and use malapropisms.

Just like the rugby. We like to throw it around, play fast and loose, think exciting. Leinster thread too structured, predictable and boring...

CMOTDibbler

Deleted User wrote: »

excel kept trying to turn them into dates... :mad:

Is that your excuse for not giving Mickey Haywood a capital letter for his surname?

Little Mickey maybe? :P






Using Excel to make a table.

molloyjh

Deleted User wrote: »

You're all going on a list.

That's molloyjh. M-O-L-L-O-Y-J-H. Are you sure you've got that now?

Stheno

Match post hurt my eyes

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

Just like the rugby. We like to throw it around, play fast and loose, think exciting. Leinster thread too structured, predictable and boring...

I wonder do they do impressive match threads in Bristol...



too soon?

Stheno

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I wonder do they do impressive match threads in Bristol...



too soon?

:eek:

awec

Tox56 is still the best Leinster poster for writing match threads, but unfortunately he has disappeared.

CMOTDibbler

Zzippy wrote: »

Just like the rugby. We like to throw it around, play fast and loose, think exciting. Leinster thread too structured, predictable and boring...

You could be right. A malapropism is the literary equivalent of a missed pass.

Zzippy

Deleted User wrote: »

I wonder do they do impressive match threads in Bristol...



too soon?

Now you've made me sad. For shame, Venjur.

Zzippy

Zzippy wrote: »

Now you've made me sad. For shame, Venjur.

Ah it could be worse.


you could be an Ulster supporter

CMOTDibbler

I'm still waiting for somebody to tell me what day of the week December 0th falls on.

Or is that December 0rd or 0st?

So many questions...

Stheno

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

I'm still waiting for somebody to tell me what day of the week December 0th falls on.

Or is that December 0rd or 0st?

So many questions...

I thought it was venjur code for a non thread so someone else could do it right?

K3v

Northampton v Leinster Match Thread 0.12.15 19:45 @ BT SPORTS

Tonight so?

CMOTDibbler

Stheno wrote: »

I thought it was venjur code for a non thread so someone else could do it right?

I think it's a zero sum game myself.

molloyjh

As for the game that's on tonight, Leinster by 50?

molloyjh

molloyjh wrote: »

As for the game that's on tonight, Leinster by 50?

I can't believe you have started a sentence with a conjunction. Shocking posting Molloyjh, you are bad and you should feel bad.

Now you see how this thread works...

Zzippy

Either Saints play their home games at the Aviva now, or Venjur must be writing the previews for the EPCR website... :pac:

http://epcrugby.com/news/34146.php#.WErO3H1HvBZ

irishbucsfan

Zzippy wrote: »

Either Saints play their home games at the Aviva now, or Venjur must be writing the previews for the EPCR website... :pac:

http://epcrugby.com/news/34146.php#.WErO3H1HvBZ

Is that gob****e never off the air?

pickarooney

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I can't believe you have started a sentence with a conjunction. Shocking posting Molloyjh, you are bad and you should feel bad.

Now you see how this thread works...

For god's sake man, that's an adverbial 'as'.

pickarooney

pickarooney wrote: »

For god's sake man, that's an adverbial 'as'.

It's not followed by a verb so surely it's a subordinating Conjunction which is subsequently followed by the main clause, rendering it grammatically incorrect?

irishbucsfan

I was really looking forward to this game this morning

molloyjh

Deleted User wrote: »

It's not followed by a verb so surely it's a subordinating Conjunction which is subsequently followed by the main clause, rendering it grammatically incorrect?

At least the spelling is right...

awec

Bonus point win for Leinster, I think it'll end up something like 36-0.

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I was really looking forward to this game this morning

Yeah really looking forward to it myself. In fact I was so looking forward to it that I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated place to discuss it. How wrong I was.

CMOTDibbler

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah really looking forward to it myself. In fact I was so looking forward to it that I thought it would be nice to have a dedicated place to discuss it. How wrong I was.

Well you broke the first rule of writing a story. The writer shouldn't be the story.

pickarooney

Take that, Hunter S. Thompson