‪Leinster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IX: The Last Jordi [****]

.ak

foxyladyxx wrote: »

Really poor performance.. . .we missed our internationals.

Actually, just on this, I thought the internationals we did get back today were awful. Like, really awful.

Infact, I'd say this in hindsight but it was a mistake. The players who've been training week in week out with the squad looked much better; ROL, Tracy, Byrne, Bent, Fardy, Daly, even JGP at 15 looked decent.

Our international front row were awful and were rightly hooked shortly into the 2nd half.

vienne86

Icemancometh wrote: »

You're probably right about people minding themselves, particularly after seeing 3 teammates go off. Only human to do that.

Yep, you could be right. Munster did us a favour by denying Scarlets even the LBP, so nothing much has changed.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

I thought it was a poor decision from him. He stood up the defenders and then had the option of coming infield and trying to stay alive or taking Tipuric and the full back on the outside with minimal space. He tried to go outside, was put to ground immediately and turned over. All he needed to do was turn inside and buy one or two extra seconds.

To me it looked blocked by another defender, looked like they shepherded him towards touch and he tried to keep the ball alive by standing Tipuric up. Maybe I have that wrong but that's how I see it in my head without a replay.

Still, even if he did cut inside, I still think he's isolated because our support were so far away.

Sean Kinsella

With our remaining fixtures we ought to make it comfortably, considering the matches remaining for Llanelli, but performances like that, make me very nervous indeed.

.ak

Yeah absolutely rotten luck losing McFadden, Reid and Kearney all within the few 30 min, on top of Larmour being injured. Does anyone know what the injuries were? Kearney's looks like a shoulder but didn't see what happened to Reid or McFadden.

Incidentally, we got the Carberry to 12 question answered emphatically.. Nope! :pac:

foxyladyxx

The game showed the difference in standard between provincial and international players. .Need a new manager..

.ak

Sean Kinsella wrote: »

With our remaining fixtures we ought to make it comfortably, considering the matches remaining for Llanelli, but performances like that, make me very nervous indeed.

Yeah considering how poor we were defensively today (the 3rd try was an absolute joke in terms of how to defend) we actually kept the scoreline somewhat respectable.. could've been worse... but before the game I would've expected a Leinster win. Ospreys have been a joke this season we should've been beating them there. I'd say the management were expecting a win, not LBP or anything.. Would say they're going mad now. The game was the perfect game to give us a bit of breathing space and allow us to reel it in more comfortably.

prawnsambo

foxyladyxx wrote: »

The game showed the difference in standard between provincial and international players. .Need a new manager..

This is not soccer :pac:

.ak

foxyladyxx wrote: »

The game showed the difference in standard between provincial and international players. .Need a new manager..

Well, I think Guy Easterby is doing a fine job...

Former Former

F**k me.

Serious overreaction.

Buer

.ak wrote: »

Actually, just on this, I thought the internationals we did get back today were awful. Like, really awful.

Infact, I'd say this in hindsight but it was a mistake. The players who've been training week in week out with the squad looked much better; ROL, Tracy, Byrne, Bent, Fardy, Daly, even JGP at 15 looked decent.

Our international front row were awful and were rightly hooked shortly into the 2nd half.

I'd agree with one amendment....I thought Fardy barely got into second gear. His quietest showing of the season that I can recall and was completely outshone by AWJ which, on paper, should have been a cracking battle.

I thought Jack McGrath genuinely put himself about and worked hard in his time on the pitch. Cronin was disappointing and Porter should get a bollocking for his lack of effort.

prawnsambo

Former Former wrote: »

F**k me.

Serious overreaction.

Seems to be the night for it.

.ak

I thought Jack McGrath was very poor. Looks unfit. But yeh, both props not up to standard.

Fardy was below par as well, you're right, altho I still think at 50% he's fantastic. Had some decent moments in the game. Seemed to be limping when he's walking, I wonder if we're flogging him a bit too hard.

Buer

It's worth highlighting also that the Ospreys are now 4/5 in the league this year. Since they essentially gave the heave ho to Tandy, they've been a much better side. Apparently he was all but gone since Christmas which is when they suddenly started performing again.

I'd read very little into the whole idea that the Ospreys are rubbish this season. You can clearly split their performances into two sections. They conceded 120 points in 3 consecutive games at one point. Then they held Saracens and Clermont to 2 tries in 160 minutes of rugby in January.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

It's worth highlighting also that the Ospreys are now 4/5 in the league this year. Since they essentially gave the heave ho to Tandy, they've been a much better side. Apparently he was all but gone since Christmas which is when they suddenly started performing again.

I'd read very little into the whole idea that the Ospreys are rubbish this season. You can clearly split their performances into two sections. They conceded 120 points in 3 consecutive games at one point. Then they held Saracens and Clermont to 2 tries in 160 minutes of rugby in January.

That's fair enough, it'll be interesting to see how they finish up...

Some of their scores were very good today, and they were definitely the better team - so don't want to sound like I'm taking away from that - but we were very, very poor.

Jordi Murphy getting skinned on a simple push defensive summed it up for me. Imagine if he did that for Ireland? Then to have no covering inside defenders pushing across was laughable.

foxyladyxx

I don't like losing. . it is not an over reaction.

.ak

foxyladyxx wrote: »

I don't like losing. . it is not an over reaction.

Ah it is a bit when you look at one game and ignore the fact we're top of the conference and 6/6 in the Champions Cup. Nothing without silver, granted, but we've been very good this season with the current management. I wasn't happy when Leo was appointed but I think himself and Lancaster make a good outfit - one is a very good team coach and the other is a very technical hands on coach.

durthacht

.ak wrote: »

Yeah absolutely rotten luck losing McFadden, Reid and Kearney all within the few 30 min, on top of Larmour being injured. Does anyone know what the injuries were? Kearney's looks like a shoulder but didn't see what happened to Reid or McFadden.

Incidentally, we got the Carberry to 12 question answered emphatically.. Nope! :pac:

Not sure about that and I'm certain we'll see Carbery at 12 again this season.

Henshaw is out until May, Nacewa barely plays anymore, Reid looks like he's broken his cheekbone, Frawley is still very inexperienced, Tom Daly & Conor O'Brien have barely played... there's nobody left for big games really.

ROL and Ringrose could play together I guess, but we seem to be almost out of options.

Also we might need another kicker on the pitch as I'm certain Ross Byrne must be carrying an injury as he's handed over kicking in his last couple of games (to Frawley and now to Carbery) and Sexton seemed to be carrying an injury in the Six Nations handing kicking over to Murray a couple of times.

It didn't work great today but Carbery was playing behind a beaten pack and in a very disjointed backline so I wouldn't write it off as an option yet to play him at 12. I'd like to have him on the pitch and he won't get ahead of Sexton or Kearney for big games I reckon.

prawnsambo

There's also Larmour who shouldn't be out too long.

wise7

Former Former wrote: »

I hope so. Byrne hasn't really impressed the last three months.

So Byrne didn't impress against Munster in Thomond, Montpellier away and in the pissing rain against Scarlets a fortnight ago?

Former Former

wise7 wrote: »

So Byrne didn't impress against Munster in Thomond, Montpellier away and in the pissing rain against Scarlets a fortnight ago?

Munster - yes, but that is quite literally three months ago
Montpelier - meh
Scarlets - no
Edinburgh - no
Last night - no

He's looked good when the Leinster pack is on top. He struggles to make an impact when they're not.

molloyjh

Former Former wrote: »

wise7 wrote: »

So Byrne didn't impress against Munster in Thomond, Montpellier away and in the pissing rain against Scarlets a fortnight ago?

Munster - yes, but that is quite literally three months ago
Montpelier - meh
Scarlets - no
Edinburgh - no
Last night - no

He's looked good when the Leinster pack is on top. He struggles to make an impact when they're not.

Let’s be fair here FF. He hasn’t impressed in 3 of the last 5 games, but he’s also been carrying an injury in at least 2 of those. He may have been last night too as he handed the kicking tee to Joey in the second half. Last night he was also playing outside a pack that were, quite frankly, miles off the pace, and inside a back line that was a total mess. Plus he’s still only 22. How many 22 year old out halves could have turned in a better performance in that context? I thought as our pack improved with the replacements so did Byrne. Realised a few bombs for Adam to chase was the way to go and fired a few very accurate ones for example.

Former Former

molloyjh wrote: »

Let’s be fair here FF. He hasn’t impressed in 3 of the last 5 games, but he’s also been carrying an injury in at least 2 of those. He may have been last night too as he handed the kicking tee to Joey in the second half. Last night he was also playing outside a pack that were, quite frankly, miles off the pace, and inside a back line that was a total mess. Plus he’s still only 22. How many 22 year old out halves could have turned in a better performance in that context? I thought as our pack improved with the replacements so did Byrne. Realised a few bombs for Adam to chase was the way to go and fired a few very accurate ones for example.

But my point was that Carbery should get the 22 jersey next week, not that Byrne is rubbish.

If Byrne is off form lately, injured and only 22, then don't you agree?

If Ferg and DK are both out, we may need to pick them both anyway.

.ak

Yeah with all the injuries mounting we’ve kind of got ourselves in a pickle in terms of backline.

I reckon we’ll see

15. Rob Kearney
14. Byrne
13. Ringrose
12. Nacewa
11. Daly
10. Sexton
09. McGrath

08. Conan
07. Leavy
06. Murphy
05. Fardy
04. Toner
03. Furlong
02. Cronin
01. Healy

Tracy, McGrath, Bent, Ryan, Ruddock/SOB/Deegan, McCarthy, Carbery, Lowe

We’re kind of screwed for wingers at the moment; Larmour, McFadden, Kearney are all injured. Adam Byrne is the only right wing left in the squad I think and Daly and Lowe are competing for the other, Daly for me pips it on form and defence.

Potentially game changing impact from that bench anyway.

irishbucsfan

Not sure why we’ve suddenly become hyper-critical of Byrne despite him still playing well.

Certainly he’s performed as well as, if not better, in recent months than some of Carberry's games, which isn’t exactly very many. If this is Byrne in bad form and carrying an injury then I think we should be very happy. Any team in the league would take him and most would be looking at him as a potential starter.

I’d personally be much more confident of what level he will play at in a big game than I am of any other option for the 22 jersey, however I think Carberry makes sense there for his ability to cover multiple positions.

kennedmc

icdg wrote: »

For what it’s worth, S4C is on the Irish Sky EPG (channel 134), no manual tuning required, so any place with Sky should be able to receive it.

Good man. Myself and The barmen in Toners would have struggled to find it without this info!!

Trojan

Lancaster was very complimentary of Ross Byrne after the Exeter match.

prawnsambo

Saracens have a few injuries of their own to worry about it seems. Owen Farrell has a quad injury and is 'touch and go', George Kruis has a back injury and doesn't look likely to make it and Billy Vunipola is looking less and less likely at this stage.

stephen_n

Former Former wrote: »

But my point was that Carbery should get the 22 jersey next week, not that Byrne is rubbish.

If Byrne is off form lately, injured and only 22, then don't you agree?

If Ferg and DK are both out, we may need to pick them both anyway.

At this stage there is a strong possibility both will be on the bench I’d imagine.

Interested Observer

What happened McFadden? I missed the match.