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

Tigerandahalf

swiwi_ wrote: »

Really don’t agree with sexton as captain TBH. Just don’t think he’s cut out for it temperament wise. Probably would have given it to either Isa or James Ryan, despite his youth.

I'd think the same. He doesn't have a cool enough head when it is needed.
With Luke McGrath missing I wonder will Sexton take more responsibility for clearing their lines. Maybe just kick to touch and attack the Scarlets lineout instead of JGP boxkicking poorly and allowing the Scarlets to run back.

Hopefully a dry warm day and a good game.

Interested Observer

swiwi_ wrote: »

Really don’t agree with sexton as captain TBH. Just don’t think he’s cut out for it temperament wise. Probably would have given it to either Isa or James Ryan, despite his youth.

He makes all the on field decisions already and he'll be much closer to the ref than Nacewa so I'm fine with it.

prawnsambo

Interested Observer wrote: »

He makes all the on field decisions already and he'll be much closer to the ref than Nacewa so I'm fine with it.

Yeah. Also he's not really been hot-headed with refs when he's been captain before. His experience and standing in the game will always get him a hearing.

Thanos

One one thing I am a little surprise at, thought Deegan (who is in really good form) might have kept his place on the bench over a player returning from injury and with little game time...........
but what do i know.

arsebiscuits1

Thanos wrote: »

One one thing I am a little surprise at, though Deegan (who is in really good form) might have kept his place on the bench over a player returning from injury and with little game time...........
but what do i know.

Looks like they want to keep Fardy at 6 for as long as possible.

Which means we need dedicated lock cover if one of Dev or Ryan goes down

prawnsambo

Thanos wrote: »

One one thing I am a little surprise at, though Deegan (who is in really good form) might have kept his place on the bench over a player returning from injury and with little game time...........
but what do i know.

He is good, but he's a long way from the kind of experience Conan brings yet. And Jack's the right guy to spring from the bench and make some serious carries. Top carrier in the competition iirc.

wise7

Clegg wrote: »

Carbery covering 10 also.

Hopefully this settles the argument.

His poor performance in managing at 10 last week would not settle any argument.

Thanos

wise7 wrote: »

His poor performance in managing at 10 last week would not settle any argument.

He has a totally different pack ahead of him this week, so that would make a difference I think.

arsebiscuits1

Thanos wrote: »

He has a totally different pack ahead of him this week, so that would make a difference I think.

And some go forward outside him thankfully

prawnsambo

wise7 wrote: »

His poor performance in managing at 10 last week would not settle any argument.

The problems were with the ball he was getting. He could have done better alright, but there was a lot of slow ball. He dinked a few beauties in behind, but Benetton covered well.

Clegg

That's a rather slow Leinster back three.

Although, Halfpenny and Patchell aren't the quickest either. They're missing a lot of their quicker outside backs which will hamper them. But the speed of their play is such that they could still get outside the defensive line.

lotmc

No real weaknesses, and a hell of a lot of strength, in that Leinster team. JGP will be well supported and should do well.

Getting excited now - everything shaping up for a great game.

I recall previous Semi-Finals, which were run by EPRC, had "neutral" event organisers etc. Even the guy on the PA system was imported for the day (English dude). This created a funny / unfamiliar atmosphere in the ground, which certainly will detract from the "advantage" of playing in the Aviva, when compared to the (say) Saracens QF. Don't expect the familiar jingles after we score - it will be the same PA reaction for both teams. Don't expect the PA guy to be whipping up Leinster support - we will have to do this ourselves! I am mentioning this as it definitely changed the atmosphere in the ground on previous occasions. Be prepared!

Flincher

Lowe is an absolutely massive loss. He would have been a real danger on a dry day in an open game. He's a bit of a head banger in defense, but McFadden showed in the Six Nations he's not immune to a howler either.

I think it's a shocking case of mismanagement or succession planning or lack of knowledge of the competition rules that Leinster find themselves without a marquee import for the biggest game of the season.

Bazzo

I refuse to look at the team announcement in that stupid format. A 1 minute video with no full teamsheet at the end, **** right off.

irishbucsfan

Bazzo wrote: »

I refuse to look at the team announcement in that stupid format. A 1 minute video with no full teamsheet at the end, **** right off.

World is gone to ****

dub_skav

Bazzo wrote: »

I refuse to look at the team announcement in that stupid format. A 1 minute video with no full teamsheet at the end, **** right off.

Watch to the end, you'll be amazed who got the 23 shirt

Tigerandahalf

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

I'd think the same. He doesn't have a cool head

ClanofLams

Bazzo wrote: »

I refuse to look at the team announcement in that stupid format. A 1 minute video with no full teamsheet at the end, **** right off.

Annoys me too, especially because these teams are released when the vast majority of people at work and just want to see team as quickly as possible.

If they were done at 7pm in the evening it might be different (though still wouldn’t like it personally).

Don’t get the logic behind it at all.

Former Former

Flincher wrote: »

I think it's a shocking case of mismanagement or succession planning or lack of knowledge of the competition rules that Leinster find themselves without a marquee import for the biggest game of the season.

The extension of this logic is that we should have not bothered signing Lowe at all.

Would you prefer we had done that?

errlloyd

Just wanted to look at the minutes since Sarries.

Of the Leinster 15, 8 have played zero minutes in the last two weeks. Kearney, Ringrose, Henshaw, Sexton, Nacewa, Fardy, Ryan and Cronin.

6 have played only once in the last two weeks. McFadden, Healy, Furlong, Toner, Murphy, Leavy and of those only Murphy played a full 80.

Only Gibson Park has played both of our last two games. The starting 15 have amassed 500 minutes of rugby since Saracens, the bench have got 502 minutes. In total the team has played 1002 out of a possible 3680 minutes.

Zebre Bennetton Total
15. Rob Kearney (194) 0 0 0
14. Fergus McFadden (168) 0 62 62
13. Garry Ringrose (46) 0 0 0
12. Robbie Henshaw (22) 0 0 0
11. Isa Nacewa (181) 0 0 0
10. Johnny Sexton (145) CAPTAIN 0 0 0
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (48) 62 62 124
1. Cian Healy (186) 55 0 55
2. Seán Cronin (148) 0 0 0
3. Tadhg Furlong (80) 55 0 55
4. Devin Toner (213) 62 0 62
5. James Ryan (11) 0 0 0
6. Scott Fardy (18) 0 0 0
7. Dan Leavy (51) 62 0 62
8. Jordi Murphy (103) 0 80 80

16. James Tracy (61) 55 29 84
17. Jack McGrath (128) 0 62 62
18. Andrew Porter (25) 0 62 62
19. Ross Molony (62) 18 80 98
20. Jack Conan (69) 0 0 0
21. Nick McCarthy (24) 18 18 36
22. Joey Carbery (33) 0 80 80
23. Jordan Larmour (17) 0 80 80

Flincher

Former Former wrote: »

Flincher wrote: »

I think it's a shocking case of mismanagement or succession planning or lack of knowledge of the competition rules that Leinster find themselves without a marquee import for the biggest game of the season.

The extension of this logic is that we should have not bothered signing Lowe at all.

Would you prefer we had done that?

Or Salvi. I'm sure alternatives were out there. Its madness Leinster have to leave a big signing at home. It all smells a bit of Conti playing for Carlow to me.

irishbucsfan

Yeah alright that's a decent table, but where's the Scarlets figures? That's just lazy like.

Former Former

15. Rhys Patchell; 14. Leigh Halfpenny, 13. Scott Williams, 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 11. Steff Evans; 10. Dan Jones, 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Rob Evans, 2. Ken Owens, 3. Samson Lee, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. David Bulbring, 6. Aaron Shingler, 7. James Davies, 8. John Barclay

16. Ryan Elias, 17. Dylan Evans, 18. Werner Kruger, 19. Lewis Rawlins, 20. Steven Cummins, 21. Aled Davies, 22. Steff Hughes, 23. Will Boyde

Serious quality in that team. Bit of a gamble putting Jones in at out-half and Patchell at FB

errlloyd

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah alright that's a decent table, but where's the Scarlets figures? That's just lazy like.

I had to pull those minutes manually by navigating that carcinogenic vomit that Leinster call a website.

pc7

Should be a cracker looking at the team sheets, is there a match thread or will it be in here?

irishbucsfan

https://twitter.com/CianTracey1/status/987303614225018880

prawnsambo

Flincher wrote: »

Or Salvi. I'm sure alternatives were out there. Its madness Leinster have to leave a big signing at home. It all smells a bit of Conti playing for Carlow to me.

I think the actual last man in was Fardy, not Lowe.

irishbucsfan

prawnsambo wrote: »

I think the actual last man in was Fardy, not Lowe.

Yes, according to whoever it was that was interviewed about it (think possibly Easterby) they were presented with the option of signing Fardy and did it anyway in the full knowledge it would cause issues.

Anyone who thinks that wasn't a good idea.... well I'm just happy it's not them making the decisions.

thomond2006

Former Former wrote: »

15. Rhys Patchell; 14. Leigh Halfpenny, 13. Scott Williams, 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 11. Steff Evans; 10. Dan Jones, 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Rob Evans, 2. Ken Owens, 3. Samson Lee, 4. Tadhg Beirne, 5. David Bulbring, 6. Aaron Shingler, 7. James Davies, 8. John Barclay

16. Ryan Elias, 17. Dylan Evans, 18. Werner Kruger, 19. Lewis Rawlins, 20. Steven Cummins, 21. Aled Davies, 22. Steff Hughes, 23. Will Boyde

Serious quality in that team. Bit of a gamble putting Jones in at out-half and Patchell at FB

They are a bit short on the wing, perhaps they had to push Halfpenny out there.

Former Former

prawnsambo wrote: »

I think the actual last man in was Fardy, not Lowe.

Then it's even more of a no-brainer