Montpellier vs Leinster, 1pm Saturday 20th, Sky Sports

irishfan9

Leinster

15. Rob Kearney (192)
14. Jordan Larmour (13)
13. Robbie Henshaw (21)
12. Isa Nacewa (178) CAPTAIN
11. James Lowe (4)
10. Ross Byrne (40)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (42)
1. Cian Healy (183)
2. Seán Cronin (144)
3. Tadhg Furlong (77)
4. Devin Toner (210)
5. James Ryan (9)
6. Dan Leavy (48)
7. Josh van der Flier (59)
8. Jack Conan (66)
16. Bryan Byrne (21)
17. Jack McGrath (124)
18. Andrew Porter (21)
19. Ross Molony (54)
20. Jordi Murphy (98)
21. Luke McGrath (87)
22. Joey Carbery (29)
23. Fergus McFadden (163)

Montpellier

1. MIKHEIL NARIASHVILI
2. BISMARCK DU PLESSIS
3. JANNIE DU PLESSIS
4. NICOLAAS JANSE VAN RENSBURG
5. KONSTANTINE MIKAUTADZE
6. KÉLIAN GALLETIER
7. YACOUBA CAMARA
8. LOUIS PICAMOLES (CAP.)
9. RUAN PIENAAR
10. AARON CRUDEN
11. NEMANI NADOLO
12. JAN SERFONTEIN
13. FRANCOIS STEYN
14. TIMOCI NAGUSA
15. BENJAMIN FALL
16. ROMAIN RUFFENACH
17. YVAN WATREMEZ
18. MOHAMED HAOUAS
19. JULIEN DELANNOY
20. FULGENCE OUEDRAOGO
22. GELA APRASIDZE
22. JOE TOMANE
23. JESSE MOGG

irishbucsfan

10 - 46

Podge_irl

Think Byrne will be fine. Bit worried about JGP though.

Montpellier v Glasgow here - pitch looks ok albeit not well maintained at all. If there is much of a downpour between now and tomorrow afternoon I'd say it will cut up a good bit but looks plenty firm here in December.

Buer

Podge_irl wrote: »

Think Byrne will be fine. Bit worried about JGP though.

RB with McGrath, fine. JGP with Sexton, fine.

RB with JGP.... we'll see. They passed their big test so far in Thomond. This is another level up, though.

Neil3030

I'm pretty sure any kind of bonus point guarantees us a top 2? Still though, you'd hope they worked this out, and learned the lesson from last year.

scott1974

I know Montpellier got well beaten last week, but it was close up to half-time..

Did they run out of gas? I wondering will they be able to deal with a high paced game..

jaansu

I'm pretty confident about this game tomorrow. I reckon JGP will be fine!!

thebaz

my gut tells me won't win - never confident when Johnny is missing -he's as influential as BOD was back in the day, maybe more so

Trojan

What it'll come down to is whether Montpellier are interested or not.

I think with possibility of qualifying, a home crowd and one of the best teams in Europe in town, that they will be at least somewhat up for this.

It's a close call - I'm going to say losing BP for Leinster.

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure any kind of bonus point guarantees us a top 2? Still though, you'd hope they worked this out, and learned the lesson from last year.

Last year we knew we needed to win to guarantee a home semi and we scraped a draw. This year we realistically aren't going to be caught. It could happen, but it's extremely unlikely.

Resting Sexton / Fardy probably the right thing to do.

durkadurka

I’m increasingly fearful that we’re going to get done over here, and increasingly confident that it won’t matter.

irishbucsfan

durkadurka wrote: »

I’m increasingly fearful that we’re going to get done over here, and increasingly confident that it won’t matter.

We don't get done. We are the ones who do the "done"-ing.

Buer

We put out a completely adequate side in Castres last year. We experimented on the wing and gave Triggs a week off which he completely deserved after the few months he had endured.

We lost Sexton and Nacewa to first half injuries which was impossible to predict. That's what cost us. The line up was more than good enough.

jaansu

With Sexton we are a better team but I think we've moved on from last year against Castre when both Sexton and Nacewa went off injured.

vienne86

We only need a LBP to be sure of top spot, and it is not unlikely that we won't even need that.....I wish we weren't first up though.

vienne86

vienne86 wrote: »

We only need a LBP to be sure of top spot, and it is not unlikely that we won't even need that.....I wish we weren't first up though.

Correct, but then being first up is probably the only way for the match to be exciting in a meaningful way.

swiwi_

Montpellier in winter. Not a great place for a braai. Montpellier team to be homesick, Leinster by 10.

Neil3030

It's one of those games where we could just let them get 80 nil ahead, and then bag four tries when they break out the Pastis and start playing Belote.

stephen_n

Think Ross Byrne will benefit from the speed and accuracy of JGP’s pass, which is still way better than Luke’s. Though his kicking game was good in Thomond, I get nervous every time JGP lines up to kick. I think tough his selection indicates we are going for a high tempo game to knacker Monty out. Hope it works

ionadnapokot

Nadolo v Larmour
Interesting!
1st real test of the young man

Squidgy Black

Delighted to see Byrne getting the start, was afraid Carbery would be catapulted into the squad to get gametime for the 6N.

Backrow should be interesting as well, not often we see Leavy and VdF both starting.

If JGP can get clean ball and doesn't hesitate at the ruck I think Byrne will be more than comfortable.

Neil3030

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Nadolo v Larmour
Interesting!
1st real test of the young man

Yeah - and good luck to Larmour as well! :cool:

lufties

Trojan wrote: »

What it'll come down to is whether Montpellier are interested or not.

I think with possibility of qualifying, a home crowd and one of the best teams in Europe in town, that they will be at least somewhat up for this.

It's a close call - I'm going to say losing BP for Leinster.

I'm in MPL at the moment working as it turns out. Be great to see Leinster win, but Montpellier at home will be a tough game.

prawnsambo

lufties wrote: »

I'm in MPL at the moment working as it turns out. Be great to see Leinster win, but Montpellier at home will be a tough game.

Nice place to be working. One of my favourite cities in France.

ionadnapokot

lufties wrote: »

I'm in MPL at the moment working as it turns out. Be great to see Leinster win, but Montpellier at home will be a tough game.

What’s weather like? Ball in hands stuff?
Monsoon in Dublin

lufties

Its a wee bit chilly with dark clouds, probably get a bit showery later.

lufties

prawnsambo wrote: »

lufties wrote: »

I'm in MPL at the moment working as it turns out. Be great to see Leinster win, but Montpellier at home will be a tough game.

Nice place to be working. One of my favourite cities in France.

Its a lovely spot alright. I do a 7 on 7 off (at home) rotation. I see the Cityjet aircraft here at the airport which must've carried the team. Unfortunately I couldn't get tickets, but I'm a Munster man anyway . Will probably head out after the game, wonder if the leinster team will be sticking around.

For many reasons the kick of time isn't great.

But on the other hand I get to watch two top European teams go head to head in 3 hours time.

Can't wait!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

For many reasons the kick of time isn't great.

But on the other hand I get to watch two top European teams go head to head in 3 hours time.

Can't wait!

Yeah. There's something nice about waking up and knowing that I could almost make it all the way to kickoff without getting out of bed and still somehow not feel bad!

prawnsambo

lufties wrote: »

Its a lovely spot alright. I do a 7 on 7 off (at home) rotation. I see the Cityjet aircraft here at the airport which must've carried the team. Unfortunately I couldn't get tickets, but I'm a Munster man anyway . Will probably head out after the game, wonder if the leinster team will be sticking around.

I'd say they'll head straight back this evening. Early enough kick off for them to have a meal afterwards and still get home by tonight.

irishbucsfan

Yeah they'll definitely fly back tonight, they fly back after almost every game.

prawnsambo

The forecast is 13º and 15% chance of rain until this evening. Light wind - 11kph.

ionadnapokot

Did Montpellier pick their strongest team? Don’t know about their depth in 2nd row.
& is Quadraogo a bench option these days?

awec

This is 1pm Irish time right?

lufties

prawnsambo wrote: »

lufties wrote: »

Its a lovely spot alright. I do a 7 on 7 off (at home) rotation. I see the Cityjet aircraft here at the airport which must've carried the team. Unfortunately I couldn't get tickets, but I'm a Munster man anyway . Will probably head out after the game, wonder if the leinster team will be sticking around.

I'd say they'll head straight back this evening. Early enough kick off for them to have a meal afterwards and still get home by tonight.

Ah sh1te, yeah that makes sense.

ionadnapokot

awec wrote: »

This is 1pm Irish time right?

Yep

prawnsambo

awec wrote: »

This is 1pm Irish time right?

Yep. 2pm French time.

irishbucsfan

Poor attendance... Looks like a Kings game!

EDIT: I think the video they were showing in the background wasn't live? That was weird, I wrote this then noticed the players were "warming up" on the video, despite the fact it was one minute to kickoff.

Felexicon

That Leinster jersey is a disgrace

That's what we call a reverse Keith Earls.

Miles forward from Leinster there.

vienne86

Lovely!

Larmour just got completely folded by Nandolo. Looks shook !

Clegg

Lowe is pure magic.

vienne86

What a start! James Lowe.......great strength.

irishbucsfan

Swing Lowe?

Shefwedfan

JGP was great in that try

Clegg

Lovely work from JGP there too. The offload to Lowe then the snappy pass to Byrne.

Former Former

Mark Robson, sweet Jesus.

TMO seemed a bit incredulous there. Great try, well done Leinster.