Leinster v Ulster Pro14 Final Sept 12th 7.35pm Build Up

thomond2006

bilston wrote: »

I honestly think the 6-2 split is enforced. It makes little sense to me.

Who do you put in there? Faddes isn't great and Ludik is being punished.

bilston

Two players, one from each side, can feel hard done by...Kiran Treadwell who misses out altogether and Will Connors who I think has been excellent recently dropping to the bench...although J VdF is a decent replacement!

Clegg

Completely missed Ringrose being named captain. Been one of our best players for years now, bit I'm pretty sure he's never started a games as captain. Shows how much he's developed as a leader.

[Deleted User]

Ballsy from Ulster

[Deleted User]

Matthew Rea any use?

sydthebeat

bilston wrote: »

Two players, one from each side, can feel hard done by...Kiran Treadwell who misses out altogether and Will Connors who I think has been excellent recently dropping to the bench...although J VdF is a decent replacement!

i dont think porridge will feel too hard done by, as it most likely means he starts against sarries then, man marking on Billy V

Podge_irl

I thought Henderson was supposed to be out for much longer?

Rigor Mortis

Clegg wrote: »

Completely missed Ringrose being named captain. Been one of our best players for years now, bit I'm pretty sure he's never started a games as captain. Shows how much he's developed as a leader.

He was captain when JS came off agin Munster. He has talked previously about Lancaster pushing him into a more central role in the leadership team.

bilston

thomond2006 wrote: »

Who do you put in there? Faddes isn't great and Ludik is being punished.

Faddes isn't that bad though.

But yeah there does seem to be a real ruthlessness about this team selection. Dropping Cooney and Murphy...its possible Ludik has been punished for helping give DTH the freedom of Murrayfield last week.

Squidgy Black

Podge_irl wrote: »

I thought Henderson was supposed to be out for much longer?

Wasn't supposed to be back until mid-October, they thought he was originally not gonna make the 6N games.

Surprised he's made it back so soon, although not surprised that he's been drafted in for this considering how woeful the lineouts been with Carter calling it.

bilston

partyjungle wrote: »

Matthew Rea any use?

Military medium...but capable of rising to the occasion on the day. Good lineout option, carries quite well. He would be a better ball carrier than Jordi. But then you lose Jordi's workrate. I'm not convinced Murphy is 100%.

thomond2006

Disrespectful Leinster putting Mr. Backup at 10. They truly HATE the league. SAD!

Clegg

There's no way Henderson lasts the 80. He'll put in a shift for 50-60 and Carter will replace him. I'm guessing the 6-2 split is to cover the sub up front they know they'll have to make. It also adds a but of extra impact if they're chasing the game/looking to close it out.

On the Leinster side another sub I see happening is Conan coming off for Connors and Doris shifting to 8. A tandem of VDF and Connors could shut down a lot of Ulster attacks

Paul Smeenus

Let's go, biatches.

Hendo back is - well, out of the blue. I'd imagine that fact that it's his first game back and the fact that Madigan covers 10-12-15 accounts for the 6/2 split. McFarland has been ruthless with Cooney, Murphy and Ludik... delighted to see it, and to see EOS and TOT trusted to start again.

Treadwell can feel very hard done by. Unless Carter has magically been keeping his powder dry, Treadwell deserves Carter's bench place. Could be about calm heads and leadership in the last twenty, although Carter has given away more penalties than KT.

Good, young team.

SUFTUM

Paul Smeenus

bilston wrote: »

Military medium...but capable of rising to the occasion on the day. Good lineout option, carries quite well. He would be a better ball carrier than Jordi. But then you lose Jordi's workrate. I'm not convinced Murphy is 100%.

Also capable to moving to second row. Not brilliant there but can do a job. With Hendo starting, might be a slight bit of reassurance.

irishbucsfan

Ross Byrne would be starting if he played for Ulster. Have we done that one yet?

pickarooney

Almost a full ex-Leinster bench there.

awec

Is this not on TG4 tomorrow?

They have rugby beo on tomorrow, saying Pro14 final 2020 from 5:30-8 according to the sky guide.

But the game kicks off at 7:35?

sydthebeat

awec wrote: »

Is this not on TG4 tomorrow?

They have rugby beo on tomorrow, saying Pro14 final 2020 from 5:30-8 according to the sky guide.

But the game kicks off at 7:35?

It was announced yesterday that tg4 was showing it live.
I hope so as I've booked a table in the strength of them showing it

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Ross Byrne would be starting if he played for Ulster. Have we done that one yet?

He probably would be, still a typically arrogant move. One eye on Saracens I suppose...its a fair enough approach

Buer

So it looks like Ulster are coming to play and are taking a similar approach to last week. Try to set the pitch of the game early on and then bring in the finishers and heavies to force an arm wrestle in their favour.

Treadwell is ridiculously unfortunate. Right now, he's worth a spot arguably ahead of any of the other three if we take into account Henderson has no match fitness. I don't get him being left out after his cameo last week showing what impact he is capable of. Carter is going to have to deliver a big showing off the bench to repay McFarland.

The 6/2 split is very interesting. Madigan will obviously provide cover in multiple spots and there's a little flexibility there already in Lowry, Stockdale and Hume who is comfortable at 12 or 13. But it's still not ideal. Suffer an injury there and Ulster are going to be rejigging things in a way that Leinster could expose.

For Leinster, I thought Connors might have got the nod again for the Coetzee job but I don't have much issue with VDF who is well able to bring the line speed to the table and stop Coetzee getting up a head of steam. I'd rather have Ulster worry about Leinster rathern than the other way around.

This will be a big task for Keenan to cut Stockdale out of the game. He needs to stop him getting up a head of steam and deal with the aerial threat. Eliminate those and Stockdale will rely on getting quality ball from inside him which will hopefully be diminished in supply this week. On the flip side, Lowe will be dealing with the feet of Lyttle which could expose him in defence but the physical mismatch may also give him a clear advantage with ball in hand. Lyttle gives up 16kg to Lowe which is a serious discrepancy for wingers.

The most intriguing and influential battle will be the two scrum halves, for me. Both very similar, stereotypical NZ half backs who have solid passing games, clear the ball well and are lively in terms of trailing runs, creating breaks for others etc. Whoever impacts the game more (and the breakdown will obviously be a massive influence) will be on the winning side, I reckon.

The battle of the Bu/yrn(e)s will be interesting but I can see Ross sticking to his very steady, 7/10 showing and Billy really being dependent on what takes place in front of him. Hume did a job on Mata last week with a great tackle but I can see Doris, Conan and Henshaw really giving him a tough examination in defence.

This will be closer than many think and I reckon we'll be in for a bit of a nail biting final quarter. Leinster by 4.

typhoony

people harping on about an arrogant decision not selecting sexton, you could argue it's actually a stronger team with James Ryan coming into the team

sydthebeat

awec wrote: »

Is this not on TG4 tomorrow?

They have rugby beo on tomorrow, saying Pro14 final 2020 from 5:30-8 according to the sky guide.

But the game kicks off at 7:35?

https://www.tg4.ie/en/irish-tv-schedule/sport-schedule/

Rugbaí Beo
Saturday, 12th September, 19:05 - LIVE
Live coverage of the Guinness PRO14 Final between Leinster and Ulster.

Paul Smeenus

The penny has just dropped that we're holding Treadwell back for a start against Toulouse. Bit disrespectful to Leinster, who are a good team. As an Ulster fan, I'm ashamed.

[Deleted User]

This game is shaping up to one of the most shameful displays in Rugby history. Shame on us all.

KaneToad

partyjungle wrote: »

This game is shaping up to one of the most shameful displays in Rugby history. Shame on us all.

Nonsense.

Teams have always rested players with one eye on other competitions. Leinster want to win everything & go unbeaten, they won't achieve that by playing JS every week.

ionadnapokot

Paul Smeenus wrote: »

The penny has just dropped that we're holding Treadwell back for a start against Toulouse. Bit disrespectful to Leinster, who are a good team. As an Ulster fan, I'm ashamed.

Ha!
Any word on injury?

Great to see Henderson and Ryan both back. Surprised they are starting.

Also happy to see Stockdale back on the wing and Lowry & Larmour at FB.
From an Irish point of view it's probably best that they are left to develop in those positions.

Zzippy

sydthebeat wrote: »

It was announced yesterday that tg4 was showing it live.
I hope so as I've booked a table in the strength of them showing it

"Hi syd. Just confirming your booking for Saturday night and thank you for choosing to dine with us. We do have to inform you that due to Covid regulations, tables can only be booked for 105 minutes, and consequently we will have to require you to finish your meal by 9.15 and vacate the premises. As we are heavily booked due to people expecting a second lockdown shortly, the table has been booked again for 9.30 and we will require time to clean and disinfect the area after you. Thanks for your co-operation in this matter. "

sydthebeat

Zzippy wrote: »

"Hi syd. Just confirming your booking for Saturday night and thank you for choosing to dine with us. We do have to inform you that due to Covid regulations, tables can only be booked for 105 minutes, and consequently we will have to require you to finish your meal by 9.15 and vacate the premises. As we are heavily booked due to people expecting a second lockdown shortly, the table has been booked again for 9.30 and we will require time to clean and disinfect the area after you. Thanks for your co-operation in this matter. "

I'm heading to sligo

Lowest covid rate in the country

Rigor Mortis

The fact that TG4 are showing this game and not RTE shows that no one is taking it seriously.