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Leinster Vs Munster Pro 14 final build up thread

[Deleted User]

To save two team threads getting messy

Here's a thread for you to get you started

Munster looking for their first silverware in 10 years
Leinster going for 4 in a row

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A-Train

bayern wrote: »

This is effectively Leinsters league Cup and Munsters biggest game in a decade.

Leinster won't be naming their strongest available side l, while Munster will.

A win for Munster is almost required for the rivalry. Personally I hope Leinster stomp Munster but have a feeling it will be a "famous" win.

It feels like it’s shaping up for a “famous win” alright. That’s what the media narrative has been all week.

It’s Munster’s final to lose at this stage.

molloyjh

Poor Billy Holland. CJ really has stolen his thunder.....

Akrasia

molloyjh wrote: »

Poor Billy Holland. CJ really has stolen his thunder.....

Billy Holland is a legend but he won’t be starting on Saturday and may not even make the bench

Akrasia

A-Train wrote: »

It feels like it’s shaping up for a “famous win” alright. That’s what the media narrative has been all week.

It’s Munster’s final to lose at this stage.

The ‘narrative’ to me looks like a lot of nervous Leinster fans getting their excuses in early

bayern

Akrasia wrote: »

Munsters 1st choice team is just as good as Leinsters 1st choice team. Our problem is in the depth chart and we haven’t had our 1st choice playmaker fit in almost 2 years

Munster will Win this weekend
We have way more to play for than Leinster have. CJs last ever league game is worth 10 points on its own

unfortunately for you, leinster will be missing/resting quite a few of their 1st choice team this weekend.

Podge_irl

Icemancometh wrote: »

No, that was a semi final. Leinster Ulster was the final. The previous league final was 2011 in Thomond, a week after the Northampton Leinster Heineken Cup final.

aka the game where Horan nearly ended BOD's career :pac:

bayern

Beirne certainly has a sense of déjà vu this week.

“I am not too sure where all your heads are at, but a lot of you (journalists) could already be writing us off because everyone has Leinster on that pedestal,” he says. “We are quietly confident in here. We were backing ourselves and we feel like we will be able to get the win on Saturday.”

nothing quiet about these quotes, Tadhg.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/pro14/everyone-has-leinster-on-that-pedestal-tadhg-beirne-confident-munster-can-take-final-step-40240861.html

molloyjh

Akrasia wrote: »

The ‘narrative’ to me looks like a lot of nervous Leinster fans getting their excuses in early

To be clear, we are not nervous. I'd like to win it, but the HEC is far more important this year. We've won 3 in a row in the league. We've beaten Munster way more than not in recent years. So beating Munster to win a league title just isn't that big a deal.

Munster have a lot going for them too. They are a LOT more cohesive, have less injuries, have had fewer away with Ireland, have a bee in their bonnet over Leinster beating them in KO games, have a bee in their bonnet over not winning a trophy in a decade, have a longer turnaround to their HEC game and have both CJ and Billy H retiring which will all feed into their performance. Leinster don't really have anything like that.

And yet still the conversation is that Munster have a chance here if Leinster choose to rest a few guys. Given all the above, the fact that the "narrative" is that Munster might nick this one if Leinster rest a few guys isn't really that complimentary towards Munster....

EDIT: That reads a bit more antagonistic than intended. Oh well, shots fired!

The Inbetween is mine

If both side manage to put out full strength teams...then Munster will win....but I can't see that happening due to players being rested & injuries.
It's all coming down to squad depth..and who has the least amount of walking wounded...so that might swing it back in Leinster's favour..

bayern

Akrasia wrote: »

The ‘narrative’ to me looks like a lot of nervous Leinster fans getting their excuses in early

What excuse? It's reality, this game is Munster's biggest in years and will define their season.

Leinster's season will be very much more defined what happens against Toulon and hopefully beyond.

This will be reflected in the teams named today.

Would still love to beat Munster tomorrow and will be sickened if Leinster lose but it wouldn't come close to a loss to Toulon or how sickened I was after the past two Saracens losses.

Leinster's seasons aren't defined by the Pro 14 and beating Munster. Munster's are.

sydthebeat

im much more interested in getting one over Toulon in the HC quarter finals than to win another bloody pro14, in an abridged covid year...

id actually prefer as well to win the inaugural Rainbow Cup over the pro14 this year to be honest

stephen_n

Akrasia wrote: »

Munsters 1st choice team is just as good as Leinsters 1st choice team. Our problem is in the depth chart and we haven’t had our 1st choice playmaker fit in almost 2 years

Munster will Win this weekend
We have way more to play for than Leinster have. CJs last ever league game is worth 10 points on its own

I would dispute the first part of your statement, though if Snyman and Killer were fit, your pack would be a lot stronger. Even our second string front five would probably be stronger than Munsters.

Munster should have won at least two out of the last 5 encounters and yet found someway to shoot themselves in the foot. Playing on passion (pashun) like that for CJ is a very fine line. Ireland got the right balance but in a derby game, that can very easily spill over into indiscipline and bite you in the arse.

Leinster have a lot to play for, the players that get picked have to justify taking the jersey off the players who got there. It’s a final. It’s a chance to do something neither province has ever done. No shortage of motivation for either team. The better coached team will win.

molloyjh

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

If both side manage to put out full strength teams...then Munster will win....but I can't see that happening due to players being rested & injuries.
It's all coming down to squad depth..and who has the least amount of walking wounded...so that might swing it back in Leinster's favour..

Munster surely have less walking wounded. Last week vs Ospreys we had every single fit and available back (from 9-15) across our senior squad and Academy in the 23. Thats how many we were missing. Add to that Leavy, Doris and Deegan from the back row (at best - Murphy and Penny were in bits at the end of last week's game) and we are missing a lot of bodies at the moment.

Bridge93

Being honest, i ft was anyone other than Munster I almost wouldn't care if Leinster win or not tomorrow. The Pro12/14/16 really needs somebody other than Leinster to win it. 4 in a row is not a good look for any competition. The fact Leinster do it year in year out with such ease while fielding largely second teams makes it worse. Would be good for the competitive nature of the tournament to have another name on it.

As it is Munster, that'll have to wait until next year.

Sadly I think Munster will do it. Selection will count for a lot but there's just more on the line for Munster. Leinster's absentee list likely to be a fair bit longer which negates what as been ultimately the biggest difference between the sides down the years, Leinster's depth. Think Munster by 5 or so

bayern

molloyjh wrote: »

Munster surely have less walking wounded. Last week vs Ospreys we had every single fit and available back (from 9-15) across our senior squad and Academy in the 23. Thats how many we were missing. Add to that Leavy, Doris and Deegan from the back row (at best - Murphy and Penny were in bits at the end of last week's game) and we are missing a lot of bodies at the moment.

Penny is out this week and for the foreseeable future with a broken hand.

thomond2006

There's cute hoorism and then there's this.
Even if Leinster leave out a few names, they are still favourites and expected to win.

[Deleted User]

thomond2006 wrote: »

There's cute hoorism and then there's this.
Even if Leinster leave out a few names, they are still favourites and expected to win.

Well you may have a chat with a few of the Munster supporters on this thread about that.

A-Train

Akrasia wrote: »

The ‘narrative’ to me looks like a lot of nervous Leinster fans getting their excuses in early

Not at all, as has been said a few times Munster need this and want this more.

Leinster will have more of an eye on next week and are carrying a lot more injuries at the moment. If game management around the players comes into it, Munster should be naming a much stronger team than Leinster.

thomond2006

Munster are cannon fodder. You know it and I know it.

sydthebeat

it will be psychologically crushing if Leinster seconds beat a fully loaded Munster team..... especially on CJs day

The Inbetween is mine

I've never seen so many humble Leinster fan's in here...it's quite heartening...

Edit: seems I spoke too soon.

bayern

Two of Munster's most important players both from Kildare and came through the Leinster academy, really underlines how far Munster have fallen since 2011.

Not to mention the reliance on South Africans..

Surely Kleyn and De Allende will have big performances in the bag to send their fellow South African home with a medal.

molloyjh

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster are cannon fodder. You know it and I know it.

Cute what now?

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

Cute what now?

Truth.

Former Former Former

The Inbetween is mine wrote: »

I've never seen so many humble Leinster fan's in here...it's quite heartening...

Ah shur look we're just glad to have got this far, anything else is a bonus. Playing the two-time European champions? I just hope we can keep it respectable

thomond2006

Former Former Former wrote: »

Ah shur look we're just glad to have got this far, anything else is a bonus. Playing the two-time European champions? I just hope we can keep it respectable

Can we keep a corner flag?

The Inbetween is mine

Oooh...big rumour about Andrew Porter coming to Munster for next season!!!

Well....I'm starting it anyways.. we'll see how it goes

breezy1985

ClanofLams wrote: »

They have to play full teams imo. Xmas interpros are one thing but if you're not playing full teams in final you're really saying competition doesn't matter so expect two first teams even if provinces wanted to rest players.

The pro 14 doesn't matter to Irish teams with European ambitions like Leinster currently or Munster back in the day

[Deleted User]

Was perusing planet rugby and saw someone has this as the rumoured Leinster team:

Healy, Kelleher, Porter
Dev, Fardy
Rhys, Conan, JVdF
Luke,Ross B
Dave K, RO'L, Henshaw, Larmour
Keenan

Bench: Treacy, Byrne, Furlong, Molony, Baird, JGP, J10, Lowe

Possible that Leinster will finish with a stronger team than starts.

irishbucsfan

Is Frawley injured?