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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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Jump_In_Jack

The score was 16-6 right, still didn’t change, Leinster got one single try and scored one penalty more than Munster out of the same number of attempts at goal wasn’t it?
Sounds like a pretty close match to me, don’t know what all the BS is about everything being wrong with Munster, coaching, no players, etc
Could meet again in the Heineken Cup yet, or even the Rainbow Cup final maybe, either way will be playing in a few weeks time so happy to wait and see what happens then.

almostover

BoardsMember wrote: »

Coombes is going to continue to get a lot more games than Penney, considering he'll be in the starting back row for big games. Penney has a fair bit of competition with Josh and Connors ahead at the moment.

Size matters in international rugby too.

Penny: 6'0" and 16st
Coombes: 6' 6" and 17st

Simplistic view point perhaps. Penney must get past Connors and JvdF at Leinster before he will be in the reckoning for Ireland. Those guys are the 1 and 2 choice at both club and international level. A move to another province could be his ticket to the green jersey.

Coombes is first choice at Munster albeit that we're still a bit off Leinster's standard. He's impressed in an away game to Clermont recovering from an early missed tackle to have a very strong carrying game. He's been in top form in the Pro14 also. He will replace Stander as our no.8 going forward. Has a great tight carrying game, good pair of hands and is a real jackal threat. Needs to improve his defence a little. For me its between him, Ruddock and POM for the vacancy at no.6 that Stander leaves in the Ireland back row.

theVersatile

sebdavis wrote: »

Would he be as hyped if he came from the Leinster academy?

Probably about three times the amount of hype beginning from the moment he played Junior Cup

BoardsMember

Coombes is going to continue to get a lot more games than Penney, considering he'll be in the starting back row for big games. Penney has a fair bit of competition with Josh and Connors ahead at the moment.

AbusesToilets

Ruddock also got cursed by the same gypsy that did in Fitzgerald and Ferris. I've lost count of the number of times he's managed to get injured right before the international window after being in great form. Practically a meme in its own right.

VayNiice

wittycynic wrote: »

O'Mahony is only 10 months older than Ruddock. Both were in Ireland's 2012 six nations squad, a tournament where O'Mahony got 4 caps and Ruddock got none. That was Kidney's second last six nations.

Ruddock played better than POM yesterday, but no one judges a player's ability off a single game. The point stands that no Irish or lions coach has ever appeared to think that Ruddock was or is the better of the two, and there's a reason for that. Yesterday on its own, won't put Ruddock ahead of POM in any coach's pecking order.

Well I'd argue Ruddock has been better than POM for the past couple of years but that's just my opinion. POM must be producing some serious magic in training because he's been poor for much of the past 2 years

stephen_n

sebdavis wrote: »

The hype around Coombes is a bit of the top from my point of view. The Pro14 website done a comparison with Penny and to be honest Penny is ahead.

Would he be as hyped if he came from the Leinster academy?

You can’t regally make that comparison until Penny plays in Europe and in games like last night. Coombes at this stage has played in far bigger games and looked comfortable. That’s not saying Penny won’t but you can’t compare stats from utterly dominant Leinster performances. Coombes looked good last night in a beaten pack.

sebdavis

thomond2006 wrote: »

Kilcoyne is better than Ed Byrne. Come on now.
Coombes would make the 23 also on the basis of yesterday. Some missed tackles but an excellent ball carrying performance.

I get that Munster's pack was comprehensively outplayed but let's not go crazy.

The hype around Coombes is a bit of the top from my point of view. The Pro14 website done a comparison with Penny and to be honest Penny is ahead.

Would he be as hyped if he came from the Leinster academy?

[Deleted User]

VayNiice wrote: »

Well Ruddock was only 22 in Kidneys last year in charge of Ireland and Ferris was Kidneys first choice at 6 during that time.

Ruddock completely outplayed POM yesterday.

O'Mahony is only 10 months older than Ruddock. Both were in Ireland's 2012 six nations squad, a tournament where O'Mahony got 4 caps and Ruddock got none. That was Kidney's second last six nations.

Ruddock played better than POM yesterday, but no one judges a player's ability off a single game. The point stands that no Irish or lions coach has ever appeared to think that Ruddock was or is the better of the two, and there's a reason for that. Yesterday on its own, won't put Ruddock ahead of POM in any coach's pecking order.

VayNiice

wittycynic wrote: »

None of Kidney, Schmidt, Farrell, nor Gatland shared your view of Ruddock as being ahead of O'Mahony, but fair enough.

Well Ruddock was only 22 in Kidneys last year in charge of Ireland and Ferris was Kidneys first choice at 6 during that time.

Ruddock completely outplayed POM yesterday.

BoardsMember

FrannoFan wrote: »

Leinster figured out stander years ago. Nearly always pick toner against munster to deal with him.

To be fair, Toner has been picked fairly consistently over the last number of years for every big game, regardless of who they were playing against. He was a Leinster and Ireland starter, year in, year out. The idea that Toner is picked to counter CJ is difficult to comprehend, he'd have been picked anyway and you'd imagine that the backrow selection would in principal be more influenced by the opposition backrow, than the 2nd row selection.

[Deleted User]

BoardsMember wrote: »

This is true, and its a good point. I've never understood how Munster has effectively owne 2 of the backrow positions through a period where Leinster utterly dominated them head to head. The front 5 superiority can't be underestimated, so maybe that, plus superior coaching, first 15 and strength in depth has had an impact too.

Leinster have on the whole had a substantially better 23 and squad depth for over a decade now. There's a sizeable gulf in class between the front 5 as you say, notwithstanding the fact that I think Beirne and Kilcoyne would feature in a Leinster 23 if available. Tight head and Hooker are particular problem areas where Munster doesn't have a single player of that is even European cup standard, let alone international standard. There's no solid option for the club at loosehead beyond Kilcoyne, and things are fairly threadbare in second row. Beirne is excellent, and Kleyn is decent but ideally you would want another two strong options (of course munster should have had Snyman this year, but that's another story).

FrannoFan

Clegg wrote: »

I think Leinster fans perceptions are also coloured by the fact that POM, CJ et al rarely perform well in games against Leinster.

A lot of the time it's a case of Leinsters front 5 beating up Munster's and not allowing their backrow any sort of attacking platform. But it's never total dominance and there are always times when Munster's backrow gets a chance to attack. But even with those opportunities Munster show up poorly.

Just feels like Leo and Lancaster figured out PoM and Stander years ago and since then they've been stifled.

Leinster figured out stander years ago. Nearly always pick toner against munster to deal with him.

BoardsMember

wittycynic wrote: »

None of Kidney, Schmidt, Farrell, nor Gatland shared your view of Ruddock as being ahead of O'Mahony, but fair enough.

This is true, and its a good point. I've never understood how Munster has effectively owne 2 of the backrow positions through a period where Leinster utterly dominated them head to head. The front 5 superiority can't be underestimated, so maybe that, plus superior coaching, first 15 and strength in depth has had an impact too.

sydthebeat

yosser hughes wrote: »

He makes the Ireland 23 because he has a contract.

Well that's a lie

yosser hughes

wittycynic wrote: »

POM always makes the Ireland 23 when fit, but wouldn't get near the Leinster 23? Jaysus.

He makes the Ireland 23 because he had a contract. Why the contract was renewed is a mystery to me and the majority of rugby fans.
I like POM and i admire a lot about him but he didn't deserve a new contract

[Deleted User]

wittycynic wrote: »

Just pointing out that every professional coach who has ever had to determine between them, including Farrell in the recent six nations, has believed O'Mahony to be the better choice. Surely that says something?

Ruddock is a fine player, but the only people who seem think he's better than O'Mahony on the whole are Leinster fans.

Imagine it's a Euro final and Leinster have all of Doris, Conan, VdF, Leavy, Connors, Ruddock and POM fit and firing. Who do you reckon makes the 23?

[Deleted User]

Interested Observer wrote: »

The Lions tour was 4 years ago. What would Leinster do with him now?

Just pointing out that every professional coach who has ever had to determine between them, including Farrell in the recent six nations, has believed O'Mahony to be the better choice. Surely that says something?

Ruddock is a fine player, but the only people who seem think he's better than O'Mahony on the whole are Leinster fans.

[Deleted User]

wittycynic wrote: »

None of Kidney, Schmidt, Farrell, nor Gatland shared your view of Ruddock as being ahead of O'Mahony, but fair enough.

The Lions tour was 4 years ago. What would Leinster do with him now?

AbusesToilets

wittycynic wrote: »

None of Kidney, Schmidt, Farrell, nor Gatland shared your view of Ruddock as being ahead of O'Mahony, but fair enough.

Good thing there's plenty of matches to watch them in to gauge for oneself then, including many head to head.

AbusesToilets

Clegg wrote: »

I think Leinster fans perceptions are also coloured by the fact that POM, CJ et al rarely perform well in games against Leinster.

A lot of the time it's a case of Leinsters front 5 beating up Munster's and not allowing their backrow any sort of attacking platform. But it's never total dominance and there are always times when Munster's backrow gets a chance to attack. But even with those opportunities Munster show up poorly.

Just feels like Leo and Lancaster figured out PoM and Stander years ago and since then they've been stifled.

Most good teams have figured out Stander. He rarely has the impact he probably ouught to have, given his propensity to seek contact.

[Deleted User]

AbusesToilets wrote: »

Ruddock is a better 6, there's a rake of better 7s and 8s. Hardly a controversial opinion.

None of Kidney, Schmidt, Farrell, nor Gatland shared your view of Ruddock as being ahead of O'Mahony, but fair enough.

Clegg

I think Leinster fans perceptions are also coloured by the fact that POM, CJ et al rarely perform well in games against Leinster.

A lot of the time it's a case of Leinsters front 5 beating up Munster's and not allowing their backrow any sort of attacking platform. But it's never total dominance and there are always times when Munster's backrow gets a chance to attack. But even with those opportunities Munster show up poorly.

Just feels like Leo and Lancaster figured out PoM and Stander years ago and since then they've been stifled.

[Deleted User]

wittycynic wrote: »

POM always makes the Ireland 23 when fit, but wouldn't get near the Leinster 23? Jaysus.

Yeah. Absolutely. Did you see the game yesterday for example?

BoardsMember

wittycynic wrote: »

POM always makes the Ireland 23 when fit, but wouldn't get near the Leinster 23? Jaysus.

I think that's correct. He's definitely not getting in the 15 at 7. And I think he'd be behind Ruddock, maybe others at 6. Hard to see him ahead of Baird on the bench.

AbusesToilets

wittycynic wrote: »

POM always makes the Ireland 23 when fit, but wouldn't get near the Leinster 23? Jaysus.

Ruddock is a better 6, there's a rake of better 7s and 8s. Hardly a controversial opinion.

[Deleted User]

Interested Observer wrote: »

Well on the basis of yesterday Leinster didn't have a backrow on the bench due to all the rest of them being injured so by virtue of being able to walk he'd have made the 23 by default, but in general if Doris, Leavy, Connors were available? He'd get gametime over the course of a season. There's absolutely no way POM would get near the Leinster 23 and Stander would be a different player if he was at Leinster. Kilcoyne would make the 23 for sure.

POM always makes the Ireland 23 when fit, but wouldn't get near the Leinster 23? Jaysus.

molloyjh

Haven't rewatched the game back and not sure if I'll get a chance to. But did have a quick scan through some of the stats. I didn't specifically notice during the game, but Munster seem to use Beirne and Kleyn to do a lot of their carrying. Coombes was excellent, but the other back rows for Munster simply didn't get into the game at all on attack.

Similarly, the back line was used far less than they should have been. Carbery barely touched the ball and the centres were similar. The replacements made a big difference there. JJ was used almost as much in his few mins as Carbery had been all game. Similarly Scannell compared to DDA. Not sure if that was planned or what, but Munster seemed happy to effectively run into us whenever they had the ball. From a Leinster perspective all I can say is please and thank you.

irishbucsfan

There's definitely been a feeling of anti-climax with ProXX finals even when crowds are there. Previously it was often right up against a European final and that had a similar effect. No matter what happens it'll never be more important than a European final or a Six Nations game, so it'll always be overshadowed if scheduled up either side of one of those.

molloyjh

hahashake wrote: »

Am I wrong to say this didn't feel like a final? Obviously some of these players have just come off a massive win for Ireland and have one eye on the European games (plus no crowds to top it off) but it felt slightly lacking in intensity.

You definitely weren't the only one who felt like that! That said, had supporters been there that may have been very different.