4 weeks seems fair enough - it had all the looks of a cheap shot.
Selections will be interesting on both sides when they come out in a couple of hours. Looks like it's going to be a very windy night at the sportsground, and I can see Leinster peppering our back three with high balls regardless, so hopefully they've been practicing their fielding!
Pretty much along expected lines with Piers moved to FB and Santi to the wing hopefully he can show a bit more of what he is about as has been quiet so far after the injury. Good to see Gavin on the bench too.
I like the look of that selection!
A few reasons to be optimistic IMO:
That being said, it's a very strong Leinster team and we will likely need to be at our very best, along with some luck, in order to eke out a win. Can't afford any of the silly errors and concentration lapses that have marred our season so far.
Really glad we've selected Gavin as we have many other options for the 23 jersey, but have opted against a safer bet like Ralston. Hopefully he gets some decent minutes, followed by a start against Dragons.
Is Mack out injured?
Why there is no M.Devine at SH?
According to the42 article he has "minor hip issue"
Murphy is great but he is inexperienced so I think Blade on the bench makes a more solid choice.
Because Murphy is on fire and Blade is an international. Unlucky for Devine who was really good himself last year, but he'll get his chance.
Exciting selection. Would liked to have seen SHL ON the bench, but other than that this is good. Cordero hasn't worked at FB, so let's hope he can improve on the wing. Hawkshaw, and then Forde from the bench, can take on kicking duties from Ioane. Good game from Bolton could mean he's a bolter for Irish squad.
Hurley-Langton is injured I believe.
Team selection is pretty much in line with folks comments. I do find it interesting how Leinster work selections. Now obviously with them having a large proportion of the Irish team decisions have to made how to best use resources. That said I find it strange they go full tilt at Benetton away and then provide a somewhat mixed team against Connacht.
Be that what it is the question still remains, how do we beat this team. So it's the usual. You defend your scrums, you defend your lineouts, you kick sensibly and kick well. You take every point you can and be happy to take it rather than gambling on crossing the line by kicking into corners when penalties are straight forward.
So that's the basics. But to win this game we pester Gibson Park. Murphy needs to torment him around the scrum for starters. Then having a perfect defensive line is not going to cut it. We need to be able to cut out of the line to disrupt Gibson Parks distribution. If we are just going to play conventional defensive line I don't think we will win. We need to understand the importance of Gibson Park and shut it down.
One change I would make to this team is have Forde at inside centre and Bundee at outside centre. It just supports the type of play we will need to win this game. Of course Bundee plays inside for Ireland but for Connacht he would be far more devastating at outside centre
I think we should do what Ulster did to us. Make the rucks a complete dog fight, slow their ball down. If we lose the ruck battle we will lose the game.
Of the opposite belief. You fight by their game you lose by their rules.
You play the typical game you get the same result.
So rather than defensive you go offensive. We know Leinster will beat us with a bonus point if we play defensively. So what's the point in that.
Well, there's a elephant in the room nobody pointed out. Piers O'Connor, though not completely unexperienced here, played only 10 out of his 111 game as FB…
With the teams selected I think we will have parity, or at least as close to it, so it's not the deciding factor in the game in lineout and scrum. Slow their ball and negate jgps influence and I think we might have a chance. But either way I'd love it if we beat them.
I wonder what the issues are with john porch. Is he just not this managements type or is he injured?
Hope Cordero has a good game on the wing.
Looking like a long night already. Leinster going for the kill early.
Ioane is allergic to finding touch.
Forde needs to be on for start of second half and on kicking duties obviously (Ioane was left on them last week when Forde came on for some unknown reason).
Maybe leave Ioane on as he is obviously big threat ball in hand but either way Forde has to be on, uphill battle to get anything from this game, cannot afford any more missed touches.
Restarts being a disaster? Strange, I really thought that problem would not continue for the sixth year running,
Hopefully they can get a new coaching ticket new year, just not at the races
Checking out earlier than ever this year. Nearly had to turn it off when they kept showing Wilkins slap the window
Disappointing performance really. Never really fired a shot. Didn’t give up at least but just conceding too many tries. Didn’t even do much with a gale behind them. Couldn’t handle Snyman at all. He was throwing the ball around like it was an egg.
Dragons at home next week now before a month break from the URC. Need to win with a bonus and they’ll be 3 wins from 6 at least.
I can see plenty of good stuff in attack from ioane but man is he a brutal kicker from hand or what? Unfortunately for Cordero it's not working and I'll fight with anyone who thinks we wouldn't be better off with Jennings or porch there instead.
Thought Jansen was really good when he came on, DTM also and Forde just makes things happen.
Boyle played well for most of the game but the held up over the line and the run down the wing without stepping inside was a bit of poor judgement.
Disappointed. Nothing more to be said
Pete Wilkins banging the window multiple times was embarrassing....
He will wince if he sees that back...
Not a good look for a head coach of a professional team…
Connacht should be out with the begging bowl trying to get Nigel Carolan back.
Couldnt argue that Leinster were good value for their win and just so clinical when they have the ball they don't panic go through their plays and keep the pressure on. Kind of the opposite to us at times last night we made a lot of breaks but almost every one was followed by mistake or poor execution.
Felt like any time it seemed we built a bit of pressure we let them off easily with a soft penalty or poor mistake. We had more than enough chances to come away with at least one bonus point I felt.
Also the try we conceeded from the restart (not for the first times) was brutal
How did Hugh Gavin get on at the weekend? Did he play on the wing? Don't think I have the heart to watch it back.
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