Leinster Team Talk Thread (Love you Furlong time)

KH25 · 03-05-2026 09:21AM

Rewatching the game and Pearce’s performance was terrible. Nothing for Sinckler hitting JGP with his shoulder, nothing for continually giving away scrum pens, and even more baffling nothing for the intentional knock-on before the Ringrose try.

pickarooney · 03-05-2026 09:35AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439600#Comment_124439600

Just forget the 11 other counties as usual, yese feckers.

pickarooney · 03-05-2026 09:37AM

So, can we wear five silver stars if we lose five finals on the trot?

randomname2005 · 03-05-2026 09:42AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439613#Comment_124439613

If the Sinkler incident is at the time of the disallowed try, you can see his right arm is coming up under JGP. It's unfortunate that the post is there but I don't see an issue with the general form of the tackle

El_Duderino 09 · 03-05-2026 09:50AM

The JGP knock-on, was a knock-on. You could argue it was such a small knock-on that the ref should ignore it, but that argument is weak.

That kind of fumble at the ruck is always considered a knock-on. This one was very small, but how big or small the knock-on was, isn't really the question.

Some criticism of the ref are fair. He made some mistakes

darkened_scrum · 03-05-2026 09:57AM

Thought Sinkler was fine, he has to try and make a tackle. It looks worse because the post is there.

There was however a blatant deliberate knock-on on the line before Ringrose scored.

lalababa · 03-05-2026 09:58AM

Sinkler got a slight nudge as he started the tackle which blocked one of his arms comming up. So it was accidental. Still an offence but not intended. Saying that players shouldn't be allowed to go for those kinda tackles..that is whilst a ball carrier dives for the line. As you've got big potential for high contact.

Heroditas · 03-05-2026 10:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439592#Comment_124439592

Dickson is equally bad with his perma-smirk

All_in_Flynn · 03-05-2026 10:20AM

Pack were phenomenal. Small sample size but Porter since back from injury looks to be making a real effort to paint a picture to refs at Scrum. Has he added a few kgs to anyone else's eye? Clarkson has had some upward curve this season.

Thought VDF and Doris were very very good. James Ryan is so important. His rucking is the best in the world.

I've been a big believer in Sam. His ceiling is massive but yesterday was a redline for me. That wasn't a technique issue for the try. It was a commitment issue. His opponent was wide open, close to the touchline and on his heels having just caught a ball. All Sam had to do was drop his hips and any sort of decent force was going to put him into touch. It's very easy saying it from a laptop eating my toast but at that level you have to embrace the pain.

Barring a injury crisis, he won't be making the 23 for the final. Frawley will rightfully be asking Leo questions.

clsmooth · 03-05-2026 10:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439668#Comment_124439668

In fairness it was like the Dupont knock on at the base of the scrum before ?Jailibert scored on the short side in Paris when we were unhappy it wasn’t looked at. Harsh but once they start looking it’s hard not to give it. We never got any angles from the Dupont one in Paris. That’s a different story.

darkened_scrum · 03-05-2026 10:43AM

Listening to the post match Indo podcast. The glass isn't half empty, the glass has been completely drained, smashed on the floor, and crushed with a steamroller.

"Unfortunately for Leinster this, unfortunately for Leinster that, if Toulon had done this or that blah blah, a better team might have beaten Leinster".

Unfortunately for ROC Leinster are into another final, but I guess has to somehow justify his strong backing for Toulon before the game.

clsmooth · 03-05-2026 10:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439722#Comment_124439722

I think Porter looks slimmer now. He’s definitely more dynamic in his carry than he’s been over the last few seasons. Reminds me a bit of Cian Healy in approx 2017 when he had a similar re-invention losing some weight and working on his footwork before contact. Looks like he’s really benefited from the time out.

Henry Ford III · 03-05-2026 10:45AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439566#Comment_124439566

The attendance wasn't huge however. Plenty of spaces visible on TV.

darkened_scrum · 03-05-2026 10:47AM

Mod Edit

Warning issued.

Heroditas · 03-05-2026 11:06AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124439722#Comment_124439722

Ryan has really made massive improvements to his rucking since that red card against South Africa last autumn. Previously it was borderline reckless whereas now the technique is improved and he's now a lot more effective in clearing out the opposition. Absolute beast of a player when he's on form

Yeah_Right · 03-05-2026 12:46PM

Watching the match as neutral supporting Leinster, I have to say all the criticism here of the ref is bonkers. Take the blue tinted specs off. Pearce was fine. Some mistakes but got the big decisions right.

The JGP knock on, watching it from the live angle on tv, he has 2 goes at picking it up. Clear knock on.

The Sinckler hit looked like he was trying to get his arm under JGP to prevent the try.

The deliberate knock on before the Ringrose try was deliberate but for it to be a card it has to prevent a line break. It didn't. Ringrose scored so advantage over. Also maybe the ref missed it. That happens. The TMO would usually then intervene but a try was scored so I doubt the TMO was even looking at that. Probably busy checking there hasn't been a Leinster infringement in the build up.

The refs aren't out to get you. Sometimes they miss things or make a wrong call. But the refereeing team yesterday was overall good.

Former Former Former · 03-05-2026 12:55PM

Yeah I thought Pearce had a great game. Got the big calls right, didn’t overuse the TMO. A couple of marginal calls went against us, I’m sure the Toulon fans would say the same, that’s just rugby.

Blut2 · 03-05-2026 01:32PM

https://imgur.com/a/KGhhIgX

Prendergast's tackle attempt was just shocking. A 3rds player would be expected to make a tackle into touch there.

exiledawaynothere · 03-05-2026 01:48PM

I have been critical of the fast tracking of Sam P. However, he is still insanely talented and has a lot of potential. I don’t think we have the luxury of discarding talented players and I really hope that he gets the chance to improve his tackling - in hindsight a few years out West with his brother may have done him a world of good.

darkened_scrum · 03-05-2026 01:58PM

They need to stop putting him in the back 3, he just can't defend there. When he's in the defensive line at 10 he'll put himself in the way of attackers just fine.

ironingbored · 03-05-2026 02:04PM

I'd say the finals weekend will be some craic. Presumably most have tickets to both finals. Should give both Irish teams crowd advantage.

Think the team are shipping some unfair criticism. On top for 70 mins. Had to make changes earlier than anticipated. Monumental shift for 10 mins with two men in the bin. Re-arranged backline. Toulon were able to bring on a bomb squad of sorts intact.

Ulster won't be losing sleep over Montpellier on this evidence.

Skyfloater · 03-05-2026 02:13PM

"Prendergast's tackle attempt was just shocking. A 3rds player would be expected to make a tackle into touch there."

I think you are doing 3rds players a disservice there. It's the sort of thing you see in mini rugby, but most of them stop doing the jazz hands tackles when they get past 12-13 years old.

almostover · 03-05-2026 02:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124440168#Comment_124440168

He's not insanely talented. He has a good level of talent but he's far from the 2nd coming of Sexton. The rest of his game has improvements to be made also, especially goal kicking.

I can't get on board with this angle of analysis. Yes, he's a good distributor and tactical kicker. But hardly world class at either. And certainly not good enough to excuse his defence.

almostover · 03-05-2026 02:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124440176#Comment_124440176

That's rubbish too. He's a professional rugby player. His team will get stretched at times and he will have to defend what's in front of him. A team can't be expected to carry a player that can't make a simple 1:1 tackle the moment there's any defensive pressure.

Podge_irl · 03-05-2026 02:25PM

On replay, Ioane is every bit as bad as him there.

pickarooney · 03-05-2026 02:38PM

Ioane at least gets stepped while running back, Prendergast has a tackle on a static player by the touchline on a plate and he simply refuses to try. From the moment that ball was kicked he need to have one thing on his mind, throwing himself at Dréan the moment he lands.