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Leinster Rugby V Racing 92 Match Thread | Kick Off 16:45 Ireland Time | Sky & BT

  • 11-05-2018 6:46pm
    #1


    Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light.

    You could reflect on Milton's words and think of this season. The defeat of the English Champions, the Pro14 Champions, The reigning European Champions and the no.1 club team in France at the end of the regular season was certainly a long, hard road to take to this final.
    After navigating a hell of a group the knock outs would conspire to be no kinder. A baptism of fire certainly for a team with so much youth, yet fire can both destroy and create and indeed it seems like this Leinster team has been forged by this season into an almost unstoppable force.

    And now, in the final they face a team with the most honest and determined defence in the Championship, an immovable object.

    The Unstoppable force V The Immovable object


    guinness-pro14-leinster-rugby-v-cardiff-blues-31.jpegimages?q=tbn:ANd9GcTmr34_XBQkHP5AdZPtXzYzYHmAVRgqly67RlOx8yxSbOiAiusdMglogo_racing2.jpg


    Rob Kearney 15 Louis Dupichot
    Jordan Larmour 14 Teddy Tomás
    Garry Ringrose 13 Virimi Vakatawa
    Robbie Henshaw 12 Henry Chavancy
    Isa Nacewa 11 Marc Andreu
    Johnny Sexton 10 Pat Lambie
    Luke McGrath 9 Teddy Iribaren
    Jordi Murphy 8 Yannick Nyanga
    Dan Leavy 7 Bernard Le Roux
    Scott Fardy 6 Wenceslas Lauret
    James Ryan 5 Leone Nakarawa
    Devin Toner 4 Donnacha Ryan
    Tadgh Furlong 3 Cedate Gomes Sa
    Seán Cronin 2 Camille Chat
    Cian Healy 1 Eddy Ben Arous

    Rory O'Loughlin 23 Joe Rokocoko
    Joey Carbery 22 Dan Carter
    Jamison Gibson-Park 21 Antoine Gibert
    Jack Conan 20 Baptiste Chouzenoux
    Rhys Ruddock 19 Boris Palu
    Andrew Porter 18 Census Johnston
    Jack McGrath 17 Vasil Kakovin
    James Tracy 16 Ole Avei



    If some of those names seem familiar, it might be because you've looked at a few international team sheets in your day. There is an immense amount of quality in the collective 46 players from Ireland, France and further afield.

    I wanted to write this match thread because at the core of my love for rugby is pride. It's a type of pride that needs to be shared and is collective. Not a sharing in the sense of posting about it or talking about it or boasting about it. I mean sharing it with my friends, my family, my children and the players, because they are one and the same. A pride that is intensified and amplified by the fact that I'm not cheering a team, I'm cheering my schoolmates, my neighbours and my community. A team with it's roots and upbringing in Ireland.

    And believe it or not, so are Racing. With 12 French qualified players (and a few injured ones watching on in the sidelines) this team for all it's wealth represents France in a way I feel is meaningful, and through that I feel it gives the final greater resonance as a contest and spectacle. And a spectacle it will be.






    Culture


    There is a quote I like by a US author called Thomas Wolfe which goes

    "Culture is the arts elevated to a set of beliefs"

    I think there is an honesty in this, but I think in the case of Leinster the opposite might just be true. Culture has been the theme of this season for Leinster and admirably it has been led from the Top down.

    Lancaster spoke about joining Leinster and wanting to get the culture right. He said that it wasn't a hard job, the culture was there and his priority was to learn it and understand it and then hold players accountable to it.

    In Leinster's case however it's not the art elevated to belief, it's belief elevated to art. A belief that the coaches have given the players by preparing them but importantly a belief that comes from the footsteps already walked in 2009, 2011 and 2012. The tree that is Leinster and the community that fuels it, has it's roots in those victories and it's that history that I believe may be the difference tomorrow.

    Support


    I think some of the defining moments in Leinster's first European win happened in Lansdown in 1999 and Cardiff in 2006. When Ulster and Munster lifted the trophy, every single player in Leinster knew that if their brothers could do it, so could they, after all - we're a family and a country.

    100,000 fans supported Leinster through the knock outs and the final is a packed house. There have been many conversations this year about the population shift towards Dublin and the benefit this has given to Leinster.

    The reality is that many of the parents who will be in Bilbao are from Ulster, Munster and Connacht. If Leinster win, it gives all of Irish rugby belief and I hope that it is a rallying call for everyone who wears green first and foremost to row in behind the players wearing blue tomorrow

    Expectations

    I expect the opening 15 minutes to be the type of hell that Leinster have thrived in for most of their European season. They are too disciplined to give Racing a platform and I don't think Racing have the ball retention to break Leinster down. Provided Leinster don't miss their tackles out wide and hold their defensive shape in midfield then Racing will rely on scraps.

    On the other hand, if Leinster hold onto the ball as we know they can, Racing could find themselves in trouble if they have to defend beyond 5 - 10 phases. If Leinster get opportunities to counter attack, Racing are poor at getting back into shape defensively.

    Prediction

    Racing 17 Leinster 34


«13456718

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 12,754 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    TLDR


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭Donnielighto


    Leinster by a million


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,162 ✭✭✭✭Buer


    Subs bench is listed backwards.

    Anarchy.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,248 ✭✭✭✭salmocab


    Who doesn’t enjoy an international steam sheet?


  • Registered Users Posts: 37,978 ✭✭✭✭irishbucsfan


    Buer wrote: »
    Subs bench is listed backwards.

    Anarchy.

    Ban this sick filth


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  • Registered Users Posts: 16,947 ✭✭✭✭Neil3030


    ...If some of those names seem familiar, it might be because you've looked at a few international steam sheets in your day...

    This is a family place, Maxine Colossal Gent.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,309 ✭✭✭Dave_The_Sheep


    Centred text.
    *shudder*




  • Neil3030 wrote: »
    This is a family place, Maxine Colossal Gent.

    I'll just presume you are not a PC gamer
    Centred text.
    *shudder*

    I'd generally agree - but on this platform I think it looks better. And you're a sheep, you shouldn't even be posting online and especially not on a forum where there is a decent chance of New Zealand and Scottish supporters...


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,681 ✭✭✭✭P_1


    Great write up! Feckin buzzed for this now!


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,388 ✭✭✭✭Clegg


    Great thread Maxine Colossal Gent.

    Can somebody tell me about Vakatawa? Playing at centre but I've only ever seen him play as a wing. I wonder if we'll get Ringrose to test his defence.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,047 ✭✭✭Bazzo


    Clegg wrote: »
    Great thread Maxine Colossal Gent.

    Can somebody tell me about Vakatawa? Playing at centre but I've only ever seen him play as a wing. I wonder if we'll get Ringrose to test his defence.

    Been playing at 13 a good bit this year and he's looked pretty impressive to be fair to him.

    Edit: just to expand a bit I think he was in the centre against both Toulon and Clermont and looked good so not exactly minnows either. He was up against a very stacked Toulon centre and looked really good.


  • Registered Users Posts: 763 ✭✭✭dubal


    Fabulous post... I so need to be there. I have a question, if Leinster win, do munster have to give them a guard of honour next week?




  • dubal wrote: »
    Fabulous post... I so need to be there. I have a question, if Leinster win, do munster have to give them a guard of honour next week?

    Yes, with Reggie at the front!


  • Registered Users Posts: 16,947 ✭✭✭✭Neil3030


    I'll need to wait and see the teams line out tomorrow, and specifically, how badly Donnacha Ryan looks like he needs to take a dump. The more pained effort on his face, the more Racing are up for it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,005 ✭✭✭joseywhales


    Highlight of the final: Battle of the Ryan

    Doesn't bode well for King James


  • Subscribers Posts: 40,729 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Hats off Venj....

    Top class post, got me right in the feels.


  • Registered Users Posts: 115 ✭✭CJay1


    I'm sorry, but that's just too much. It's only a game of rugby..ffs.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,150 ✭✭✭how.gareth


    CJay1 wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but that's just too much. It's only a game of rugby..ffs.

    Jealousy will get you nowhere bud


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,637 ✭✭✭CoDy1


    Yes, quality write up, hairs on neck stuff, apparently this is going to be easy and it probably will and I for one will finally bow down to our Leinster overlords* and hope they are feckin shagged for next week





    *for 1 week






    jk. Bring it homeðŸ‘ðŸ»


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,637 ✭✭✭CoDy1


    CJay1 wrote: »
    I'm sorry, but that's just too much. It's only a game of rugby..ffs.

    ‘Telpis


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,978 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203




  • Registered Users Posts: 10,978 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203




  • Registered Users Posts: 4,130 ✭✭✭A-Train


    Burkie1203 wrote: »

    Standing here waiting, they needed 6 and have 3 volunteers so far. A later flight tonight and now €400 cash.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,969 ✭✭✭Lucy8080


    Not a bad effort o.p. !

    4 STARS FROM ME.

    Come back next year if you want a 5 star rating.

    C'mon Leinster!


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,554 ✭✭✭✭prawnsambo


    A-Train wrote: »
    Standing here waiting, they needed 6 and have 3 volunteers so far. A later flight tonight and now €400 cash.
    Tonight? Like after the match? :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,978 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    prawnsambo wrote: »
    Tonight? Like after the match? :eek:

    Just in time to get your flight home.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,130 ✭✭✭A-Train


    prawnsambo wrote: »
    Tonight? Like after the match? :eek:

    Yeah exactly it’s crazy. Like a Mexican stand off here, no movement at all.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,554 ✭✭✭✭prawnsambo


    Be better off getting a flight somewhere else like Santiago de Compostella or Biarritz.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,978 ✭✭✭✭Burkie1203


    A-Train wrote: »
    Yeah exactly it’s crazy. Like a Mexican stand off here, no movement at all.

    They provided extra flights for the match then allowed this to happen. Its disgusting greed. 6 people paid for seats that dont exist which were 600 quid a pop.

    That flight is an hour late now.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,554 ✭✭✭✭prawnsambo


    There are three other flights to Bilbao between now and 10:10. You'd think they could get the operators of those ones to take a few extra.


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