Fever in the Aviva II – this time, it’s provincial

Leinster v Munster on Friday night. Should be a cracker, all internationals will be back with both teams and we’ll both be going hammer and tongs at it to get up to speed for the HC the following week.

Let the banter begin.

Turnips….

Thread update. Teams announced:

Leinster also name team

15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss

1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O'Malley


Munster:

Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha

Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell

Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan

Conor Murray, Ronan O'Gara

Lifeimi Mafi, Will Chambers

Keith Earls, Johne Murphy, Doug Howlett

Bench: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Peter O'Mahony, James Coughlan, Tomas O'Leary, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes

mulchie poxbottles

Ladyboys. You're outhalf is a bigger bottler than Coca Cola. Ye may have Íosa and Bod but we have, um..........

At least our out half is bigger than a bottle of coca cola.

A more effective defender too.

Thomond wrote:Ladyboys. You're outhalf is a bigger bottler than Coca Cola. Ye may have Íosa and Bod but we have, um..........

Please watching ROG defend is like watching someone trying to stop a sinking ship with a colander

Leinster fans are like school in July. No Class.
Watching Eoin Reddan pass is like watching a blind man digging a grave. By the time he is done, nobody cares.






































Note: this is all just banter so nobody go giving out to the mods.

Leinster fans are like school in July. No Class.

Is that from Fat Albert? Hey hey hey!

No comment.

In all seriousness though

i really hope we beat munster, We are reigning european champions and if we cant beat an amlin cup side we wont win our third cup

It's all gearing up nicely. We've the same record on wins/losses/draws and bonus points. 2nd v 3rd in the league.

What you think about what teams will be put out

not sure if they will be fully first string, but it will be close to it.

I'd say Leinster will put out:

Healy - Strauss - Ross
Toner - Cullen
O'Brien - Heaslip - Jennings
Reddan - Sexton
Fitzgerald - McFadden - O'Driscoll - Kearney
Íosa

That'll be the team (injury permitting) that plays Montpellier next week.

Mick - I won't be able to make it. Bank Holiday was yesterday and I wont be able to take a 3 day week.

Thats a good Leinster team IMO.

I suspect Munster will go for same team almost against Aironi.

du Preez - Varley - Botha
Ryan - O'Connell (c)
Leamy - Coughlan - O'Mahony
Murray - O'Gara
Earls - Barnes - Chambers - Howlett
Murphy

Fogarty - Horan - Archer - O'Callaghan - Ronan - Stringer - Keatley - Mafi

BTW I don't see Munster winning this one. There is too much change O'Mahony, Botha and Chambers are all essentially new signings (POM isn't but he has not played with the firsts properly). On top of that you'd have Barnes at 12 and Murphy at 15.

Munster do have the advantage of having played most of their returning internationals last week.

The Leinster team I named would be 7 or 8 changes from last week. They’d need to click pretty quickly.

Does anyone know how bad Jennings' injury is or is he back in the mix?

Lot of changes that is true, maybe Schmidt will hold off on starting them and put some on the bench who have got top quality replacements, like Healy could be put on the bench and leave VDM on same with Ruddock for Heaslip perhaps although Ruddock doesn't appear to be a 'real' 8.

Please tell me this one is being televised....

Thats true actually Mick. I know Munster were very rusty last week as a result and I'm not sure the issue will have been resolved yet.

O'Connell basically said all that after the Aironi game:

"I've rarely if every played with Peter (O'Mahony), obviously never played with BJ. That was Will's (Chambers) first game with the senior side. First time Danny Barnes played at inside centre. There are a lot of combinations there that are new. So we really need to get to know each other quickly. To get all the guys off the bench and finish the game in their half pummeling them was good for us."

It's a little different for us, we won't have any new players playing really, unless Hagan, Cronin, Sykes or Carr break into the team. Sykes is the only realistic option there.

We probably won't have anyone out of position except Rob Kearney if he plays.

Our team is a little more settles but would be ideal if Heaslip, Healy, BOD, Reddan, SOB had played last week but it wasn't feasible and anyway I'm quite glad the young lads got another run out.

I'd be inclined to have Kearney on the bench. He is ineffective at winger IMO. I'd pick Carr, Fitz and Nacewa as your back three. I'd also be inclined keep Healy on bench too. Let VDM soften up BJ Botha first. I would also say Toner has earned a shout.

Leinster Team I would recommend.

Van der Merwe - Strauss - Ross
Toner - Cullen
O'Brien - Heaslip - Ryan
Reddan - Sexton
Fitzgerald - McFadden - O'Driscoll - Carr
Nacewa

Cronin - Healy - Hagan - Sykes - Ruddock - Boss - Madigan - Kearney

Stagm agreed re Kearney, he is an FB not a wing. Not ideal that he is not able to start as a result of an NIQ being better than him, but thems the breaks.

As for Munster, lots of players being wedged into a few places between the Ints returning and the newbies we've signed. However, it is HC next weekend and most decent teams have had to deal with similar issues.

Because of the RWC this was always going to happen so its time to suck it up, go hell for leather in training (very possible after the whole squad had 2 weeks off) and then remember that the guys they get to mill into are Leinster players (this stands for both teams obviously)

Munster beat them in the CL Final and Leinster are HC Champions and playing in their city. They both need to shake any ring rustiness and while DC (and many of us too) will be watching through our fingers, this is the IDEAL match to have before two vital HC weekends.

Bring it on. Have my ticket safe & sound too!

I'd go for that team too Stag.

I know I've said a few times over the last 3 weeks or so but really seems like Toner has taken the finger out and looks like he is beginning to improve a fair bit now. Looks good for Irish rugby that we have another young IQ lock playing.

I'd be quietly pleased if Ryan started instead of Jenno, it would prob result in Ryan starting 7 for the first two HCup games and I think the idea of him getting game time at 7 along with POM is a good thing for Ireland.

Would agree re: Rob K.

Would you guys put earls at 15 and move Murphy to the wing or is there a point? Keatley at 15. Earls at 15 zebo at 11???

No the back 3 is one area for Munster I am certain of. Murphy has done well at FB this season and I think Earls needs to find and keep one position. Zebo has lots of fans as he is young but in reality he isn't ready for this yet. Keatley has only played for Munster at 10 and he should stay there for now.

Reason I said Ryan is that I worry about Jennings being fit. I think Ryan will be fine with O'Brien and Heaslip alongside him.

Yeah I think ryan will do grand witht he pair of them, it would mean he wouldn't have to carry as much as well and could poach ball more, theoretically he should be able to anyways.

Fair enough re: your back3, can't say I've been watching Murphy too closely.

Where would you say your strengths and weakness's lie so?
Would you be sure about putting Ryan in ahead of DOC?

I would Pete. I think that Ryan has been playing very well since last March and has earnt his spot. I would say that McGahan should be having a word pointing out that a big performance will have him starting against Northampton. If he doesnt take it DOC is well able to step up.

I'd say our strenght is likely to be in defence, the maul (attack and defense) and as surprising as this is going to sound; in individual flair and counter attacking in the backline.

Thomond wrote:Ladyboys. You're outhalf is a bigger bottler than Coca Cola. Ye may have Íosa and Bod but we have, um..........

I was wondering where ummm had gone, didn't think he moved from old 606 to V2, Now I know its Munster stealing of Connacht again, I suppose ummm was born in Limerick hospital or something!

Mickado wrote:I'd say Leinster will put out:

Healy - Strauss - Ross
Toner - Cullen
O'Brien - Heaslip - Jennings
Reddan - Sexton
Fitzgerald - McFadden - O'Driscoll - Kearney
Íosa

That'll be the team (injury permitting) that plays Montpellier next week.

Certainly not a bad side Mick. I assume that's David Kearney on the wing?
Is Toner the best option you have in the 2nd Row? I just don't rate that guy. What about McLaughlin?

Rav, it’s Rob but Dave has been a big plus for us this season. He’s already a better offloader than his brother (although Rob’s offload to Leo II last week was a thing of beauty).

Toner has actually looked a good bit better this season. I have been a bit critic of him in the past but he’s justified his inclusion in our HC team as far as I’m concerned. Sykes has shown nothing to suggest that he’s better than big Dev, he needs time to settle in and get fit but until he does Dev should get the nod. McLaughlin has been tried at lock this season again but it just doesn’t seem to work, lock is too technical for him I think. It’s one thing moving from the second row to the flank but going the other way might be a step too far…

Well impressed with Toner this season so far I must say.

Not sure why you think you'd have more individual attacking flair than us Stag? Could you run that one by us please?

I never said more than you I just said it was a strenght of ours.

Last season we saw Earls, Jones and Howlett terrorise teams (including Leinster you might remember) with their counter attacking. I've seen Murphy do it in the Pro 12 this year. Our back three are well able to run with the ball. Creating moves isn't our strong point but with loose ball they are dangerous.

Apologies misread, yeah I see what you mean, you will be missing Jones there big time.

Yea we will. There were hints of Chambers being a hugely creative force in midfield against Aironi. He tried SBW offloads two (or maybe three) times but Munster players didn't react to it. If it comes off we could do damage there but I suspect its a game too early.

Im hoping for parity at the scrum and lineout, spoiling the Leinster ball and I would say push the limits of the law - I don't rate Sextons kicking lets give him an early shot and rattle him when he misses Engage Leinster in a kicking game and attack from the loose ball. THen use Chambers offload once or twice when Leinster are anticipating the kick. The rest of time its a case of good old fashioned pick and drive

So Munster are coming up to Dublin with a new Antipodean center, who’s redeeming features are his size and offloading…

…last time that happened….

…30-0 De Villiers skinned on the outside by BOD almighty.

Leinster v Munster

...last time that happened....

...Munster beat Leinster, scored three tries, Leinster scored none.

SBW type offloads yer a*rse! He just turfed the ball away to no one!

Looked pretty threatening running with the ball but didn't look to have a great skill set.

Barnes was all at sea playing 12 as well.

Rodders - theres a fine fine fine line between a fantastic offload and throwing the ball away randomly.

We are just ironing out a full small issues

Since may 09

Leinster 5 – 2 Munster

4 different stadia, 4 times we were the away side.

We’ll push the panic button when we get into the state your lads were in last year. It could take a while though…

Its all a ploy Mick. We love being underdogs

I’m pretty sure you were underdogs in the ML semi final in the RDS.

We're just taking a wee break Mick. It was bloody hard work being the only Irish side worth taking about in Europe for a decade. We'll take it easy for a while and jog on then. Half time oranges for now.

red_stag wrote:Rodders - theres a fine fine fine line between a fantastic offload and throwing the ball away randomly.

We are just ironing out a full small issues

There's a fair bit off ironing needed to turn yer man chambers into SBW.....

More ironing trying to turn Paddy Wallace into a decent centre.

I'd say our tactics our going to revolve around all fronted attack, with your new midfield and the lines that Schmidt likes support players running I can see ROG-Barnes-Chambers being overloaded in defence and with an inexperienced 7 covering there could be issues there, Murray will help as he sweeps well but that whole combination 7-9-10-12-13 have played together once.

I can see there being massive issues for you guys there and also I've noticed that Munster seem to be chief culprits of forwards recieving the ball statically. Quite the opposite to Heaslip, healy and SOB.

If you kick the corners you should be able to kick yourself into better positions than us, but if we play Toner we should have 3 excellent lineout options so I don't think kicking to us will be a good idea with out lineout and also with Iosa back there to cut you open.

If anything we will try and draw in your wingers and kick the corners as neither of your hookers are good throwers really. Also Murphy wouldn't be known for having the longest clearance kick either.

I think this game kinda rests on your 7-9-10-12-13 defensive understanding cos you can gaurentee we are going to attack there.... a lot

Yea as I said Pete I don't think we'll win this game. But I'll happily take a 30 point drubbing if we beat Saints next week.

red_stag wrote:Yea as I said Pete I don't think we'll win this game. But I'll happily take a 30 point drubbing if we beat Saints next week.

That's a strange but sensible way of looking at it. I was hoping we'd get into an analytical/tactical debate but ah well!

red_stag wrote:Yea as I said Pete I don't think we'll win this game. But I'll happily take a 30 point drubbing if we beat Saints next week.

No thanks.

I predict that the ignorant culshie's will be so awe struck by the sights and sounds of a civilized city that they'll be put off their (boring) game plan. They'll be sent back to the the dark damp depressing boglands of Munster with their tails between their legs and not even a losing bonus point to console themselves with as they curl up in their filthy cottages and wonder what hit them.

You know what Feckless. Just feckoff that bloody uncalled for. My cottage is in no way filthy!!!

That's fighting talk feckless. It will be a close enough game. Think Leinster will shade it though.

Only messin.