London Irish vs. Edinburgh - Heineken Cup Pool 2 Discussion

First topic message reminder :

So the start of this seasons premier Northern Hemisphere rugby tournament is now upon us. In Pool 2, my team, the mighty London Irish host Edinburgh on Saturday so here is a look at that fixture, and the history of both sides in the Heineken Cup.

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London Irish

Squad
Darren Allinson, Joe Ansbro, Delon Armitage, Brian Blaney, Dan Bowden, James Buckland, Bob Casey, Alex Corbisiero, Declan Danaher, Clarke Dermody, Bryn Evans, Matt Garvey, Mark George, Jamie Gibson, Alex Gray, Chris Hala'ufia, Leo Halavatau, Shontayne Hape, Paul Hodgson, Tom Homer, Paulica Ion, Adrian Jarvis, Jonathan Joseph, Nick Kennedy, Max Lahiff, Topsy Ojo, David Paice, Faan Rautenbach, Ross Samson, James Sandford, Steven Shingler, Ed Siggery, Jebb Sinclair, David Sisi, Jonathan Spratt, Sailosi Tagicakibau, Adam Thompstone, Richard Thorpe.

Heineken Cup History
London Irish made their first entry into the competition in the 2002/03 season and were drawn in pool 5 with Toulouse, Newport and this weeks opponents Edinburgh. Their first meeting was in R2, when Irish won 24-8 at home. 5 players who featured for the sides that day remain, Declan Danaher for Irish, and Allan Jacobsen, Dougie Hall, Mike Blair and Chris Paterson for Edinburgh. The return fixture saw a 32-35 win for Edinburgh in R5, but neither team qualified for the knockout stages.

Irish then had to wait until 2006/07 before qualifying again for the competition, but have qualified for the tournament in 4 of the 5 years since then. Their best performance came in 2007/08 when they topped a pool containing French giants Perpignan, before beating them again in the quarter finals. They were then defeated by Toulouse in the semi final. Their overall tournament record reads as follows.

P 32 W 15 D 1 L 16 TF 80 TA 65 PF 746 PA 640

Form This Season
The Exiles sit 3rd in the Aviva Premiership after 8 matches. In terms of results it has been a mixed bag, with 3 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats. What has helped to elevate them to such a high position in the table is bonus points, as they have taken and LBP every time they have been beaten and have 6 bonus points in total, the most in the division.
They come into this game off the back of a 24-24 draw with Leicester Tigers at Welford Road, where they came from 7-24 down with 15 minutes to play, and so will most likely feel reasonably confident of their ability to dig in get something from most games going forward.

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Edinburgh

Squad
Alex Black, Mike Blair, Tom Brown, Ben Cairns, Sean Cox, Geoff Cross, Nick De Luca, David Denton, ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist, Jack Gilding, Phil Godman, Roddy Grant, Robin Hislop, John Houston, Gregor Hunter, Allan Jacobsen, Lee Jones, Andrew Kelly, James King, Greig Laidlaw, Steve Lawrie, Chris Leck, Harry Leonard, Esteban Lozada, Alan MacDonald, Stuart McInally, Lewis Niven, Chris Paterson, Ross Rennie, Matt Scott, Netani Talei, Jim Thompson, Kyle Traynor, Steve Turnbull, Tim Visser, Alun Walker, Simon Webster.

Heineken Cup History
Edinburgh made their Heineken Cup debut in 1996/97 and have played in every tournament since then with the exception of 1997/98. As stated above they have played London Irish twice, with one win apiece in 2002/03, but overall their record in the competion has to be considered as poor.

They have only qualified from the Pool stage once in fourteen attempts, when in 2003/04 they qualified as a best runner up, and were rewarded for their efforts with an away quarter final in Toulouse, which resulted in a 10-36 defeat. Their overall tournament record reads as follows.

P 83 W 28 D 3 L 52 TF 152 TA 230 PF 1504 PA 2125

Form This Season
Edinburgh lie 10th in the RaboDirect PRO12 league after 8 matches this season, with a record of 3 wins and 5 defeats. They are yet to pick up a try bonus point despite having one fo the most potent attacking weapons int he league in Tim Visser, and in 3 of their defeats have failed to get within 7 points and collect a losing bonus point.

Their most recent result was a 22-11 win away at Benetton Treviso, which is not an easy place to get a result, and should give them great confidence that they can pick up points on the road, which they will need to do in order to qualify.

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Summary
Overall, if you look at the two teams records this season so far, there isn't much to choose between them other than the fact when London Irish win, they usually score some tries and get a bonus point, and when they lose, they also seem to get close and claim the LBP as well.

If Edinburgh are to win, they will need to find a way to stop what can be a very potent backs division for Irish, which can score tries from scraps at times, and for Irish to be confident of claiming the points, they will need their forwards to front up in the set piece and give thema platform to launch attacks from.

I am biased of course, but I can't see Irish losing at home, and if the team can step up from last weekend, particularly in the pack it could be a bonus point win as well.

Interested to hear everyone elses thoughts on the game, any team news out of Edinburgh, and I will update with any team/injury news from London Irish as and when I get any.

Shame we didn't get to see Parling against Kennedy last weekend. Would have been a good battle.

It's a funny thing with Kendo. He was always lauded as an excellent lineout operator but criticised for not doing enough around the park. Over the last 2 years he has really added to his game and now is excellent in the loose for us as well. possibly as a result of focusing much energy on improve that aspect of his game, his lineout work has dropped off slightly.

What should also be remembered is that he and BBC pworked very well as a combination, particularly at lineout time, where Bob was a little underated at times. So far this year Bob has been out injured and we have not looked as assured in that area at all.

Kennedy being back is big for us, but I think Garvey being back will be bigger. He'll be very important as a ball carrier especially as Halaufia banned. Sinclair impressed last week (was surprised as i thought he was brought in as very much a squad player with Halaufia and Gray in front of him for the 8 shirt. Samson was decent as well. I'm happy Lahiff has kept his place in the squad due to his early season form, however when Dermody's back fully he may struggle to keep his place.

Our backline while not first choice is still very good and with Homer banging over kicks from all over the place i am reasonably confident. But its Irish so you never know.

Paice missing is a blow, not sure he would have started but the step down from Paice/Buckland to Blaney even for just the bench spot is big.

A win for Irish is vital for our hopes in the competition. Its a group we should beleive we can get out of, as there's no team that we should be intimidated by.

On another note Ozzy i see your first choice backline from 10-15 is
10. Bowden
11.Tacki
12.Hape
13.Joseph
14.Topsy
15.Armitage

Do you feel delon will be able to get his place back in the side easily, especially with Homer's form in general play and more importantly with the boot. To me Homer is the second name in the backline behind Bowden, especially as Bowden is not a kicker. To think at the moment if everyone is fit players like Ansbro and Thompstone wouldn't get into our match day 22. Our academy has started to produce alot of quality outside backs as well. Its great to see a London Irish backline with some real options in the squad.

Now just hoping we can produce a top quality tighthead and we'll be laughing.

Ollie

Delon shouldn't just walk straight back into the side as Homer has been excellent this season.

As you say, good that we have some depth with players coming through the academy.

Game Day is here.

Can't wait for this, am like kid on Christmas Eve this morning.

the Heino!!!

Good win for the Blues in Paris last night

Very good win, puts a real different dynamic on the group now.

Pressure on us to get the job done here today for sure.

Can't wait for this one either. Win lose or draw lets hope both teams play their running style and we'll be in for a cracker!

'Mon the Burgh!

Well I live about 10 miles from the MadStad Radge and looking out the window it's blue skies in that direction, so no excuses for either team not be playing ball in hand.

Anyone have a link for the game?

firstrowsports.eu seem to have links

much appreciated

Or try this:

Spoiler:

Right,

DIY jobs done.

Wife and kids dropped off over the outlaws

London Irish shirt on

Beer in hand.

10 minutes to gametime.

COME ON YOU IRISH!!!!!

OK none of my streams are online, anyone got one that's working?

listening on the radio right now

Madfor, try this:

Spoiler:

Leonard misses a long-range penalty after a sublime up&under

Montpellier lead 3-0 in the other pool fixture

You're a star thanks!

Homer with his first attempt, and that's a lovely strike!

Irish 3 Edinburgh 0

Homer pots long effort for Exiles, 3-0

Second effort for Homer from his own half - massive. 6-0

And a longer one 6-0!

and another superb strike from Homer there, from a few meters inside his half and he absolutely nails it straight down the middle.

3-3 in Montpellier

Superb counter-maul from Burgh

Edinburgh pack fronting up well here. Impressed with Ford and Rennie.

Great scrum from Irish, taken against the head.

8-man shove from Irish destroys Burgh scrum

LI goal kicking is very good - ominous for the Blues after our discipline yesterday.

Edinburgh forwards seem to have the upper hand....except in the scrum.

London Irish haven't really settled yet, need to get down the other end a bit. Superb scrum there, but Homer coughs up the knock-on

Corbs absolutely destroyed Cross at that scrum. Must start for England in the 6 Nations surely.

Classic Michael Lynagh doesn't have Romain Poite on his iPod!

Beautiful try from Lee Jones combining with Visser on the blindside

Superb try by Edinburgh.

LI defence looks poor

nice try for Edimburgh down the left

That's been coming to be fair, our defence has looked shaky, in particular out wide.

6-3 Leinster in the south of France

Good, simple driving game from Edinburgh: Burgh lead 7-6

same start as the pool 2 game yesterday

3 - 0
6 - 0
6 - 7

(next score is 9 - 7 I think )

Ozzy3213 wrote:Corbs absolutely destroyed Cross at that scrum. Must start for England in the 6 Nations surely.

You would have thought so: Corbisero-Hartley-Cole, strong, mobile unit

Edinburgh seem to have more physicality in the contact area at the moment. Irish need to liven up!

Breakaway try scored by Oudredago in the other game

this time it's Irish with the penalty at the scrum, they do seem to have the upper hand there, Corbs really working over Cross

Really like commentating of Hastings & Lynagh - knowledgeable without too much hyperbole

Edinburgh giving away too many penalties. You would think they would try to be squeaky clean in their own half knowing that Homer is good off the tee.

9-7/

Homer puts Irish ahead again

Homer nails another 9-7

Score still the same as last night - http://www.espnscrum.com/heineken-cup-2011-12/rugby/match/144284.html

3 - 0
6 - 0
6 - 7
9 - 7

the next score is 9 - 10...

Man and ball on Ansbro from Visser!

What a kick from Leonard for the corner

Young Leonard looks a good player As.

Buckland-Kennedy-Samson: solid clearance