Leinster V Cardiff Blues Lansdowne rd

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Surprised there's no thread already. Leinster massive favourites at home. Cardiff Blues coming in under the radar.

Could there be an upset?

This time 6 years ago an unfancied Leinster travelled to the home of European Rugby. To a team that would have just won 3 in a row but for the famous Rob Howley try in 04. (They won in 03 and 05 and lost in the dying minutes of the 04 final)

Leinster played the most incredible game against them and took Toulouse out of it. (Sadly blew it on Black Sunday v Munster in the semi, and then lost the Celtic league to a late drop goal by David Humphries in Wales on the last day of the league)

Could Cardiff Blues pull a similar stroke? Will Jamie Roberts play? Is Sam Warburton really out? How fit is Gethin? Henson is defo out anyway.

Leinster have close to a full deck......... Worried about any knockout game, and worried about the low key buildup here and the fact that the Blues could put one big game together and give us a shock.

Run by amateurs and playing like amateurs....

Is that down for Williams?

No try

Should be a try

Oooh not sure about that

Knock on. Charity decision coming up?

Good stuff. Keep them out lads!

Dan parks is the worst thing to happen to Cardiff rugby.

Maes,

Now come on he's bad but you can't blame him for everything after all are you forgetting SNK

maestegmafia wrote:Dan parks is the worst thing to happen to Cardiff rugby.

No, there's been worse. An example is the current coaching staff.

What pace by SOB

Madigan on for BOD is sexton gone to 12??

No fan parks is the biggest hand brake in rugby.

Doesn't tackle ever

Can't read a game

Scared of attacking

Doesn't know when or how to offer ball to his back line

tbh i have no sympathy for the blues, it all going pete tong now the money has dried up, perhaps if they had put a fraction of the money spent on marquee signings that flopped on developing their academy they would have more players up to the standard coming from there feeder clubs and academy

At least SNK looked like he had some potential bedford, we knew exactly what they were getting with Parks.

Richie Rees is a moron as well

Cardiff have been much better the second half but have rarely threatened

The score should be double to leinster. Pearson is holding them back

Heres a question I've always wondered - If you drop the ball and managed to kick it before it touches the ground, how can they say thats a knock on when its exactly the same action as a kick??

clivemcl wrote:Heres a question I've always wondered - If you drop the ball and managed to kick it before it touches the ground, how can they say thats a knock on when its exactly the same action as a kick??

No, then its a kick through

eirebilly wrote:

clivemcl wrote:Heres a question I've always wondered - If you drop the ball and managed to kick it before it touches the ground, how can they say thats a knock on when its exactly the same action as a kick??

No, then its a kick through

Unless you fumble it forwards where i'm sure some refs have called knock on... could be wrong though

Blues

Brilliant turn over by Jenkins there, Leinster are just not trying at the moment, like the Bath match again.

that was an amazing bit of work by Gethin there.

Jeez guys it was just a turnover. Have you not seen the score?

Declan Kidney should be removed asap. Stunning by Leinster.

it was a v good turnover though Morg.

34 - 3 FT then, not quite as embarrassing as it oculd have been, after that fantastic first half display from Leinster. Defensively very sound 2nd half too, fair play, that was a great match from them

Disappointing from Leinster in the second half.

They'll need to improve for the semis against decent opposition.

how can the blues coaching staff justify this season and keep their jobs? plenty of good coaches in the welsh prem who deserve and could deliver for the Blues.

dale mcintosh would i think do a great job

LondonTiger wrote:Declan Kidney should be removed asap. Stunning by Leinster.

I've been saying it for 2 years. It's glaringly obvious. We have the best domestic side in Europe to build a test team around. And two more who aren't far behind. And Deccie is playing tactics which are so far out of date it's unbelievable. They also happen to be tactics which are the exact opposite to the tactics which would play to the strengths of our players.

The movement, the decoys, the angles the precision, the passing, the clinical finishing. All notable for their absence in Deccie's Ireland.

Mike Paterson - the only Blues player to outplay his opposite number.

Though, I don't really blame the player - they all tried and did put there bodies on the line at the end - the fact is, the coaches are terrible, the defensive organisation is poor and the attack non existant.

Feckless Rogue wrote:The movement, the decoys, the angles the precision, the passing, the clinical finishing. All notable for their absence in Deccie's Ireland.

That is always stands out for me. Not so much the quick changes of direction such as the final try (sublime though that was) but the normal down the line passing that invites the strike runners on the ball.

GavinDragon wrote:dale mcintosh would i think do a great job

Sack Baber instantly - bring in Paul Jon from the 7s

Bring in McIntosh as head coach.

Beg Shaun Edwards to work with the Blues as part of his WRU job.

Try to see if Bedford will release Mike Rayer for next season (as head coach with McIntosh moving to forwards coach)

Martyn Williams as forward/skills coach



That would be an excellent, and very cheap coaching team that are (almost) all on the Blues books.

So this is going to turn into a 'Deccie out' thread?

Yep Dale is the first name that sprung to mind for me,

How do you Welsh fans feel about Alex Cuthbert now? Last week and this week he was pretty much not in the game.

i tell you what after watching cross keys play today id be giving mr mark ring a call, and hes a cardiff boy and the keys boys backs were superb, would be a great backs/attack coach

eirbilly, i really can't judge any player playing for the Blues and their terrible coaching staff. As long as he keeps playing well for Wales i don't care

Can't blame it all on deccie, Leinster backs had an armchair ride today, most backs with all that time and space would look good with a platform.

But look at the Ospreys a monster pack and made Leinster look half the team.

Then we take this to international level, all the teams have strong packs with Irelands not being that great any more so how can the Irish backs work miracles from such poor ball?

Cheers gowales, i really rate the guy but just havent seen much from him at this level. Immense for Wales though.

tbf view that was pretty much a second choice Leinster pack and a first choice Ospreys one. But i agree with general sentiment

I feel sorry for Cuthbert being shoveled such poor ball all the time, you could be Dan Carter but if your being given such bad ball what else could you possibly do?

Leinster again played some beautiful rugby, and defended wonderfully too. I realise people are getting their wrists slapped for mentioning Kidney, but I don't think it takes a genius to see how different Leinster and Ireland are, and even how different the likes of Healy, Heaslip, Sexton etc all play when they aren't wearing the green. It is like watching different players.

Don't forget that against the Ospreys, Leinster had two loose head props playing. Same situation with Ireland and Court.

Yep - wasnt close to a first choice Leinster pack against the Ospreys - who to be honest I think would get pasted by Leinster first choice pack.

Not quite sure about that, the last time they met with strong packs Ospreys beat them.

You know what, in a who is the best club p155ing contest bewtween Leinster and Ospreys there is only one winner - and it is not the team from Swansea.

wales606 wrote:

Try to see if Bedford will release Mike Rayer for next season (as head coach with McIntosh moving to forwards coach)

Martyn Williams as forward/skills coach

Not that Martyn is a coach anyway, but do you reckon he would want to remain part of the shambles? I very much doubt it somehow.