Leinster v Cardiff Blues 12th September 2015 17:15 RDS Arena

Leinster suffered a 9-16 reversal in Edinburgh on Friday but have not begun a Guinness PRO12 campaign with successive defeats since 2003/04.

The Leinstermen's only loss at the RDS Arena in any competition since March 2013 was 14-16 to the Dragons in the PRO12 last February.

Cardiff Blues achieved their second biggest victory in PRO12 history on Sunday in defeating Zebre 61-13, their 11 tries in the match equalling the PRO12 all-time record set by the Ospreys against Treviso in 2014.

The Blues only victory in their last 17 encounters against Leinster in all tournaments was 11-3 at Cardiff City Stadium in the PRO12 in February 2011, whilst their only victory in Dublin against Leinster came in March 2004 at Donnybrook.

At RDS Arena, 5:15pm.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU, 8th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Eddie Hogan-O'Connell, Jonathan Peak (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Peter Ferguson (IRFU)
TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

Live on Sky Sports
Read more at http://www.pro12rugby.com/matchcentre/17799.php#cPLG8HDvRmwuQtC7.99

I remember them winning a HEC semi final in Dublin, so that narrative is incorrect.

PhilBB wrote:I remember them winning a HEC semi final in Dublin, so that narrative is incorrect.

I just copied and pasted it from the Pro12 website, so don't blame me.

PhilBB wrote:I remember them winning a HEC semi final in Dublin, so that narrative is incorrect.

Was that when .................... well, when they weren't supposedly/allegedly what they are now but truly are to their fans though it's sensitive to say so lest the Regionaleers get offended and ring the WRU who might castigate the feeder clubs and annoy the other Regions????

Leinster Rugby 14 - 23 Cardiff Rugby

http://www.leinsterrugby.ie/team/results/match_centre_leinster.php?section=overview&fixid=69531

Leinster have lost 17 players to the RWC, with 8 missing from the Blues.

After last week's farcical disection of Zebre, surely Cardiff will feel that this is their time to deliver a slice of rarebit to the face of Leinster?

As Elvis sung:  It's now or never.

Cardiff will I'm sure be Welsh (speed and offloading aplenty and chasing down those tries they all love so much)  
Leinster will continue to get reacquainted with a game called rugby after their year's break from the sport last year.  They'll be trying to play in parts but will still be oh so ropey and nervous.

Cardiff - more than a good chance here of putting Leinster to the sword with not only a win but with a bit of a whipping if Leinster lose confidence in what they're trying to do.

Blues Team

15 Dan Fish, 14 Aled Summerhill, 13 Tom Isaacs, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Owen Jenkins, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Tavis Knoyle; 1 Sam Hobbs, 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Craig Mitchell, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 5 James Down, 6 Josh Turnbull, 7 Josh Navidi (c), 8 Manoa Vosawai

Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Garyn Smith

LEINSTER:

15. Isa Nacewa (CAPTAIN)
14. Garry Ringrose
13. Ben Te'o
12. Noel Reid
11. Fergus McFadden
10. Cathal Marsh
9. Luke McGrath
1. Michael Bent
2. Aaron Dundon
3. Jamie Hagan
4. Ross Molony
5. Mike McCarthy
6. Dominic Ryan
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jack Conan

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Peter Dooley
18. Royce Burke-Flynn
19. Tadhg Beirne
20. Daniel Leavy
21. Isaac Boss
22. Ross Byrne
23. Cian Kelleher

Ringrose gets his first start on the wing,great to see Cullen giving some of the younger lads a chance.He could easily have played it safe by putting Boss in at 9 and Fanning on the wing.

Aled Summerhill? There's a hobbit playing for Cardiff?

Patchell has his kicking form back! Casual 56m kick.

Blues awful from restarts though

Blues defending well, but it's not going to continue if they keep giving Leinster easy possession in the 22.

Blues haven't had the ball

wales606 wrote:Patchell has his kicking form back! Casual 56m kick.

After last week, two successful penalty kicks within 7 mins shewerly merits an open top bus parade through the streets of Cardiff.
3-6 now.
8-6 to them I meant.
Good while it lasted anyway.

Leinster 10-6 Cardiff, 20mins.

Can we have the ball please Leinster?

Radio link?

God damnint! Patchell finds touch when he doesn't want too then misses touch from the penalty.

And that is 4 failed catches from the Blues, I don't think we have caught one yet?

No wonder we have no possession.

Vosawai having a nightmare, get Ellis Jenkins on and more Navidi to 8.

Blues playing stupidly, our defence in the 22 is the only reason we are even in this game, but no chance of winning unless they sort it out.

Wilson will be fuming.

wales606 wrote:Blues playing stupidly, our defence in the 22 is the only reason we are even in this game, but no chance of winning unless they sort it out.

Wilson will be fuming.

That would be an improvement then I spose.

Some of these young Leinster players look like they could bring them back to former glory. Josh van der Flier is really impressing me so far. Noel Reid and Cathal Marsh are both having good games as well.

Patchwell nails another pen. 10-9.
Last week he must've been fibbing with the boot.

We are playing badly, but are only 1pt behind at halftime,

and we are playing better than 90% of last season.

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or pleased?

Wilson must be reading this - Vosawai off, Jenkins on, Navidi to 8.

wales606 wrote:We are playing badly, but are only 1pt behind at halftime,

and we are playing better than 90% of last season.

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or pleased?

Pleased, obviously.

wales606 wrote:Wilson must be reading this - Vosawai off, Jenkins on, Navidi to 8.

Injured or has Vosawai been really that bad?

Cardiff Dave wrote:

wales606 wrote:Wilson must be reading this - Vosawai off, Jenkins on, Navidi to 8.

Injured or has Vosawai been really that bad?

Pretty awful

And we have the lead!...Somehow

13 - 15

wales606 wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:

wales606 wrote:Wilson must be reading this - Vosawai off, Jenkins on, Navidi to 8.

Injured or has Vosawai been really that bad?

Pretty awful

Send him to the Dregs.
13-15 to Cardiff, 56 mins. Ooer!

Sky have lost the clock which is rather annoying

wales606 wrote:And we have the lead!...Somehow

13 - 15

Not meaning to sound like Dana, but what colours are Cardiff playing in today ie blue, green, not-black and amber, pink, white, whatever, etc?

White

Should have been a penalty to the Blues at that 5m scrum

Come on Cardiff, wake up!

Navidi gone.

God Damnit! If we get nothing from this game I will be furious.

wales606 wrote:God Damnit! If we get nothing from this game I will be furious.

I'll be very cross too.
8 point diff. Bugger.

Putting Scott Andrews and T.Davies on have cost us the chance to get anything from this game

Why did Lewis Jones take the quick tap! Patchell could have gone for goal from that.

ARRRRGGGG

So frustrating, we could have won that and certainly should have gotten a LBP.

Still, a lot better than last year, but really annoying.

Cardiff Dave wrote:Navidi gone.

Via a made up decision by a pathetically biased Irish touch judge.

If anyone as any footage of Navidi's indescretion please shoot me down.

wales606 wrote:So frustrating, we could have won that and certainly should have gotten a LBP.

Still, a lot better than last year, but really annoying.

If that's the case then i'm happy with that. For now.

I just can't figure the last 4 mins out. Navidi's yellow, the penatly try and then the scrum penalty against us in their half. I think he was worried about causing an upset, he is very young and wants a job. Why we tapped and went at the end. 8 Points down, you will not win the game. Coming away with nothing had better teach some of those lads some lessons.

Chunky Norwich wrote:

Cardiff Dave wrote:Navidi gone.

Via a made up decision by a pathetically biased Irish touch judge.

If anyone as any footage of Navidi's indescretion please shoot me down.

My Lovely Horse.....

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) (it isn't is it?)

Assistant Referees: Father Eddie Hogan-O'Connell, Father Jonathan Peak (both IRFU)

Citing Commissioner: Father Peter Ferguson (IRFU)

TMO: Father Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

The ref is from the WRU yes. The touch judges are almost always from the home country.

The ref was way too whistle happy and got a lot wrong but he was a lot better than the young french ref in the castres Oyannax match.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:The ref is from the WRU yes. The touch judges are almost always from the home country.

The ref was way too whistle happy and got a lot wrong but he was a lot better than the young french ref in the castres Oyannax match.

Well bugger me. Wonder if he nicked Navidi for running too fast?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/southwestwales/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8721000/8721282.stm

Horrific decision to bin navidi, same for bringing on the prop replacements and then the penalty try on first offense.

What angers me more is Lewis Jones taking a quick tap penalty.

Hopefully Wilson sends him down to the rags for 6 months, he's lucky our recruitment has been so poor that he's considered a professional player.

It seems as though the decision to award the yellow card, which led to the 8 v 7 scrum and, therefore, the penalty try, was given by the IRFU employed Touch Judge.

Funny that.

 If it's a Welsh Ref on duty, blame the Touch Judge.  
If it's a Welsh Touch Judge blame the Irish, Scottish or Italian Ref,
if it's a Welsh Ref and Touch Judge and TMO, blame the IRFU for choosing Sunday kick-offs.  
If it's a Friday kick-off, blame Guinness for wanting to have all the Provinces play Saturday.  
If it's Saturday, blame the Provinces for only playing their academy players on the day.
If you win, blame IRFU for the small crowds that witnessed it.
If you lose, blame the Irish crowd for booing the kicker even though the basterdes always claim that they never do!!!!!!!

It is. It's very funny. Very true.