PRO12 Play Off 1: Leinster v Ulster, 20 May

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Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Friday 20 May 2016
KO: 19:45
RDS Arena, Dublin

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 48th competition game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse, Sean Brickell (both WRU)
Citing Commissioner: John Cole (IRFU)
TMO: Jon Mason (WRU)

Live on Sky Sports/TG4 and BBC Sport NI

A. Head to Head

30 Played 30
22 Wins 6
6 Losses 22
2 Draws 2
614 Points 439

B. Form

Ulster Rugby 30 - 6 Leinster Rugby
30th April 2016

Leinster Rugby 8 - 3 Ulster Rugby
27th November 2015

Ulster Rugby 26 - 10 Leinster Rugby
24th April 2015

Leinster Rugby 24 - 11 Ulster Rugby
3rd January 2015

C. Teams

Leinster Rugby 

I Nacewa (c); D Kearney, G Ringrose, B Te'o, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, E Reddan J McGrath, R Strauss, M Ross, D Toner, M Kearney, R Ruddock, J Murphy, J Heaslip.

Replacements: S Cronin, P Dooley, T Furlong, R Molony, J Conan, L McGrath, I Madigan, Z Kirchner.

Ulster Rugby

J Payne; A Trimble, L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Best (c), R Lutton, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy.

Replacements: R Herring, K McCall, A Warwick, R Diack, R Wilson, P Marshall, S Olding, D Cave.

George Carlin wrote:
Live on Sky Sports, TG4 & BBC NI

Surely not? 

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

George Carlin wrote:
Live on Sky Sports, TG4 & BBC NI

Surely not? 

Pro12 website says:

Live on Sky Sports/TG4 and BBC Sport NI

This is not some subtle Machiavellian means of commentating on a thread.  

Indeed, it's not subtle at all

The game is definitely showing on BBC2. Thought SKY alone had the semi's and final.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

George Carlin wrote:
Live on Sky Sports, TG4 & BBC NI

Surely not? 

I read that too and though it it must be a mistake

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/programmes/schedules/ni/2016/05/20

but its true, yeoooooooo

pity I'm working and will have to record it on Sky anyway.

Be all that's holy, I'll be praying to patron saint Finnian of Movilla himself to put the curse on them lyin' heathen down south and help win the day for the true high kings of Ireland

George Carlin wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

George Carlin wrote:
Live on Sky Sports, TG4 & BBC NI

Surely not? 

Pro12 website says:

Live on Sky Sports/TG4 and BBC Sport NI

This is not some subtle Machiavellian means of commentating on a thread.  

Well, that is some fantastic news to my ears/eyes! Sky and BBC sharing a game? That can't happen often I would imagine.

It happened last time we played Leinster in fact. So two and a half weeks ago?

Sorry Rory- couldn't resist!!

It's good news for viewers, not sure what it means for the Pro12 TV income. I suppose we always knew Sky didn't have exclusive rights. BBC NI have been willing to pay for the rights for any Ulster game it seems.

When we were in the Final, that was before Sky came in right?

I am disappointed with the lack of sledging on this thread.

George Carlin wrote:I am disappointed with the lack of sledging on this thread.

No point kicking a man when he's down.

Notch wrote:Sorry Rory- couldn't resist!!

It's good news for viewers, not sure what it means for the Pro12 TV income. I suppose we always knew Sky didn't have exclusive rights. BBC NI have been willing to pay for the rights for any Ulster game it seems.

When we were in the Final, that was before Sky came in right?

Are Sky only entitled to one exclusive game a weekend? Or does that not count in the play offs?

Surely Sky can decide to 'sell' sections of their 'exclusivity' - if they feel some channels hunger for it?

George Carlin wrote:I am disappointed with the lack of sledging on this thread.

Not enough snow.

... another reason why the 6N shouldn't be moved

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

George Carlin wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

George Carlin wrote:
Live on Sky Sports, TG4 & BBC NI

Surely not? 

Pro12 website says:

Live on Sky Sports/TG4 and BBC Sport NI

This is not some subtle Machiavellian means of commentating on a thread.  

Well, that is some fantastic news to my ears/eyes! Sky and BBC sharing a game? That can't happen often I would imagine.

The last Ulster v Leinster game a few weeks ago was on both channels as well. Sky have first pick of the games so BBCNI must have struck some deal this season to show all Ulsters matches.

It's all for nothing anyway if this drivel by Costello is to be believed

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/big-games-require-biggame-players-and-leinster-have-those-in-abundance-34710062.html#comments

"you can be sure that the Ulster scrum will come second best next week"
" Ulster are not the team they think they are and Leinster are not the team they should be. . . yet."

My two favourite quotes from that utter tomkite.

We've covered that class analysis earlier Pete. We even took a vote and all of us agree. Even the Ulster boys admitted he was full on fair dinkum in his opinions.

So...you're the odd one out.....

Pete330v2 wrote:It's all for nothing anyway if this drivel by Costello is to be believed

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/leinster-rugby/big-games-require-biggame-players-and-leinster-have-those-in-abundance-34710062.html#comments

"you can be sure that the Ulster scrum will come second best next week"
" Ulster are not the team they think they are and Leinster are not the team they should be. . . yet."

My two favourite quotes from that utter tomkite.

Lol. In fairness I'm dumbfounded that Leinster finished top of the table they've been so poor, I think their backs are very toothless but the set piece is pretty solid and they have done the basics well.

Ulster have really been sharp with the ball but the scrum is weak without Herbst.

I think if its tight it will be Leinster with home advantage but if Ulster can click and get a few tries its their best chance of winning.

...and just think of the embarrassment if Ulster DON'T win against this ramshackle outfit of has-beens and ain't-ever-likelys

No, in order for some decorum and pride, Ulster must win by more than 10. Leinster are there for the taking. Next year might be different.

Yeah I think Leinster SHOULD win, because you just look at the bread and butter- scrum, penalty count, restarts, breakdown line out- and I feel like there are a couple of areas Leinster should have a clear advantage and none where we we have a clear advantage. The backs won't matter if we don't measure up there.

But I also know that we can beat them and even if we don't it should be tight. I feel good about it. While it's hilarious that Leinster are being spun as the underdogs, and the odds marginally favour them, they are right to be concerned that we have the ability to open them up if we get ball to play with and they have little structure or variation in attack. We should be a little more concerned about the scrum and our discipline than what I've seen. But I think if we handle those areas... I say don't believe the hype about Ulster, don't believe Leinster are a 'bad team', but believe this is possible and this game is there to be won.

Of course there's a big difference between that kind of reasonable expectation that we are beatable and Costello just being downright disrespectful and partial- I honestly don't think anyone on here would agree with him. I think maybe Leinster fans are feeling quietly confident about beating us, just not enough to stick their necks out.

Seriously, if Ulster keep the tempo and mood of recent games, they should win. No tomfoolery. I think they'll win.

SecretFly wrote:We've covered that class analysis earlier Pete.  We even took a vote and all of us agree.  Even the Ulster boys admitted he was full on fair dinkum in his opinions.

So...you're the odd one out.....

I miss all the fun these days

SecretFly wrote:Seriously, if Ulster keep the tempo and mood of recent games, they should win.  No tomfoolery.  I think they'll win.

Thats the game really. If we concede a lot of breakdown and scrum penalties we won't be able to establish that rhythm or tempo. Then the psychological pressure of the occasion and of feeling you need to do something special comes in, then errors come in, then suddenly it's a different game of rugby altogether. There's a very clear blueprint for beating us and I wouldn't call it Barabarians Rugby! Spoil, slow it down, cheap shots, physical dominance, scrum dominance. Leinster have the ability to force us into being our own worst enemies. Leinster with the ball are capable of scoring, especially if Te'o gets his hands free in the tackle but running on the big mans shoulder is almost all there is outside Sexton. I don't see their back three as being as intimidating as most are in this league ball in hand, the centres don't take much pressure off Sexton. It's Te'o crossing the gain line and offloading that is the big threat. Basically they don't scare me the way Connacht scare me or Glasgow scare me. You'd feel like against them you could defend superbly for 79 minutes and they could still produce something magical in the 80th to beat you at the death. But against Leinster I think we can keep the score down, I think we can defend them and control things to an extent when we don't have the ball. What scares me is the referee ruling against us at the breakdown or scrum, or a wet ball, or the score slowly going up in multiples of three...

SecretFly wrote:...and just think of the embarrassment if Ulster DON'T win against this ramshackle outfit of has-beens and ain't-ever-likelys

No, in order for some decorum and pride, Ulster must win by more than 10.  Leinster are there for the taking. [/strike]

Totally agree - best post on the thread.

Always like that Costello fella, he'll go far. I imagine listening to him as an Ulster fan is like listening to Stevie Ferris as a Leinster fan

Engine#4 wrote:Always like that Costello fella, he'll go far. I imagine listening to him as an Ulster fan is like listening to Stevie Ferris as a Leinster fan

i.e. bad. But not jim neilly, maurice field or tony mcwhirter levels of bad

Oh, he really is, and hilariously so. The Ulster fans wait to be awestruck by Lienster's dazzling display

So long as it's not in the semi.

But what if................................... what if it is a dazzling display?



Oh, it'll be fun times here after the event. I'll be looking for apologetic contributions from the Ulster lads to help me erect a statue to the Costello Oracle. Ya gotta be worshipping these all-seeing guys - they don't come around that often.

When the feck are the fecking teams out for feck's sake?

George Carlin wrote:When the feck are the fecking teams out for feck's sake?

Usually about half fecking twelve or fecking so GC

George Carlin wrote:When the feck are the fecking teams out for feck's sake?

Now

Ulster unchanged

(15-9): J Payne; A Trimble, L Marshall, S McCloskey, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar;
(1-8): C Black, R Best (c), R Lutton, P Browne, F van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, S Reidy;
Replacements (16-23): R Herring, K McCall, A Warwick, R Diack, R Wilson, P Marshall, S Olding, D Cave.

Leinster

15. Isa Nacewa (148) CAPTAIN
14. Dave Kearney (101)
13. Garry Ringrose (20)
12. Ben Te'o (38)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (152)
10. Johnny Sexton (124)
9. Eoin Reddan (138)
1. Jack McGrath (93)
2. Richard Strauss (129)
3. Mike Ross (133)
4. Devin Toner (181)
5. Mick Kearney (7)
6. Rhys Ruddock (111)
7. Jordi Murphy (78)
8. Jamie Heaslip (215)

16. Sean Cronin (112)
17. Peter Dooley (19)
18. Tadhg Furlong (49)
19. Ross Molony (21)
20. Jack Conan (29)
21. Luke McGrath (48)
22. Ian Madigan (145)
23. Zane Kirchner (63)

I assume we are all expecting a no surprises selection from Kiss? Olding and Cave keeping their bench spots with Luke and Stuart starting?
I'm still curious about this selection - who is actually the out-half cover? Pienaar or Luke or Olding?

Hope we see the same back row again. Sean Reidy's tail is certainly up. And I hope beyond hope that the occasion and the opposition causes Hendo to unleash hell on Leinster. (please and thankyou).

EDIT: Ha! Too late! Out-half cover question still relevant though!

Ulster could struggle here - no super Rob to gift us penalty tries.

Where is he anyway?

Injured or too intimidated to be on the same pitch as the best fullback in Ireland?

So a combined XV:

15. Payne
14. Trimble
13. Marshall
12. Choo Choo Stu
11. Fitz
10. Sexton
9. Pinear

8. Heaslip
7. Murphy/Henry- A tie
6. Ruddock
5. Henderson (he gets moved)
4. Toner
3. Ross
2. Best
1. McGrath

It's essentially backs vs forwards. And bad news for Ulster it looks like it could rain tomorrow as well.

Goon going by a few weeks ago Jackson would be ahead of Sexton and Fitzgerald isn't even first choice for Leinster on the wing. At 7 on current form Reidy would probably be ahead of Henry if it wasn't for Williams being injured

I wouldn't have Murphy/Henry as a tie. not at seven at least.

Ulster lads, this one will be easy.

EASY PEASY.

Hold up, lads!!! If you keep making your guys play the fantasy rugby they'll be too tired to play the real game Go easy on them.

SecretFly wrote:Hold up, lads!!!  If you keep making your guys play the fantasy rugby they'll be too tired to play the real game  Go easy on them.

Is that not why Leinster were successful though Fly? Joe had them playing some fantasy rugby

It's been so long ago now Marty that I think it actually was a fantasy. I don't believe it happened at all at this stage.

SecretFly wrote:But what if................................... what if it is a dazzling display?



Oh, it'll be fun times here after the event.  I'll be looking for apologetic contributions from the Ulster lads to help me erect a statue to the Costello Oracle.  Ya gotta be worshipping these all-seeing guys - they don't come around that often.

Well if it is a dazzling display I will be dumbstruck, and couldn't possibly comment

Anyway, enough of this fighting. We're all friends here, and in the spirit of friendship I give this for us all to enjoy  



Sláinte!

the-goon wrote:So a combined XV:

15. Payne
14. Trimble
13. Marshall
12. Choo Choo Stu
11. Fitz
10. Sexton
9. Pinear

8. Heaslip
7. Murphy/Henry- A tie
6. Ruddock
5. Henderson (he gets moved)
4. Toner
3. Ross
2. Best
1. McGrath

It's essentially backs vs forwards. And bad news for Ulster it looks like it could rain tomorrow as well.

Who's the coach Sextons Dad?

Munchkin wrote:Anyway, enough of this fighting. We're all friends here, and in the spirit of friendship I give this for us all to enjoy    



Sláinte!

Outrageous - you can clearly see Trimble giving the player an extra slam into the ground after he committed an horrific tip tackle.

How that didn't get a red card, I don't know...

Pot Hale wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Anyway, enough of this fighting. We're all friends here, and in the spirit of friendship I give this for us all to enjoy    



Sláinte!

Outrageous - you can clearly see Trimble giving the player an extra slam into the ground after he committed an horrific tip tackle.

How that didn't get a red card, I don't know...

You're joking right? Trimble is clearly seen lowering Ringrose, he even pauses as they go down to ensure he lands on his back - bar putting him in the recovery position there's not much else he could do to ensure young Ringrose welfare.

I think Ringrose reminds me of a young Trimble and that kind of irks Trimble. Let's see if the career follows the same trajectory.

Should be a cracking game, hopefully the weather holds off until after the match this evening is over.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:I think Ringrose reminds me of a young Trimble and that kind of irks Trimble.

You think Trimble is irked because he flattened a guy who ran into him?

I think Trimble was a perfect gentleman. It's only when he doesn't exactly like you that he's a cad

rodders wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

Munchkin wrote:Anyway, enough of this fighting. We're all friends here, and in the spirit of friendship I give this for us all to enjoy    



Sláinte!

Outrageous - you can clearly see Trimble giving the player an extra slam into the ground after he committed an horrific tip tackle.

How that didn't get a red card, I don't know...

You're joking right? Trimble is clearly seen lowering Ringrose, he even pauses as they go down to ensure he lands on his back  - bar putting him in the recovery position there's not much else he could do to ensure young Ringrose welfare.

Think it was a parody