Bath vs Leinster DOUBLE HEADER Teams/Discussion

First topic message reminder :

USING THIS THREAD FOR BOTH GAMES

So Bath went down with a huge fight last week and really put the game to a slightly misfiring Leinster "away" side. Huge performances from Louw and Caldwell in particular and the boot of Barkley giving Bath a lot to cheer about considering the doom and gloom that was felt before the game.

Leinster had a few chances to put the game beyond Bath but didn't take some opportunities they should have. Sexton put in a huge shift which steadied the ship big time, displaying great defence and game management while SOB put in some big carries and great steals.

The game ended 13-18 to Leinster, leaving the pool still somewhat open.

The return game is this Saturday in Lansdowne Rd. Bath fans are expecting the same team out as the injury situation doesn't seem to have changed where as Leinster fans are expecting their "home" team to take the field, introducing the likes of Healy, Toner, Jennings, reddan and O'Malley from the off.

How will the game go?
What are your team perdictions?
What are the vital areas between the teams?
What tactical plans need to be in place for each team?
Will this thread survive without another ROG vs Sexton cat fight?
Score predictions?

Munk it's amazing what info you can find out by reading newspapers and websites.

You're not still mad at me are you?

HERSH wrote:I think Leinster were luckie they were only playing Bath, another quality team like say Exeter would have had a field day.

Wow. HERSH is an Exeter fan again...

Do Bath fans think that they may put out a different centre combination?

I personally feel the Bath midfield did well against Leinster but I think this game is going to be markedly different in terms of pace, the approach from a Leinster perspective will be more offensively orientated. Due to this I'd expect O'Malley to play.

Do Bath fans think moving Banahan in at 13 is a good idea or are we likely to see your two big wingers coming in off their wings looking to target our small centres??

You have the big guys to fix our defence in more than one area and Barkley and Donald are skillful enough footballers to bring the likes of Abendannon into the game. If used properly and with good ball you guys have a wealth of dummy options to use in attack which could really exploit our small midfield.

Example:

Scenario 1:
Off the top lineout in to Donald with Cuthbert running a hard line off his wing fixing the tail of the Leinster lineout. Barkley is dropping deep and wide while Hipkiss is running hard from out to in between Darcy and O'Malley. Abendannon and Banahan are outside Barkley with space to run into.

The point of the move being that Donald has options in who to give the ball to but more importantly he splits the Leinster defence. He has two crash options not including himself (he is a big guy) he also has an option of going wide of Barkley screening behind Hipkiss and he can also kick into the space left by the Leinster wings who may have to come up to plug holes due to the overloaded attack.

Scenario 2:
Scrum on the left. No. 8 picks draws SOB and pops to classens to run into midfield straight at Sexton. Again Hipkiss looks to crash up and so does Banahan again presenting options this time off 9 and fixing the two Leinster defenders. Donald, Barkley Abendannon and Cuthbert stay deep and wide looking to exploit space created by the scrumhalf break into midfield.

With the two Leinster centres marshalling hard runners coming back at them from out wide they have no chance of getting out to Donald until the ball is passed his way (if the ball is passed his way).

This leaves the 4 Bath players up against the Leinster right wing, then once the overlap is given it turns into 3 against the Leinster 15 and the covering left winger (if he makes it across)

I think with big ball carriers (Cuthbert, Banahan, Hipkiss) intelligent footballers (Donald, Barkley, Classens) and strike runners (Abendannon, Hipkiss) Bath should be able to fix our defence and make things very difficult for us outwide.

Morgannwg wrote:

HERSH wrote:I think Leinster were luckie they were only playing Bath, another quality team like say Exeter would have had a field day.

Wow. HERSH is an Exeter fan again...

Not so much a fan, more of a follower when they were in another division, thank god we still have promotion and relegation in our leagues otherwise clubs like Exeter would never get their chance at the big time.

Long may it continue and I pray to god that England never go down the route of Regions, as from a business point of view it doesn't work you only have to look at the empty stadiums in Wales to see that.

HERSH wrote:
the route of Regions, as from a business point of view it doesn't work you only have to look at the empty stadiums in Wales to see that.

+1

It's a joke seeing stadiums using one of four stands etc. Really, really poor call WRU.
Fans have not bought into it at all yet (if ever).

Just got offered tickets and had to give them to my brother cos i cant go

Pete,

Scenario 1
Cuthbert (other big winger) is no way near the first team normally and played by default. Altthough he is a big lad, he isn't really used as a crash option.

Scenario 2
Classens will take 3 steps with the ball sideways, cramp Donald and not draw any defenders, so when Hipkiss gets it at 12/13 channel, he has 3 defenders on him and gets turned over!

He looked like he could be used as a big crash ball option and Hipkiss is another who could do a job as a take it up the middle lad.

Classens looked ok on Sunday I thought.

HERSH wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:

HERSH wrote:I think Leinster were luckie they were only playing Bath, another quality team like say Exeter would have had a field day.

Wow. HERSH is an Exeter fan again...

Not so much a fan, more of a follower when they were in another division, thank god we still have promotion and relegation in our leagues otherwise clubs like Exeter would never get their chance at the big time.

Long may it continue and I pray to god that England never go down the route of Regions, as from a business point of view it doesn't work you only have to look at the empty stadiums in Wales to see that.

http://www.statbunker.com/rugby/btb/index.php?PL=competition&CompID=389&statType=home_Att&x=32&y=9

http://www.statbunker.com/rugby/btb/index.php?PL=competition&CompID=394&statType=home_Att


Scarlets average 7,500 so far this season in the Pro12, which puts them ahead of Newcastle, Exeter, Sale and Wasps. It be interesting how close they would be to Saracens or London Irish if the double header twickers moneymaker wasn't included. Ospreys and Cardiff are not too far behind. I would say that there are problems in both leagues.

I'm sorry but the stats aren't even in the same ball park thebandwagon

Bath 11,384 Poor stadium yet we still pull in the punters

Exeter 7,186 New’ish club with a modest out of town stadium only just behind the Scarlets (all that history) and ahead of an Irish province and 3 other Regions!

Scarlets 7,585
Ulster 6,692
Ospreys 6,672
Cardiff 5,767
Gwent Dragons 4,673


Just think of all that money they're missing out on.

Impressive, fair play. Pity the weather will Flip up the 'best laid plans' and all that.

OMG, like totes ! Can't wait to get my Heino on !

Translator! Anybody speak Urban Monmouthshire!

Yeah, they were saying on the radio this morning they expect the temperature to drop as low as -4C on Saturday night. Hope there’s a bit of cloud to keep us moderately warm in the early evening.

Glas a du wrote:Translator! Anybody speak Urban Monmouthshire!

Dublin actually

http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DfZJwC_vp-_Q&sa=U&ei=SxrqTuanGsrO4QSq4Pn-CA&ved=0CBIQtwIwAA&usg=AFQjCNECOeeqIRHFx0J98ngyR2Asf9FqTw


Spot the popped collars in the Leinster crowd

Munk, you're loike totally ripping it now, and i mean totally.

Dude, keep it up and you'll going to get decked. roysh!

Loike OMG, I'll totally nutt you with my D4head

Glas a du wrote:Impressive, fair play. Pity the weather will Flip up the 'best laid plans' and all that.

?

mankiaow wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Impressive, fair play. Pity the weather will Flip up the 'best laid plans' and all that.

?

I take it you haven't seen the weather forecast. Brass monkeys and storms. Not a nice combination and could disrupt Bath fans' travelling arrangements.

Dublin actually

Even worse, Mid-Atlantic, no wonder I didn't understand it.

Someone from Aberfarway giving grief for colloquialisms ? Classic

What's the story with this "mid Atlantic" business Glas. I don't get it.*

*i know what mid Atlantic is, but don't get how it applies to Dublin?!

Mickado wrote:What's the story with this "mid Atlantic" business Glas. I don't get it.*

*i know what mid Atlantic is, but don't get how it applies to Dublin?!

D4 heads sound like a cross between the septics and a posh bollix from the south of England.

Hence mid Atlantic.

D4 is the posh postcode prefix in Dublin - popped collars, Daddie's money etc - hense D4heads

Jen, I get that. But I've met Glas in person and he knows I don't speak like that.

I get that it's a joke, I just don't get how it's funny. you might as well say that I've a bogger accent because that's just as true.

It's the Americanisms and computer speak. OMG it's like, you so don't realise you're doing it Hun?xxx

Mickado wrote:Jen, I get that. But I've met Glas in person and he knows I don't speak like that.

I get that it's a joke, I just don't get how it's funny. you might as well say that I've a bogger accent because that's just as true.

Despite the fact that he was replying to someone else, and you had just said this.

Mickado wrote:Munk, you're loike totally ripping it now, and i mean totally.

Dude, keep it up and you'll going to get decked. roysh!

He said it to me earlier in the thread when I said that Healy just “went 24”.

Mickado wrote:He said it to me earlier in the thread when I said that Healy just “went 24”.

I' hold your coat if you want to hit him a slap. Us southsiders have to stick together.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

Mickado wrote:He said it to me earlier in the thread when I said that Healy just “went 24”.

I' hold your coat if you want to hit him a slap. Us southsiders have to stick together.

I might need help, as I’ve said I met him before. He’d batter me.

Ooh, he's big, micakdo, very big, proper farmer big!!

Yes, but I'm not a violent kind of guy and I've got a bad back...

...perhaps if we tied one of my hands as well to make it fair?

Glas a du wrote:Yes, but I'm not a violent kind of guy and I've got a bad back...

...perhaps if we tied one of my hands as well to make it fair?

Ok, you have one arm tied up and i get to wear my knuckle duster and have the help of Jennifer McLadyboy. Sounds fair now!

When are these bleedin teams annouced!

OK, I'll give you a free hit each to start and we'll be about there.

*hopinglikehelltheusualbluffcomesoff*

Hurry up team announcement!

The Leinster team to face Bath in Saturday's Heineken Cup Round 4 clash in the Aviva Stadium (KO: 6pm) has been named...
There are a few changes to the team that defeated Bath last weekend with Eoin Reddan (fresh from winning his 50th Leinster cap in The Rec last Sunday) partnering Jonathan Sexton at half back and Shane Jennings coming into the back row alongside fellow Ireland internationals Sean O'Brien and Jamie Heaslip. Devin Toner partners another Ireland international, skipper Leo Cullen, at second row.

Luke Fitzgerald continues in the back three alongside Rob Kearney and Isa Nacewa. Meanwhile, Eoin O'Malley (who will make his 40th Leinster appearance on Saturday) forms a centre partnership with Fergus McFadden for the first time in the Heineken Cup.

Gordon D'Arcy, limited by a minor niggle in training earlier this week, will provide extra firepower from a replacements bench which includes six Ireland internationals.

With over 46,000 tickets now sold, Saturday evening's game will be played in front of the second largest crowd for a Pool match in the history of the Heineken Cup, surpassing the attendance figure (45,892) at Saracens v Leinster in Wembley Stadium last season.

There are tickets still available ONLINE HERE, Leinster Rugby Store (Donnybrook), Spar (Donnybrook) and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

A charity text campaign has been running this week where Leinster followers are being asked to text a donation of €2.50 to help raise essential funds for Leinster's five chosen charities for this season; Action Breast Cancer, Barretstown, Bray Lakers, St John Ambulance and Welcome Home. Simply text the word LEINSTER to 57800 and as well as helping five great charities, all followers who lend their support to the campaign will be automatically entered into a draw to win an all-expenses paid trip for two (including flights, accommodation and match tickets) on the team charter to the Round 5 Heineken Cup game away to Glasgow Warriors in January (€2.50 per text. Network charges vary. A minimum of *€1.20 (ex VAT) goes towards Leinster's five chosen charities. SP Phonovation Ltd. 0818217100. Please note any donations made on the 17/12/2011will raise €1.73 per text).

LEINSTER:

15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Eoin O'Malley
12: Fergus McFadden
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Eoin Reddan

1: Heinke van der Merwe
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: Cian Healy
18: Nathan White
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Isaac Boss
22: Ian Madigan
23: Gordon D'Arcy

BATH:

15: Sam Vesty
14: Jack Cuthbert
13: Matt Banahan
12: Olly Barkley
11: Nick Abendanon
10: Stephen Donald
9: Michael Claassens

1: David Flatman
2: Chris Biller
3: David Wilson
4: Dave Attwood
5: Ryan Caldwell
6: Francois Louw CAPTAIN
7: Guy Mercer
8: Simon Taylor

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Ross Batty
17: Nathan Catt
18: Anthony Perenise
19: Will Spencer
20: Andy Beattie
21: Chris Cook
22: Tom Heathcote
23: Ben Williams

REFEREE: Romain Poite (FFR), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Patrick Péchambert, Eric Soulan (both FFR), 4th OFFICIAL: Kevin Beggs (IRFU), 5th OFFICIAL: Dermot Blake (IRFU), TMO: Daniel Gillet (FFR)

Hipkiss out. Hmmm. I think that's good for us.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Hipkiss out. Hmmm. I think that's good for us.

Yeah me too, I can see their midfield being a little blunter now. Well quite considerably so. Abendannon on the wing is an interesting change too.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Hipkiss out. Hmmm. I think that's good for us.

Yeah me too, I can see their midfield being a little blunter now. Well quite considerably so. Abendannon on the wing is an interesting change too.

Barkley and Vesty in midfield would make no sense. So Vesty had to play FB. Bananaman in midfield to target O'Malley.

Again unsure why Healy is not starting he is far superior to VDM. Don't get that call at all.

Very glad to see McFadden and O'Malley in the centres together. Hope they each have a wonder game!

Glad to see Toner in there rather than Sykes or Browne and good to see McLaughlin at lock experiment still in progress.

Would have liked Carr in there but ah well

I can see Banahan is there to target O'Malley but I can also see O'Malley targetting Banahan. It's a David versus Goliath situation. We all know who won that one!

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Again unsure why Healy is not starting he is far superior to VDM. Don't get that call at all.

Carying a knock to his arse. Oooh Missus.

Oh is he? Didn't hear that. That at least is a reason I guess. He seems to be going down a lot this year so far does our Cian.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Oh is he? Didn't hear that. That at least is a reason I guess. He seems to be going down a lot this year so far does our Cian.

Oh Missus again.

We have got a lot of pace in that backline there isn't really a slow guy in the whole team, Fitz is slow for a winger but everyone else is quick for their position. Looks like we are going to try and make this a nice open game!

So here we will see the real test of McFadden and O'Malley paired up in the centres. I'll be very interesting to see how they do!

Sexton-McFadden-O'Malley

That's Leinstertainment

I'm fuggin buzzing about this match now.

Yeah we will see a lot from this game I think. The pack should give them the right quality ball so hopefully they can really tear the Bath defence up.

Last time the two played in the centres we put 52 points on cardiff!

And that was with Ian Madigan, with all due respect to MadDog...

I (and I imagine many others) will be watching 10-12-13 very closely during this game. They have the chance to really lay down a marker for 6Nation inclusion. A really big opportunity for both of them right now with the Ulster duo not impressing as much as they were earlier in the season.

Another big opportunity for Toner again. Keep up the steady improvement big man!

Sexton-McFadden-O'Malley. Plenty of pace and skill there. And the pack should provide them with good ball. And our best back row is playing. I also want to see Kearney keep up his improvement in attack. Just a pity Healy is out.