Leinster v Biarritz

First topic message reminder :

OK. The great Sexton v Madigan debate begins.

Shared starts for me with Sexton starting this week and Madigan next, then all bets are off.


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Match Preview by Editor
Leinster team to face Biarritz Olympique...
The Leinster team to face Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque in Saturday afternoon's sold out Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final in the RDS (KO: 2.30pm) has been named...
Leo Cullen, who passed the 200 cap mark in the recent victory over Munster, will lead an experienced line up in a side which shows a number of changes from the one selected for the bonus point victory away to Zebre last weekend.

Ian Madigan forms an all Blackrock College midfield pairing with Brian O'Driscoll who will make his 83rd European appearance and now lies just four appearances behind second placed Shane Horgan on the all-time provincial list. Gordon D'Arcy is ruled out due to a calf strain but it is hoped that the Wexford man will fully recover in time for the visit of Ospreys next weekend.

The back-row unit sees Jamie Heaslip partnering fellow Ireland internationals Shane Jennings and Kevin McLaughlin with Heaslip set to make his 163rd appearance (and his 60th in Europe) for the province. Cian Healy and Mike Ross form an all-Ireland front row alongside hooker Richardt Strauss.

Five of the Leinster replacements have come through the province's Academy.

Saturday's game is a sell out and there will be no tickets on sale on the day.

In addition to Sky Sports 1 who will show the game live on Saturday, the Official Leinster Supporters Club (OLSC) can confirm the following international broadcast arrangements for supporters around the world.

UK & Ireland - Live on Sky Sports 1 from 2.30pm Saturday
Italy - Live on Sky Sports Italia 2 from 3.30pm CET Saturday
Asia - Live on Setanta Asia from 9.30pm HKT Saturday
New Zealand - Live on The Rugby Channel from 1.30am Sunday
USA - Delayed on Fox Soccer Plus from 6.30pm ET Saturday
USA - (Subscription) - Live on Fox Soccer 2 Go from 9.20am ET Saturday
Australia, Africa and Canada - No coverage
Radio - Newstalk, RTE Radio 1, on radio, online at www.rte.ie and via smart phone app

Our bases in London (Porterhouse Covent Garden), Birmingham (Oh Velvet), Dubai (McGettigans) and Christchurch (Monza Sports Bar) will all be showing the game live. In New York (Madhatter Saloon) the game will be shown delayed at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Further information from the OLSC for supporters abroad can be found HERE

LEINSTER:

15: Rob Kearney
14: Fergus McFadden
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Ian Madigan
11: Isa Nacewa
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss

1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Kevin McLaughlin
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Jack McGrath
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Quinn Roux
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: John Cooney
22: Andrew Goodman
23: Andrew Conway

BIARRITZ OLYMPIQUE: 15: Bosch, 14: Ngwenya, 13: Baby, 12: Traille, 11: Brew, 10: Barraque, 9: Yachvili; 1: Synaeghel
2: Heguy, 3: Broster, 4: E Lund, 5: Taele, 6: Dubarry, 7: Lakafia, 8: Harinordoquy CAPTAIN

REPLACEMENTS: 16: August, 17: Van Staden, 18: Gomez Kodela, 19: Marie, 20: Lauret, 21: Lesgourgues, 22: Burotu, 23: Thomas

REFEREE: Wayne Barnes (RFU), ASSISTANT REFEREES: Greg Garner, Paul Dix (both RFU), 4th OFFICIAL: Tim Wigglesworth (RFU), 5th OFFICIAL: Robin Goodliffe (RFU), TMO: Graham Hughes (RFU)

Isa really giving his all. Wants more silver to take home with him.

Leinster doing some Harlem Globetrotter stuff now

Sadly anything from half time onward is going to be difficult to judge from a lions POV, Biarritz have all but gotten on the bus!!!

Ha. McFadden

Gibson wrote:Isa really giving his all. Wants more silver to take home with him.

I never actually heard. Why exactly is he retiring? He's still class.

Family reasons is all he said,I assume he wants to take his family back home.

wales606 wrote:Leinster doing some Harlem Globetrotter stuff now

The pass from Healy to set Sexton away was something else,you'd call that a great pass from an OH but for a prop

WHAT PACE FROM CRONIN!

The hard ground of Australia could really suit Heaslip

WOW some beautiful stuff in this game

52 players used this season. That's a lot of experience in the bank for later.

Waiting for the Heaslip hattrick

What do ye think of ref cam? I really like it. In moderation.

Biarritz are showing why they are sitting 11th in the table this year, they have some good players, but they are generally mavericks in a brutal but unfocused and undisciplined team!!

Biarritz are the type of team you want your forwards to play against pre season, really toughen your boys up, but there is little about the Biarritz team that is quality with any fluidity.

Players like Ngwenya, Thomas, Brew, Hari, Yachvilli etc can be devestating, but in a team that plays cohesively, Biarritz are just not that.

I'm going to miss watching the likes of Nacewa and Sexton next season. They (and O'Driscoll) can produce some real magic.

Is Harinordoquy wearing a number 25 jersey?

When O'Driscoll scored, the crowd started chanting "One more year, one more year". He couldn't suppress a big smirk. Was he smirking because he knows he is going for one more year? Or just because it was a nice touch from the fans to show him they want him to stay?

[quote="Golden"]Is Harinordoquy wearing a number 25 jersey?[/quote]

Yes his first one was ripped

It was a great game today. Sexton had a great game scored a great try. O'Driscol. Kerney, Sexton, Madigan, Healey. proved that they., If no one else should be considered for the Lions team.

Although i do feel/ believe that O'Driscol will not tour with the Lions.... I do think/believe that he will call it a day at the end of the this season.( today or tomorrow) he may make a statement. ( i think)

It's very much the exact opposite vibe coming out of Ireland. Rumours are very strong that he will continue another year if Joe Schmidt is appointed Ireland coach and wasn't someone on here saying Gatland spent several hours with BOD on a recent visit to Ireland?

Feckless Rogue wrote:There's a youtube video to be made of Leinsters cleverest set plays under Schmidt.

I have to say I'd love to see that.

Thinking of the try scoring move against Clermont in last year's semifinal.
The try versus Cardiff in Lansdowne (BOD's)

Some really sexy plays

Contempomi versus Nacewa in the RDS......


...It ends where it all began.....

It's like a phrase from a movie!!!

Will Contemponi be playing thoughPete? I noticed he wasn't playing in the semi final. I wonder if he is injured.

Brian O'Driscoll. I just laugh every time he says "Nope, I'm not done yet!"

Not sure LeinsterFan, it would be great if he was. I don't think he is injured.

Then again I'm not really sure.

What did people make of the Madigan to 12 experiment? It was obviously successful but do people feel it could be used again? Should be used again?

Conters was removed from the European squad, so he can't play in the final. He could potentially play next Saturday in Stade's last t14 game of the season but sadly not in the Rds.

Stan Wright however.......

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
What did people make of the Madigan to 12 experiment? It was obviously successful but do people feel it could be used again? Should be used again?

He handled it well. Hes a good footballer and could easily slot in there.

Awesome performance by the men in blue - Biarritz were hopeless and hapless but you didn't let them play. BOD amazing as per ....

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Conters was removed from the European squad, so he can't play in the final. He could potentially play next Saturday in Stade's last t14 game of the season but sadly not in the Rds.

Stan Wright however.......

"Conters" Really???

What impressed me most was how many defenders we beat. We generally don't do that, we either go around teams through passing or make yards going direct.

I thought it was great to see us beat so many lads 1 on 1 and for heaslip an bod in particular who both get criticism for this part of their game.

Also: great to watch