Leinster v Melbourne Rebels

[johng]

Yip. It's only 5 days away

Rugby in the Brook.

The Rebels featuring Cipriani and Mortlock lost 15:0 to Bath (our HC opponents) on Friday.

Here is a proposed squad, depending on injury and player release from Ireland.

Can't wait. And then France in LR the following day. (May be tickets left)

Van Der Merwe
Strauss
Hagan
Sykes
Toner
McLaughlin*/Ryan
Jennings*/Ryan
Ruddock

Boss*/Cooney
Berquist
Carr
Sheridan
O'Malley
Horgan**/Conway
Nacewa

Harris-Wright
McGrath
Shawe
Browne
Ryan/Avua'a
Cooney/Willis
Madigan
Kearney

* = If released by Ireland. ** = If fit

As it is a Friendly we will probably give some of these guys a run too.

Macken
McKinley
O'Donoghue
Sexton
Flanagan
Dundon.

That's the whole senior squad bar Ireland players and White who is in the NPC in NZ

[mikey]

dont suppose it will be on the tv??!!

[johng]

dont suppose it will be on the tv??!!

Nope. They never have been. (Pre season friendlies I mean)
You'll just have to get a plane, or read about it later.

[cormac]

With the Ireland v Connacht game on the Thursday there will probably be no players released back to Leinster this weekend. Should have a few back for the Northampton match with the 30 man RWC squad named early next week.

[johng]

With the Ireland v Connacht game on the Thursday there will probably be no players released back to Leinster this weekend. Should have a few back for the Northampton match with the 30 man RWC squad named early next week.

That's good really. See how we can manage with the nightmare scenario.

We will be missing Boss, Jennings, McLaughlin and McFadden so. Along with the 12 who are almost nailed on. (Fitz starting to look slightly shakey for the plane though)

what about Toner and Ruddock? They were training with Ireland at some stage. Might they be required to make up the numbers? As none of the matchday 22 for France will play v Connacht surely.

[johng]

Should have all our non travelling players back tomorrow week, as soon as the squad is announced. So whoever we have for Northampton should be available for the season, barring injury.

[TerenureJim]

When is the team for Friday being announced? Hopefully it'll be nice weather and we'll get a good atmosphere in D'Brook. God rugby on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the RWC hasn't even started yet. Makes me happy.

[BlueBlue]

Looking forward to it.

[Degz]

Aye, should be good. I presume all our u20s are available after the world cup?

[Hornet]

I'm assuming that there are tickets available on the day.

[TerenureJim]

I'm assuming that there are tickets available on the day.

€10 at the door for adults, €5 for the skobies

[Mauler]

I'm assuming that there are tickets available on the day.

€10 at the door for adults, €5 for the skobies

I saw that on the leinsterrugby.ie site earlier this morning. Does not seem very equitable that they are flogging off terrace tickets for a tenner 3 days prior to the game, but sold them for €20 (+€2.95 cc charge) on tickettout in July. However, it does seem to be taken down now from their site.

[CiaranIrl]

I reckon we'll get nothing back from the Ireland squad, given that the Connacht game is on as well.

Van Der Merwe
Strauss
Hagan
Sykes
Toner
Ruddock
Ryan
Avua'a

Cooney
Berquist
Carr
Sheridan
O'Malley
Conway
Nacewa

Harris-Wright
McGrath
Shawe
Browne
Jordi Murphy
Willis
Madigan
Kearney

[johng]

I'm assuming that there are tickets available on the day.

€10 at the door for adults, €5 for the skobies

I saw that on the leinsterrugby.ie site earlier this morning. Does not seem very equitable that they are flogging off terrace tickets for a tenner 3 days prior to the game, but sold them for €20 (+€2.95 cc charge) on tickettout in July. However, it does seem to be taken down now from their site.

That was for STAND tickets. (And there was/is a 3 for 4 deal for STHs)

I bought 8 x stand for both games and the TB charge was only about a Juro each I think.

[Scott]

Eoin O’Malley (ankle) is progressing well following surgery earlier this summer but this week’s game is likely to come too soon for him and for Shane Horgan (knee) also. Prop Simon Shawe (quad tear) is also a doubt.
Academy centre Eamonn Sheridan, who missed a large part of last season after fracturing his ankle, is available for selection. He is set to feature in a squad which will include summer signings out-half Mat Berquist and second row duo Damian Browne and Steven Sykes.

Former Leinster Academy graduates Fionn Carr and Jamie Hagan are also set to make their seasonal debuts following their move home from Connacht. Though the squad will be without those who are involved on Ireland duty, there will be a blend of youth and experience against the touring Australian side.

Andrew Conway and Brendan Macken, who were both involved in the Ireland Under-20 squad at the IRB Junior World Championships in June, are in the frame alongside the likes of hooker Richardt Strauss.

The team is expected to be named on Thursday lunchtime.

Tickets are available from €10 for adults and €5 for children, while stand tickets cost €20. Tickets are available online from www.leinsterrugby.ie , from Spar Donnybrook, and from Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

Leinster squad to face Melbourne Rebels:

BACKS (12): Mat Berquist, Andrew Boyle, Fionn Carr, Andrew Conway, John Cooney, Darren Hudson, David Kearney, Brendan Macken, Ian Madigan, Colm O’Shea, Eamonn Sheridan, Cillian Willis

FORWARDS (16): Leo Auva’a, Aaron Dundon, Mark Flanagan, David Gannon, Jamie Hagan, Jason Harris-Wright, Jack McGrath, Ben Marshall, Jack O’Connell, Ciaran Ruddock, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Richardt Strauss, Steven Sykes, Devin Toner, Heinke van der Merwe

[Leinsterman]

David Gannon?

[cormac]

no Damian Browne? Nice to see David Gannon get a chance.

[king]

David Gannon
Former Connacht 2nd row, he's about 27 and was decent at Connacht. Think he had a good social life which perhaps led him into conflict with bradley. A lot of Connacht fans would have been disappointed to see him go.

If it's the same guy he's a good player and if Leinster don't want him I think Connacht should snap him back up.

[Vamos los azules]

Is Isa being spared the friendlies on the basis that he plays nearly every minute of every competitive match during the season? There's no mention of him as injured but no sign of him on the squad list.

[Darce]

David Gannon
Former Connacht 2nd row, he's about 27 and was decent at Connacht. Think he had a good social life which perhaps led him into conflict with bradley. A lot of Connacht fans would have been disappointed to see him go.

If it's the same guy he's a good player and if Leinster don't want him I think Connacht should snap him back up.

Think Leinsterman know's who he is, more shocked to see his name there.

Leinster Academy product, moved to Connacht and has even turned out for Southland in the ITM Cup.

Must have been let go by Exeter at the end of the season. He he can find his form he would be a good squad player. At least as good a bet as Ed O'D