Cardiff V's Leinster

[R-Dog]

Didn't see a thread on this weeks game so to get the ball rolling,

This is probably going to be one pf our biggest tests of strength in depth.

Defiantly missing;

Healy, Mcgrath, Ross, Moore,
Cronin
Toner
Heaslip
Reddan (Boss too?)
BOD, Darcy
Kearney x2 and almost certainly Mcfadden

Macarthy possible for the bench if ryan not deemed match fit

Also we usually travel the day before so what are the chances of Madigan, Jordi or Ruddock being released.


Hopefully Luke and Strauss make it back and time for Kirchner to earn is wages

[johng]

Presuming we get no one back from Joe....

Bent
Dundon
Furlong
Cullen
Denton
McLaughlin
Jennings
Avua'a/Conan

Cooney
Gopperth
Hudson
Reid
Macken
Fanning
Kirchner

Strauss/Tracy
O'Connell
Byrne
Roux/Marshall
Ryan
Mcgrath
Marsh
Fitzgerald/Coughlan-Murray

[TerenureJim]

Any idea if this is televised? Such an oddity having a Thursday KO.

[neiliog93]

McCarthy is very likely to be on the bench for Ireland so we probably won't have him. I reckon we'll get Jordi, Ruddock and Madigan though.

[Donny B.]

Any idea if this is televised? Such an oddity having a Thursday KO.

Yeah it's on RTE

[Donny B.]

McCarthy is very likely to be on the bench for Ireland so we probably won't have him. I reckon we'll get Jordi, Ruddock and Madigan though.

Not sure about Rhys, he seems to be the backrow cover in case of a late injury for the Ireland team.

I think we're basically looking at the side that beat Zebre plus maybe Luke and Strauss.

[johng]

Not sure we will get anyone back from Ireland duty. They would have to leave on Wednesday. Not much use to Joe if they are missing Wednesday and Thursday minimum.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Wednesday is usually a down day though and just for the kickers, or at least it was in the past. Plus they had all of last week to help with preparation.

That might mean an extra player or two for us, wont be a big group if it does happen.

[simonokeeffe]

Cardiff will be missing Rees, Breeze, Jenkins, Davies, Reed, Navidi, Warburton, Pretorious, Patchell, Cuthbert, Halfpenny
and not like it was a strong squad to begin with

wont be bullied in tight five
we should be strong enough in back five of pack and at 10 to get through this

[Fireworks]

Presuming we get no one back from Joe....

Bent
Dundon
Furlong
Cullen
Denton
McLaughlin
Jennings
Avua'a/Conan

Cooney
Gopperth
Hudson
Reid
Macken
Fanning
Kirchner

Strauss/Tracy
O'Connell
Byrne
Roux/Marshall
Ryan
Mcgrath
Marsh
Fitzgerald/Coughlan-Murray

It is madfe a little easier to make the selection by the fact that there is nearly nobody else left. As already said it will be a real test. There is a mixture of proven class, old lads, squad players and potential for the future.

[Fred Funk]

What does Dom Ryan have to do, to get a start, surely this week?

[goreyguy]

What does Dom Ryan have to do, to get a start, surely this week?

Totally agree, has been good in every appearance this season. Deserves to start.

[[Jackass]]

I'd go for:

1. Bent - 2. Strauss - 3. Furlong
4. Cullen - 5. McCarthy / Roux
6. McLoughlin - 8. Murphy - 7. Jennings

9. Boss - 10. Madigan
12. Reid - 13. Macken
11. Fitzgerald - 15. Kirchner - 14. Hudson

16. Dundon 17. O'Connell 18. Byrne 19. Roux / Denton 20. Ruddock 21. Cooney 22. Gopperth 23. Fanning

Obviously MOC will go for Denton over Roux and Fanning over Hudson and probably Gopperth over Madigan, but potentially a very good side considering the amount of players missing.

Judging by this mornings newspapers, Strauss and Fitzgerald will be fit. Hopefully available for Leinster although wolfhound commitments might rob us of Strauss at least, possibly Jordi, Rhys and Fitzgerald too.

Unlikely McCarthy will be available, but included him just in case Ryan or Henderson get the nod with Ireland for the second row bench spot.

[TerenureJim]

Judging by this mornings newspapers, Strauss and Fitzgerald will be fit. Hopefully available for Leinster although wolfhound commitments might rob us of Strauss at least, possibly Jordi, Rhys and Fitzgerald too.

Wolfhoud? Is there another "A" game scheduled? Thought we only had the one against the Saxons in Jan?

[wixfjord]

We won't have McCarthy, Murphy, Madigan, Boss anyway, all in Irish squad.

Getting Fitz and or Strauss back would be huge for this one, though particularly Fitz.

[offshorerules]

I think we are going to need Strauss and Fitz for the Heineken Cup so I wouldn't rush them now.

[simonokeeffe]

Judging by this mornings newspapers, Strauss and Fitzgerald will be fit. Hopefully available for Leinster although wolfhound commitments might rob us of Strauss at least, possibly Jordi, Rhys and Fitzgerald too.

Wolfhoud? Is there another "A" game scheduled? Thought we only had the one against the Saxons in Jan?

theres a club international but thats it

[[Jackass]]

A fair enough, presumed there would be wolfhound games shadowing senior games, forgot we already played Saxons, so that's a pretty big squad to pick a match day 23 out of. Does anyone think fringe players would be released for the Thursday game? If so, it should free up a fair few guys like Murphy, Boss or Reddan, probably Madigan and also Ruddock as well as Fitz and Strauss being available assuming they're fit.

[simonokeeffe]

A fair enough, presumed there would be wolfhound games shadowing senior games, forgot we already played Saxons, so that's a pretty big squad to pick a match day 23 out of. Does anyone think fringe players would be released for the Thursday game? If so, it should free up a fair few guys like Murphy, Boss or Reddan, probably Madigan and also Ruddock as well as Fitz and Strauss being available assuming they're fit.

sadly not
we get Saxons and thats it
Wales pulled out a few years ago to save money, not sure why theres no Scotland A game (might be rabo scheduling)
Italy not sure
France didnt want to annoy clubs/expandedt14

[Morf]

Italy not sure

Would have to come from Rabo teams and I imagine Treviso/Zebre want the rest for their squads and to not need more non-Italian eligible to cover.