Leinster v Connacht, Sat 29 Oct @ 17.15 in the RDS

[LeinsterLeader]

The Leinster team is made of sex and cake

Is that a good thing?

I mean sex and cake are usually a good thing, but I've never had both at the same time....... but I'm thinking it'd be good

Oh man! You have some great times to look forward to.....

Well thats it then. I'm sold!

The Oxford Lunch has been purchased, the wife has been put on notice and win tomorrow evening an we're green for go!

[wprathead]

Leinster front row is only place I'm particularly worried off
Ross v JP Cooney and Healy v Carey is clearly advantage come scrum time

ah we clearly have the better backrow and outhalf too

Leavy/Conan/SOB/JvdF doesn't frighten me as much as I thought it would as I've absolute full confidence in SOB2.0/Muldoon/Heenan/McKeon
Carberry is a cracking prospect but Carty in great form at the minute
Ye probably do shade it in those areas but I'm not worried like I am about ye're prop advantage

[LeinsterLeader]

Leinster front row is only place I'm particularly worried off
Ross v JP Cooney and Healy v Carey is clearly advantage come scrum time

ah we clearly have the better backrow and outhalf too

Leavy/Conan/SOB/JvdF doesn't frighten me as much as I thought it would as I've absolute full confidence in SOB2.0/Muldoon/Heenan/McKeon
Carberry is a cracking prospect but Carty in great form at the minute
Ye probably do shade it in those areas but I'm not worried like I am about ye're prop advantage

Sure don't be worried. It's only a bit of craic like.

We could be witnessing the dawning of a new backline tomorrow but equally we could be watching a car crash through our fingers.

So don't worry. Strap yourself in. Its gonna be interesting

[wprathead]

im mostly worried about sitting in North Stand again after last seasons New Year Day experience

[paddyor]

im mostly worried about sitting in North Stand again after last seasons New Year Day experience

The Castres game was a new experience for me. needed shades for the sun and wipers for the rain.

[LeinsterLeader]

im mostly worried about sitting in North Stand again after last seasons New Year Day experience

I hear ya, fellow lunatic. I was that soldier too. But in fairness that was one of the worst ever. It was literally raining sideways. We lost two of our party to the weather.

Edit: On reading that back It may have sounded worse then it was. They just went home!

[jezzer]

The Leinster team is made of sex and cake

It is. It is. But the Connacht backline is pretty Netflix and chill also.


Front row: Advantage Leinster
Second Row: Should be Advantage Leinster if Mick K show up. If not, Evens.
Back Row: Advantage Leinster on talent, advantage Connacht on form. Evens.

Halfbacks: Evens

Centres: Advantage Connacht

Back three: Advantage Connacht

Sub Forwards: Advantage Leinster
Sub Backs: Advantage Leinster

Coaching: Advantage Connacht (as much on time in the job as anything, Lancaster needs more time)
Ground: Advantage Leinster
Motivation: Advantage Leinster

Should be an absolute craicer. Two very attacking lineups, Just hope our inexperience at 11,13, 14 isn't a factor and SOB/Conan hit the ground running. Our bench should be able to see this one home, but Connacht always play us hard to the whistle.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

im mostly worried about sitting in North Stand again after last seasons New Year Day experience

I hear ya, fellow lunatic. I was that soldier too. But in fairness that was one of the worst ever. It was literally raining sideways. We lost two of our party to the weather.

Edit: On reading that back It may have sounded worse then it was. They just went home!

[limecat]

Match Preview

Leinster took to the field in red t-shirts as a tribute to Anthony Foley last Sunday in Montpellier. Yet in a way, they made another tribute to him with a display that reminded you of Munster in their heyday. Often when Foley led Munster, they would go to France and be thoroughly out-played and yet somehow they'd come home with a valuable bonus point. Leinster played poorly and made a tonne of errors, but they showed guts to keep plugging away to first deny Montpellier a bonus point and then to snatch one themselves with the last play of the game that left them at the top of the pool table. Leo Cullen won't be happy with the performance but he will love the character shown.

Read more...

[wixfjord]

It looks like there's going to be a serious pace to this game. You'd worry about us playing Connacht at their own game.
With JGP, Carbery and Reid, along with three pacey, inexperienced guys at 11, 13 and 14 we'll surely be looking to get the ball out quick and run it a lot.

[leinsterfan100]

One thing that has surprised is how far down the pecking order Molony seems to have fallen. This time last year he was sex and cake (to use the new rugby parlance).

While you may very well be correct, I get the feeling that Leo (or Stuart) are very big in showing the Squad that they have faith in the squad. For example Nagle suddenly shot into starting in the Munster game out of Nowhere. All the backrows have been dropped/rested/rotated even though they've been playing well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back starting Next week, to be honest.

I really don't get this either, thought Molony has been really good the last few times he's played.

I'm sure the coaches have some reasoning behind it though.

[paddyor]

The Leinster team is made of sex and cake

It is. It is. But the Connacht backline is pretty Netflix and chill also.


Front row: Advantage Leinster
Second Row: Should be Advantage Leinster if Mick K show up. If not, Evens.
Back Row: Advantage Leinster on talent, advantage Connacht on form. Evens.

Halfbacks: Evens

Centres: Advantage Connacht

Wings: Advantage Connacht

Back three: Advantage Connacht

Sub Forwards: Advantage Leinster
Sub Backs: Advantage Leinster

Coaching: Advantage Connacht (as much on time in the job as anything, Lancaster needs more time)
Ground: Advantage Leinster
Motivation: Advantage Leinster

Should be an absolute craicer. Two very attacking lineups, Just hope our inexperience at 11,13, 14 isn't a factor and SOB/Conan hit the ground running. Our bench should be able to see this one home, but Connacht always play us hard to the whistle.

You've counted the wings twice. It's evens between TOH and Isa for me. Isa can't stop scoring tries (I've probably jinxed him).

[erskinechilders]

Leinsters' ball-carrying forwards should be too much for Connacht here now IMO. With Healy, Cronin, O'Brien, Leavy and Conan there is 5 serious carriers in that pack. I'm filled with nervous excitement when looking at that backline. Skill wise we're on an even par but hopefully Joey & Noel don't start flinging every single ball just for the sake of it. I think Leinster will probably have too much for Connacht up front and they won't be able to tire Leinster out like they did to Toulouse.

Leinster by 5 IMO.

[paddyor]

I really don't get this either, thought Molony has been really good the last few times he's played.

I'm sure the coaches have some reasoning behind it though.

MY only gripe with him as a player is he has a tendency to miss easy tackles. Like he's just not fully awake to a threat.

[wixfjord]

Really excited to see how Leavy pairs with Carbery and JGP. He picked some incredible lines last week and the other two were firing some lovely passes to him.

With Cronin, Conan and Leavy carrying a bit wider and Mick K, Healy, SOB and Conan carrying tight we should get a nice bit of go forward.

[simonokeeffe]

One thing that has surprised is how far down the pecking order Molony seems to have fallen. This time last year he was sex and cake (to use the new rugby parlance).

While you may very well be correct, I get the feeling that Leo (or Stuart) are very big in showing the Squad that they have faith in the squad. For example Nagle suddenly shot into starting in the Munster game out of Nowhere. All the backrows have been dropped/rested/rotated even though they've been playing well. I wouldn't be surprised to see him back starting Next week, to be honest.

I really don't get this either, thought Molony has been really good the last few times he's played.

I'm sure the coaches have some reasoning behind it though.

my guess is as LRIP possited before Nagle is the replacement Toner. Then they want the tall timber for the 80 and know the 2 squatter locks (McCarthy and MK) arent 80 minute players so want to keep that type of combo up for the 80

[jezzer]

You've counted the wings twice. It's evens between TOH and Isa for me. Isa can't stop scoring tries (I've probably jinxed him).

Thanks. Originally had wings and FB as separate but makes more sense to have them as a unit. Forgot to delete wings line.

TOH is one of the form Irish outside backs right now. But Isa is still absolute magic. I would have him ahead of most FBs in Europe.

TOH and Zeebs would be in my Ireland 23 for the NZ tests. Both in great form.

[alanair]

Lets just keep this game in the Pack... dont let it near our ( let alone their ) backline.. and we can win this

[Ruckedtobits]

Lets just keep this game in the Pack... dont let it near our ( let alone their ) backline.. and we can win this

Unfortunately Connacht won't agree to those rules and Lam has long-ago figured out how to play teams like that - ref. v Toulouse two weeks ago.

We need to get ball from our set pieces and use all XV to keep tempo high and try to score every time we make their 22m area. We will probably have to make c. 130 -160 tackles and we can't afford to miss more than 2% of them

[leinsterfan100]

Thought Zane might have been included somewhere in matchday squad too considering his decent form this season and the fact that a few are missing in backline to injury and Ireland call ups. I suppose he has played a lot though already this season...