Leinster v Northampton - Aviva 19:45 Saturday 17th

[Ruckedtobits]

Expect another facile win.

Yes, please!!!!

I'll take three please !, although Montpellier will probably be coming here with something to play for cant see Castres beating them on Sunday ?.[/quote]

Castres have a very decent home record. They have beaten Racing and Toulon there this season in the Top14. I don't think they will roll over for Montpellier although I accept they are probably seeing Europe as a distraction (again) after two heavyish away defeats.[/quote]

+1
Castres is a provincial French town with a population of about 40k, which lies about 50 miles from Toulouse. Industry and employment is fairly stagnant but the major employer is based around the Pierre Fabre business (which supplies non-prescription medical products to the French armed forces throughout the world) and rugby, in which they won the Top 14 Brennus trophy in 2013 and three other times before the era of grandoise, personal ownership.

For Castres Olympique, rugby matters and their home stadium is a fortress. It is suggested in the town that Pierre Fabre's estate endowed €10m per annum to the Club for as long as they played Top 14. CO will not roll over to any French Club and particularly Montpellier, whom they despise (check the ownership). CO are the epitome of a French municipal club, who recruit wisely, train in front of 40 - 60 former club players / coaches / members three times a week and pride themselves on their scrum.

Be assured, CO will be competitive throughout this European tournament.

[waterboy]

Didn't Castres knock Wasps out in 09 in the last match in our group when they had nothing to play for and we fell over the line into the knockout? Wouldn't be writing them off for any home game. At home they'll put in the graft

[leinsterforever]

Dangerous dangerous match...I know they've picked a strange team weakened by missing internationals but a few guys in their team out to prove points and will be extremely up for this e.g Brooke's, Clarke, G Pisi, Gibson and Ethan Waller
All periphery players who'll be chomping at the bit

I still think if we are mentally switched on and guys who experienced this fixture 3 years ago in the Aviva can steer us in the right way we have more than enough to send these lads packing
Selection seems on the money bar second row, I like Triggs but I thought Nagle was playing extremely well...

Not sure I agree about selection being on the money. It would have been good to mix it up a bit and maybe bring the likes of Leavy and Tracy into the starting team

[blockhead]

Dangerous dangerous match...I know they've picked a strange team weakened by missing internationals but a few guys in their team out to prove points and will be extremely up for this e.g Brooke's, Clarke, G Pisi, Gibson and Ethan Waller
All periphery players who'll be chomping at the bit

I still think if we are mentally switched on and guys who experienced this fixture 3 years ago in the Aviva can steer us in the right way we have more than enough to send these lads packing
Selection seems on the money bar second row, I like Triggs but I thought Nagle was playing extremely well...

Not sure I agree about selection being on the money. It would have been good to mix it up a bit and maybe bring the likes of Leavy and Tracy into the starting team

Crying out loud. We need to win our 3 last games to have a chance of getting a home QF! No time for mixing it up. We're already without Jonny, Carberry, Kearneyx2 and Murphy.

[Gearzbox2]

Dangerous dangerous match...I know they've picked a strange team weakened by missing internationals but a few guys in their team out to prove points and will be extremely up for this e.g Brooke's, Clarke, G Pisi, Gibson and Ethan Waller
All periphery players who'll be chomping at the bit

I still think if we are mentally switched on and guys who experienced this fixture 3 years ago in the Aviva can steer us in the right way we have more than enough to send these lads packing
Selection seems on the money bar second row, I like Triggs but I thought Nagle was playing extremely well...

Not sure I agree about selection being on the money. It would have been good to mix it up a bit and maybe bring the likes of Leavy and Tracy into the starting team

For who???...Josh and Nugget, you must be having a laugh
Both played very well the last day in a pack that bossed them....can't see why you'd make those changes

[Ruckedtobits]

Gavin Cummiskey's piece in the IT about the game today represents that buffoon's low point in recent writing as he seeks to insult Northampton's coach Jim Mallinder and the Saints players by suggesting that they have resigned themselves to defeat tonight and Leinster should score 50 points or more to nil.

In doing so, he obviously hands Mallinder and his young team the sort of motivation that a Club like Northampton thrive on. Certainly, Saints have selected a very callow team in terms of European experience but no less that Leinster, the Club from Franklin Gardens pride themselves on their player development and their Academy has every right to have pride in their acheivements.

In resting internationals who had played for five intense international weekends in a row, Mallinder is acknowledging that nobody is immune to fatigue and when confidence is low, the best starting point may be unity and shared humility. But this should not be confused with surrender. This group have been together through November, fighting battles in the Anglo-Welsh cup against teams that Leinster play in the Pro12 week to week.

Yes, I expect Leinster to win, but not for any of the reasons that Cummiskey offers and certainly not because our opponents lay down and surrender.

[CiaranIrl]

Gavin Cummiskey's piece in the IT about the game today represents that buffoon's low point in recent writing as he seeks to insult Northampton's coach Jim Mallinder and the Saints players by suggesting that they have resigned themselves to defeat tonight and Leinster should score 50 points or more to nil.

In doing so, he obviously hands Mallinder and his young team the sort of motivation that a Club like Northampton thrive on. Certainly, Saints have selected a very callow team in terms of European experience but no less that Leinster, the Club from Franklin Gardens pride themselves on their player development and their Academy has every right to have pride in their acheivements.

In resting internationals who had played for five intense international weekends in a row, Mallinder is acknowledging that nobody is immune to fatigue and when confidence is low, the best starting point may be unity and shared humility. But this should not be confused with surrender. This group have been together through November, fighting battles in the Anglo-Welsh cup against teams that Leinster play in the Pro12 week to week.

Yes, I expect Leinster to win, but not for any of the reasons that Cummiskey offers and certainly not because our opponents lay down and surrender.

I thought the same. If ever a newspaper article is hung on a dressing room wall, this one will. Ridiculously insulting piece. What a sap.

[Raydollard]

I believe that Mallinder has put out possibly the weakest team he could get away with without insulting the competition and calling his participation into question.

That is not to say that the team is useless and won't put up a fight but it is both callow and really really inexperienced. Nothing to suggest we are going to have other than a facile win. Let's hope the ball hops for us early.

[ronk]

I believe that Mallinder has put out possibly the weakest team he could get away with without insulting the competition and calling his participation into question.

That is not to say that the team is useless and won't put up a fight but it is both callow and really really inexperienced. Nothing to suggest we are going to have other than a facile win. Let's hope the ball hops for us early.

Or he's dropping the big names who didn't perform and replacing them with hungrier players.

We have to up our game and we're missing players too.

[IanD]

Commentary on RTE Radio 1 so bring your headphones.

They usually stop talking when Ref is talking so it's like a cheap ref link.

[nc6000]

Does anyone know if we can watch the Connacht v Wasps games in the stadium bars before our game?

[Raydollard]

We have our top side available out and have many internationals on replacement bench or unused. Northampton have a second string out. There is no comparison between the selections.

[jezzer]

I think Mallinder has probably lost the dressing room. With his son out injured, makes it easier for the resistance to grow.

Subbing Wood out was an awful call, but the reaction from Wood looked a lit like he's one of a few who aren't happy with Mallinder's decisions.

I would see the selection at least partly as putting it up to the senior rebels - "support me or sit on the bench". Sure he's resting guys too and they've an uphill climb to get out of the group, but there's trouble in that dressingroom for sure and partly this is Mallinder's response.

[LeinsterLeader]

Just a small reminder of Caution there from Bordeaux. They beat Exeter away last week and probably felt BP was on the cards in the return fixture, but then........ nul points!

[simonokeeffe]

Just a small reminder of Caution there from Bordeaux. They beat Exeter away last week and probably felt BP was on the cards in the return fixture, but then........ nul points!

Bordeaux rested almost all their big names for it though

[cwebber82]

Gavin Cummiskey's piece in the IT about the game today represents that buffoon's low point in recent writing as he seeks to insult Northampton's coach Jim Mallinder and the Saints players by suggesting that they have resigned themselves to defeat tonight and Leinster should score 50 points or more to nil.

In doing so, he obviously hands Mallinder and his young team the sort of motivation that a Club like Northampton thrive on. Certainly, Saints have selected a very callow team in terms of European experience but no less that Leinster, the Club from Franklin Gardens pride themselves on their player development and their Academy has every right to have pride in their acheivements.

In resting internationals who had played for five intense international weekends in a row, Mallinder is acknowledging that nobody is immune to fatigue and when confidence is low, the best starting point may be unity and shared humility. But this should not be confused with surrender. This group have been together through November, fighting battles in the Anglo-Welsh cup against teams that Leinster play in the Pro12 week to week.

Yes, I expect Leinster to win, but not for any of the reasons that Cummiskey offers and certainly not because our opponents lay down and surrender.

Cummiskey is a dreadful journalist. He's on every Monday now on Off The Ball and he talks absolute rubbish. Awful stuff.

However, Cummiskey is a journalist first. It's not his job to pull his punches regarding Northampton just to help Leinster.

How he ever got a gig covering rugby for any publication never mind the The Irish Times is puzzling.

[simonokeeffe]

Gavin Cummiskey's piece in the IT about the game today represents that buffoon's low point in recent writing as he seeks to insult Northampton's coach Jim Mallinder and the Saints players by suggesting that they have resigned themselves to defeat tonight and Leinster should score 50 points or more to nil.

In doing so, he obviously hands Mallinder and his young team the sort of motivation that a Club like Northampton thrive on. Certainly, Saints have selected a very callow team in terms of European experience but no less that Leinster, the Club from Franklin Gardens pride themselves on their player development and their Academy has every right to have pride in their acheivements.

In resting internationals who had played for five intense international weekends in a row, Mallinder is acknowledging that nobody is immune to fatigue and when confidence is low, the best starting point may be unity and shared humility. But this should not be confused with surrender. This group have been together through November, fighting battles in the Anglo-Welsh cup against teams that Leinster play in the Pro12 week to week.

Yes, I expect Leinster to win, but not for any of the reasons that Cummiskey offers and certainly not because our opponents lay down and surrender.

Cummiskey is a dreadful journalist. He's on every Monday now on Off The Ball and he talks absolute rubbish. Awful stuff.

However, Cummiskey is a journalist first. It's not his job to pull his punches regarding Northampton just to help Leinster.

How he ever got a gig covering rugby for any publication never mind the The Irish Times is puzzling.

I think its literally cos he goes to Rock schools cup matches anyway

[IanD]

I think Mallinder has probably lost the dressing room. With his son out injured, makes it easier for the resistance to grow.

Subbing Wood out was an awful call, but the reaction from Wood looked a lit like he's one of a few who aren't happy with Mallinder's decisions.

I would see the selection at least partly as putting it up to the senior rebels - "support me or sit on the bench". Sure he's resting guys too and they've an uphill climb to get out of the group, but there's trouble in that dressingroom for sure and partly this is Mallinder's response.

I disagree. As mentioned elsewhere I think Malinder has given up on Europe to concentrate on the AP. Why else rest/take off your best player when you are 9 points down with a man sent off?

Woods did mention Saints terrible discipline in an interview this week and the fact they have 3 players banned in less than 4 weeks shows something is not right in the squad.

[johng]

Commentary on RTE Radio 1 so bring your headphones.

They usually stop talking when Ref is talking so it's like a cheap ref link.

Or you could just tune your radio in to the ref link frequency. 96.0 fm. Even cheaper. And no delay.

[jezzer]

I think Mallinder has probably lost the dressing room. With his son out injured, makes it easier for the resistance to grow.

Subbing Wood out was an awful call, but the reaction from Wood looked a lit like he's one of a few who aren't happy with Mallinder's decisions.

I would see the selection at least partly as putting it up to the senior rebels - "support me or sit on the bench". Sure he's resting guys too and they've an uphill climb to get out of the group, but there's trouble in that dressingroom for sure and partly this is Mallinder's response.

I disagree. As mentioned elsewhere I think Malinder has given up on Europe to concentrate on the AP. Why else rest/take off your best player when you are 9 points down with a man sent off?

Woods did mention Saints terrible discipline in an interview this week and the fact they have 3 players banned in less than 4 weeks shows something is not right in the squad.

They were level after 50 and only 9 points down at home when Hartley Hartleyed. Not exactly doomsday scenario stuff at that point. Wood was shocked and was mouthing "wtf?" or something similar as he came off. If Mallinder was giving up, his team weren't in on the plan and that comes back to dressing room issues.