Champions Cup Final - Leinster v Racing

[domhnallj]

I always remember how I felt at half time in Cardiff - gutted and disappointed, its amazing what the next 20min did. Equally , but not as bad was the half time feeling in the Aviva against Exeter. And then.... - there is no doubt that Racing will throw the kitchen sink at us and no doubt that we will leak a few tries under sustained pressure, but the perseverance of our team is fantastic and we can go 80min. So I do believe. If Racing beat us then they well and truly deserve it because when they beat ASM in Clermont that was some achievement and not done by many - so without doubt they are good and mentally strong.

Allez les Bleus - and you know which blue I refer too

I'm in the same boat but I wouldn't be inclined to use Clermont as a yardstick - they've been poor this year and are 9th in their league and have lost 14 games (suggesting their home form is not where it was when we used to regularly joust with them).

[Oldschool]

I always remember how I felt at half time in Cardiff - gutted and disappointed, its amazing what the next 20min did. Equally , but not as bad was the half time feeling in the Aviva against Exeter. And then.... - there is no doubt that Racing will throw the kitchen sink at us and no doubt that we will leak a few tries under sustained pressure, but the perseverance of our team is fantastic and we can go 80min. So I do believe. If Racing beat us then they well and truly deserve it because when they beat ASM in Clermont that was some achievement and not done by many - so without doubt they are good and mentally strong.

Allez les Bleus - and you know which blue I refer too

I'm in the same boat but I wouldn't be inclined to use Clermont as a yardstick - they've been poor this year and are 9th in their league and have lost 14 games (suggesting their home form is not where it was when we used to regularly joust with them).

Agree, I was hoping Clerment would beat Racing because I thought Munster would have a better chance of beating them.
Clerment are out of the ERC next season so that says it all.

[Lar]

Horribly nervous about this final, don't have a good vibe about it at all. All the nodding heads proclaiming Leinster Champions for various reasons but which Leinster will turn up. Recent matches suggest an inconsistent streak at the moment.
Plus Racing have players that can really hurt a team in an instant, the Clermount match was Racing on the rack for long spells yet Racing grab the game.

When we've had our first choice 15 out on the field we've been consistent. I genuinely think it'll be tight enough for 70 mins and we'll put them away in the remainder. I'd be a lot more nervous if Machenaud was fit.

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Ominously they played the last major final which they won in Spain with Machenaud off the pitch for 62 minutes - beating Toulon with 14 men. This time they will be without Machenaud but playing with 15. They will be very difficult to beat and Leinster will need to be at their best to beat them.

The first 20/30 minutes on Saturday will be huge. If we switch off like we did v Clermont in Lyon last year we could give ourselves too big a mountain to climb but if we are still within a score, or maybe even 10 points or so, after 30 minutes I reckon we should have the ability to come out on top in the end.

[fourthirtythree]

Horribly nervous about this final, don't have a good vibe about it at all. All the nodding heads proclaiming Leinster Champions for various reasons but which Leinster will turn up. Recent matches suggest an inconsistent streak at the moment.
Plus Racing have players that can really hurt a team in an instant, the Clermount match was Racing on the rack for long spells yet Racing grab the game.

When we've had our first choice 15 out on the field we've been consistent. I genuinely think it'll be tight enough for 70 mins and we'll put them away in the remainder. I'd be a lot more nervous if Machenaud was fit.

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Ominously they played the last major final which they won in Spain with Machenaud off the pitch for 62 minutes - beating Toulon with 14 men. This time they will be without Machenaud but playing with 15. They will be very difficult to beat and Leinster will need to be at their best to beat them.

The first 20/30 minutes on Saturday will be huge. If we switch off like we did v Clermont in Lyon last year we could give ourselves too big a mountain to climb but if we are still within a score, or maybe even 10 points or so, after 30 minutes I reckon we should have the ability to come out on top in the end.

By the same token if they start coasting from 30 minutes like they did against Munster we will absolutely hammer them.

[deco]

By the same token if they start coasting from 30 minutes like they did against Munster we will absolutely hammer them.

They played Munster 3 times, they only coasted in the one of them (when they had the game won).

[Mackeroo]

Would be a huge game to throw Larmour in to. He'll need to be a bit less selfish than he has shown in the second half of the season, but could be very dangerous running against their forwards.

Also having JGP to come on and speed things up might be a benefit to us if they tire as expected.

Agree regarding Larmour. He's a very exciting player with ball in hand but has been guilty of going into contact himself when it would have been a certain try if he'd passed to the men outside him. He's done it in a few games recently, for both Leinster and Ireland.

[Mackeroo]

Big Lowe fan but having Larmour start on the wing is v.exciting too and he could do some serious damage out there through that Racing midfield.

If there are any doubts/niggles over McGrath it makes perfect sense to have JGP on the bench as asking McCarthy to play most of a game is a big ask.

I'd prefer to see Lowe start and have Larmour in reserve but I can see the logic............if there are genuine doubts over McGrath.

We shall see..........

Can't wait for it now, this week seems to be dragging......

Pretty much sums up how I feel on the situation too. Just a pity McFadden is injured, then I wouldn't be as worried with not having Lowe in the 23.

[mildlyinterested]

Would be a huge game to throw Larmour in to. He'll need to be a bit less selfish than he has shown in the second half of the season, but could be very dangerous running against their forwards.

Also having JGP to come on and speed things up might be a benefit to us if they tire as expected.

Agree regarding Larmour. He's a very exciting player with ball in hand but has been guilty of going into contact himself when it would have been a certain try if he'd passed to the men outside him. He's done it in a few games recently, for both Leinster and Ireland.

Yeah he has regressed a bit since the start of the year.. shame McFadden is out injured, wouldn't be concerned if he were available.

a 20 year old winger up against Imhoff and Thomas...

[TrapperChamonix]

I always remember how I felt at half time in Cardiff - gutted and disappointed, its amazing what the next 20min did. Equally , but not as bad was the half time feeling in the Aviva against Exeter. And then.... - there is no doubt that Racing will throw the kitchen sink at us and no doubt that we will leak a few tries under sustained pressure, but the perseverance of our team is fantastic and we can go 80min. So I do believe. If Racing beat us then they well and truly deserve it because when they beat ASM in Clermont that was some achievement and not done by many - so without doubt they are good and mentally strong.

Allez les Bleus - and you know which blue I refer too

I'm in the same boat but I wouldn't be inclined to use Clermont as a yardstick - they've been poor this year and are 9th in their league and have lost 14 games (suggesting their home form is not where it was when we used to regularly joust with them).

Lets not forget that Wayne Barnes and his TMO absol-f'ing-lutely rode ASM in that game. At this remove I can only remember Carters forward pass for Andrieu's try and disallowing Clermont try for an inconsequential and technical offside. But at the time I recall there being about 5 howlers against ASM. Perhaps VGE might comment on the Clermont view

All that should give us a positive outlook unless Wayne decides to find an obscure law interpretation that no other Ref has ever penalised and choose this game to haul up Robbie Henshaw for it. Also note Wayne will have never reffed this law before and will not ever ref it in the future.

[Raydollard]

What an appalling outcome if the wonderful Lowe is sidelined. Someone should pay for the error in the case of his signing. Could we swap him to another province that could use him.

[Hornet]

What an appalling outcome if the wonderful Lowe is sidelined. Someone should pay for the error in the case of his signing. Could we swap him to another province that could use him.

Haven't you a Norwegian Cave to clean this weekend?

[paddyor]

Would be a huge game to throw Larmour in to. He'll need to be a bit less selfish than he has shown in the second half of the season, but could be very dangerous running against their forwards.

Also having JGP to come on and speed things up might be a benefit to us if they tire as expected.

Agree regarding Larmour. He's a very exciting player with ball in hand but has been guilty of going into contact himself when it would have been a certain try if he'd passed to the men outside him. He's done it in a few games recently, for both Leinster and Ireland.

I don't agree with that about Larmour. With Ireland, he did have a chance and it seemed like if he passed it Earl's would score. Having rewatched it I'm not sure the pass was "on". As in I think he did as Schmidt wanted him to do in that situation. For Leinster he had a few try hard moments in games that were already over.

[Raydollard]

Raggejavreraige here I come.

[desperado]

Would be a huge game to throw Larmour in to. He'll need to be a bit less selfish than he has shown in the second half of the season, but could be very dangerous running against their forwards.

Also having JGP to come on and speed things up might be a benefit to us if they tire as expected.

Agree regarding Larmour. He's a very exciting player with ball in hand but has been guilty of going into contact himself when it would have been a certain try if he'd passed to the men outside him. He's done it in a few games recently, for both Leinster and Ireland.

I don't agree with that about Larmour. With Ireland, he did have a chance and it seemed like if he passed it Earl's would score. Having rewatched it I'm not sure the pass was "on". As in I think he did as Schmidt wanted him to do in that situation. For Leinster he had a few try hard moments in games that were already over.

Actually Joe remarked late that he should have passed in that instance.

[suisse]

Whilst McFadden's absence isn't fatal, it is damaging. Lowe out wouldn't matter so much then. Lowe might not have even started had McFadden been fit. But now we have an incredibly talented but very inexperienced 20 year old on the wing with a hallow bench for outside backs. I hope we start hard and fast and look to smash through them early. I can see the 10 point spread being beaten

[Cianostays]

Whilst McFadden's absence isn't fatal, it is damaging. Lowe out wouldn't matter so much then. Lowe might not have even started had McFadden been fit. But now we have an incredibly talented but very inexperienced 20 year old on the wing with a hallow bench for outside backs. I hope we start hard and fast and look to smash through them early. I can see the 10 point spread being beaten

Their back row are excellent at protecting their own ball. That said, I doubt they've played a team all year who are as ruthless at the breakdown as we were are. If we can stay within a score of them after their first half power play we should be able to best them over the rest of the game. Getting excited now.

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[olaf the fat]

I dont see where the media/bookies are getting us being favorites from, Racing are a savage team perfectly set up to counter us.

Our front row will hopefully keep parity, Donnacha Ryan is playing the rugby of his career - again pretty equal here. Their back row will be able to cancel out our game - god only knows how this will go, the winning/losing of the game is here. Their backs are lethal with Teddy Thomas having shown Ireland and Munster how deadly he is, whilst we have question marks in defense. Racing are a smart and very experienced outfit.

I hope Leinster can do it, but at this stage it seems like a coin toss.

[wixfjord]

I’m getting more and more nervous as this gets closer. We’ve heard for weeks how we’re raging hot favourites and can’t be beaten. I hope that hasn’t seeped into the lad’s consciousness in any way. I’m worried by Larmour a little. I don’t think he has put in the performances from wing to say he should be starting a Euro final, but is by default.

But enough of that negativity. We have more than enough firepower to break them down and I’m confident that if we get enough ball and the set piece functions we can isolate Vakatawa with loops and get him making defensive decisions.
I’d love to see them start Big Ben too. He’s another guy that we can make hay from.

Also expecting a big display from Jack Conan off the bench. It’s a game that could be made for him if they tire and we have JGP giving quick ball.

Cannot wait. It’s been a long time since 2012.

[Oldschool]

Likely team.
Kearney
Nacewa
Ringrose
Henshaw
Larmour
JGP
J10
Healy
Cronin
Furlong
Ryan
Toner
Fardy
Leavy
Nordie
Likely bench
McGrath, Tracy, Porter, Ruddock/Moloney, Conan, McCarthy Carberry, ROL
Above is based on Luke not making it.
Ruddock is only 50/50.
ROL is a 50/50 call because both Nacewa and Larmour cover centre so there is an argument for an out and out speedster at 23, Barry Daly maybe.

[mildlyinterested]

Luke is starting.

Biggest question is JGP on the bench or not.