Leinster v Salarysins

[wixfjord]

Updated Sarries squad on Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens_ ... r_Squad-53

Still a formidable first XV but they are much weaker depth wise, particularly in the backline.

That starting backline isn't anything to fear either.

Team should look something like:

Mako, George, Koch, Kruis, Itoje, Rhodes, Wray, Billy, Wigglesworth, Farrell, Daly, Barritt, Taylor, Maitland, Goode
Carre, Woolstencroft, Figallo, Swinson, Clark, Davies, Vuniipola, Segun

I'd almost be going with a 6/2 split on our bench with Fardy and two of our array back rows. The way they'll look to beat us is through power up front.
Having say Porter, Cronin, Fardy, Leavy, Conan to come on with 20 to go would be a big boost for eg.

[Peg Leg]

Kruis is gonzo

[mildlyinterested]

Kruis is gonzo

talk he could still available for QF

[MylesNaGapoleen]

Updated Sarries squad on Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saracens_ ... r_Squad-53

Still a formidable first XV but they are much weaker depth wise, particularly in the backline.

That starting backline isn't anything to fear either.

Team should look something like:

Mako, George, Koch, Kruis, Itoje, Rhodes, Wray, Billy, Wigglesworth, Farrell, Daly, Barritt, Taylor, Maitland, Goode
Carre, Woolstencroft, Figallo, Swinson, Clark, Davies, Vuniipola, Segun

I'd almost be going with a 6/2 split on our bench with Fardy and two of our array back rows. The way they'll look to beat us is through power up front.
Having say Porter, Cronin, Fardy, Leavy, Conan to come on with 20 to go would be a big boost for eg.

Agree...it is a good, strong first XV....here's a salarycens fan prediction...

To hypothetically face Leinster:

1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Vincent Koch
4. Maro Itoje
5. Joel Kpoku
6. Calum Clark
7. Jackson Wray
8. Billy Vunipola
9. Richard Wigglesworth
10. Owen Farrell
11. Sean Maitland
12. Brad Barritt
13. Duncan Taylor
14. Elliot Daly
15. Alex Goode
16. Kapeli Pifeleti
17. Ralph Adams-Hale
18. Sam Wainwright
19. Jonathan Kpoku
20. Mike Rhodes
21. Tom Whiteley
22. Charlie Watson
23. Elliot Obatoyinbo

Don't think Kruis will be there in september...barritt is a maybe too. He's heading back to South Africa apparently.

I think you are right about stacking the leinster bench in the way you said wixfjord.

[The Doc]

[...barritt is a maybe too.

Think Barritt is confirmed to end of this season

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53219506

[wixfjord]

Kruis is gonzo

Fullback Alex Goode and lock George Kruis have signed deals with Japanese clubs but the new Top League season is not due to begin until early 2021, meaning they could be available for Saracens against Leinster.

[MylesNaGapoleen]

[...barritt is a maybe too.

Think Barritt is confirmed to end of this season

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/53219506

didn't spot that. thanks
sounds like kruis and goode might be around for the leinster game too.

[mildlyinterested]

Rhys Carre returning to Wales to Cardiff.

[Twist]

Is that before or after the QF?

[mildlyinterested]

Is that before or after the QF?

before it appears.

[Ruckedtobits]

Tim Swinson comes out of retirement (age 33) to join Saracens on one year contract.

A good acquisition by Mark McCall and it suggests he's concerned about the losses of Japanese-bound Kruis and Isikwe (N'hampton) and Skelton (La Rochelle). These are coupled with the continuing rumours that Itoje is being hunted still by Racing 92 with a huge cheque being waved under his nose. Watch this space.

[Up Wexford]

Mildly interesteds post on back row options going forward (chapeux Mr Mildly, excellent series by the way) has me thinking - what will our back row be for the Sarries game? Potentially we could have a full deck of cards. With all our players full fit and on form in theory there is no wrong answer - but wheres the fun in that.

Word from the first week back at training in Leinster is some players are in incredible shape but ball handling is absolute muck. Personally I would put Leavy straight in at 7 but he is a further year and a half behind the rest in terms of match practice. I would also parachute Conan in at 8 but this could be seen as unfair to the 19 game unbeaten team. Ruddock at 6 then would be my serious pipe hitting back row to beat Saracens. Fardy and Ryan then in second row with Fardy to rotate back into the flanks as subsitutions see fit, Toner and VDF on the bench. This is not to denigrate Josh's contributions to the unbeaten run and one of my all time favorite players.

We have four weekends of PRO 14 before Sarries, all of which will be high intensity so it is feasible to rotate Conan and Leavy in over four games to have them peaking for Saracens to start. This is all assuming we suffer no injuries - which undoubtedly we will.

And of course, we need Leo ad Stu to work their squad rotation magic - their are 4 slots on match day and 9 potential starters.

[Serb]

If we're speculating based on what we know right now, there's no chance that Levy is involved in the Saracen's game. That situation might change depending on how much game time he gets over the course of the Pro14, but as it stands, the back row will certainly include van der Flier at 7. From there, we're probably looking at Ruddock at 6. I think Deegan will bench. Number 8 is the tricky one for me, it's between Doris and Conan to start at 8, with the person not selected missing out on the game completely.

[wixfjord]

If Leavy gets gametime and shows he's up to it, my approach would be:

Ryan, Toner, Ruddock, Leavy, Doris/Conan
Fardy, VDF

I think we're going to need size to take them on in the first 50 or so, and that's probably our biggest pack. Doris/Conan is a toss up depending on who shows form.

[Dave Cahill]

We try to take them on in a size based arm wrestle, we lose.

[wixfjord]

We try to take them on in a size based arm wrestle, we lose.

Not saying that we try to take them in an arm wrestle at all, rather that for the first 40/50 at least we have to match their physicality and then take advantage when things start to open up a bit.

Their starting pack is still the source of their power and still contains some monsters. But given the departures, their bench has taken a huge hit, particularly up front. That's a big advantage for us.

[Theleinsterlad]

Ok here’s my take on this. In my view with Vunipola at 8 I would start (even though it ain’t going to happen) will connors at 7 for one reason only and that’s his amazing skill at ankle tackling which is the only way to stop Vunipola. I’d go ruddock at 6 and then Doris at 8. Totally different style to the way we played in Newcastle

[tingman]

I get this - Connors tackle technique is as good as it gets. That said - he might just get shunted aside. I'd go for power and size against this lot. Newcastle has thought us that much. BTW if these guys are without Itoje we win hands down.

[alanair]

In terms of ball handling ( from 1 to 15) the squad could do worse than watching the NZ super rugby matches if the last few weekends - absolutely outstanding

[leinsterforever]

I meant this as a reply to wixfjord in the second row going forward thread, but maybe it makes more sense to put it here.

I've been a bit underwhelmed by Ruddock lately. It's interesting reading his comments on Fitzgerald's podcast after he was omitted from Farrell's 6N squad announced in the middle of January https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 48817.html

It was definitely a really disappointing period. I was a bit down about it but I spoke to Faz and had a good conversation and got a bit of direction. I felt that although I was playing fairly well, I wasn't playing my best rugby. There are a few areas in particular that I was really excited about the opportunity to get a lot better and we agreed that would be something that could get me into the squad in future.

That kind of clarity is good.

The stuff that Faz relayed to me was along the same lines of what I was thinking myself.

As disappointed as I was to not be in the squad, at least it reinforced my own belief about where I needed to improve. It is double the reason to go after those areas now.

I just felt over the most recent games that I was getting through a lot of work and working really hard - and that tends to be a staple of my game and I put in a lot of carries and tackles - but I just felt like I was less effective. Not just making a number of tackles but how effective I can be and the physicality I can bring on both sides of the ball, in terms of winning metres after contact and leg drive. Not just getting a number of carries but being more effective on each one.

Defensively, there are a couple of little things.

I'm trying not to cover three defenders and then not being committed to the tackle, and trying to trust the guys around you more and then being 100% committed to the tackle. On the attacking, being more dynamic and my body height is a big one. When I am playing well and carrying well, I tend to be lower to the ground. So I'm just trying to be more dynamic when moving onto the ball in the first couple of steps.

His carrying stats for Leinster are as follows according to RugbyPass (they go by year rather than by season, so bear with me):

In the four games in 2020 since omission from Ireland squad - 42 carries for 60m (1.43m/carry)

2020 part of 2019/2020 season - 78 carries for 78 metres (1m/carry)

2019 part of 2019/2020 season - 36 carries for 42 metres (1.17m/carry)

2019/2020 season - 114 carries, 120 metres (1.05m/carry)

2019/2020 season up to being omitted from Ireland squad - 72 carries for 60m (0.83m/carry)

2019 part of 2018/2019 season - 43 carries for 109 metres (2.54m/carry)

2018 part of 2018/2019 season - 14 carries for 65 metres (4.64m/carry)

2018/2019 season - 57 carries for 174 metres (3.05m/carry)

Looking at that, he has improved since getting the feedback from Ireland. But he's still not being as effective as he was last season. Getting his body into effective low driving positions is probably something he has to work on all the time. He's not naturally like a David Wallace.

Fardy played blindside in a World Cup Final, and offers more at the breakdown as well as being a more effective carrier at the moment. And Baird looks like he can bring pretty phenomenal impact ball in hand.

Baird and Deegan on the bench offers good positional coverage as well - Baird covering second row and blindside, and Deegan covering 8 and openside. I know Deegan has played 6 as well, but I don't think he brings the kind of physical presence in the tight you'd need at blindside against Saracens.