Ulster v Leinster Sat 29th 19:35

[johng]

69 points from 15 games 9 bonus points

[cormac]

I also make it that Tom Clarkson is the 300th player to play for Leinster since the game went open in 1995.

[johng]

That's a great aul spreadsheet y'have there.

[FLIP]

So 100% record in the regular season in the league. But 100% from now on is the requirement or it comes to nothing.

[ronk]

Second half wasn't great from us.

The amount of pens is a bit of a worry. Surprised we haven't got our rucking technique right after last week.

Rob K was pretty anonymous. If we were looking for a performance to cement him at 15 for Sarries that wasn't it.

Some of our strike plays were very interesting. Trying to get Kelleher on the ball a lot, and he made a lot of yardage.

Milne & Osborne both looked good coming in. Lots of energy.

Great to get the regular season unbeaten. Well done chaps!

We coasted and had to lift things in the end. So did Ulster.

We got called for a load of technical penalties again but we weren’t the ones ones committing the offences. Feels like it’s the sort of problem we won’t have so much when we get to knockout refs.

[ronk]

So 100% record in the regular season in the league. But 100% from now on is the requirement or it comes to nothing.

1 loss for the rest of the season is also 1 trophy, so hardly nothing.

[FLIP]

So 100% record in the regular season in the league. But 100% from now on is the requirement or it comes to nothing.

1 loss for the rest of the season is also 1 trophy, so hardly nothing.

Context for this is the league.

[Gearzbox2]

Outstanding stuff from 1-23
Huge pressure on those lads with the 100% record on the line against a loaded ulster side

Front row really good, scrum excellent and Cronin’s darts brilliant
Excellent platform all night

Dev and Ross were outstanding along with Connors and Deegan
Josh M is born for maul defence

Halfbacks controlled the game superb
Knew when to go or to exit

Frawley is a gem and I thought ROL was everywhere in D
Wings so busy and assured in defence
RK a bit iffy, hard to know where that FB spot will go

Subs very good too, really drove it home

Interesting selection calls for next week

[Twist]

Has Clarkson become the first leinster player born this millennium?

Yes

No, he was born in 2000 which was the last year of the last millennium. This millennium began on 01 Jan 2001 YES IM THAT PEDANTIC

He was a month old when BOD lit up Paris though, which is bad enough

[wixfjord]

We coasted and had to lift things in the end. So did Ulster.

We got called for a load of technical penalties again but we weren’t the ones ones committing the offences. Feels like it’s the sort of problem we won’t have so much when we get to knockout refs.

Not sure what you mean here.

We were committing ruck offences by diving off feet and coming in from the side.

This has been an unfortunate subtext to both games, and we need to reduce it.

[Blueberry]

Fabulous!!!! Although Ulster were absolute pants.....absolute garbage....

Frawley was outstanding, Dev in fine form, Cian Kelleher did a lot of good stuff and nice cameos from Harry, Milne and Ruddock....Nice to see Rob in charge at the back.

Enjoyed that.....

[Blueberry]

And apologies to George.....not a bad effort at umpiring....

[meathman3]

Rob K providing the security and assurance at the back. Closing off all the options for the kickers. Has to be re-instated at 15 next week after Larmour's struggles last week
Neither Kelleher or Keenan looking comfortable under the high ball although Keenan with a nice take at the end.
Frawley at 23. Outstanding creative player.

Can't see any other changes -
Toner starting instead of Fardy perhaps.
Back row always quality no matter who we play.

[wixfjord]

Rob K providing the security and assurance at the back. Closing off all the options for the kickers. Has to be re-instated at 15 next week after Larmour's struggles last week

Rob K could've given away four tries and taken a sh!t at the halfway line and you'd be calling him the best player on the pitch.

He was probably our most anonymous player tonight.

Looked rusty and beaten a few times in the air.

Should still have a big role to play in the next few week.

But jaysus can you even have a smidge of even handedness when you're judging him?

[johng]

Has Clarkson become the first leinster player born this millennium?

Yes

No, he was born in 2000 which was the last year of the last millennium. This millennium began on 01 Jan 2001 YES IM THAT PEDANTIC

He was a month old when BOD lit up Paris though, which is bad enough

So we are all a year younger than we think? And this is not the 2020s? Cool.

[D4surfer]

And apologies to George.....not a bad effort at umpiring....

He wasn’t bad but he did ping us for “diving, not driving” and let Ulster away with it when they obviously were guilty.

[meathman3]

Rob K providing the security and assurance at the back. Closing off all the options for the kickers. Has to be re-instated at 15 next week after Larmour's struggles last week

Rob K could've given away four tries and taken a sh!t at the halfway line and you'd be calling him the best player on the pitch.

He was probably our most anonymous player tonight.

Looked rusty and beaten a few times in the air.

Should still have a big role to play in the next few week.

But jaysus can you even have a smidge of even handedness when you're judging him?

Take your point, but I never said he was the best player, don't get the comment about being beaten in the air, he wasn't killing himself out there - but he provides that certainty in the backfield, he directed the play and he's just such a natural fit at 15. Murray won't have the box- kicking fun he had last week if Rob is out there. Simples.

[ronk]

We coasted and had to lift things in the end. So did Ulster.

We got called for a load of technical penalties again but we weren’t the ones ones committing the offences. Feels like it’s the sort of problem we won’t have so much when we get to knockout refs.

Not sure what you mean here.

We were committing ruck offences by diving off feet and coming in from the side.

This has been an unfortunate subtext to both games, and we need to reduce it.

*only ones

[Blueberry]

And apologies to George.....not a bad effort at umpiring....

He wasn’t bad but he did ping us for “diving, not driving” and let Ulster away with it when they obviously were guilty.

Far from perfect but he didn't ruin the match so just happy I didn't have a fit shouting at the TV like last week.....or maybe I was just so distracted by how poor Ulster played I didn't notice....If it wasn't for Stockdale they could have been much further behind and it looks like he is injured now....Edinburgh will be licking their lips.....powder puff pack bar that SA lump and even Cooney looked out of sorts, poor old Mads doesn't look too comfortable either.....their rustiness understable but we looked so much sharper it must point to massive coaching differences.....

On a side note Osborne looks promising....

[Ruckedtobits]

Fabulous!!!! Although Ulster were absolute pants.....absolute garbage....

Frawley was outstanding, Dev in fine form, Cian Kelleher did a lot of good stuff and nice cameos from Harry, Milne and Ruddock....Nice to see Rob in charge at the back.

Enjoyed that.....

+1
Leo and Stuart made and executed a very rare experiment in any professional sport by starting a team totally (perhaps bar Dev) composed of secondary selections, albeit in a dead rubber and defeated a team intent on winning for their own purposes. This was a demonstration of coaching expertise and providing opportunities of the highest calibre.

A number of Leinster players took the opportunity to demonstrate their rate of development over the pandemic period whilst other showed they have retained their core standards without any loss of quality.

Very impressive across the board and now wondering just how much of an impression those displays will make on selection over the next three weeks