Pro14 R6: Connacht v Leinster Fri Nov 8 KO 7:35 EIR/TG4

[ChrisUppy]

Connors and Murphy played like Jennings and Kev McKlaughlin reincarnated. They'll be two big players for Leinster over the coming years

[Laighin Break]

Carty should have been penalised for simulation - trying to buy a YC

agree - hate to see soccer style diving creeping into rugby. stamp it out early.

Not sure if it belongs here or in A Whiff Of Cordite, but Sean Farrell (on The42) said Connors was lucky to escape a yellow card for a clothes line!!
Penalty yes, but Carty milked that. And Blade bought a penalty later on too, intentionally falling over Kelleher.

[Laighin Break]

RK

Nope, to paraphrase a racist, he just hasn't earned it yet baby.

He can be RoK until RK retires, then there can be a ceremonial handing over of the initialisation - perhaps on the pitch at half time or something.

*RóK

[wwed]

Great result - dominating Connacht in their own backyard. Defence was outstanding, they were going backwards all night. Can't figure out how much was due to us being good, and how much due to them being poor?

[leinsterforever]

Murphy, Connors, Deegan backrow was very good. That's the balance picking specialised players in each position, rather than messing around with e.g. Deegan at 6, will give ya.

Keenan seems to read it well positionally.

[hugonaut]

The conventional wisdom is that Forwards decide who win matches, Backs decide by how much. Not tonight.

And that was without Furlong and James Ryan. It's not inconceivable that none of the back rowers are even in the 23 next week.

An absolutely outstanding first half. Game and bonus point in the bag by the half hour mark.

Kelleher and Connors blew the lights out.

The camera went to Andy Farrell in the coach's area – I've little doubt that Kelleher's 50 minutes there will get him into the next Irish training squad. Sounds like it's a leap, but that position is wide open now with Best's retirement, Cronin's age profile and Scannell's innocuous World Cup. Kelleher obviously has a very strong age-grade pedigree and came into the season with a bit of expectation, but he has performed well above that and LC/SL have given him the opportunity.

I've said it before, so forgive me repeating myself, but Porridge is a natural rugby player. He looks sort of lanky, but the lad has great balance, quick reactions and is everywhere. His level change when he tackles is as quick as you like. I'd always look for comparisons with great players when I'm thinking of case studies or models for young players, and for me he's a little reminiscent of Richard Hill.

I'd start Porter for the Treviso game. I wasn't taken at all with Furlong's form in the World Cup; thought he was quite a long way from his best. Porter is playing quality rugby in all aspects of a prop's game. He's the form tighthead [and is obviously a hugely talented player in his own right].

[Oldschoolsocks]

Awesome performance by Leinster, Connacht just couldn’t get into a semblance of a stride. Dominated at the tackle and breakdown.

Really happy for Joey Tomane, Connors , and Janey Mack James Lowe is the embodiment of pure enthusiasm.

[JWG]

Was not expecting that.

Those kind of Leinster display's always warms the cockles.

I thought is was going to be a lot tighter. Connacht are or were playing some lovely rugby and at home they've stood up to Leinster in recent years.

Connors is lightening in defence and is like quick drying cement when he tackles. Very impressive.

I was a bit put out by Connacht's play acting. Carty was going down like a sack of potatoes, even before contact. Butler put the dramatics on for an arm over his shoulder in a maul and Blade fell over fresh air as Kelleher went flat on the ground when he realised he was caught in no man's land.

All in all, 6 tries in Galway says it all.

[ronk]

Super performance. Exploited weakness in Connacht but we won't have it so easy always.

A few players are developing fast and it's great to see for squad depth.

Heineken Cup will be a different challenge

[wixfjord]

A lot of chat about the young lads last night, rightly, but on the re-watch Fardy was so impressive.

The little things that he does so well like the latch on RK for his try and then the big moments like stealing in that maul, plus the follow up to get across the pitch and offload basketball style right after it.

Some signing.

[tingman]

A lot of chat about the young lads last night, rightly, but on the re-watch Fardy was so impressive.

The little things that he does so well like the latch on RK for his try and then the big moments like stealing in that maul, plus the follow up to get across the pitch and offload basketball style right after it.

Some signing.

Couldn't agree more - he's been terrific. And he just keeps going.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Dev was good too. I don't think he's at his very best but he's certainly much better than he was for Ireland and in his first couple of Leinster games.

[Ruckedtobits]

Murphy, Connors, Deegan backrow was very good. That's the balance picking specialised players in each position, rather than messing around with e.g. Deegan at 6, will give ya.

Keenan seems to read it well positionally.

+1
A vital point. The cohesion that this back-row provides ensured that the sum was greater than the parts. Just checked on ESPN Scrum.com and Connors was credited with 23 tackles with no misses. I counted it at 27, but there was a couple of double tackles which they may have assigned elsewhere. The real key was how well the three of them worked together and 49 tackles with just one missed tells the tale.

Great to see and hope it can continue but, IMO, no guarantee that it can be done at EPCR level everytime. However, would be happy to give it a go for next weekend against Treviso, even if it meant Rhys stays on the bench and Doris misses out. I would however, not yet be certain that it is the combo required for Lyons or Saints away.

[fourthirtythree]

Dev was good too. I don't think he's at his very best but he's certainly much better than he was for Ireland and in his first couple of Leinster games.

Yeah, I watched him blow about 3 players away at a clear out and was thinking just that.

As for Carty: it's very easy from here to say he was simulating rather than smartigg but it did look very bad. I think the ref sent him for a HIA as punishment...

[Laighin Break]

A lot of chat about the young lads last night, rightly, but on the re-watch Fardy was so impressive.

The little things that he does so well like the latch on RK for his try and then the big moments like stealing in that maul, plus the follow up to get across the pitch and offload basketball style right after it.

Some signing.

Couldn't agree more - he's been terrific. And he just keeps going.

He ruined two tries though!
Another great moment from him was when he (unfairly) conceded a penalty, and then made up for it be stealing the Connacht lineout shortly after.

[LeinsterLeader]

just watched the match again (gets better with each viewing).

The tackle from JOB on Tom Farrell in the 77th Min ......... mother of divine ........Farrell will still be feeling that next week

I think Bundee must have been in minus yards for his carries. Every time he got the ball he was driven backwards.

[johng]

Is that a Leinster record in the sportsground?

[Pilotman123]

Leinster are class and are gonna win the pro14

[cormac]

Is that a Leinster record in the sportsground?

No, biggest win is 53-8 in 1999. In terms of scoring more points than yesterday we also won 49-20 in 2002. In terms of a larger winning margin than yesterday we've also had a 41-6 win in 1986 and a 35-0 win in 1952.

Don't have the scores pre 1946.

[johng]

Thanks cormac. Biggest win in 20 years will do nicely