Leinster 2012/2013

[Thomond78]

Hold hard: one thumping does not a Laydeeez make, and mocking is catching. So let's be patient, m'kay?

[Clubman]

Hold hard: one thumping does not a Laydeeez make, and mocking is catching. So let's be patient, m'kay?

Agree with you there T78. However it was ever so tempting and indeed there were times too.............

[hooke]

Schmidt pulling hard into DKidney for the disruptive week preparations ....didnt effect the Ulster Boys ...but beware the backlash they have done this before.

[FORWARD....]

Hold hard: one thumping does not a Laydeeez make, and mocking is catching. So let's be patient, m'kay?

Nope. I intend to enjoy this for the week.

[Waterfordlad]

God Leinster were brutal - this is not gloating as we may get walloped tomorrow and next week - but I haven't seen them play that poorly for a while.



Well maybe not since Scarlets or Saints games this season

Fair play to Connacht - fantastic fire and passion in that display

[sewa]

[QUOTE=joeriddick;1112469]Try Edinburgh. WP Nel in under the posts. Leinster looking a bit light in the pack.
QUOTE]
100 Bonus points, quite correct, the ladies are back

[he man rugger pints]

Just watched it there, the front five was kittensoft. Marshall was about the only starter in the pack who can hold his head up, Avua doesn't seem to care now he's been awarded a contract. Denton is a pansy, and Toner needs to play beside a Thorn type to be effective. The backs were poor, but games are won/lost up front and the pack had their arses handed to them. I'm not looking forward to next week, Leinster have only looked decent in fits and bursts but have been woefully inconsistent. Bringing back in Healy, Cronin/Strauss, Ross, Cullen, McLaughlin, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton and BOD will make a big difference for us, but we need to hope SOB gets back on schedule as we badly miss him making slow ball fast and generally busting the game line.

Still though, Ireland's best HEC team of all time doesn't go to pot in the course of a couple of months. With the big guns back we should turn it around, but it was a very disappointing showing from most of the team last night. Fair play to Connacht though, some good rugby and the game was taylor made for Parks.

[lactose intolerant]

Just watched it there, the front five was kittensoft. Marshall was about the only starter in the pack who can hold his head up, Avua doesn't seem to care now he's been awarded a contract. Denton is a pansy, and Toner needs to play beside a Thorn type to be effective. The backs were poor, but games are won/lost up front and the pack had their arses handed to them. I'm not looking forward to next week, Leinster have only looked decent in fits and bursts but have been woefully inconsistent. Bringing back in Healy, Cronin/Strauss, Ross, Cullen, McLaughlin, Heaslip, Reddan, Sexton and BOD will make a big difference for us, but we need to hope SOB gets back on schedule as we badly miss him making slow ball fast and generally busting the game line.

Still though, Ireland's best HEC team of all time doesn't go to pot in the course of a couple of months. With the big guns back we should turn it around, but it was a very disappointing showing from most of the team last night. Fair play to Connacht though, some good rugby and the game was taylor made for Parks.

Nah, to be fair it took til May 09 for that to happen

[sewa]

Thorn's a massive loss especially given that Cullen has got 80 mins in his legs anymore

[John Cooper Clarke]

Ross looks 20lbs overweight.

[Old Dog]

Ross looks 20lbs overweight.

Kidney probably told him to bulk up.

The Autumn Internationals will involve 10 man rugby, wall-to-wall choke tackles and unending turniping until your eyes scream for mercy. Any Irish back scoring a try will be kicked out of the squad and may have his IRFU contract terminated.

Of course the way that Leinster are playing, there won't be many of them involved with the AIs. Still, it's about time that the other provinces gave something back to the IRFU!

[outside inside]

In front of a full house at the Aviva and against us you know they will perform . Leinster have had some poor displays out West over the years and have bounced back from them , do not expect anything different this time . More worrying would be if the development of the younger players has stalled . Pom has overtaken Ruddock & Ryan at the moment and DOC :2 & Butler look to be progressing nicely . This is a big season for a number of Leinster's younger players . What Leinster youngster is going to do a POM or Zebo and come straight through to the Int side ?

[Old Dog]

In front of a full house at the Aviva and against us you know they will perform . Leinster have had some poor displays out West over the years and have bounced back from them , do not expect anything different this time . More worrying would be if the development of the younger players has stalled . Pom has overtaken Ruddock & Ryan at the moment and DOC :2 & Butler look to be progressing nicely . This is a big season for a number of Leinster's younger players . What Leinster youngster is going to do a POM or Zebo and come straight through to the Int side ?

Rugby doesn't work like that. With half the Leinster team out injured and the rest playing like rusty wheelbarrows, the short-term future is bleak.

I'm not overly worried about next Saturday, as the defeat is a given - but I am concerned about the first two HEC games. Exeter are a bloody good team and Scarlets away won't be easy. Then, after the meaningless autumn friendlies, there's the small matter of Clermont away.

[sewa]

Exeter are a bloody good team? I'd disagree strongly on that, fairly powerful up front but very limited other than that

[Old Dog]

Exeter are a bloody good team? I'd disagree strongly on that, fairly powerful up front but very limited other than that

Rather like Connacht so!

Rob Baxter is an excellent coach and gets the best out of them. They rarely lose by much - watch them V Leicester this afternoon and decide for yourself.

[DJLethal173]

I'd be of the opinion that you dont become a bad side overnight.

Lose and get hammered while doing it? Who cares! Bury it. Identify what went wrong, analyse how it can be corrected and move on. The last part is key. That could either psychologically scar them the same way Cullen says the Rabo final against Ospreys has. Alternatively, it could serve as an almighty kick up the hole to the younger players wherein lies the problem.

The younger players yesterday that were around long enough to actually do something were nowhere to be seen. Fionn Carr, Ian Madigan & Leo A'auva - if thats how its spelled. This new signing Roux looks like a disaster and Denton's future remains to be seen - could step up in a big way but who knows.

I was most disappointed in Cronin who's darts were atrocious. Ross - as previously mentioned up above- looks obese and not in a good way.

These young fellas are coming through what is allegedly meant to be one of the best academy's in the professional game and that's what they turn in. No leadership. No structure.

Easterby's swipe against the IRFU "disruptions" was pathetic. Munster had to cope for years on end without our pack! Now Leinster are feeling the pinch of having an international pack and are obviously struggling to deal with it.

I feel that there will more than likely be a backlash next week against us when they have the likes of BOD, Sexton and Nacewa starting. However, they will not win a Heineken again until they get in a second row of use cos what they have currently is simply not up to it.

[sewa]

I have been watching it, the diffference for me is that Connacht have an international ten who gives them direction and a gameplan.

[joeriddick]

Leinster, in my opinion, are in a bit of a bind this year.

Psychologically, it was always going to be tough. Getting a squad motivated after three HEC wins in four years and near widespread acclaim of ebing The Best Club Side of All Time is always the hardest place to start from. Add in a worrying injury to their most important player (SOB), BOD/Dorce being one year older, a deeply mediocre second row and some of the vaunted youth of the last three seasons not pushing on as expected and you've a hard season ahead.

Heaslip really needs to step up as a ball carrier this year - if that doesn't happen then things could get really messy in their HEC group.

[Cowboy]

Exeter are a bloody good team? I'd disagree strongly on that, fairly powerful up front but very limited other than that

Tommy Hayes is precisely the type of no nonsense warrior that Leinster are crying out for in their engine room. Exeter are a troublesome side for most, their ability to drag you into a dogfight usually comes out on top

[The Outlaw]

In front of a full house at the Aviva and against us you know they will perform . Leinster have had some poor displays out West over the years and have bounced back from them , do not expect anything different this time . More worrying would be if the development of the younger players has stalled . Pom has overtaken Ruddock & Ryan at the moment and DOC :2 & Butler look to be progressing nicely . This is a big season for a number of Leinster's younger players . What Leinster youngster is going to do a POM or Zebo and come straight through to the Int side ?

Its a lot harder to make the leinster team then the munster team. Something you've overlooked

[Old Dog]

Rob Baxter is an excellent coach and gets the best out of the Exeter team. They rarely lose by much - watch them V Leicester this afternoon and decide for yourself.

And Exeter duly slumped to the second worst defeat of their Permiership history! Don't know whether to laugh or cry! (P.S. the ref rode Exeter bareback!)

[mr chips]

Here's a little piece of happiness just for you Outlaw.




Honestly, try to enjoy it. Times like these are for savouring, not for wallowing in bitterness.

[lactose intolerant]

Here's a little piece of happiness just for you Outlaw.




Honestly, try to enjoy it. Times like these are for savouring, not for wallowing in bitterness.

I think Outlaw would have been happier with Leinster winning tbh, so he could go on with being the prophet of doom

[The Outlaw]

I think Outlaw would have been happier with Leinster winning tbh, so he could go on with being the prophet of doom

Not at all. But I've far more experience of watching my team get hockeyed then you. So one hit wonders don't really get me excited. A consistent run of form does. I dont see why I should be pilloried for wanting my team to win 2 or 3 matches in a row.

[lactose intolerant]

Not at all. But I've far more experience of watching my team get hockeyed then you. So one hit wonders don't really get me excited. A consistent run of form does. I dont see why I should be pilloried for wanting my team to win 2 or 3 matches in a row.

You're not getting pilloried, you're getting lambasted

[Aussiedub]

In front of a full house at the Aviva and against us you know they will perform . Leinster have had some poor displays out West over the years and have bounced back from them , do not expect anything different this time . More worrying would be if the development of the younger players has stalled . Pom has overtaken Ruddock & Ryan at the moment and DOC :2 & Butler look to be progressing nicely . This is a big season for a number of Leinster's younger players . What Leinster youngster is going to do a POM or Zebo and come straight through to the Int side ?

Ruddock/Ryan/D Kearney/E O'Malley etc are injured which is causing problems as thesee are the guys who should normally be playing now and coming through but we'll see how things look in 5/6 weeks time.

[outside inside]

Ruddock/Ryan/D Kearney/E O'Malley etc are injured which is causing problems as thesee are the guys who should normally be playing now and coming through but we'll see how things look in 5/6 weeks time.

Fair enough . But in your opinion have Ruddock & Ryan progressed as much as you would like ? From memory Butler out played both of them in the B&I cup semi last year and he is a year younger . Dave Kearney was the best back on show against the Saxons , Zebo in the same match looked raw and selfish
but with game time in the big matches he has improved . D.Kearney needs to be starting the HC matches but he was behind McFadden for the wing last year . Is that likely to change this season ?

[Aussiedub]

Fair enough . But in your opinion have Ruddock & Ryan progressed as much as you would like ? From memory Butler out played both of them in the B&I cup semi last year and he is a year younger . Dave Kearney was the best back on show against the Saxons , Zebo in the same match looked raw and selfish
but with game time in the big matches he has improved . D.Kearney needs to be starting the HC matches but he was behind McFadden for the wing last year . Is that likely to change this season ?

Not as much as I would have liked but Ryan in particular has had a lot of injuries and Ruddock has picked bad times to be injured. They are also competing with 2 of the starting Irish backrow as well as McLaughlin/Jennings who've both been close to or in the Irish squad recently. D Kearney is out until around Christmas so will struggle competing with McFadden/Conway etc for the one wing place...

[Paddytheman]

Hold hard: one thumping does not a Laydeeez make, and ​mocking is catching.​ So let's be patient, m'kay?

Stop being so bloody prescient you!

[Thomond78]

Sorry, but :if there's one thing I've learnt over the years, it's that the Mocker Gods will kick you in the stones every chance you give them...