Leinster v Cardiff

[Donny B.]

Looks like it's going to be a wet evening.

[Made Of Ale]

thank you. I will save that to favourites. The Beeb make me mad..I pay the license fee and cannot watch.

It should be on the red button - it certainly used to be when I had Freeview though I remember you were limited to Welsh commentary or the 'alternative' commentary with three eejits talking mostly about things unrelated to the match. You should check at matchtime. It should also be online on the BBC website.

I have Freesat which has BBC Wales (and Alba, and S4C) so if you wanted to make the one off payment for that your problems would be solved.

[molloyjh]

Is Sheridan highly regarded by management?

So I've heard. That said I couldn't tell you know where I heard it from now!

He's recovering from knee ligament damage, supposed to be back February.

Cheers. I knew he was due out for a while but wasn't sure how long.

[cormac]

Fish splashes In to Face Leinster

2 December 2011, 11:56 am


There is a late change to the Cardiff Blues team with Dan Fish starting at fifteen in place of Chris Czekaj for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Leinster at the RDS tonight, kick off 8.05pm (BBC2 Wales)

Although Fish moves into the back line, there is no further disruption to the original XV or the replacements bench for the game. Chris Czekaj has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Dan Fish made his debut for the Blues against Aironi in October 2010, making 8 starts in the league last year and scoring three tries, including a touchdown at Cardiff City Stadium against Leinster last February. This season Dan has started three games in LV= Cup and RaboDirect PRO12 competitions in the matches against Munster, Newcastle and Scarlets

[johng]

Fish splashes In to Face Leinster

2 December 2011, 11:56 am


There is a late change to the Cardiff Blues team with Dan Fish starting at fifteen in place of Chris Czekaj for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Leinster at the RDS tonight, kick off 8.05pm (BBC2 Wales)

Although Fish moves into the back line, there is no further disruption to the original XV or the replacements bench for the game. Chris Czekaj has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Dan Fish made his debut for the Blues against Aironi in October 2010, making 8 starts in the league last year and scoring three tries, including a touchdown at Cardiff City Stadium against Leinster last February. This season Dan has started three games in LV= Cup and RaboDirect PRO12 competitions in the matches against Munster, Newcastle and Scarlets

Good news lads

I reckon Czekaj's injury is a bit of a cod though.

[Donny B.]

Decent player although not as physical as Czekaj. On a wet night it might be worth kicking a few up and unders his way to see what he's made of!

[Donny B.]

Fish splashes In to Face Leinster

2 December 2011, 11:56 am


There is a late change to the Cardiff Blues team with Dan Fish starting at fifteen in place of Chris Czekaj for the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Leinster at the RDS tonight, kick off 8.05pm (BBC2 Wales)

Although Fish moves into the back line, there is no further disruption to the original XV or the replacements bench for the game. Chris Czekaj has been ruled out with a hamstring strain. Dan Fish made his debut for the Blues against Aironi in October 2010, making 8 starts in the league last year and scoring three tries, including a touchdown at Cardiff City Stadium against Leinster last February. This season Dan has started three games in LV= Cup and RaboDirect PRO12 competitions in the matches against Munster, Newcastle and Scarlets

Good news lads

I reckon Czekaj's injury is a bit of a cod though.

Your COAT, sir!!!

[johng]

Your COAT, sir!!!

Go on. You groaned a little but you liked it. Now where have I used that line before.......Hmmmmm

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Your COAT, sir!!!

Go on. You groaned a little but you liked it. Now where have I used that line before.......Hmmmmm

I actually laughed out loud in the office at that. Not loud enough for people to stare but enough that they knew I wasn't working!

[Apocrypha]

How good is Madigan? Better than Keatley?

[macboomba]

Sounds like a bit of a red herring.

[cormac]

How good is Madigan? Better than Keatley?

Not at the moment, he still has to learn to control the tempo of the game a bit more. He's two years younger than Keatley and has already improved vis-a-vis last season.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Madigan our most improved player over the last year? As in from where they were this time last season. Going a bit further back would obviously throw Strauss into the mix who would probably be a clear winner.

[kendalgerty]

How good is Madigan? Better than Keatley?

He's hugely improved from last season, which is why people are starting to talk about him. He must be one of the best passers of the ball in the country and he has an eye for a break, and has a good tryscoring record as a result. He's a very exciting player to watch, but has a bit of work to do on game management. He has a big boot and kicks distance from hand, but often erratically, and is generally good for a blooper a game. He's only a wee lad too, Keatley would be a better defender by a street.

[Apocrypha]

How good is Madigan? Better than Keatley?

He's hugely improved from last season, which is why people are starting to talk about him. He must be one of the best passers of the ball in the country and he has an eye for a break, and has a good tryscoring record as a result. He's a very exciting player to watch, but has a bit of work to do on game management. He has a big boot and kicks distance from hand, but often erratically, and is generally good for a blooper a game. He's only a wee lad too, Keatley would be a better defender by a street.

Looking forward to seeing him this evening.

Y'er man Berquist has looked pretty poor in that game I saw him play - he couldn't even kick the restarts 10!

[[Jackass]]

I don't know if he's currently better than Keatley, although I did think Keatley was very up and down against Edinburgh, but Madigan on his own, I think has potential to be a superb running out half.

I don't think Sexton should be losing sleep just yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a Reddan / Boss scenario between Sexton and Madigan emerging in a couple of seasons, which would be great for both of them imo.

The level of improvement from Madigan has been massive, and it's not a whole lot unlike the emergence of Sexton back in 07ish, when D'Arcy was injured and Conters went in at 12 and Sexton was thrown in at 10 and did a great job and led us to the league win (jesus it's been that long? 07/08! Makes 2 final loses in a row sting that bit more). I reckon you could throw Madigan in to the first team if needed (touch wood) and he'd do great and come through an even stronger player. At this point, I'd like to see him as the back-up 10 for all games, including all Heineken Cup games, ahead of Berquist (if he's ever fit), as I think he'd be up to it (I think we're FAR to protective of players and big occassions in this country) and in the interest of development.

Defintely the find of the season. The jury is still out for flop of the season, sadly there are a number of condidates.

[johng]

How good is Madigan? Better than Keatley?

He's hugely improved from last season, which is why people are starting to talk about him. He must be one of the best passers of the ball in the country and he has an eye for a break, and has a good tryscoring record as a result. He's a very exciting player to watch, but has a bit of work to do on game management. He has a big boot and kicks distance from hand, but often erratically, and is generally good for a blooper a game. He's only a wee lad too, Keatley would be a better defender by a street.

Looking forward to seeing him this evening.

Y'er man Berquist has looked pretty poor in that game I saw him play - he couldn't even kick the restarts 10!

Happens to us all. Probably the Ospreys game where everyone was poor.

He looked great in the warm up games, and then went off in the 2nd game of the season after 20 mins with a 2 inch gap in his knee.

I believe he may be back for the Ulster game on Stephens Day.

I was just saying yesterday (maybe even on this thread) That himself and White were signed for a year to cover the learning curve of Madigan (McKinley was in the mix then too) and Hagan. Looks like the lads are progressing too.

Both the Kiwis are good squad players to have around. White is very solid, and pretty mobile for a TH too.

Edit: I bet you'd swap him for Borlazy in the morning.

[Scott]

Madigan our most improved player over the last year? As in from where they were this time last season. Going a bit further back would obviously throw Strauss into the mix who would probably be a clear winner.

Mcloughlin was in that mix also (improved player) but has not really continued this season. Madigan was behind Mckinley last season & would have probably continued to be if it were not for the retirement of latter. I have been impressed in any game i have seen him play in this season so fair play to the guy he is most definitely making the most of his opportunity.

[Apocrypha]

Edit: I bet you'd swap him for Borlazy in the morning.

Lazy Haze has been an absolute disaster. He got destroyed in his first game agianst the Skippies 2nd choice lh last Nov and has barely featured since then. 3 starts in all competitions in 1 year is pretty shocking. Ye get Strauss as a project and we get an injured prop who cannot scrummage - as if we didn't have a load of them already...

[hugonaut]

Edit: I bet you'd swap him for Borlazy in the morning.

Lazy Haze has been an absolute disaster. He got destroyed in his first game agianst the Skippies 2nd choice lh last Nov and has barely featured since then. 3 starts in all competitions in 1 year is pretty shocking. Ye get Strauss as a project and we get an injured prop who cannot scrummage - as if we didn't have a load of them already...

And yet he looked like a pretty reasonable player in the NPC for Canterbury, who have good props coming out their ears - the Franks brothers and the brilliantly-named Wyatt Crockett, all three of them All Blacks. It's a bit of a mystery how he hasn't made more of an impression, because the Munster propping corps isn't particularly deep.