johng wrote:Hard to be pissed off about anything right now though, because the other 14 were excellent. What a squad we have. Headaches all over the park in selection, and missing the likes of Shaggy and "the anointed one"
Poor Bath.
Hard to disagree, things going very smoothly right now bar Drico & Horgans injuries. But bigger tests lay ahead and thats where I fear our 2nd row problems may surface. Sykes was awful last night and Toner doesn't fill me with confidence when we are in a dogfight. Granted he's been playing very well recently.
Madigan tho' just gets better and better. His passing is a joy to behold and the look he gave us in the South Stand as he crossed for his try was brilliant.
Joe needs to reign them in a bit for Bath and don't get cocky. Any type of win over there and smash them in the return match and Christmas has well and truly started early.
Hopefully Sykes will come good in the end, but he should be afforded a run of games before he's written off. Having said that I would happily swap him to get Hines back.
"everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson
In a random act of boredom I just read a Hugh farrelly article. This is hilarious, he is actually suggesting that Munster are developing more home grown talent than leinster
that idiot farrelly wrote:Munster have, deservedly, been gaining the kudos for bringing through indigenous talent, but Leinster are pushing players forward also
Danthefan wrote:Thought Sykes was alright. I've a feeling he could be one of those players people will say was cr@p regardless.
Me too. He certainly didn't set the world alight but he seemed to make a lot of tackles and work quite hard. Noticed a few times in the second half that he got up straight away having made a tackle so as to make another one. I know that's what he should be doing anyway but I thought it was an encouraging sign from a guy who hasn't played much recently and has had his attitude questioned.
Still think the second row will be our downfall in the HC regardless of whether he comes right or not though.
I agree that Sykes was okay but nothing more than that. He probably will need a run of constant starts before we can really judge him though and that probably won't happen until the Six Nations.
slum wrote:In a random act of boredom I just read a Hugh farrelly article. This is hilarious, he is actually suggesting that Munster are developing more home grown talent than leinster
that idiot farrelly wrote:Munster have, deservedly, been gaining the kudos for bringing through indigenous talent, but Leinster are pushing players forward also
That's just it Donny, he can't possibly be fully match fit. Considering that I thought it was an encouraging performance. He hits an awful lot of rucks.
johng wrote:
Dave K was in front of me when he went for that BP try. Well offside. 3 yards at least in front of Madigan when he kicked.
It was Sexton with the cross-kick
It was indeed. Just keeping you on your toes.
Madigan hasn't mastered the cross kick to the same extent. But boy can he pass. He can make that ball do stuff in places that most outhalves don't even have places..... Or something.
I wonder what Apocrypha made of him? He was asking before hand.
johng wrote:
Dave K was in front of me when he went for that BP try. Well offside. 3 yards at least in front of Madigan when he kicked.
It was Sexton with the cross-kick
It was indeed. Just keeping you on your toes.
Madigan hasn't mastered the cross kick to the same extent. But boy can he pass. He can make that ball do stuff in places that most outhalves don't even have places..... Or something.
I wonder what Apocrypha made of him? He was asking before hand.
Down his way there is only 1 barometer for how good an outhalf is. It's all to do with 3 pointers do I'm sure Apocrypha is very underwhelmed.
"everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Mike Tyson
Can anybody tell me which position David Kearney took in the defensive scrum on the Leinster line? From our vantage point it looked like second row? Bizarre, but it was hard to tell from the Grandstand. Even more bizarre was Cardiff with a man advantage taking two bites at a scrum when everybody knew there'd be a gazillion resets as the clock ticked along. Turning the ball over effectively ended any competitiveness from the welsh team.
An excellent game from Ruddock in particular, a huge amount of energy and he also showed great hands at times. Have to say it - O'Brien was very subdued. At one point, ball in hand he ambled up the field at half tilt and slowed to a glacial (Mike Ross) pace to take contact. Is he carrying an injury? On his form tonight, I wouldnt mind seeing either of Ruddock or McLaughlin starting at 6 next week, and O'Brien coming off the bench in angry mode.
Can't agree there on Seanie! I thought he had a good efficient - if not a barn storming game. Similarly I thought Ruddock had a good but not inspired match. I'm really not being smart here, but it is sometimes hard to distinguish Seanie from Rhys (similar build and gait, black scrum caps, etc) when watching live. Maybe- just maybe you gave Ruddock too much and Seanie too little credit? No?
"Oh, I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused!"
Can anybody tell me which position David Kearney took in the defensive scrum on the Leinster line? From our vantage point it looked like second row? Bizarre, but it was hard to tell from the Grandstand. Even more bizarre was Cardiff with a man advantage taking two bites at a scrum when everybody knew there'd be a gazillion resets as the clock ticked along. Turning the ball over effectively ended any competitiveness from the welsh team.
An excellent game from Ruddock in particular, a huge amount of energy and he also showed great hands at times. Have to say it - O'Brien was very subdued. At one point, ball in hand he ambled up the field at half tilt and slowed to a glacial (Mike Ross) pace to take contact. Is he carrying an injury? On his form tonight, I wouldnt mind seeing either of Ruddock or McLaughlin starting at 6 next week, and O'Brien coming off the bench in angry mode.
Can't agree there on Seanie! I thought he had a good efficient - if not a barn storming game. Similarly I thought Ruddock had a good but not inspired match. I'm really not being smart here, but it is sometimes hard to distinguish Seanie from Rhys (similar build and gait, black scrum caps, etc) when watching live. Maybe- just maybe you gave Ruddock too much and Seanie too little credit? No?
"Oh, I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused!"
artaneboy wrote:
Can't agree there on Seanie! I thought he had a good efficient - if not a barn storming game. Similarly I thought Ruddock had a good but not inspired match. I'm really not being smart here, but it is sometimes hard to distinguish Seanie from Rhys (similar build and gait, black scrum caps, etc) when watching live. Maybe- just maybe you gave Ruddock too much and Seanie too little credit? No?
I was constantly confusing Seanie and Boss actually!
artaneboy wrote:
Can't agree there on Seanie! I thought he had a good efficient - if not a barn storming game. Similarly I thought Ruddock had a good but not inspired match. I'm really not being smart here, but it is sometimes hard to distinguish Seanie from Rhys (similar build and gait, black scrum caps, etc) when watching live. Maybe- just maybe you gave Ruddock too much and Seanie too little credit? No?
I was constantly confusing Seanie and Boss actually!
Yeah, that too! They should have personalised caps, like F1 racing drivers.
"Oh, I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused!"
Donny B. wrote:Joe says that Nathan White's try was his first in pro rugby! What a try!!!
That's a dam fine way to open your try scoring account - for a prop he had a pretty impressive turn of speed
Our next utility back maybe ??!!!!
He was running straight towards us, poor lad was knackered after that, think the last ditch tackle was all that got him over the line
RE Sykes, restarts were bad but some mitigation in it was wet windy night, lifters didn't help once or twice, Ross hadn't made it all the way on to the pitch for one, other than that though he worked hard and cleaned out well especially against Tito, put his tackles in, basically most of the donkey work he's there to do
RE Farrelly, think he knows more Leinster fans read IT and only look at rugby pages in Indo for Tony Ward, reminders of how lazy Franno was and for schitz and giggles like reading Isaac Boss is NIQ
Retired from babbling. Can be found on twittter @okeeffesimon
slum wrote:In a random act of boredom I just read a Hugh farrelly article. This is hilarious, he is actually suggesting that Munster are developing more home grown talent than leinster
that idiot farrelly wrote:Munster have, deservedly, been gaining the kudos for bringing through indigenous talent, but Leinster are pushing players forward also
I'm beginning to think Farrelly is actually janeymac08. The similiarities in worldview are striking!
happy to let both (or the same) exist in their (his/her) little delusionary world. As General Melchett (Blackadder Goes Forth) said;
'Yes, when all else fails, a total, pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through'
artaneboy wrote:
Can't agree there on Seanie! I thought he had a good efficient - if not a barn storming game. Similarly I thought Ruddock had a good but not inspired match. I'm really not being smart here, but it is sometimes hard to distinguish Seanie from Rhys (similar build and gait, black scrum caps, etc) when watching live. Maybe- just maybe you gave Ruddock too much and Seanie too little credit? No?
I was constantly confusing Seanie and Boss actually!
You can add Strauss to that list also.
The performance has been summed up by everyone already but I think Strauss and Cronin deserve a lot of credit for the quality of their throws. I thought they were both excellent considering how strong the wind was and how slippy the ball must have been.
The sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter has had its day of days. Pity anybody who can't enjoy it. Some day.
Great performance. Hate to see a team just give up like Cardiff did. Their pack were competitive for the first half and must have been disgusted how their backs wasted the ball. They had a 4 on 2 late in the first half which they absolutely butchered (think it was Czekaj (sp?) who came inside when he had 3 guys outside him screaming for the ball. Summed up Cardiff until they totally packed it in. They just seem to lack a cohesive gameplan and a spirit.
Anyway, some great Leinster performances and some cracking moments. Too many to mention but Dave Kearney has to be knocking on the door for Bath.
