Leinster v Cardiff

[Scrum 5]

Setanta showing the match now. Looking forward to seeing the second half.

[Donald]

Good game last night with the exception of about 15 mins in the latter half of the first half. On the lighter side of things I enjoyed watching boss give D Kearney scrumaging tips when Leo was in the bin

[Blue Man]

"Forwards decide who wins matches and backs decide by how much"
The Leinster pack laid an excellent platform last night, all be it against a terrible, weakened Cardiff side. The young, exciting backline played some great rugby and displayed fantastic ball skills along with running good angles and linking well.
Sykes had a decent match. Not quite sure why there are so many dissenters as if you look at last night's performance he had a good game and got stuck in.
Berquist injury is a good thing for Irish rugby as it has given Madigan more game time and he is on fire (not literally!) at the moment.
Nice to see genuine pace on the wings in Carr (tried a bit too hard but got through a lot of work) and D Kearney (super footballer and fine finisher).
The McFadden O'Malley Fitzgerald 13 shirt debate will continue but I'd play McF 13 and Lukie 11. O'Malley is a lot stronger than he looks and holds the ball up surprisingly well in contact which is encouraging.
Interestingly, I think we have developed a greater depth to our squad this year but probably lack a settled, definitive first XV.

[Blue Man]

"Forwards decide who wins matches and backs decide by how much"
The Leinster pack laid an excellent platform last night, all be it against a terrible, weakened Cardiff side. The young, exciting backline played some great rugby and displayed fantastic ball skills along with running good angles and linking well.
Sykes had a decent match. Not quite sure why there are so many dissenters as if you look at last night's performance he had a good game and got stuck in.
Berquist injury is a good thing for Irish rugby as it has given Madigan more game time and he is on fire (not literally!) at the moment.
Nice to see genuine pace on the wings in Carr (tried a bit too hard but got through a lot of work) and D Kearney (super footballer and fine finisher).
The McFadden O'Malley Fitzgerald 13 shirt debate will continue but I'd play McF 13 and Lukie 11. O'Malley is a lot stronger than he looks and holds the ball up surprisingly well in contact which is encouraging.
Interestingly, I think we have developed a greater depth to our squad this year but probably lack a settled, definitive first XV.

[Blue Man]

"Forwards decide who wins matches and backs decide by how much"
The Leinster pack laid an excellent platform last night, all be it against a terrible, weakened Cardiff side. The young, exciting backline played some great rugby and displayed fantastic ball skills along with running good angles and linking well.
Sykes had a decent match. Not quite sure why there are so many dissenters as if you look at last night's performance he had a good game and got stuck in.
Berquist injury is a good thing for Irish rugby as it has given Madigan more game time and he is on fire (not literally!) at the moment.
Nice to see genuine pace on the wings in Carr (tried a bit too hard but got through a lot of work) and D Kearney (super footballer and fine finisher).
The McFadden O'Malley Fitzgerald 13 shirt debate will continue but I'd play McF 13 and Lukie 11. O'Malley is a lot stronger than he looks and holds the ball up surprisingly well in contact which is encouraging.
Interestingly, I think we have developed a greater depth to our squad this year but probably lack a settled, definitive first XV.

[Blue Man]

"Forwards decide who wins matches and backs decide by how much"
The Leinster pack laid an excellent platform last night, all be it against a terrible, weakened Cardiff side. The young, exciting backline played some great rugby and displayed fantastic ball skills along with running good angles and linking well.
Sykes had a decent match. Not quite sure why there are so many dissenters as if you look at last night's performance he had a good game and got stuck in.
Berquist injury is a good thing for Irish rugby as it has given Madigan more game time and he is on fire (not literally!) at the moment.
Nice to see genuine pace on the wings in Carr (tried a bit too hard but got through a lot of work) and D Kearney (super footballer and fine finisher).
The McFadden O'Malley Fitzgerald 13 shirt debate will continue but I'd play McF 13 and Lukie 11. O'Malley is a lot stronger than he looks and holds the ball up surprisingly well in contact which is encouraging.
Interestingly, I think we have developed a greater depth to our squad this year but probably lack a settled, definitive first XV.

[DartVader]

Sorry, could you repeat that.

[gfo]

anyone rocking youtube links of the match? a lot of stuff worth seeing again

[ronk]

There was some nice variety to our game. We had tightheads running support lines and scoring from 25m out and both halfbacks crashing over on the line. There were drop-goals to keep them out of the game and 6 tries when their morale was sapped. There was a quick tap penalty due to an alert individual.

We defended well and moved the ball quickly from turnovers and there was some good technical work at the breakdown with fast turnovers.

[Xanthippe]

anyone rocking youtube links of the match? a lot of stuff worth seeing again

Highlights are available on Leinster TV

[[Jackass]]

Full game should be on TG4 website too (if they have a TG4 version of RTE player, which has shows on the site a few hours after it airs for a couple of days)

[neilinboston]

I hate to be a downer after that, but... I was really excited when we signed Carr up. I expected him to mature quickly under an intelligent backs coach in an exciting set up. There was only once in the entire game where I thought he made the right decision. He's over running everything and then backing himself when he hasn't a hope and kicking aimlessly ahead with only one man to beat. If he's going to make it, he needs to learn to be a part of Leinster rather than being the fast guy out wide. There are systems that will get him involved, but he's still expecting to make it happen himself.

Regarding some of the other players, people are saying Strauss has dropped off a bit this season, I think he's just playing more like a hooker as he's bulked up more like a hooker rather than being an extra flanker. Seanie and Ruddock are having a positive impact on games, perhaps not barnstorming runs every two minutes, but their impact and contribution are very worthwhile. I thought Jennings was super.

O'Malley has to nail down the 13 shirt now. And I'd like to see Fitz challenging for 12, be a nice counterpoint to the popular big bosh merchants and could really get us moving outside Sexton, or, possibly more excitingly, Madigan (I reckon he'll overtake Sexton within a couple of seasons).

Sykes was underwhelming, but (and it pains me to say this) maybe he's getting through a lot of unseen work. I'd have little interest in a hollywood lock, I want grunt and ire.

And... PROP TRY!!!!!!!!!!!! I particularly loved the reaction he got from the players, they seemed genuinely stoked for him!

[jezzer]

I hate to be a downer after that, but... I was really excited when we signed Carr up. I expected him to mature quickly under an intelligent backs coach in an exciting set up. There was only once in the entire game where I thought he made the right decision. He's over running everything and then backing himself when he hasn't a hope and kicking aimlessly ahead with only one man to beat. If he's going to make it, he needs to learn to be a part of Leinster rather than being the fast guy out wide. There are systems that will get him involved, but he's still expecting to make it happen himself.

I know what you're saying, but I think you're overlooking a lot of very positive contributions he made. The break and then the perfectly timed pass to sexton for White's try was the only way that score was happening. He took up a lot of restarts and made some great ground with them. He does need to sharpen up his decision making, which is maybe why he isn't first choice. If he does improve that and his defence, he could be starting for ireland, let alone Leinster.

I thought Jennings was super.

Totally agree. For a guy who's only started 3 games this season, it's a bit mad to call him our best player 2011/12, but he is. He turned around the Montpellier game off the bench and he's playing great intelligent football in every area of the pitch (brainless yellow aside!). We're a different side when he plays.

O'Malley has to nail down the 13 shirt now. And I'd like to see Fitz challenging for 12, be a nice counterpoint to the popular big bosh merchants and could really get us moving outside Sexton, or, possibly more excitingly, Madigan (I reckon he'll overtake Sexton within a couple of seasons).

Sykes was underwhelming, but (and it pains me to say this) maybe he's getting through a lot of unseen work. I'd have little interest in a hollywood lock, I want grunt and ire.

And... PROP TRY!!!!!!!!!!!! I particularly loved the reaction he got from the players, they seemed genuinely stoked for him![/quote]

[FourMasters]

Cardiff were beyond poor.

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?

Dont think I was confusing O'Brien and Ruddock - to me they have different builds. But I must admit to being unable to tell D'Arcy and McFadden apart when they play together - I come away from a match thinking one was anonymous and the other was everwhere - and then I watch the recording and rebalance the scales

[nelly the elephant]

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

I gave him a tenner before the game.

Like a Wildebeest in the Serengeti, he was majestic. There are few sights as good as a 6'2" 19 stone + prop on a 30 yard dash for a try.

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.

I made a point of watching Sykes, but I was glazing over and losing my focus on him he did so little.

OK he is coming back from a 2nd injury and I am prepared to give him several games to come good. But they will be pro 12 games during the 6N I reckon.

Looked disinterested and unfit.

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.

I said this at the time but Biffo (sitting beside me) of course disagreed!

[Dave Cahill]

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.

I said this at the time but Biffo (sitting beside me) of course disagreed!

Biffo was wrong because Dave Kearney was at least 28 metres in front of Madigan (and at least 70 metres across from him) when the ball was kicked for that try

[Dave Cahill]

Though its interesting to note that the Ref can be clearly heard on the broadcast saying that DK was behind the kicker as the ball is kicked

[[Jackass]]

The replays make it look a mile offside as he's out of shot, but I think DK was calling for it wide on the right and sexto spotted him making the run, so he was up extremely quick. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on it...ref called it onside, and neither linesman nor any Cardiff players had any issue with it.

[ronk]

The replays make it look a mile offside as he's out of shot, but I think DK was calling for it wide on the right and sexto spotted him making the run, so he was up extremely quick. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt on it...ref called it onside, and neither linesman nor any Cardiff players had any issue with it.

Cardiff was robbed!

[johng]

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.

I said this at the time but Biffo (sitting beside me) of course disagreed!

Biffo was wrong because Dave Kearney was at least 28 metres in front of Madigan (and at least 70 metres across from him) when the ball was kicked for that try

Took me a minute to get that one there. Very precise measurements to the subs bench.

It was right in front of me and Kearney looked offside. I have not seen it on the telly though.

I would have a much better view than the Biffo in the south stand in fairness to him.