Clermont - The Game

[Apocrypha]

Looking forward to this. Could and should be the game of the HEC 2012.

Personally, I thought the QF games were complete shite, one and all.

Whoever wins in Bordeaux is home and hosed in Twickers!

[glenageary]

It's a great competition, frankly it's so close it's impossible to call. The fact that it's in France gives ASM the advantage, I would be more confident if it was anywhere but there.

However, if ASM win, I still think ulster has a chance in twickers so nothing is certain. I think we have a better chance against ulster than ASM.

It will come down to who brings their A game to Bordeaux - any sub par performance by any player will likely loose the game for their team. Mentally we have what it takes , so I still think we have a great chance of the double this year.

[Proudleinsterman]

Yep, the scrum will be crucial, if we get parity we are in with a good chance, think Ross is a different player with Thorn behind him. Leinster have the winning mentality and can come back from a losing position. Clermont have yet to win a HC SF and in typical Gallic fashion can blow cold just as easily. A solid start from leinster will be important to silence the crowd. Away but not the MM, which is a plus.

If Leinster can get tempo into their game, I think they will run the feet off the Clermont pack. Looking forward to Leinsters best performance of the season.

[Dexter]

Yep, the scrum will be crucial, if we get parity we are in with a good chance, think Ross is a different player with Thorn behind him. Leinster have the winning mentality and can come back from a losing position. Clermont have yet to win a HC SF and in typical Gallic fashion can blow cold just as easily. A solid start from leinster will be important to silence the crowd. Away but not the MM, which is a plus.

If Leinster can get tempo into their game, I think they will run the feet off the Clermont pack. Looking forward to Leinsters best performance of the season.

Reading this thread has started the nerves jangling.. it's going to be a long 10 days!

[rdsblue]

I think Leinster will at least hold our own in both scrum and lineout. It could then come down to the outhalfs and Leinster have a huge advantage here with Sexton backed up by Madigan and Isa available if needed. Neither James nor Skrela (and definitely not Dazy) are in the same class. I know Skrela ripped into Leins for Toulouse 2 years ago but he's gone backwards since and anyway the Toul pack gave him an armchair ride that day.

[totalrandomer]

Yep, the scrum will be crucial, if we get parity we are in with a good chance, think Ross is a different player with Thorn behind him. Leinster have the winning mentality and can come back from a losing position. Clermont have yet to win a HC SF and in typical Gallic fashion can blow cold just as easily. A solid start from leinster will be important to silence the crowd. Away but not the MM, which is a plus.

If Leinster can get tempo into their game, I think they will run the feet off the Clermont pack. Looking forward to Leinsters best performance of the season.

Reading this thread has started the nerves jangling.. it's going to be a long 10 days!

Sure is. it's degree flocking 12 days already . just since you said that.

[Broken Wing]

Wayne Barnes announced as ref.

Poite doing Ulster Edinburgh.

[sarah_lennon]

Disaster. Hopefully he has the intelligence to stay out of the supporter's bar afterwards this time

[bluemagic]

Wayne Barnes announced as ref.

Poite doing Ulster Edinburgh.

Ultimate home ref, that makes an already huge ask absolutely monumetal

[Xanthippe]

Wayne Barnes announced as ref.

Poite doing Ulster Edinburgh.

f%~k sh!t damn b*%&!x cr@p

[AdamK]

Surely he's the lesser of 3 evils? I would've preferred Owens, but isn't Barnes the LEAST homer, and Pearson being the WORST homer?

[Edna Kenny]

Pearson and Owens are the linesmen for our game.

[mikey]

Wayne Barnes announced as ref.

Poite doing Ulster Edinburgh.

Well the team have plenty of time to look at what Wayne will ping them for and deal with it - Pearson would have been worse I think and Owens worse still -

[simonokeeffe]

Barnes being a homer doesnt match up with the last game he reffed in Ireland

Am looking forward to the inevitable dust up between Thorn and Hines and/or Cudmore

[fourthirtythree]

Barnes being a homer doesnt match up with the last game he reffed in Ireland

Am looking forward to the inevitable dust up between Thorn and Hines and/or Cudmore

...and I think Fitzgibbon has been much improved this year too. Including the match where Ospreys beat us.

Just while we're being all nice to refs like.

[Sauvignon Blank]

Wayne Barnes announced as ref.

This fcukwit was in charge the last time we played them in France and has since been demoted off the elite refs list.
I feel our task has just got considerably harder.
Christ on a bike.

[[Jackass]]

Ha! That's the dream team of homer refs! Ah well...It's a shame that the selection of ref is just as important as form and injuries.

[Proudleinsterman]

Surely he's the lesser of 3 evils? I would've preferred Owens, but isn't Barnes the LEAST homer, and Pearson being the WORST homer?

I'd agree, Barnes is probably the best of a bad bunch.

The Leinster brains trust will be going through the ASM V Ulster match in detail, Ulster had ASM beaten and we can match anything Ulster can produce (no offence to Ulster who have been fantastic). I really think the pressure is on Clermont in front of their fans and having never won a HC SF, playing the Champions and a bogey team at that.

Quick ruck ball is like oxygen for Leinster, Gibbes should take a real bow, I am amazed how good Leinsters clearance at ruck time is, they are turning it into an artform. Only one position up for grabs, 9. It makes sense to play Boss early on when it will be a dogfight, he is like another forward and can offload out of the tackle which is the sort of thing we will need to break down their defence early on. Bring on Reddan in the second half when players start to tire and space opens up. I think whoever starts against Ulster will start against ASM.

Hoping experience and guts will do it for us and knowing if this team has to go to the well again to win, no better bunch. The force is with us lads, fingers crossed for everyone (Rossy) to come through against Ulster and then it's countdown to 'Le Tour'. They have the flair and the support but we have the winners medals and the cahones. It's not fair to have to wait so long for a game.

PS With the 9 foot telescopic flag pole and 5X3 blue/white chequered flag safely on order have to get some of that blue/white face paint. This is one match where you can make an absolute show of yourself and you won't look out of place, in for a penny.

[Topcat73]

Barnes.... ohhh jebus

[StrangeButBlue]

How do people think the game will go if it rains?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/3031582