Heineken Cup - Leinster V ASM Clermont Auvergne

[crisco10]

4 changes to team on 6 day turnaround. That should give us a slight edge compared to their 2 (or 3). Esp if we want to put more pace on the game.
Lovely to see DK back, makes our bench looks less callow. Yet another kick in the teeth for Carr to have Conway chosen ahead of him.

I'd prefer Skrela to start to be honest, James' kick offs (and drop outs) are scarily good. It makes it so hard to consolidate after scoring because his kick offs put us under immediate pressure. (Clermont definitely scored once straight off kick off last week) Also, I like the idea of SOB running at Skrela.

[AdamK]

James is defo the better OH at the moment. He may be inconsistent, but he's been blowing more hot than cold this season. Glad to have Skrela for this.

[asmca12]

James is defo the better OH at the moment. He may be inconsistent, but he's been blowing more hot than cold this season. Glad to have Skrela for this.

Yes, sure.
James is preferred to Skrela for all important game this season and the final games the last season.

[cormac]

I'd imagine Sean O'Brien would love to see Skrela start.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM03ZzEyTYo

[Jaunard]

James is defo the better OH at the moment. He may be inconsistent, but he's been blowing more hot than cold this season. Glad to have Skrela for this.

Vern must be counting your votes until he makes the decision

but the REAL question is, Guinness or Murphy's ?

[tackle-bag]

Would much prefer James to start than Skrela.

ditto

Yep, notoriously flakey away from home. That's not just in relation to 2010, for the record. His kicking against Ulster in Ravenhill last year was embarrassing.

Skrela has done something on a couple of occasions which James has never done, which is play on a winning team in Dublin.

[AdamK]

James is defo the better OH at the moment. He may be inconsistent, but he's been blowing more hot than cold this season. Glad to have Skrela for this.

Vern must be counting your votes until he makes the decision

but the REAL question is, Guinness or Murphy's ?

Neither, O'Hara's!

[mikey]

feeling quite ill at the thought of tomorrow......! - we must win!...we will win......going to stay off the forum I cant really take the pressure!

[nelly the elephant]

James is defo the better OH at the moment. He may be inconsistent, but he's been blowing more hot than cold this season. Glad to have Skrela for this.

Vern must be counting your votes until he makes the decision

but the REAL question is, Guinness or Murphy's ?

Now you just KNOW the answer to that question......(as you will be in the home of one of them tomorrow)

[limecat]

Match Preview

Last Sunday's match was definitely filed under "the ones that got away".

If offered a losing bonus point before the game, most Leinster fans would have taken it. However, Leinster put in such a magnificently brave performance in Stade Marcel-Michelin that both players and supporters left the arena thinking of what might have been.

Read more...

[domhnallj]

feeling quite ill at the thought of tomorrow......! - we must win!...we will win......going to stay off the forum I cant really take the pressure!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i0GW0Vnr9Yc

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Really hope we stuff Parra tomorrow. He's a really dirty player and doesn't seem to have the reputation for it that he deserves.

[Rémy63]

Really hope we stuff Parra tomorrow. He's a really dirty player and doesn't seem to have the reputation for it that he deserves.

Every player in the world has tried to get him, only McCaw succeed in.

Try it, he will just be better and better

[Blue not red blood]

/Nothing to add except,

C`mon LEINSTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
BE VERY BLUE AND VERY LOUD TOMORROW.
Ignore the day trippers who tell you to sit down or be quiet

[ceemec]

Would be delighted with Skrela starting. James fits in to Clermont's plan to crush the opposition perfectly. His kicking from hand is on a different planet to Skrela. The Clermont chase from their back three is world class. Skrela doesn't offer the same quality to execute that. If he kicks, we're much more likely to get ball in space. James is also great at the little chip in behind a defensive line.

Skrela was a good player but not for some time now. He's pushing 34 and doesn't offer the same running threat at all. He's not a great tackler either.

As Clermont's T14 results attest to, they are a far more vulnerable side with Skrela at 10.

[asmca12]

Match Preview

Last Sunday's match was definitely filed under "the ones that got away".

If offered a losing bonus point before the game, most Leinster fans would have taken it. However, Leinster put in such a magnificently brave performance in Stade Marcel-Michelin that both players and supporters left the arena thinking of what might have been.

Read more...

Thank you, great analysis of the context.
I like this :
"With a record crowd due for an Irish pool match (48,000 tickets sold at the time of writing) there's been a great buzz about the game all week. It's a testament to the ability of the Leinster marketing department that the big December match at the Aviva already feels like an essential part of the build-up to Christmas in only its third year. The Clermont fans will travel as well and they'll bring great noise and colour to the occasion as always. However Schmidt will hope for a repeat of two years ago when the crowd fed off the team's performance to create possibly the most raucous atmosphere yet witnessed in the redeveloped stadium. The Clermont fans showed how noisy they can be last week, it's up to all the Leinster supporters this week to get off their arse and reply in kind."
Not because Clermont fans are considered to be good fans, but because we feel the very good agreement between us.

[islander]

did anyone else see the build-up piece by neil francis? bit gung-ho for some tastes, but i chuckled... favourite section below:

These are high stakes now and I think Clermont do not relish coming here on Saturday. Dry mouths and uncertain minds have always existed in the Clermont ranks. They should have won five or six Boucliers (French league title) in the last eight or nine years. There is a reason why they've only won one. They don't like it up 'em.

What Leinster have to do this Saturday is take Clermont by the balls and squeeze so hard that their toes turn in and you hear a sound of broken crockery from them as they limp across the paddock. A sustained blitzkrieg from the start is what is awaiting Clermont. Unfortunately blitzkrieg without the points is of no value. Leinster have a disturbing habit of feeling their way into some big games. I always feel that for some teams - particularly like Clermont who have half a dozen players who will run out the gate - if there is uncertainty and unyielding pressure, particularly in the first 30 minutes, they will throw their hands in the air.

[Jaunard]

No one here is talking about Bardy replacing Lapandry.
Seems his reputation has not reached your shores yet.
He's more and more making Cudmore look like a Zen monk on the field.

[cormac]

No one here is talking about Bardy replacing Lapandry.
Seems his reputation has not reached your shores yet.
He's more and more making Cudmore look like a Zen monk on the field.

Is he the one that headbutted Leo Cullen near the end of the semi-final last year?

[asmca12]

No one here is talking about Bardy replacing Lapandry.
Seems his reputation has not reached your shores yet.
He's more and more making Cudmore look like a Zen monk on the field.

Is he the one that headbutted Leo Cullen near the end of the semi-final last year?

No, it was Lionel Faure (prop, retired now)