Wasps QF

[ceemec]

Leinster Rugby's squad update on their homepage today!

[AdamK]

Considering there was talk of Sexton not being involved til May that's great news. BOD and Sexto back for the Munster trip? Ulster are already the interpro leaders this year, but let's keep the 2nd place in tact please.

[johng]

Keepen me options open with props and back row.

TBH I'd nearly play Marshall ahead of Roux

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Cullen
Roux
McLaughlin/Ruddock
O'Brien
Heaslip

Boss
Madigan
Nacewa
D'Arcy
McFadden
Kearney
Kearney

Cronin
McGrath/Van Der Merwe
Hagan/Bent
Toner
Jennings
Cooney
Goodman
O'Malley

[simonokeeffe]

Sexton has been upgraded to a week too soon from hors de combat

[ceemec]

Interesting to note that Macken broke his hand hitting the first ruck at the weekend and played on with the broken hand for 30 minutes. Might go some way to cutting him some slack for his missed tackle on Cave.

Unfortunately, according to Schmidt, EOM is a major doubt again too. He has continuing calf issues which are resulting from last season's injury. I think we might be planning with a Goodman/D'Arcy midfield.

[naraic]

Interesting to note that Macken broke his hand hitting the first ruck at the weekend and played on with the broken hand for 30 minutes. Might go some way to cutting him some slack for his missed tackle on Cave.

Unfortunately, according to Schmidt, EOM is a major doubt again too. He has continuing calf issues which are resulting from last season's injury. I think we might be planning with a Goodman/D'Arcy midfield.

I'm thinking Darcy/McFadden with a Isa Rob and Dave in the back 3.

[johng]

Interesting to note that Macken broke his hand hitting the first ruck at the weekend and played on with the broken hand for 30 minutes. Might go some way to cutting him some slack for his missed tackle on Cave.

Unfortunately, according to Schmidt, EOM is a major doubt again too. He has continuing calf issues which are resulting from last season's injury. I think we might be planning with a Goodman/D'Arcy midfield.

Darce/Ferg?

[ceemec]

Definitely a strong chance of it being Darce/Ferg but with the Goodman/Darce combo having played in the HEC already with McFadden on the wing and DK on the bench, I think it might be the way we go. I'd also be more confident with McFadden than DK at 14 to shut down Varndell.

[johng]

Definitely a strong chance of it being Darce/Ferg but with the Goodman/Darce combo having played in the HEC already with McFadden on the wing and DK on the bench, I think it might be the way we go. I'd also be more confident with McFadden than DK at 14 to shut down Varndell.

Great opportunity to attack down that wing though. Stick Isa over there. He knows a thing or 2 about defence.

[AdamK]

Dave has been very ordinary so far this season though, I'd imagine Goodman/Darce may get our best players onto the pitch.

[johng]

With Eom out that means Conway and Dave K on the bench. Nice bit of pace to bring on late.

[ceemec]

I was fairly disappointed by DK at the weekend. He was hesitant and let the ball bounce in his 22 more than once. In the build up to the penalty Ross conceded (which I still haven't forgiven him for) he made an effort on Gilroy that Quade Cooper would cringe at. The one thing Wasps have is two very slippery and pacy attacking wingers (22 of their 41 tries in the league this season!). I wouldn't fancy him going up against either defensively.

[Fireworks]

Think we need experience on the pitch to handle their wings. Would feel more confident with McF and ISA out there. Fingers crossed that Darce is good to go and we can say a few prayers for EOM but a Goodman Darce combo might be built for playing an english team.

[AdamK]

I think there's something up with Dave's hand. Could be from the time he dislocated his finger last week, may have caused damage, because he's been very stand-offish with the ball and tackles. But he was defo receiving treatment for his hand from time to time on saturday.

[outcast eddie]

Keepen me options open with props and back row.

TBH I'd nearly play Marshall ahead of Roux

Healy
Strauss
Ross
Cullen
Roux
McLaughlin/Ruddock
O'Brien
Heaslip

Boss
Madigan
Nacewa
D'Arcy
McFadden
Kearney
Kearney

Cronin
McGrath/Van Der Merwe
Hagan/Bent
Toner
Jennings
Cooney
Goodman
O'Malley

I agree

We're in a catch twenty two with our choice of second row. Quinn has yet to show why people have so much faith in him, Dev didn't make his mark on Saturday and we may be playing Ben M too soon at this level if he get's a run out on Friday.

[ceemec]

Marshall isn't in the European squad so one would have to assume it will be a mix of Roux, Cullen and Toner. I see a lot of potential in Roux but, to use the wishy washy phrase, his game is very lose. He doesn't make his power felt in the way Hines did. He slips off tackles, goes in with awkward body positions etc. I think he has the raw materials to be very good but, right now, he's not.

[simonokeeffe]

I withdraw my criticisms of Macken if he played with broken hand almost from the go, BUT he should have asked to go off been subbed sooner if that was the case

[Vamos los azules]

I think there's something up with Dave's hand. Could be from the time he dislocated his finger last week, may have caused damage, because he's been very stand-offish with the ball and tackles. But he was defo receiving treatment for his hand from time to time on saturday.

I think he's struggling with a finger that keeps popping out - I think it was the Scarlets match in February when I first noticed him looking at his right hand a lot during the match so I don't buy the suggestion it only happened last week.

[fourthirtythree]

Sooooo... any fit outside backs in the squad to put their hands up for next week?



I'll get me coat.

[hugonaut]

Marshall isn't in the European squad so one would have to assume it will be a mix of Roux, Cullen and Toner. I see a lot of potential in Roux but, to use the wishy washy phrase, his game is very loose. He doesn't make his power felt in the way Hines did. He slips off tackles, goes in with awkward body positions etc. I think he has the raw materials to be very good but, right now, he's not.

No, I think it's a perfectly adequate description of how he's playing at the moment. He doesn't do things the way other Leinster forwards do things – ball presentation, ball retention and tackling being the really obvious parts.

I'd say there are three linked reasons for it:
#1] it's his first season at the club, and he's not used to doing things the Jono Gibbes way;
#2] he can't have spent an awful lot of time on the training pitch for the vast majority of the season due to injury/surgery/rehab on his shoulder [which multiplies the effect of item #1];
#3] he suffered a pretty massive shoulder dislocation and is protecting it a little bit [with particular regards to tackling, where he always seems to make contact with his hands first].

Like you though, I think the physical potential and the competitive attitude is there. Tighthead lock isn't really a 'skill position' in NFL terminology – you're really looking for a big aggressive bugger with a lot of hitting power, and I think Roux has the potential to be that sort of player. Worth remembering that he's the second youngest forward in the senior squad [he's about a fortnight older than Rhys Ruddock, and he's younger than Ben Marshall] and that we have Mike McCarthy is coming in as well next year.