Castres v Leinster

[Degz]

And so to Le Crunch.

I think, personally, the most worrying aspect of our play has been the complete lack of a killer instinct when we have made it to the red zone. We are simply not putting our chances away when we have the pressure on, accuracy has been poor. I would predict that MOC will pick JG at 10 on Sunday, and thus we may see more of the same (in fairness he did set up D'arce for the try but it was a fairly forward pass).

I think we'll see pretty much a similar side picked, hopefully Luke will overcome illness, so something like:

McGrath
Cronin
Ross
Mike Mc
Dev
Rhys
Jordi
JH

Boss
Gopperth

Luke
D'arcy
BOD
DK
RK

Dundon/Tracy?
Moore
Bent
Leo
McLoughlin
Reddan
Mads
Zane

Bench front row looks weak, we really need to avoid further injury there.

[AdamK]

Gonna say the curbeball is Reddan to start. Agree with everything else but reckon Dippy will get the bench slot, as Locky has a niggle apparently so may curtail his training.

[Oldschool]

Castres' tactics should be to use the maul against us a much as possible.
They've a decent scrum also but we should have the advantage at the breakdown.

[TimD]

I see McFadden was back in the training photos today.

Probably too soon to play

[Morf]

A week too soon would you say?

[Donny B.]

A week too soon would you say?

[AdamK]

I'm gonna go with this team, think MOC will suprise a few people at 6 and 9.

1. McGrath
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. McCarthy
6. Locky
7. Jordi
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Gopps
11. Fitzy
12. Darce
13. BOD
14. Kirchner
15. R. Kearney

16. Dundon
17. JOC/Bent
18. Moore
19. Cullen
20. Ruddock
21. Boss
22. Madigan
23. D. Kearney

[[Jackass]]

VERY nervous about this game. I have haunting feelings about it.

Defeat and the wheels come off our season. We'd be looking at the prospect of possibly a final day, three team shoot out for the top spot, with Northampton at home to Castres.

I'm just praying at this point.

[TerenureJim]

VERY nervous about this game. I have haunting feelings about it.

Defeat and the wheels come off our season. We'd be looking at the prospect of possibly a final day, three team shoot out for the top spot, with Northampton at home to Castres.

I'm just praying at this point.

Does our head to head over Saints and overall high try count not discount this possability?

[neiliog93]

The memory of this fixture in 08/09 is haunting. A 3-0 victory and four points is all I want!

[johng]

VERY nervous about this game. I have haunting feelings about it.

Defeat and the wheels come off our season. We'd be looking at the prospect of possibly a final day, three team shoot out for the top spot, with Northampton at home to Castres.

I'm just praying at this point.

Does our head to head over Saints and overall high try count not discount this possability?

Actually a losing bonus point here will give us a better head to head than Castres also (unless they score 4 tries and we don't). So unless Northampton get 2 bonus point wins, any skankey aul win v the Ospreys will take us home (admittedly into 6th place and an away qf v the 3rd place team.

Let's win it though. 5 points to 6 was Ulster's margin there last year. That'll do fine. Then we have a (very faint) hope of a home qf.

[sheepshagger]

Game is on the red button...OLSC said earlier on Facebook they are looking into with Sky.

[baaba maal]

Yes, nervous is the word. I think Gopperth will start and I would like to see Boss with him (thought he was more accurate than Reddan with passing and kicking). So, apart from me, who's going?

[simonokeeffe]

Ruddock is struggling to be fit with injury but Lukey over his illness according to good sources on the twitter

[mikey]

we will win.

I dont think it will be pretty, but I believe we will win.

[Vamos los azules]

Game is on the red button...OLSC said earlier on Facebook they are looking into with Sky.

Not sure it's sky's problem that one of their competitors doesn't offer sky's red button coverage.

In fact, if I was in sky's scheduling department I might be inclined to put more of the Irish teams' matches on the red button to try to get customers from UPC in the Irish market. It's the one advantage they have over here because UPC's broadband speeds blow them out of the water.

[Laighindown]

I think Ryan's impact in recent games leaves him unleaveoutable. Agree with the selection above except my backrow is Jordi, Ryan and Heaslip. It's possibly our best one in the absence of O'Brien, certainly in the absence of O'Brien and Ruddock. Lockie for bench if he's fit. We need Ryan's intensity and enthusiasm and his carrying. I am also going to hang my hat on Madigan to start. He has been part of our best attacking rugby when we have produced it.

Castres don't have a massive need of a win - realistically they're out. They do have a massive need of a performance in front of their home fans, and they would love to take our scalp. We can't give them anything to get enthusiastic about - red hot intensity from our 15 is the order of the day, and we should be too good for them. Experience of our midfield and back three, abrasiveness of Boss, Madigan to rise like a phoenix and play his best game of the season, the front 8, led by Jamie, to pulverise. Fear should drive our lads on Sunday. I'll be watching from behind the couch!

[mikey]

Game is on the red button...OLSC said earlier on Facebook they are looking into with Sky.

Not sure it's sky's problem that one of their competitors doesn't offer sky's red button coverage.

In fact, if I was in sky's scheduling department I might be inclined to put more of the Irish teams' matches on the red button to try to get customers from UPC in the Irish market. It's the one advantage they have over here because UPC's broadband speeds blow them out of the water.

and will be precisely why they have done it....!

The only pressure they would bow to would be commercial ones of major advertisers pulling out because of the loss of their target audience.

Then again I never thought Ryanair would change their flight times, so you never know, the OLSC works in mysterious ways!!!!!

[Dave Cahill]

Game is on the red button...OLSC said earlier on Facebook they are looking into with Sky.

Not sure it's sky's problem that one of their competitors doesn't offer sky's red button coverage.

In fact, if I was in sky's scheduling department I might be inclined to put more of the Irish teams' matches on the red button to try to get customers from UPC in the Irish market. It's the one advantage they have over here because UPC's broadband speeds blow them out of the water.

Yeah, sky do this every so often. Their interactive service is a competitive advantage so every so often they put an Irish game on it to reinforce that UPC doesn't offer the whole sky sports package. Its a pain in the hole for supporters though. They did it for the away Clermont match three years ago - UPC tried everything they could in terms of negotiating with Sky to be allowed make it the primary stream on UPC in Ireland, but to no avail. Sky are perfectly within their rights though, and I'm surprised they don't do it more often.

[fourthirtythree]

It really gives UPC a strong reason to agree to any request from Sky to block streams (high def ones too!) showing Sky exclusive content on the interwebs...