Leinster v Edinburgh - Sat 10th May - RDS - KO 18.30

[[Jackass]]

Final game of the regular season, we have already qualified for the play-offs and need one point to guarantee a home semi-final or two points to guarantee top spot in the league.

I can't see us struggling to get any less than 4 points from this game, although would expect a bonus point win.

Interestingly, this will be the 10th season in a row that Leinster finish in the top 3 on the league table, if we secure the home semi, it will be the 7th time out of those 10 seasons that we've finished in the top 2 on the league table and we are the only team to have qualified for all the play-offs since their introduction, we've also never failed to secure a home semi-final in those play-offs as well as contesting every play-off final.

I'd like to see us put out a team good enough to get the win convincingly, but maybe hold some of that firepower back on the bench and give some of the younger guys a start.

I'd like to see:

1. McGrath
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. Denton / Roux
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Murphy
8. Heaslip (c)

9. McGrath
10. Gopperth (get him match fit and would start him for the duration of play-offs)
11. D. Kearney
12. Reid
13. Macken
14. Fanning
15. Kirchner

16. Cronin 17. Healy 18. Moore 19. McCarthy 20. Jennings 21. Reddan (or Boss if not fit) 22. Madigan 23. Fitzgerald (If not fit: McFadden, if both not fit: R. Kearney)

[paddyor]

No. The last home game of the season. Go full bore and play the strongest 15/23 you have as a dress rehearsal to the SF

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. McCarthy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip (c)

9. Reddan
10. Madigan/Gopperth
11. D. Kearney
12. Reid/D'arcy (think D'arcy is better but give a Reid a run before B+I final)
13. BOD (can't believe you think he won't play his 2nd last game ever for us)
14. Kirchner
15. R. Kearney

16. Strauss 17. McGrath 18. Moore 19. Cullen 20. Murphy 21. McGrath(or Boss, not happy tbh) 22. Madigan/Gopperth 23. Fitzgerald(is he fit)

[simonokeeffe]

No. The last home game of the season. Go full bore and play the strongest 15/23 you have as a dress rehearsal to the SF

1. Healy
2. Cronin
3. Ross
4. McCarthy
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip (c)

9. Reddan
10. Madigan/Gopperth
11. D. Kearney
12. Reid/D'arcy (think D'arcy is better but give a Reid a run before B+I final)
13. BOD (can't believe you think he won't play his 2nd last game ever for us)
14. Kirchner
15. R. Kearney

16. Strauss 17. McGrath 18. Moore 19. Cullen 20. Murphy 21. McGrath(or Boss, not happy tbh) 22. Madigan/Gopperth 23. Fitzgerald(is he fit)

we're going out in the semis

[olaf the fat]

Well last league home game - play offs are a bonus

This should be his official send off.
I am bringing the kids in to this. It really is the end of an era, he was there since the inception of this version of Leinster with league games, European rugby, season tickets, Friday night Donnybrooks, and the golden generation. We all have travelled along way together.

[ronk]

I'd like to see Leo playing. Might be his last start.

Maybe put Kirchner at fullback and rest Rob. Macken on the wing, start Reid.

[Degz]

So, unlikely this will be on telly with Munster v Ulster probably taking precedence?

[johng]

It's on tg4 with munster ulster on rte

[hugonaut]

I'd like to see Leo playing. Might be his last start.

Maybe put Kirchner at fullback and rest Rob. Macken on the wing, start Reid.

Yep, Leo to start and captain.

A lot depends on who comes through training. It'd be great if we could get some of Ferg/Reds/Luke Fitz into the matchday 23. I haven't given up hope that we might see Sean O'Brien in blue before the season is over, and while it's unlikely that he'll make this one, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for it.

If none of them make it, I'd go for:

Forwards [1-8]: J. McGrath, Cronin, Ross, McCarthy, Cullen, Ruddock, Ryan, Heaslip
Backs [9-15]: L. McGrath, Gopperth, D. Kearney, Reid, O'Driscoll, Kirchner, R. Kearney
Subs [16-23]: Strauss, Healy, Moore, Toner, Jennings, Boss, Madigan, Macken

Edinburgh have nothing to play for and are winding down their season, while we're winding ours upwards.

[johng]

That's more like it ok. Might even play Jordi at 8. Otherwise that's the team.

[offshorerules]

Don't see any reason to rest any player now. All out to win with bp and the team beginning to show some form so we can have some hope for next season.

[mtleinster]

If we rest one player for this game and end up losing our home final as a result of it, we will be wondering what if...

If that absolutely wont happen, you can get odds of 1/20 that we will finish top of the regular season

[offshorerules]

If we rest one player for this game and end up losing our home final as a result of it, we will be wondering what if...

If that absolutely wont happen, you can get odds of 1/20 that we will finish top of the regular season

+1

[johng]

If we rest one player for this game and end up losing our home final as a result of it, we will be wondering what if...

If that absolutely wont happen, you can get odds of 1/20 that we will finish top of the regular season

getting a bit ahead of yourself there. Even if we top the league, there will be 23 Ulster men that will fancy their chances in the RDS after last Friday.

[mtleinster]

If we rest one player for this game and end up losing our home final as a result of it, we will be wondering what if...

If that absolutely wont happen, you can get odds of 1/20 that we will finish top of the regular season

getting a bit ahead of yourself there. Even if we top the league, there will be 23 Ulster men that will fancy their chances in the RDS after last Friday.

no im not.

why do we have to win against edinburgh? to get a home final

Yes we have to get through the Semi, but the motivation for the embra game is the home final

Saturdays game is a chance to pick people based on reputation rather than form, the Ulster game is form over reputation

[Xanthippe]

Pictures from today's training session...

[simonokeeffe]

yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Xanthippe]

yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

That's almost exactly how I felt when I saw the first picture above and realised he was taped up for training and then as I went through the rest of the set and saw him doing contact drills I was thrilled. Now add in the fact that he was water boy last Friday, and yes I know it doesn't necessarily mean anything but has for some time now acted as a signal of an impending return, and the end of this season is looking pretty exciting.

[cormac]

Final game of the regular season, we have already qualified for the play-offs and need one point to guarantee a home semi-final or two points to guarantee top spot in the league.

I can't see us struggling to get any less than 4 points from this game, although would expect a bonus point win.

Interestingly, this will be the 10th season in a row that Leinster finish in the top 3 on the league table, if we secure the home semi, it will be the 7th time out of those 10 seasons that we've finished in the top 2 on the league table and we are the only team to have qualified for all the play-offs since their introduction, we've also never failed to secure a home semi-final in those play-offs as well as contesting every play-off final.

I'd like to see us put out a team good enough to get the win convincingly, but maybe hold some of that firepower back on the bench and give some of the younger guys a start.

I'd like to see:

1. McGrath
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. Denton / Roux
5. Toner
6. Ruddock
7. Murphy
8. Heaslip (c)

9. McGrath
10. Gopperth (get him match fit and would start him for the duration of play-offs)
11. D. Kearney
12. Reid
13. Macken
14. Fanning
15. Kirchner

16. Cronin 17. Healy 18. Moore 19. McCarthy 20. Jennings 21. Reddan (or Boss if not fit) 22. Madigan 23. Fitzgerald (If not fit: McFadden, if both not fit: R. Kearney)

It was announced at the last home game that this Edinburgh match would be BOD's and Leo's official send-off so would expect them to feature.

[[Jackass]]

Yeah that's fair enough. I suppose any other season I would rest BOD, but perhaps swap Cullen in for Denton / Roux and Dricco in for Macken.

Was thinking to rest them as we definitely have at least one more home game.

[simonokeeffe]

yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

That's almost exactly how I felt when I saw the first picture above and realised he was taped up for training and then as I went through the rest of the set and saw him doing contact drills I was thrilled. Now add in the fact that he was water boy last Friday, and yes I know it doesn't necessarily mean anything but has for some time now acted as a signal of an impending return, and the end of this season is looking pretty exciting.

catch 22 is can he be gotten up to speed in time?