Leinster v Ulster Sat NYE 3pm Sky

[Barry]

They can't let Sexton undercooked in Europe surely, so hopefully he'll travel to Italy.

hopefully he doesn't - game is in the RDS !!

[Ruckedtobits]

I really think that's overly harsh on Ross Byrne. Tbh I wouldn't say his performances have been a million miles off what we saw from Mads over the last couple of seasons.

He's not the talent that Carbery is, but then very few actually are. He needs time to grow into the role. He has ability and personally I'm happy enough with how he's going. Technically he's still our 4th choice 10 so people need to set their expectations accordingly. He might not make it, but he certainly won't be the finished article from day 1 either.

That said if he kicks as poorly as he did against Munster he could put us in some real trouble. But with a more dominant pack and a better kicker from hand in McGrath beside him that shouldn't be as big a factor this weekend.

I have no problem having our 4th choice out-half "growing into" the role with twenty minute cameos against Dragons, Zebre or Treviso. Starting against Munster and Ulster, is a step too far and also putting our League and European campaign under pressure, whilst the IRFU-underwritten Provinces get whatever replacements they need or want. What are Leinster Reps at IRFU level doing about this ridiculous level of discrimination

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't disagree with that sentiment, but don't think Byrne has been as poor/is the liability that you make him out to be.

[CiaranIrl]

They can't let Sexton undercooked in Europe surely, so hopefully he'll travel to Italy.

hopefully he doesn't - game is in the RDS !!

Oops. I have a weekend to reorganise in that case...

[simonokeeffe]

Byrne wasnt good in Thomond but I'd have a lot more faith in him at home behind a dominant pack

Zane still riding pine (behind a centre) is interesting

[outcast eddie]

They can't let Sexton undercooked in Europe surely, so hopefully he'll travel to Italy.

...that's assuming we'll have Sexton for Europe.

[Hippo]

Hopefully mick kearney gets a decent run out as don't rate triggs at all. Thought kearney, molony and nagle would always be ahead of him based on talent and performance but Leo and stuart must see something different in training everyday.

I don't agree with this at all, I think Triggs has been impressive recently (much better than I expected) and was certainly missed in Limerick where our 2nd row didn't contribute a whole heap.

Of continuing concern is the no.9 situation. I know the debate has been pretty divisive on this board, but to my mind neither player is as yet near the standard required to help mount a serious challenge for the European Cup. This contrasts with the rest of the team - our 1st choices (and in some cases, 2nd choices) are definitely good enough, but unless one of the two discovers something magical in the near future we're going to be found out at some stage. I hope I'm proved wrong.

[limecat]

Match Preview

Leinster went to Munster on Monday and were well beaten, a fairly predictable outcome given the relative strengths of the two sides. Munster took a punt on naming most of their internationals and it worked but Leinster didn't help themselves with some very poor kicking from hand. They'll be disappointed not to have put in a better performance but they'll move on to their New Year's Eve clash with Ulster determined to get back to winning ways.

Read more...

[carlow man]

Hopefully mick kearney gets a decent run out as don't rate triggs at all. Thought kearney, molony and nagle would always be ahead of him based on talent and performance but Leo and stuart must see something different in training everyday.

I don't agree with this at all, I think Triggs has been impressive recently (much better than I expected) and was certainly missed in Limerick where our 2nd row didn't contribute a whole heap.

Of continuing concern is the no.9 situation. I know the debate has been pretty divisive on this board, but to my mind neither player is as yet near the standard required to help mount a serious challenge for the European Cup. This contrasts with the rest of the team - our 1st choices (and in some cases, 2nd choices) are definitely good enough, but unless one of the two discovers something magical in the near future we're going to be found out at some stage. I hope I'm proved wrong.

Triggs would have been a disaster against munster. His isn't anywhere near physical enough to play in that sort of match. I thought molony was quite good considering mike mac looked well off the pace so Ross ended up doing the work of 2 locks and did it well. Triggs is the least physical lock we have. Suggesting he would have been able to mix it with Ryan and their south African second row is ridiculous.

[cormac]

They have beaten us once this millennium outside Ravenhill. Inside Ravenhill i think we have the better of them too just.

No way I'm braving the Leinster website to find out exactly. I don't have the patience for it anymore.

Connacht have beaten us more times since the game went pro than Ulster.

[rooster]

As a STH, I am seriously pissed by the communication / decision making re JS. Leinster marketing / management really taking the piss or Joe Schmitler acting the bol#!x. Either way, not a happy camper and believe Leinster fans are being short-changed. No international out-half and no injury replacement. Byrne has proved what we feared, i.e. he is a long way from being the finished article for Pro12 or European rugby and we need a higher quality player in this position.

UNHAPPY AND GRUMPY.

Sure we all knew up here the JS playing was a ticket sales ploy and he would not be playing

[yellabelly1961]

As a STH, I am seriously pissed by the communication / decision making re JS. Leinster marketing / management really taking the piss or Joe Schmitler acting the bol#!x. Either way, not a happy camper and believe Leinster fans are being short-changed. No international out-half and no injury replacement. Byrne has proved what we feared, i.e. he is a long way from being the finished article for Pro12 or European rugby and we need a higher quality player in this position.

UNHAPPY AND GRUMPY.

Sure we all knew up here the JS playing was a ticket sales ploy and he would not be playing

Know anyone in need of tickets Rooster?

[Laighin Break]

The thoughts of aimless kicks to Piutau isn't a nice one, but we can probably assume they'll be trying to avoid him if/when kicking

[rooster]

As a STH, I am seriously pissed by the communication / decision making re JS. Leinster marketing / management really taking the piss or Joe Schmitler acting the bol#!x. Either way, not a happy camper and believe Leinster fans are being short-changed. No international out-half and no injury replacement. Byrne has proved what we feared, i.e. he is a long way from being the finished article for Pro12 or European rugby and we need a higher quality player in this position.

UNHAPPY AND GRUMPY.

Sure we all knew up here the JS playing was a ticket sales ploy and he would not be playing

Know anyone in need of tickets Rooster?

Nope, and I don't even want a free one!

[yellabelly1961]

Know anyone in need of tickets Rooster?[/quote]
Nope, and I don't even want a free one![/quot

what?? You don't want to see a famous victory??

[Hippo]

[ Suggesting he would have been able to mix it with Ryan and their south African second row is ridiculous.

Thanks for clearing that up for me, how could I have made such a silly mistake

[enby]

delighted to see Isa back at 15, brings back memories of HC 2011

[DartVader]

Am actually on a rare unplanned (and therefore unprepared) trip back home and was looking forward to going to the game...until I went to buy tickets. All that were left (2 weeks ago) were single tickets in the covered stands but the cheapest seat I could find came to over 65 Euro (60 plus booking fee) for a seat on the tryline. Clearly people are willing to pay those prices, so the marketing team have got the price right...but what the actual funk? That is even boomier than I remember the boom being. Too rich for my blood and I am not willing to pay over 40 Euro (36 plus booking fee) for seats in the uncovered stands when there is a high likelihood of rain...knowing how far 40 Euro will get me in other places. It seems to be 20-25% more expensive than the Connacht match, which was the last match I was at home for, and for which I bought tickets.
I still may end up going if I get a ticket but those are absolutely crazy prices to watch Leinster play an Ulster side that will likely not include many Irish internationals, so I won't be paying face value.

PM sent.

[DartVader]

Quick question folks.

Does a PM stay in your outbox until the recipient has received / read the message or until an admin / mod as approved or cleared it?

Thanks.

[Peg Leg]

Quick question folks.

Does a PM stay in your outbox until the recipient has received / read the message or until an admin / mod as approved or cleared it?

Thanks.

Until it has been read