Leinster vs Exeter Sat 16-12-17@3.15PM - BT Sport

[molloyjh]

Don't think you can say that fatigue from a 6 day turnaround from an incredibly attritional game definitely 'won't be a factor'.
We've made less changes and have a few guys on the wrong side of 32, so it will certainly play some sort of role.

All of that is surely mitigated by the fact that they had to make twice as many tackles as we did and their bench had a similar enough tackle count as our entire 23 (96 vs 122). Plus the Exeter 23 is almost identical to the ones they've put out the last 4 weeks in a row while a good chunk of ours have had at least 1 rest week in that time. Hell, some of the Exeter 23 were playing AW Cup games too. Kvesic has played and started 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions, meaning 5 of the last 6 weeks. The intensity may not have been there for all of them but in the same time frame SOB has played and started 3 games, making 12 tackles to Kvesics 26 last week.

If our lads are the ones struggling in this game then I'd be seriously surprised.

[wixfjord]

Don't think you can say that fatigue from a 6 day turnaround from an incredibly attritional game definitely 'won't be a factor'.
We've made less changes and have a few guys on the wrong side of 32, so it will certainly play some sort of role.

All of that is surely mitigated by the fact that they had to make twice as many tackles as we did and their bench had a similar enough tackle count as our entire 23 (96 vs 122). Plus the Exeter 23 is almost identical to the ones they've put out the last 4 weeks in a row while a good chunk of ours have had at least 1 rest week in that time. Hell, some of the Exeter 23 were playing AW Cup games too. Kvesic has played and started 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions, meaning 5 of the last 6 weeks. The intensity may not have been there for all of them but in the same time frame SOB has played and started 3 games, making 12 tackles to Kvesics 26 last week.

If our lads are the ones struggling in this game then I'd be seriously surprised.

Some of our lads are more likely to struggle than theirs are though. That combined with a lack of rotation and their rotation are definitely factors. Back three in particular, where they've three definitive speedsters against our three who are older, slower and all played 70+ mins last week.

[limecat]

Match Preview

As confidently predicted here last week, Leinster stormed to a glorious victory over Exeter at Sandy Park last week (just trust me on that, don't go back and check)!

In fairness to Leo Cullen he picked a team to grind out a win and grind it out they did, out-Chiefing the Chiefs with the relentless pick and drive game in the second half. Exeter were a tough team but you could see the difference on the night between a really good club pack and a top international pack. Exeter possibly froze a little on the night and Leinster really could have been out of sight after the first twenty minutes.

Read more

[johng]

Match Preview

As confidently predicted here last week, Leinster stormed to a glorious victory over Exeter at Sandy Park last week (just trust me on that, don't go back and check)!

In fairness to Leo Cullen he picked a team to grind out a win and grind it out they did, out-Chiefing the Chiefs with the relentless pick and drive game in the second half. Exeter were a tough team but you could see the difference on the night between a really good club pack and a top international pack. Exeter possibly froze a little on the night and Leinster really could have been out of sight after the first twenty minutes.

Read more

I thought Ross Molony was injured too but he is starting for the As tonight

[johng]

Don't think you can say that fatigue from a 6 day turnaround from an incredibly attritional game definitely 'won't be a factor'.
We've made less changes and have a few guys on the wrong side of 32, so it will certainly play some sort of role.

All of that is surely mitigated by the fact that they had to make twice as many tackles as we did and their bench had a similar enough tackle count as our entire 23 (96 vs 122). Plus the Exeter 23 is almost identical to the ones they've put out the last 4 weeks in a row while a good chunk of ours have had at least 1 rest week in that time. Hell, some of the Exeter 23 were playing AW Cup games too. Kvesic has played and started 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions, meaning 5 of the last 6 weeks. The intensity may not have been there for all of them but in the same time frame SOB has played and started 3 games, making 12 tackles to Kvesics 26 last week.

If our lads are the ones struggling in this game then I'd be seriously surprised.

Some of our lads are more likely to struggle than theirs are though. That combined with a lack of rotation and their rotation are definitely factors. Back three in particular, where they've three definitive speedsters against our three who are older, slower and all played 70+ mins last week.

Porter Ryan and Leavy played a combined total of 3 minutes last week. That's some fresh players. Going to be itching for a go of the senior hurling this week too

[neiliog93]

Yeah, Simmonds is really a 7 in playing style. Putting him at 8 is a bit like what Australia do with Pocock sometimes.

[Fred Funk]

Too many excuses on here these days, players not settled in, players tired, Leinster players are some of the best managed in the world.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Ruckedtobits]

In fairness to Leo Cullen he picked a team to grind out a win and grind it out they did, out-Chiefing the Chiefs with the relentless pick and drive game in the second half. Exeter were a tough team but you could see the difference on the night between a really good club pack and a top international pack. Exeter possibly froze a little on the night and Leinster really could have been out of sight after the first twenty minutes.

This is almost a Cummiskey-esque opening to the Preview of the game. Some on here would utterly refute the use of phrase "he picked a team to grind out a win....". Leinster started like a train and played nothing like a team trying "to grind out a win". In the first 13 mins we could have scored two tries - three if you're as one-eyed as I am. Due to the combination of Poite, absence of mid-field off-side, the number of scrums and the manner of Exeter's attack, we had to defend a lot of close-in pick and go and then attack close in ourselves until we scored. With their mid-field being allowed to roam up to a metre offside at almost every phase, it was appropriate to play the way we did and win in the manner we did. We did not provide them with the opportunity to exercise one of their great strengths - transition from defence to attack - because we minded the ball.

Anybody who understands the game at the highest Club level would have recognised that we adapted our game on-the-hoof to cater for what we faced.

I'd be very happy with a repeat tomorrow. Admittedly, even happier if two more tries were scored by us. But, all that said, Exeter are good enough to beat us, if we are not right up to our best.

[johng]

We've got 3 x 7s. Is that lucky?

[Raydollard]

Despite the powder puff potency of the back three, I’d be shocked if we didn’t win handily enough.

[coolbawn]

It's matchday squad only that applies to the 2 non-kolpak maximum rule.
http://epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/rules.php

Interesting that Scarlets have 3 players in today's squad against Treviso who are listed on their Wiki page as Australian (Asquith and Cummins) or NZish (McNicholl).

[johng]

Surely some statto could find at least 3 in the likes of Toulon or Racing over the last 5 years

[paddyor]

Glasgow just coughed up the BP try. Been in front for most of the match.

[DartVader]

Quick one lads. Is there a ticketmaster place at Aviva stadium?
Thanks.

[WhiskeyPapa]

Quick one lads. Is there a ticketmaster place at Aviva stadium?
Thanks.

Leinster Rugby saying on Facebook that there are Ticketmaster vans on Lansdowne Road from noon today.

[Hippo]

As good as last week was....

[TerenureJim]

Been bloody awful so far, ref giving them a lot of 50/50 at breakdown, healys yellow was soft but stupid too, still in touch here and fancy our bench to help us finish stronger but we need to get more clinical, more cynical and give them nothing.

Also lets have assistant refs actually ref the offside, what the f%~k else are they doing out there otherwise?

[Fan with smartphone]

Leinster peaked last week, Exeter this. Leavy was absolutely outstanding there. Some big moments but his smarts on other things nearly impress me more. At one stage he got caught ahead of the ball and with men tending towards panic it would be easy to get involved in the ruck, get pinged and make a very hard game even harder to win. Think his pass for the try was forward, but otherwise he really played a huge part in turning that game round. Fardy too, fairly early in the second half winning a penalty turnover, he just did enough to get the referee (ahem) onside and that was a crucial moment. Had they hit the try then, I think that game was gone. Nacewa showed his value too in various ways. Christ but Exeter are tough. They were not easily beaten.

[domhnallj]

Seriously impressed with that win. Excellent character to win that game. Only had the Irish Times updates to go on, so if anyone can point me to a link of the game it would be much appreciated.

[matt]

Been bloody awful so far, ref giving them a lot of 50/50 at breakdown, healys yellow was soft but stupid too, still in touch here and fancy our bench to help us finish stronger but we need to get more clinical, more cynical and give them nothing.

Also lets have assistant refs actually ref the offside, what the f%~k else are they doing out there otherwise?

Delighted with that win it did not look likely in the first half and tbh Healy was a definite red. You cannot lead with your forearm to the face with that force it was the sort of thing Hartley would do.

Ringrose back in form and leavy did great for Luke's try.