Leinster v Toulouse Sunday April 21st 3.15

[paddyor]

Interesting “corrective” to the view we work harder for our scores than other teams. We’re the most efficient team at converting 22 visits to points.

https://twitter.com/rosscohamilton/stat ... 65959?s=21

[FLIP]

Can anyone else confirm that I wasn't seeing things and that Leavy was there celebrating at the end and looking pretty good??? Myself and my friends thought it was him but we were a fair bit away. It was honestly the highlight of the whole game so if anyone could confirm that would be great please! I was 99% sure at the time but the fact that nobody mentioned it on here or Twitter has me doubting myself.

Yeah he was sitting with the team below us in the west stand and we were surprised (pleasantly) how mobile he seemed when he was moving about.

Unfortunately James Ryan said in an interview that Leavy is yet to have his operation. So while he may be able to walk, in a week he's off his feet for a few months.

[Icarus]

Travelling this week so no access to my recording of the game.

Does anyone have a link for ideally full match but even highlights?

Edit: Channel 4 App has the full game

How do u watch it on the channel 4 app it won’t allow me as I’m not in uk

Identity cloaker?

En francais:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juA0DbSxnYU

[Blueberry]

Watched the game back this evening and the following things jumped out:

I) Our fitness well ahead of Toulouse, they really struggled here.
II) Off the ball work rate phenomenal from all our 15 for all 80.
III) Ryan is exceptional. Best in the world.
IV) Conan was everywhere and brilliant. Joe take note.
V) Luke drove our tempo all game and was brilliant. Exceptional performance. Joe take note too.

[ronk]

Watched the game back this evening and the following things jumped out:

I) Our fitness well ahead of Toulouse, they really struggled here.
II) Off the ball work rate phenomenal from all our 15 for all 80.
III) Ryan is exceptional. Best in the world.
IV) Conan was everywhere and brilliant. Joe take note.
V) Luke drove our tempo all game and was brilliant. Exceptional performance. Joe take note too.

Healy did 2 pretty good offloads leading to tries. SOB also had one. These guys have added to their game.

I thought Kearney played well too.

[wexford bohs]

Can anyone else confirm that I wasn't seeing things and that Leavy was there celebrating at the end and looking pretty good??? Myself and my friends thought it was him but we were a fair bit away. It was honestly the highlight of the whole game so if anyone could confirm that would be great please! I was 99% sure at the time but the fact that nobody mentioned it on here or Twitter has me doubting myself.

Yeah he was sitting with the team below us in the west stand and we were surprised (pleasantly) how mobile he seemed when he was moving about.

Unfortunately James Ryan said in an interview that Leavy is yet to have his operation. So while he may be able to walk, in a week he's off his feet for a few months.

Leavey has had 2 operations and is scheduled for 2 more. He wasn't at the game on sunday as he basicallly couch bound at the moment

[cormac]

Watched the game back this evening and the following things jumped out:

I) Our fitness well ahead of Toulouse, they really struggled here.
II) Off the ball work rate phenomenal from all our 15 for all 80.
III) Ryan is exceptional. Best in the world.
IV) Conan was everywhere and brilliant. Joe take note.
V) Luke drove our tempo all game and was brilliant. Exceptional performance. Joe take note too.

It was pretty noticeable that while our players ran off at the half-time whistle, theirs walked off. Very reminiscent of last season's semi-final in that regard.

[fourthirtythree]

Can't really add anything to what others are saying, but I will anyway!

I thought the pack were exceptional. Healy was sublime, a menace in attack and defence. Toner brings confidence, mauling, and so much work to our pack. Plus his long arms are a blessing in midfield. Probably half our "missed" tackles are on Kolbe who ran backwards as Toner's (or anothers) outstretched arms went for him. Sure the tackle is missed but Kolbe went nowhere. Great showing from Treacy. Back row were excellent.

Hard to say which caught the eye most: Fardy delivering an all action, all court game - seriously the guy was everywhere and did everything. Seán O'Brien announcing he was back (I nearly teared up watching him talking in the huddle - it obviously meant a lot to Conan and Ryan and Fardy, the guy is so respected and such a leader). Or maybe it was Conan who was my man of the match. Look at the Channel 4 coverage. Perhaps influenced by Jamie Heaslip they picked out key men and match ups as Kaino and Conan who they said was a go to guy in big matches. Only one winner there. Conan was outstanding and only one penalty to blot his copybook for me. I must admit that until this season I had him pegged as a great club player but maybe not going to make it at international level (not a bad career - think of Shane Jennings). This season he's blown that theory out of the water.

Great to see Luke on that kind of form. One thing that I think hasn't been said about Sexton is that his communication with the ref was respectful throughout. He stopped and listened and talked well to Wayne Barnes. Which is great and shows a level of confidence and control that is satisfying. Obviously Lowe was outstanding, our centres peerless, Larmour could have caught the eye more. And the other eyecatching performance for me was Rob Kearney. Swept up at the back beautifully, hit the line hard, and the tackles that he made were dominant. Obviously the body is feeling good because that was a powerful performance from a big guy.

[Ruckedtobits]

Can't really add anything to what others are saying, but I will anyway!

I thought the pack were exceptional. Healy was sublime, a menace in attack and defence. Toner brings confidence, mauling, and so much work to our pack. Plus his long arms are a blessing in midfield. Probably half our "missed" tackles are on Kolbe who ran backwards as Toner's (or anothers) outstretched arms went for him. Sure the tackle is missed but Kolbe went nowhere. Great showing from Treacy. Back row were excellent.

Hard to say which caught the eye most: Fardy delivering an all action, all court game - seriously the guy was everywhere and did everything. Seán O'Brien announcing he was back (I nearly teared up watching him talking in the huddle - it obviously meant a lot to Conan and Ryan and Fardy, the guy is so respected and such a leader). Or maybe it was Conan who was my man of the match. Look at the Channel 4 coverage. Perhaps influenced by Jamie Heaslip they picked out key men and match ups as Kaino and Conan who they said was a go to guy in big matches. Only one winner there. Conan was outstanding and only one penalty to blot his copybook for me. I must admit that until this season I had him pegged as a great club player but maybe not going to make it at international level (not a bad career - think of Shane Jennings). This season he's blown that theory out of the water.

Great to see Luke on that kind of form. One thing that I think hasn't been said about Sexton is that his communication with the ref was respectful throughout. He stopped and listened and talked well to Wayne Barnes. Which is great and shows a level of confidence and control that is satisfying. Obviously Lowe was outstanding, our centres peerless, Larmour could have caught the eye more. And the other eyecatching performance for me was Rob Kearney. Swept up at the back beautifully, hit the line hard, and the tackles that he made were dominant. Obviously the body is feeling good because that was a powerful performance from a big guy.

+1
And may I add a huge word of congratulations to all of the conditioning staff and to the work of Leo, Stuart, Fogs and Felipe to get all of the Group on the same page mentally and physically. When you review the diversity of injuries, lay-offs, physical state and recovery programmes that our team have been on, to get them to the same place in physical and psychological preparation was a brilliant feat. It almost feels too good to be true that we now only have a "dead-rubber game" (for both teams) against Ulster, followed by a rest week, before we travel to Newcastle, whereas Sarries face key games against Wasps (away) and Exeter (home) in the intervening fortnight.

What was very apparent to me in re-watching the coverage on both C 4 and Virgin (what an array of player & coach interviews post-match), was just how much the Leinster players were up for this game and how much they are focused on retaining the European title. Yes, many of them will have the further challenge of World Cup selection and performance, but for now at least, they seem to be totally in harmony with all eyes on Newcastle. One interview in particular was very poignant and that was SO'B, who believed he was competing at the Aviva for Leinster for the last time. It has certainly been some stage for big performances from the Tullow Tank. Well done Sean and let's have another big performance in Newcastle.

[wixfjord]

Worth watching Toner's actions for the second try.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF5sDQ64cKw

Absolutely hammered the maul twice and the second one drove us over. Brilliant body placement too.

Also look at Furlong, what a feckin brute!

[aidodo]

Can anyone else confirm that I wasn't seeing things and that Leavy was there celebrating at the end and looking pretty good??? Myself and my friends thought it was him but we were a fair bit away. It was honestly the highlight of the whole game so if anyone could confirm that would be great please! I was 99% sure at the time but the fact that nobody mentioned it on here or Twitter has me doubting myself.

Yeah he was sitting with the team below us in the west stand and we were surprised (pleasantly) how mobile he seemed when he was moving about.

Unfortunately James Ryan said in an interview that Leavy is yet to have his operation. So while he may be able to walk, in a week he's off his feet for a few months.

Yep I saw Dan Leavy too. I saw him on the sidelines. He was walking slightly gingerly but unaided. Considering his injury I was shocked to see him.

[Blue not red blood]

Was in South premium directly above the second try.
Furlong took out two brutes from the maul, one on each arm.
You sort of see it on one of the replays.
What tv didnt show was him on his back arms aloft after we score and the two lads beside him looking sorry for themselves.
My moment of the match

[El Diablo]

Worth watching Toner's actions for the second try.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF5sDQ64cKw

Absolutely hammered the maul twice and the second one drove us over. Brilliant body placement too.

Also look at Furlong, what a feckin brute!

They all worked bloddy hard for that 2nd try off the maul. Everyone kept saying it was Fardy that got it down and some said SOB, but thank God the Irish Times photographer got a good angle on it otherwise it would be impossible to tell it was the smallest bravest man in blue in the thick of the maul:
https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3867506
Brilliant photo.
Most of the newspapers gave it to Fardy even though he is nowhere near the ball. Thank God the Ref was on the right side.

[Keith]

I was worried seeing Michael Bent coming on in a game of this magnitude but to my pleasant surprise he was superb. He was carrying like a man possessed and he just keeps reminding us how lucky we are to have him. The scouts around Europe are not doing their job as this man should have a line of clubs begging for his signature.

[artaneboy]

I was worried seeing Michael Bent coming on in a game of this magnitude but to my pleasant surprise he was superb. He was carrying like a man possessed and he just keeps reminding us how lucky we are to have him. The scouts around Europe are not doing their job as this man should have a line of clubs begging for his signature.

I can’t understand why people continue to be surprised by the routinely excellent play of Bent. It’s a long, long time since he arrived here first and was prone to the odd bad game.

The downside is Michael is no longer the best third choice rich head in Europe. He’s now merely one of the best second choices. A top class player for us at club level- and, in case there’s doubt, was picked ahead of Porter on form.


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[mildlyinterested]

I was worried seeing Michael Bent coming on in a game of this magnitude but to my pleasant surprise he was superb. He was carrying like a man possessed and he just keeps reminding us how lucky we are to have him. The scouts around Europe are not doing their job as this man should have a line of clubs begging for his signature.

I can’t understand why people continue to be surprised by the routinely excellent play of Bent. It’s a long, long time since he arrived here first and was prone to the odd bad game.

The downside is Michael is no longer the best third choice rich head in Europe. He’s now merely one of the best second choices. A top class player for us at club level- and, in case there’s doubt, was picked ahead of Porter on form.


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Porter missed out due to injury, Leo said as much in pre match press conference.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It's not long since many of us thought Vakh deserved to be ahead of Bent because he wasn't playing well. He's done well recently and I'm a fan but you're exaggerating his status.

[fourthirtythree]

Yeah, I don't remember if I thought Vakh played better, I kind of doubt it but if I did want him playing it was probably investing in the future. But Bent has been great of late while earlier in the season he really wasn't.

[Laighin Break]

And most noticeable was Bent's carrying on Sunday. We've known a few years now he can anchor the scrum and hit rucks, but don't remember ever seeing him carry so effectively. Great to see.

[artaneboy]

It's not long since many of us thought Vakh deserved to be ahead of Bent because he wasn't playing well. He's done well recently and I'm a fan but you're exaggerating his status.

Vakh? A good young player- but not one yet that I’d have confidence in a big match. To me after Furlong, it’s clearly between Andrew Porter and Michael Bent. We are told an injury was the reason for Porter’s exclusion on Sunday, I don’t doubt it, but he wasn’t playing that well when he was (supposedly) fit anyway.

Leo and company rate Bent high enough to select him for the squad of our biggest match of the year. He didn’t disappoint- or surprise some of us either. He’s long been unfashionable- but is getting his chance now. On the other hand, I’ve nothing but admiration for Porter, but his progress has notably slowed this season.

They are of course slightly different types of THP, but Michael is clearly being playing better overall than Andrew. That’s not a surprise really- the continued meteoritic rise without a plateauing (temporary hopefully) of the younger man’s progress would have been exceptional.

Michael may never be able to do the extraordinary things that Andrew has wowed us with- but he’s an exemplar of constant high standards in the basics and incremental improvement in the wider skills.


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