Leinster v Ulster Friday 19.35

[wixfjord]

Will be very interesting to see what team is picked for this.

There had been talk that all the RWC guys would be rested over the full Xmas period, but not sure if that's the case.

Would presume Ulster will be coming down a bit weaker than normal.

Side I'd like to see:

Byrne, Tracy, Porter, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Connors, Deegan, JGP, Frawley, Lowe, COB, ROL/JOB, Byrne, RK
Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Molony, Doris, McGrath, H Byrne, JOB/Keenan

[cormac]

Thought the RWC players have two weeks holidays coming up and won't be back in training until December 30th?

Photos from training tomorrow should confirm either way.

[neiliog93]

If zero RWC players:

1.E.Byrne 2.B.Byrne 3.Bent

4.Fardy 5.Molony

6.Jos.Murphy 8.Deegan 7.Connors

9.JGP 10.Frawley (no R.Byrne for eye on Munster) 12.COB 13.JOB 14.A.Byrne

11.C.Kelleher 15.Keenan

16.Tracy 17.Dooley 18.Abdaladze 19.Dowling/Baird 20.Doris/Penny 21.H.O'Sullivan 22.H.Byrne 23.D.Kearney

[Ruckedtobits]

Would give Fardy a weekend off. He has had a serious month of work. Like the Connors, Murphy & Deegan combo with JGP & Frawley. Ulster front-row could be down to the rim, so Dooley, Cronin & Bent for me with bench of Treacy, E. Byrne and Porter. Malony & Dev in the row with Baird benching. Penny on the bench.

Back three of Keegan, A Byrne and Ferg but can't decide on who to play in centre beside CO'B.

Really looking forward to this encounter because McFarland's Ulster may have an injury list but they will arrive with a distinct tactical plan to beat us.

[wixfjord]

Thought the RWC players have two weeks holidays coming up and won't be back in training until December 30th?

Photos from training tomorrow should confirm either way.

Maybe so.

If that's the case Ulster will likely be less impacted than us.

Team then could look like:

Byrne, Tracy, Bent, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Connors, Deegan, JGP, Frawley, Lowe, COB, ROL/JOB, Byrne, Keenan
Dooley, Cronin (wonder does he count?), Aungier, Molony, Doris, HOS, H Byrne, JOB/DK

[wixfjord]

Would give Fardy a weekend off. He has had a serious month of work. Like the Connors, Murphy & Deegan combo with JGP & Frawley. Ulster front-row could be down to the rim, so Dooley, Cronin & Bent for me with bench of Treacy, E. Byrne and Porter. Malony & Dev in the row with Baird benching. Penny on the bench.

Back three of Keegan, A Byrne and Ferg but can't decide on who to play in centre beside CO'B.

Really looking forward to this encounter because McFarland's Ulster may have an injury list but they will arrive with a distinct tactical plan to beat us.

Only 24 min last weekend and no game time the week before (Glasgow) for Fardy. On the face of it it looks like our rotation choices have been done purposely to start him in a game like this.

Would agree though I'd probably prefer to keep him for Thomond if that's the choice to be made. No issues with Molony coming in.

J.Lo might be rested too.

[curates_egg]

I’d like to see Molony, Connors, Deegan, ROL and COB straight in for this one.
Other players I want getting starts over Christmas include Cronin, Keenan, Penny, the other O’Briens, Harry Byrne.

[leinsterforever]

All the World Cup players have to get two consecutive weeks off, is it? That probably means no internationals for the Thomond Park game. I'd like to see the Murphy, Connors, Deegan br that worked so well against Connacht put out again away to Munster. And maybe Baird as well to as much dynamism as possible in the 2nd row to generate forward momentum. I suppose it'll be a mix of the World Cup players then in the other two games, playing no more than one game each.

Maybe something like:

v Ulster
1. Ed Byrne, 2. James Tracy, 3. Andrew Porter, 4. Scott Fardy, 5. Ross Molony, 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Scott Penny, 8. Max Deegan, 9. Luke McGrath, 10. Ciaran Frawley, 11. James Lowe, 12. Conor O'Brien, 13. Garry Ringrose, 14. Dave Kearney, 15. Jordan Larmour; 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Cian Healy, 18. Jack Aungier, 19. Ryan Baird, 20. Caelan Doris, 21. JGP, 22. Harry Byrne, 23. Jimmy O'Brien

v Munster
1. Ed Byrne, 2. James Tracy, 3. Michael Bent, 4. Ryan Baird, 5. Devin Toner, 6. Josh Murphy, 7. Will Connors, 8. Max Deegan, 9. JGP, 10. Ross Byrne, 11. James Lowe, 12. Conor O'Brien, 13. Jimmy O'Brien, 14. Dave Kearney, 15. Hugo Keenan; 16. Bryan Byrne, 17. Peter Dooley, 18. Jack Aungier, 19. Scott Fardy, 20. Caelan Doris, 21. Rowan Osborne, 22. Ciaran Frawley, 23. Fergus McFadden

v Connacht
1. Peter Dooley, 2. Bryan Byrne, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. James Ryan, 5. Ross Molony, 6. Josh Murphy, 7. Josh van der Flier, 8. Caelan Doris, 9. JGP, 10. Ciaran Frawley, 11. Tommy O'Brien, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 13. Jimmy O'Brien, 14. Adam Byrne, 15. Robert Kearney; 16. James Tracy, 17. Michael Milne, 18. Michael Bent, 19. Ryan Baird, 20. Max Deegan, 21. Hugh O'Sullivan, 22. Harry Byrne, 23. Hugo Keenan

[cormac]

Healy, Cronin, Porter and Rob Kearney were pictured at training today, so it could be that they're staggering which two weeks the RWC players get off.

https://www.sportsfile.com/more-images/1912095/#17

[cormac]

double post

[hugonaut]

Thought the RWC players have two weeks holidays coming up and won't be back in training until December 30th?

Photos from training tomorrow should confirm either way.

Maybe so.

If that's the case Ulster will likely be less impacted than us.

Team then could look like:

Byrne, Tracy, Bent, Fardy, Toner, Murphy, Connors, Deegan, JGP, Frawley, Lowe, COB, ROL/JOB, Byrne, Keenan
Dooley, Cronin (wonder does he count?), Aungier, Molony, Doris, HOS, H Byrne, JOB/DK

I think that will be very, very close to it, if not spot on. I'd like to see Dan Sheehan in there on the bench. He scored another two tries against Munster 'A' over the weekend, which takes his half-season total to 9. Dan has got the sort of size and athleticism that we have been without at hooker since Birch in 2007-09 - a decade. Kelleher has been a huge success since his promotion, so I'd be confident that Sheehan can make the step up to the Pro14. Those 'A' level performances have translated well for pretty much every other player over the last couple of seasons.

Cro only played 95 minutes of competitive rugby over the last six and a half months [start of June to mid-December]. If his season isn't tailored and he just undergoes the same mandatory rest period as the rest of the World Cup squad, it's a bit odd.

[cormac]

Ross Molony picked up a foot injury against Glasgow and won't return to training until next week while Ross Byrne picked up a dead leg against Northampton so most likely won't play this weekend.

[cormac]

Leinster Rugby v Ulster Rugby – KO 19.35

RDS Arena, Dublin

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 120th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Frank Murphy (IRFU), AR2: Kieran Barry (IRFU)

TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)


Read more at https://www.pro14rugby.org/match-centre ... 5cMiwQG.99

[curates_egg]

Jesus christ. I thought he'd retired.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I think that will be very, very close to it, if not spot on. I'd like to see Dan Sheehan in there on the bench. He scored another two tries against Munster 'A' over the weekend, which takes his half-season total to 9. Dan has got the sort of size and athleticism that we have been without at hooker since Birch in 2007-09 - a decade. Kelleher has been a huge success since his promotion, so I'd be confident that Sheehan can make the step up to the Pro14. Those 'A' level performances have translated well for pretty much every other player over the last couple of seasons.

Cro only played 95 minutes of competitive rugby over the last six and a half months [start of June to mid-December]. If his season isn't tailored and he just undergoes the same mandatory rest period as the rest of the World Cup squad, it's a bit odd.

IMO the only thing holding Sheehan back right now is that it's hard to blood two young hookers at the same time. He's brilliant, I'm just as excited about his future as I am for Kelleher.

[tingman]

Jesus christ. I thought he'd retired.

Nah....only gone for 3 days...then he reappeared....

[ronk]

Cro only played 95 minutes of competitive rugby over the last six and a half months [start of June to mid-December]. If his season isn't tailored and he just undergoes the same mandatory rest period as the rest of the World Cup squad, it's a bit odd.

Maybe it's holiday more than rest.

Probably wouldnt do him any harm to ease the body before getting back in it.

[Gearzbox2]

Lots of changes this week as most people have heard, WC players getting 2 weeks off so might not see many of them until Connacht game I’m assuming

Like to see Cronin back this week,, must be chomping to get back and like before seems to thrive after being excluded from an Irish squad so let’s hope he does the same
Rob at 15 too and ferg in on the wing with Kelleher presumably
Dev and Fards in the row probably with Molony still out
Josh Murph and Will Connors on the flanks with Deegan at 8 would be a nice combo

My team anyway
1 Ed Bryne
2 Cronin
3 Bent
4 Fardy
5 Dev
6 J Murphy
7 Connors
8 Deegan
9 JGP
10 H Bryne
11 Kelleher
12 COB
13 JOB
14 Ferg
15 Rob K

[D4surfer]

Jesus christ. I thought he'd retired.

Nah....only gone for 3 days...then he reappeared....

[curates_egg]

Jesus christ. I thought he'd retired.

Nah....only gone for 3 days...then he reappeared....

Very good

Clancy is definitely not the messiah. He's a very naughty boy.