The 2020 Quickening
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The 2020 Quickening
Hi People
This used to be an entertaining thread but the conferences kind of messed it up. Last season we only made it to a 2nd page. http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... quickening
This season Leinster are even further ahead. Ulster also look locked in for 2nd place. Cheetahs and Glasgow scrapping it out for 3rd.
The other conference is a little more open with 11 points covering 1st to 6th (The distance between Ulster and Leinster)
Even so you feel the top 3 may be set in stone if not necessarily in order.
Long may Leinster thrash everyone and ruin this thread on a yearly basis.
This used to be an entertaining thread but the conferences kind of messed it up. Last season we only made it to a 2nd page. http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... quickening
This season Leinster are even further ahead. Ulster also look locked in for 2nd place. Cheetahs and Glasgow scrapping it out for 3rd.
The other conference is a little more open with 11 points covering 1st to 6th (The distance between Ulster and Leinster)
Even so you feel the top 3 may be set in stone if not necessarily in order.
Long may Leinster thrash everyone and ruin this thread on a yearly basis.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
A great idea for a thread which I always enjoy reading
Calendar of Leinster/Ireland fixtures: https://calendar.google.com/calendar?ci ... Z2xlLmNvbQ
Re: The 2020 Quickening
And the lead just changed in the other conference
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Momentum.
Munster's recent run of poor results is gaining momentum, it's conceivable that they could end up in a real dog fight for the last HEC qualifying place.
Munster's recent run of poor results is gaining momentum, it's conceivable that they could end up in a real dog fight for the last HEC qualifying place.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
At this rate they'll be lucky to avoid relegation.
Or they'll win a few matches and be back up there soon enough.
Or they'll win a few matches and be back up there soon enough.
- curates_egg
- Seán Cronin
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Re: The 2020 Quickening
As I said last year, I always look forward to this thread.johng wrote:Hi People
This used to be an entertaining thread but the conferences kind of messed it up. Last season we only made it to a 2nd page. http://forum.leinsterfans.com/viewtopic ... quickening
This season Leinster are even further ahead. Ulster also look locked in for 2nd place. Cheetahs and Glasgow scrapping it out for 3rd.
The other conference is a little more open with 11 points covering 1st to 6th (The distance between Ulster and Leinster)
Even so you feel the top 3 may be set in stone if not necessarily in order.
Long may Leinster thrash everyone and ruin this thread on a yearly basis.
We’re so damn good this season though, I think we shut it down.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
If they didn't qualify for the HEC next year the competition is over, rule 4.9 sub clause 7 - 'The HEC must have de passion and de thomond and de miracle match each season or de competition is null and void and pointless'Oldschool wrote:Momentum.
Munster's recent run of poor results is gaining momentum, it's conceivable that they could end up in a real dog fight for the last HEC qualifying place.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Conf A
Cheetahs have Kings x 3, Dragons x 2 and both Zebre and Benetton at home.
They have 7 home games left and 2 of the away games are to the Kings.
They are a serious contender for a playoff spot, maybe even 2nd if Cooney gets the calling.
Conf B
Only Kings are out of contention for top spot. It could go any way.
The self loathers may say it's a shite league but they're already dead so their opinion is worthless.
Cheetahs have Kings x 3, Dragons x 2 and both Zebre and Benetton at home.
They have 7 home games left and 2 of the away games are to the Kings.
They are a serious contender for a playoff spot, maybe even 2nd if Cooney gets the calling.
Conf B
Only Kings are out of contention for top spot. It could go any way.
The self loathers may say it's a shite league but they're already dead so their opinion is worthless.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Munster will be grand. They’ll win their conference. They just played a series of games that just about every other team in the league is going to lose too — Ulster away and Leinster at home. The only real shocker for them is losing to Edinburgh at home, awful result. They’ll win their next seven league games in a row from this point imo.
For us, we’ll win the next three but we’ll get spanked away to Cheetahs, I think our conference could end up being a lot tighter in second and third but I’d still expect us to have it wrapped up with a couple of games in hand at least.
For us, we’ll win the next three but we’ll get spanked away to Cheetahs, I think our conference could end up being a lot tighter in second and third but I’d still expect us to have it wrapped up with a couple of games in hand at least.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
To use a cliche.ronk wrote:At this rate they'll be lucky to avoid relegation.
Or they'll win a few matches and be back up there soon enough.
Other teams will smell blood in the water, remember Dragons beating us in the RDS when MOC was at the helm.
Munster are vulnerable and a lot depends on who their next 2/3 opponents in the Pro14 are and where the matches are being played.
Joey and Beirne are out. POM and Murray are well below par and have been for a while.
Added to that Munster's conference has turned out to be extremely competitive with only one team not in the hunt for a HEC spot.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
If we get to the Cheetahs away game unbeaten (not an unreasonable possibility at this stage) then a 6/2 split on the bench might just be the difference to beating them and keeping that run going.Serb wrote:Munster will be grand. They’ll win their conference. They just played a series of games that just about every other team in the league is going to lose too — Ulster away and Leinster at home. The only real shocker for them is losing to Edinburgh at home, awful result. They’ll win their next seven league games in a row from this point imo.
For us, we’ll win the next three but we’ll get spanked away to Cheetahs, I think our conference could end up being a lot tighter in second and third but I’d still expect us to have it wrapped up with a couple of games in hand at least.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
- leinsterfan100
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Re: The 2020 Quickening
I wouldn't be so sure r.e. Munster. Their next 7 games in league include away trips to Treviso and .........LeinsterSerb wrote:Munster will be grand. They’ll win their conference. They just played a series of games that just about every other team in the league is going to lose too — Ulster away and Leinster at home. The only real shocker for them is losing to Edinburgh at home, awful result. They’ll win their next seven league games in a row from this point imo.
For us, we’ll win the next three but we’ll get spanked away to Cheetahs, I think our conference could end up being a lot tighter in second and third but I’d still expect us to have it wrapped up with a couple of games in hand at least.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Ah I miscounted, I think they’ll lose to us in Dublin obviously, I have a feeling they’ll win the previous 6 though.leinsterfan100 wrote: I wouldn't be so sure r.e. Munster. Their next 7 games in league include away trips to Treviso and .........Leinster
- leinsterfan100
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Re: The 2020 Quickening
Yeah fair enough. Few tricky away trips but should be manageable if they can find a bit of form again, and improve their luck on injuriesSerb wrote:Ah I miscounted, I think they’ll lose to us in Dublin obviously, I have a feeling they’ll win the previous 6 though.leinsterfan100 wrote: I wouldn't be so sure r.e. Munster. Their next 7 games in league include away trips to Treviso and .........Leinster
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Their "luck" on injuries isn't luck; it's fairly standard. They've lost 2 players at out half, which is not unusual, particularly given the injury profile of those players. The reason they're suffering is because they have failed to give enough gametime to the young replacements when they had the chance. Ben Healy should have been given a lot more minutes by now as this situation was completely foreseeable. Bill Johnston saw this and moved. Conor Fitzgerald's circumstances were different but the result is the same: he left Munster and got minutes; what they'd give for him now. They'll flog Hanrahan and you can guarantee that if Bleyendal comes back at some point he'll play ahead of Healy.leinsterfan100 wrote:Yeah fair enough. Few tricky away trips but should be manageable if they can find a bit of form again, and improve their luck on injuriesSerb wrote:Ah I miscounted, I think they’ll lose to us in Dublin obviously, I have a feeling they’ll win the previous 6 though.leinsterfan100 wrote: I wouldn't be so sure r.e. Munster. Their next 7 games in league include away trips to Treviso and .........Leinster
Leinster have given game time in the past few weeks to Harry Byrne, Ross Byrne and Frawley while our first choice 10 is injured. If Ross Byrne had to pull out at some stage in the next fortnight we wouldn't be in the hole that Munster are because we have prepared our squad for just such an eventuality.
Munster's griping is like me complaining that my slim fit shirts no longer fit: it's my fault.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
It's still bad luck whether the adverse event was probably or unlikely.
I slagged them off for 5 outhalves last season. I do think they've mismanaged the situation with their current resources. Leinster had Frawley and Sexton missing. We didnt go to a 6-2 bench.
I slagged them off for 5 outhalves last season. I do think they've mismanaged the situation with their current resources. Leinster had Frawley and Sexton missing. We didnt go to a 6-2 bench.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
If you know there is a storm coming and you don't prepare for it then what happens is not bad luck.ronk wrote:It's still bad luck whether the adverse event was probably or unlikely.
I slagged them off for 5 outhalves last season. I do think they've mismanaged the situation with their current resources. Leinster had Frawley and Sexton missing. We didnt go to a 6-2 bench.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
If your neighbour also doesn't prepare and they get lucky, then you were unlucky.
If you take a risk and it doesn't pay off this time then it's bad luck. If it was a ludicrous risk, it's still bad luck, just not as bad.
If you take a risk and it doesn't pay off this time then it's bad luck. If it was a ludicrous risk, it's still bad luck, just not as bad.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
I prefer my version of what constitutes bad luck simply because Munster's unpreparedness is now of ligindary proportions.ronk wrote:If your neighbour also doesn't prepare and they get lucky, then you were unlucky.
If you take a risk and it doesn't pay off this time then it's bad luck. If it was a ludicrous risk, it's still bad luck, just not as bad.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.
Re: The 2020 Quickening
Now that the pool stages of the Heineken Champions and Challenge Cups have been completed.
What effect is qualification (or not) likely to have on the prospects of the Irish provinces both in terms of qualifying for the playoffs and the HCC next season.
Both Munster and Connacht will be able to concentrate totally on the Pro14 and that might be just enough to get them into the top four places in their conference which is likely to be a cliffhanger. Making the playoffs is going to be a close run thing as well, Munster might do it but it's hard to see Connacht doing better than 4th spot, IE HCC playoff place.
Leinster and Ulster look good for the playoff spots in the Pro14.
What effect is qualification (or not) likely to have on the prospects of the Irish provinces both in terms of qualifying for the playoffs and the HCC next season.
Both Munster and Connacht will be able to concentrate totally on the Pro14 and that might be just enough to get them into the top four places in their conference which is likely to be a cliffhanger. Making the playoffs is going to be a close run thing as well, Munster might do it but it's hard to see Connacht doing better than 4th spot, IE HCC playoff place.
Leinster and Ulster look good for the playoff spots in the Pro14.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.