MNR: Glasgow away, 2nd Nov, 8.15pm

[Serb]

I thought Penny was a bit under the radar but very good in defence. Checked the stats there and he was credited with 19 tackles and none missed, highest tackle count in the game.

As mentioned elsewhere, Sheehan’s throwing was really exceptional, the second last line out where he picked out Toner between Glasgow jumpers was extraordinary.

[Jonny tight lips]

Would hope we get a few guys back next weekend to freshen things up. The likes of JVDF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, maybe Kelleher if fit.

Baird and Cronin too from injury by the sound of things

[cormac]

Would hope we get a few guys back next weekend to freshen things up. The likes of JVDF, Conan, JGP, Byrne, maybe Kelleher if fit.

Suspect that with our game on the Sunday and the international only five days later that we probably won't be getting many back for the next game.

[Ruckedtobits]

Why would anyone want to "freshen things up" after that performance.

The standard of the first (from both sides) was at the top level, comparable to a good Heino game for quality of skills, execution and tempo. Our defensive discipline was superb and their try was solely a result of two of our players colliding as they tackled the same opponent in the previous phase - and Warriors had gone 75m w/o losing possession.

Rhys was superb, Tommy O'Brien would make you purr, whilst the workrate of Tracy, Molony and Josh M was off the scale. Luke's passing the only skill deficiency across our team but his wonderful covering recovery almost compensated.

Really enjoyed the first 60 mins and well done to Coaches & Squad. High class.

[neiliog93]

Virtuoso second XV performance in a tricky game away from home, in bad weather. Hard to ask for more. I think Sheehan might become our first-choice hooker before the end of the season, and break into the Ireland team in 2021-22. This is a purely anecdotal observation, but it does it seem taller hookers (188cm/6'2"+) are usually good throwers? Marx, Smit, du Plessis, McInally, etc.?

[ronk]

Virtuoso second XV performance in a tricky game away from home, in bad weather. Hard to ask for more. I think Sheehan might become our first-choice hooker before the end of the season, and break into the Ireland team in 2021-22. This is a purely anecdotal observation, but it does it seem taller hookers (188cm/6'2"+) are usually good throwers? Marx, Smit, du Plessis, McInally, etc.?

Steve Thompson...

[neiliog93]

I thought someone might mention him. The exception that proves the rule..

[mildlyinterested]

Looks like Hawkshaw came on at 12 with Tommy O'B to the wing and DK to 15.

[Ruckedtobits]

As a totally biased Leinster fan I am not best placed to offer an objective opinion on that performance last night but Eir / Premier commentator and former Scottish international Jim Hamilton is and his opinion was that this was a display from Leinster which "proved why they are rightly described as the best rugby club in the world or certainly in the Northern Hemiphere. When a club can field a reserve XV who can play with that pace and power and overcome one of their main opponents playing in those conditions, you've really got to acknowledge how good they are".

If you weren't lucky enough to get to see it live, it's certainly worth the effort to try and watch at least the first-half which was a tremendous contest between two teams attacking and defending with ferocity and great discipline.

As a former coach and player, I'd actually go as far as saying that the first-half could be used as a training manual for what's needed in the modern game and that also includes the standard of refereeing where Ben Whitehouse was excellent.

Certainly, individual performances shone out in a night of horrible weather on the,almost essential, 4G pitch, but the overall impression was of two teams playing at high tempo with total commitment. It was not faultless but the majority of mistakes were forced by the pressuree exerted by either high-speed attack.

The concept of Monday Night Rugby did not stir any great enthusiasm when it was announced, but if they keep finding games of this quality to show, Covid-19 restrictions will be almost bearable.

[joooooe]

Ben Whitehouse was excellent.

Showed great hands too

[leinsterforever]

Watching Josh Murphy play makes me think of Schmidt's saying "good players make those around them look good". He brings so much solidity and hard grafting in the 6 jumper and that means there's a platform for everyone else to do their thing. Is it a coincidence that the two games he's started turned into very impressive wins and the ones he didn't play in were somewhat underwhelming?

[OTT]

Obviously I think Dan Sheehan looks great in the little we have seen of him so far and he did brilliant with his line outs when he came on last night but we had 17 throughout the night and won all 17 (source: ultimate rugby). So I think It’s only fair to say James Tracy and the pack as a whole also deserve lots of praise and no doubt Dev who did the whole 80 and his calling. As an aside in green the further we move away from Dev it seems the more we miss him in certain areas.

[Ruckedtobits]

Totally agree on Tracy who was like a man inspired in defence in the first half, as was his throwing. I would give the same assessment about Molony, another of our underestimated understudies. Two superb displays which absolutely demonstrate the value of the work of McBryde and Hogan in coaching our forwards.

[wixfjord]

Tracy is a really impressive player. He has turned into a Michael Bent esque totally solid front rower and his throwing has improved hugely over the years.

Guys like him, Molony, Bent and Rhys are so important to the club.

[wixfjord]

I think that was a game that will bring on Harry Byrne more than facile victories at home.

He was fairly mixed over all - the line for the try and some of the chip kicks & passing in the first half were excellent, but he gave away at least one pen, gave up a fairly poor interception and had a few kicking errors too.

He needs to learn that he doesn't need to push things as much when we're in a winning position away.

[wixfjord]

Despite him not getting much ball, I thought Kelleher was again impressive last night. Tackled like a demon, his acceleration off the mark means he constantly takes contact going forward and he marshalled Matawalu well.

[Laighin Break]

Highlight of the game was when Ben Whitehouse caught the ball and the Glasgow 7 stopped and then jokingly pretended to try to smash him. I'm sure deep down he would have loved to follow through.

I liked how Ferris kinda called out Glasgow's over cheering/celebrating of tries and scrum penalties in general, and especially considering the game was lost.
It did annoy me though that the commentary were saying that Glasgow could get 1 point if they scored a try at the end, when they would have in fact got 2 points.

[riocard911]

I think that was a game that will bring on Harry Byrne more than facile victories at home.

He was fairly mixed over all - the line for the try and some of the chip kicks & passing in the first half were excellent, but he gave away at least one pen, gave up a fairly poor interception and had a few kicking errors too.

He needs to learn that he doesn't need to push things as much when we're in a winning position away.

At the risk of maybe overegging things, IMO, that was a match-winning move by Harry to punch a hole in their defence and get the offload to JO'B for our first try. That was our first visit to their 22 and we were beating down the door on their tryline. Had they repulsed that offensive and been able to clear their lines, I imagine we could have had a far harder time of it. With Harry's try-making move our self-belief grew, while doubt crept into the weegies minds. Was a big time play and it came off, fair play to him.

[hugonaut]

Despite him not getting much ball, I thought Kelleher was again impressive last night. Tackled like a demon, his acceleration off the mark means he constantly takes contact going forward and he marshalled Matawalu well.

I'm so impressed with his attitude.

I used to think he was a terrible man for freelancing, taking everything out of the ball and then, on the other side, adopting a bit of a laissez faire approach to defending. Now his defending is aggressive and tenacious, his support work is really industrious, his body language is very good ... and he was always an excellent runner.

Looking forward to seeing more of him over the coming month.

[Oldschool]

Despite him not getting much ball, I thought Kelleher was again impressive last night. Tackled like a demon, his acceleration off the mark means he constantly takes contact going forward and he marshalled Matawalu well.

I'm so impressed with his attitude.

I used to think he was a terrible man for freelancing, taking everything out of the ball and then, on the other side, adopting a bit of a laissez faire approach to defending. Now his defending is aggressive and tenacious, his support work is really industrious, his body language is very good ... and he was always an excellent runner.

Looking forward to seeing more of him over the coming month.

Good coaching both at Connacht and now, at Leinster.
Works if the attitude is right.