Leinster v Connacht Sat 2nd 19.35 Eir Sport

[wixfjord]

Via The42.ie:

LEINSTER WILL HAVE full-back Jimmy O’Brien available for their Guinness Pro14 clash with Connacht this weekend.

An update issued by the province this afternoon confirmed that the 24-year-old is in contention to play on Saturday at the RDS [KO 7.35pm].

O’Brien has completed the graduated return-to-play protocols, having sustained a knock during the Heineken Champions Cup win against Northampton Saints.

Harry Byrne won’t feature in the inter-provincial fixture due to the back issue that arose for the 21-year–old out-half during the warm-up ahead of the Northampton game.

Rhys Ruddock may also miss out as the rib injury picked up by the 30-year-old back-row forward during the same game requires further assessment.

Depending on who is out with covid, and assuming the internationals are still rested, we could see something like:

Dooley, Tracy, Bent, Toner, Baird, Murphy, Leavy, Conan, McGrath, Ross Byrne, Kelleher, Frawley, ROL, DK, JOB
Byrne, Cronin, Clarkson, Molony, Penny, Connors, HOS, Turner,

May not want to throw in Conan from the start.

[LeinsterLeader]

Yeah, no sign of any of the internationals at training so you'd imagine the team v Conn will be similar to the team which was due to go out against Munster (JOB the most obvious probable change).

[Xanthippe]

Interesting to see Stuart Lancaster at training - I wonder if he made the decision to stay in Dublin for the moment

[Blue Man]

Via The42.ie:

LEINSTER WILL HAVE full-back Jimmy O’Brien available for their Guinness Pro14 clash with Connacht this weekend.

An update issued by the province this afternoon confirmed that the 24-year-old is in contention to play on Saturday at the RDS [KO 7.35pm].

O’Brien has completed the graduated return-to-play protocols, having sustained a knock during the Heineken Champions Cup win against Northampton Saints.

Harry Byrne won’t feature in the inter-provincial fixture due to the back issue that arose for the 21-year–old out-half during the warm-up ahead of the Northampton game.

Rhys Ruddock may also miss out as the rib injury picked up by the 30-year-old back-row forward during the same game requires further assessment.

Depending on who is out with covid, and assuming the internationals are still rested, we could see something like:

Dooley, Tracy, Bent, Toner, Baird, Murphy, Leavy, Conan, McGrath, Ross Byrne, Kelleher, Frawley, ROL, DK, JOB
Byrne, Cronin, Clarkson, Molony, Penny, Connors, HOS, Turner,

May not want to throw in Conan from the start.

That backrow lacks pace. Leavy better suited to 6 (and Josh arguably to lock). I’d have Penny in there. Great to see Jack back, hope he has a Rhys like, post-injury run of form.

[mildlyinterested]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Max O’Reilly (0)
14. Andrew Smith (0)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (26)
12. Rory O’Loughlin (73)
11. Dave Kearney (156)
10. Johnny Sexton (168)
9. Luke McGrath (136) CAPTAIN
1. Peter Dooley (83)
2. James Tracy (118)
3. Michael Bent (149)
4. Ross Molony (103)
5. Devin Toner (255)
6. Ryan Baird (16)
7. Scott Penny (19)
8. Dan Leavy (70)

16. Seán Cronin (187)
17. Ed Byrne (59)
18. Tom Clarkson (4)
19. Josh Murphy (39)
20. Jack Conan (95)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (24)
22. Liam Turner (4)
23. Will Connors (21)

[scentofgunpowder]

CONNACHT MATCHDAY 23 VS LEINSTER RUGBY
Saturday 2nd January, RDS Arena, k/o 7.35pm

Name/Number/Caps (* denotes uncapped)
15. John Porch (27)
14. Peter Sullivan (5)
13. Sammy Arnold (10)
12. Tom Daly (34)
11. Alex Wootton (9)
10. Jack Carty (147)
9. Caolin Blade (118)
1. Denis Buckley (188)
2. Shane Delahunt (86)
3. Dominic Robertson-McCoy (58)
4. Gavin Thornbury (46)
5. Quinn Roux (104) (C)
6. Eoghan Masterson (100)
7. Conor Oliver (10)
8. Sean Masterson (7)

Replacements
16. Jonny Murphy (10)
17. Matthew Burke (16)
18. Conor Kenny (8)
19. Ultan Dillane (104)
20. Cian Prendergast (4)
21. Kieran Marmion (173)
22. Diarmuid Kilgallen (1)
23. Ben O’Donnell *

Looking like another rough night in the RDS for us. A number of COVID cases seem to have influenced selection.

[hugonaut]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Max O’Reilly (0)
14. Andrew Smith (0)
13. Jimmy O’Brien (26)
12. Rory O’Loughlin (73)
11. Dave Kearney (156)
10. Johnny Sexton (168)
9. Luke McGrath (136) CAPTAIN
1. Peter Dooley (83)
2. James Tracy (118)
3. Michael Bent (149)
4. Ross Molony (103)
5. Devin Toner (255)
6. Ryan Baird (16)
7. Scott Penny (19)
8. Dan Leavy (70)

16. Seán Cronin (187)
17. Ed Byrne (59)
18. Tom Clarkson (4)
19. Josh Murphy (39)
20. Jack Conan (95)
21. Hugh O’Sullivan (24)
22. Liam Turner (4)
23. Will Connors (21)

Wow. That's a Leinster team unlike any we have seen in a long time. Two debutants in the back three and Johnny Sexton at outhalf?

The pack is very strong, starters and subs. Very interesting to see three second rows starting and three backrows on the bench ... I wonder if that is what they are looking at strategy-wise in terms of the season or if it is a one-off for this game.

It will be interesting to see how Ryan Baird plays at blindside compared to how he played against Northampton in the row.

[wixfjord]

Bit of a mix and match of a team.

Not much balance in the backrow, but that front 5 should be solid enough to give us good ball and 9/10 experienced enough to bring us through.

Excited to see how Smith goes.

Don’t know much about O’Reilly, anyone give a scouting report as to what to expect?

[joooooe]

Interesting that McGrath is captain even though Sexton is starting.

In fact it's interesting that anyone other than the club captain is captain in a match where the club captain is starting.

Try saying that after 6 pints.

[Dave Cahill]

Interesting that McGrath is captain even though Sexton is starting.

In fact it's interesting that anyone other than the club captain is captain in a match where the club captain is starting.

Try saying that after 6 pints.

It has happened before, both here and with other teams - particularly as Sexton was a late drop in for Frawley - its not that unusual

[OTT]

Interesting that McGrath is captain even though Sexton is starting.

In fact it's interesting that anyone other than the club captain is captain in a match where the club captain is starting.

Try saying that after 6 pints.

Leinster have said Frawley was due to start but pulled out today so Sexton in last minute, McGrath has led team all week so stays as captain (for some continuity I suppose).

Edit: what Dave said.

[LeinsterLeader]

So should JS get a knock early on (not totally out of the question), who would go to 10?

[cormac]

Jimmy O'Brien presumably

[LeinsterLeader]

Jimmy O'Brien presumably

I think Dan Leavy could do it

[limecat]

Match Preview

Happy New Year!

Goodbye and good riddance to 2020 and hopefully 2021 will eventually be a lot happier for all of us. However Covid 19 is still a big problem and it hit Leinster last week forcing the cancellation of the Munster game. Two players eventually tested positive and we wish them a speedy recovery. Connacht have also reported that a number of players have tested positive but they're able to field a team for tomorrow evening's game.

Read more...

[Ruckedtobits]

Should be a good contest in front-fives. With the two Mastersons and McCoy, Connacht have decent lifters for Roux, Thornbury & Dillane and their scrum and maul should be sound with Buckley & Delahunt making up front-row. Can Treacy find Baird in competition against Masterson at the tail? A big challenge for him. Toner v Thornbury will be fascinating and is a contest which has been awaited for some time.

Blade v McGrath will be a fascinating match-up also and if Blade gets front-foot ball, Carty will use Daly and Porch to attack an inexperienced Leinster mid-field Defence.

Back-row should the key for Leinster. Without Butler to direct operations, Connacht don't look clever enough in that department.

[Atlas]

I'd say Connacht have the better tight 5, backrows are a very difficult call.

Leinster the better half backs but not by that much and Connacht have the better back line.

Leinster have a significantly better bench though that should win it for them by 7-10 points.

[wixfjord]

I'd say Connacht have the better tight 5, backrows are a very difficult call.

Leinster the better half backs but not by that much and Connacht have the better back line.

Leinster have a significantly better bench though that should win it for them by 7-10 points.

Swap Molony for Fardy and that's the tight five that won in Montpellier.

McGrath and Sexton are far and away better than Blade and Carty too.

[ronk]

I’d worry about backrow balance against a grizzled, experienced backrow. Connacht don’t have that. We have a full sub backrow too.

We should secure good possession from scrum and line out too.

Obviously the 2 debuts in the back 3 outside a new midfield combination is a risk and there isn’t tactical cover if they have bad days.

[CiaranIrl]

I predict that this will be one of those games where there will be a massive cloud of steam drifting over the pack, while the outside backs freeze their nuts off standing around waiting for the ball the come to them once every 10 minutes.